Trends come and go in fashion and music, but dental care should be based on sound science rather than advice you might hear from a Youtube video or a pop culture magazine. Yet millions of people change their brushing, flossing, and tooth whitening habits each year after hearing about a new trend or idea. If you've heard about the new trend of using activated charcoal for whiter teeth, find out why you may not want to commit to this trend for the long term.

Home Whitening Solution

Most of the trendsetters who recommend trying an activated charcoal product claim it will whiten your teeth. This is technically true because it can remove surface stains from food, drinks, and habits like smoking. However, the options for using charcoal range from DIY solutions relying on crushed tablets to very expensive high-end toothpaste products. Some of these solutions are tested for safety by a dental lab, while others were created by non-experts with no dental health knowledge.

Abrasive Damage to Enamel

The biggest risk of using an activated charcoal toothpaste or daily powder scrub is due to the abrasive nature of the crushed product. Charcoal is highly abrasive when crushed into a powder, so using it in place of toothpaste altogether is likely to seriously damage the enamel after just a few weeks of use. Enamel doesn't regrow, so once you've damaged it enough, your teeth must be sealed by a doctor in order to protect the dentin below.

Short-Term Whitening

Some people are willing to risk enamel damage for fast whitening results in time for a wedding or other upcoming event. But consider that weakening your enamel with abrasive charcoal scrubs will result in long-term stains because the increasing porosity of the tooth increases future staining. Your teeth will turn yellow faster and require more and more whitening treatments if you use activated charcoal for short-term and fast whitening results.

Lack of Evidence

Finally, some fans of using activated charcoal avoid brushing with it but still apply it gently to the teeth in the hopes of killing bacteria and drawing out toxins. There is no evidence to support that this works in the mouth since activated charcoal only absorbs poisons and toxic substances when used in the gastrointestinal tract. Some dentists report their patients experiencing semi-permanent to permanent dark staining from applying the crushed charcoal paste to their mouth for days or weeks in a row. Gum discoloration takes quite a bit of dental work to reverse. Particles can also get stuck in dental appliances like braces, crowns, and orthodontic devices. Trying to remove the bits of charcoal can damage your teeth or your dental devices.

To learn more, contact an orthodontist or dental professional near you. 

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