Is charcoal toothpaste actually good for your teeth?


Many health trends have come and gone over the years. Just take all those years of the coconut oil trend. Now, it seems as though the world has gone charcoal mad. Scrubs, face masks, and moisturizers are all the rage. However, there is one thing that is taking over more than anything else: charcoal toothpaste. But is it actually good for your teeth?

What is charcoal toothpaste?

Charcoal toothpaste hit the shelves in the last few years as there were claims the new fandabidozi toothpaste could whiten our teeth. Could we finally have an answer to our struggles after all these years? However, don’t think these companies have been digging around in the barbecues for the stuff. The toothpaste is made with activated charcoal – a charcoal made when high-pressure gas is injected into the granules of the charcoal. This creates pockets which, in turn, absorb toxins.

Uses of activated charcoal

So now we know what activated charcoal is, where did it come from? It’s ability to absorb toxins has made it a useful substance over the years in more ways than one. One of the traditional uses for the substance is in hospitals where doctors use activated charcoal to absorb any chemicals in a poisoning or accidental overdose. Nowadays, people have also begun to take activated charcoal as a supplement thanks to its detoxifying powers.

The downsides of activated charcoal

As much as detoxifying sounds like a healthy way of life, it seems as though it might not have all the benefits we think. In fact, there are some major drawbacks to ingesting too much of the substance. Charcoal doesn’t differentiate between useful and harmful chemicals; it will absorb them all. So sometimes our body loses vitamins and minerals we need as a result. Plus, our kidneys and liver are already in place to detoxify our bodies as we need.

It can damage enamel

As well as the other side effects, charcoal toothpaste can damage the enamel on our teeth. This is due to it being a naturally harsh abrasive. So scrubbing away with a toothbrush could see us saying “goodbye” to smooth healthy teeth and “hello” to sensitive teeth instead.

It can stain our tongue

That’s not all. Charcoal toothpaste is black, and soon the rest of our mouth could be, too. The dark pigment in the toothpaste will slowly start to bind with the pigments on our tongue which will eventually stain it black. You might be after teeth, but we’re not sure this was the way to go about it all.

They contain harmful ingredients

Okay, not all charcoal toothpastes are filled with harmful ingredients, but many have a long list of substances that might be causing more harm than good. Some of the many ingredients they might contain include triclosan, SLS, and even fluoride.

Is charcoal toothpaste actually good for your teeth?

It seems as though it’s important to thoroughly read the ingredient lists and any possible side effects before committing to a charcoal toothpaste. However, with a number of risks associated with the substance, could it really be worth risking it all for whiter teeth?
As much as our favorite celebs might try and push these trends onto the world, it seems as though there could be some researching to do before we jump on the craze, too. Darn – we thought we might finally have an answer to whiter teeth after all these years!

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