Are Activated Charcoal Products Good for Your Teeth?

Activated charcoal seems to be the latest health fad and has been touted as taking care of many health concerns. From clearing up your skin to make your hair softer, people are starting to think that activated charcoal can do just about anything. One of the biggest trends is using activated charcoal to clean your teeth. However, how well does this actually work? Could you be ruining your teeth in the process?

 

What is Activated Charcoal?

 

When you hear the word “charcoal,” you instantly think of your barbecue grill. However, activated charcoal is much different from what you find at the bottom of your grill after cooking outside. Instead, it’s a finely-milled black powder that is made from coal, sawdust, bone char, coconut shells, and other materials. This powder is then processed in very high heat, which changes the molecular structure and “activates” it. What results is a black powder that is more porous than regular charcoal and is safer to use for human consumption.

 

How Would Activated Charcoal Work on Teeth?

 

Activated charcoal is known to consume toxins from the body so that they are no longer harmful. The premise is that it can do the same for teeth by absorbing plaque, leaving teeth brighter and cleaner than can be achieved with toothpaste.

 

Although there is no scientific evidence to say that activated charcoal does whiten teeth, it is very good at eliminating surface stains on the teeth. Discoloring of the enamel of your teeth from coffee, tea, and wine can be removed through the use of activated charcoal. Polishing at the dental office (the final step with the spinning cup and gritty paste) does the same thing, but is only done every 6 months.

 

The Drawback

 

Despite this advantage of getting a brighter smile from the use of activated charcoal on your teeth, it doesn’t mean that you should start scrubbing with it every day. The reason why it removes the surface stains on your teeth is that these stains live on the enamel layer. What the activated charcoal is doing is taking off a layer of enamel from your teeth to reveal the cleaner layer below.

 

This process is due to the abrasiveness of activated charcoal which, over time, will remove your enamel entirely. Also, the downside to this is that this particular coating doesn’t grow back. That leaves your teeth weaker and more exposed to any bacteria that may be present in your mouth.

 

So instead of taking a risk with activated charcoal, you can get a brighter, cleaner smile by making a trip to Kantor Dental. Besides, you should also consult with the experienced professionals before sacrificing anything for a quick fix, especially when it involves your dental health.

 

To learn more about activated charcoal, watch our video below: