Will Charcoal Toothpaste Whiten Your Teeth?

When you look at ways to whiten your teeth at home, you'll come across various toothpastes that claim to make teeth look brighter. Besides regular toothpastes that have whitening agents, you may also see charcoal toothpastes on the shelf. Can these toothpastes make your teeth whiter?

The Advantages of Using a Charcoal Toothpaste

While it may seem counterintuitive to use a black substance to whiten teeth, some people use a charcoal toothpaste for this purpose. The principle behind this is the effect that charcoal can have on some stains.

Toothpastes that contain charcoal harness the natural abrasion of this material. This can give a toothpaste a little extra power.

When the charcoal is rubbed against the teeth as you brush, it may remove some surface stains and discolouration more effectively than some regular toothpastes. If you can clean these areas off your teeth, then they may look a little cleaner. For example, if these stains were covering parts of your teeth, then your teeth may look whiter without the stains.

The Disadvantages of Using a Charcoal Toothpaste

Some people find it hard to get used to using a toothpaste that is effectively black until it is washed off. Plus, while a charcoal toothpaste may spruce stained teeth up a little, it will generally only deal with surface stains that aren't too hard to remove. These toothpastes don't really whiten teeth in themselves — they simply make teeth a little cleaner.

It's also important not to overuse charcoal toothpaste. If you use any abrasive toothpaste too much or scrub with them too hard, then you may damage your surface enamel.

Also, in some cases, the charcoal in toothpaste may lodge around old fillings or in crevices. If this happens, then the toothpaste may make your teeth look stained rather than whiter. You may find it hard to clean the toothpaste out of these areas.

It's also important to check whether a charcoal toothpaste contains fluoride. Some homeopathic pastes don't contain any fluoride, which could leave your teeth at greater risk of developing problems. The fluoride in toothpaste helps protect your teeth and keep them strong.

Before you decide whether to use a charcoal toothpaste or not, ask your dentist for advice. If they agree that this might be worth a try, then they can recommend a good product.

Your dentist can also give you advice on other ways to whiten your teeth. For example, a professional clean is likely to do a better job at getting rid of stains, and a professional whitening treatment will give you a brighter smile.

Contact a general dentistry services provider in your area for more information.