Staying Healthy
Is charcoal toothpaste safe for my teeth?
Ask the doctor
Q. My daughter-in-law is raving about charcoal-infused toothpaste she recently bought, saying it really helps whiten teeth. But is it safe?
A. Charcoal toothpaste has recently become a trendy tooth-whitening choice, joining the ever-swelling ranks of whitening products lining store shelves. It contains activated charcoal, which is a fine powder composed of coconut shells, wood, and other natural substances oxidized under heat. Since it's abrasive, it can indeed help remove surface stains on teeth, but there's no evidence it works on stains below the enamel — limiting its effectiveness.
While using charcoal on teeth is safe in small doses, you shouldn't use this type of toothpaste every day. It's simply too abrasive for the task, risking damage to tooth enamel, the protective outer covering of the teeth. Charcoal toothpaste may even stain teeth inadvertently when charcoal particles get caught in tiny tooth cracks or leave teeth gray or black around the edges. And lastly, most charcoal toothpastes don't contain fluoride, which protects your teeth against decay. You're better off opting for a standard, fluoride-containing toothpaste instead of a trendy newer product.
Image: © Rostislav_Sedlacek/Getty Images
About the Author
Toni Golen, MD, Editor in Chief, Harvard Women's Health Watch; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing; Contributor
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