Trending on social media there is a new fad of using activated charcoal toothpaste to whiten teeth. Activated charcoal is highly absorbent and the concept is that this property will remove staining. There are no long-term studies on its efficacy and you could potentially be doing more harm than good. This charcoal is also very abrasive which can scratch off the protective layer of enamel on your teeth. This enamel layer is the “whitest” part of the entire tooth. In addition to wearing away enamel, the effects of ingesting this toothpaste is unknown.
The best solution for whitening your teeth is regular visits to your general dentist, over-the-counter whitening toothpaste, and hydrogen peroxide whitening gels. All of these have been found to be safe over the longer term. Remember that your teeth can only whiten to the shade that they were when they erupted. We recommend whitening the upper teeth first and then the lower teeth later so that you can truly evaluate how white your teeth are becoming. Happy Whitening!
