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By now, you’ve probably seen more than a few ads for charcoal toothpaste, which claims to use all-natural charcoal to whiten your teeth and remove surface stains. Is this really true, and is charcoal toothpaste safe to use on your teeth? Find out now in this guide from Lakewood Smiles Dentistry.
Charcoal toothpaste is an effective abrasive that can remove some surface stains and discoloration from your teeth. But that’s the problem! It’s too abrasive to be safe.
There are lots of different types of charcoal toothpaste out there, and they are not accepted by the American Dental Association (ADA). In fact, in September 2017, the ADA published a study finding that charcoal toothpaste can be hazardous to your oral health.
This is because the charcoal used in the toothpaste may be harder than your tooth enamel. If you use an abrasive that’s harder than your enamel to clean your teeth, it will slowly wear down your teeth.
Not only does this permanently damage your teeth, but it can actually make your teeth look more yellow, since the underlying dentin, which is more yellowish in color, will be closer to the surface of the tooth due to the thinning of your enamel.
We highly recommend that you avoid using charcoal whitening toothpaste. But that doesn’t mean that you’re out of luck if you want to whiten your toothpaste at home. We recommend choosing an ADA-accepted whitening toothpaste that will whiten your teeth while protecting your oral health.
There are two basic types of whitening toothpaste; abrasive whitening toothpaste and chemical whitening toothpaste.
Abrasive toothpaste uses baking soda or other mild abrasives that are softer than your enamel. This means the toothpaste can scrape away plaque and surface stains while not damaging your tooth material, making it a better option than charcoal toothpaste.
Chemical whitening toothpaste uses hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide, which are the same whiteners used in professional whitening treatment. However, they are present in much lower amounts. This type of toothpaste is not always meant to be used every day, so make sure to follow the instructions on the box or tube to make sure you’re using it properly.
Whitening toothpaste can be used for some minor surface stains, but if you have very stained or yellow teeth, this may not be enough to whiten your smile completely. If that’s the case, professional teeth whitening from Dr. Nancy William at Lakewood Smiles Dentistry may be right for you! With professional teeth whitening at our office, you can restore your smile quickly with in-office treatment or a customized take-home whitening kit.
Overall, charcoal toothpaste is not as effective as ADA-approved products, and it can even be dangerous to your teeth. You should avoid it, and instead consider using ADA-approved toothpaste to whiten your teeth.
Interested in more information about professional teeth whitening in Lakewood? Contact Lakewood Smiles Dentistry online or give us a call at (562) 866-0406 to schedule a cosmetic appointment with Dr. William right away.
