It could contain possible carcinogens, and actually contribute to making your teeth worse, some sources say. But are they right?
It’s a black, gooey, rather unappealing mess in your mouth: charcoal toothpaste. Those who swear by it love the fact that this paste is said to effectively remove surface stains, essentially whitening your smile without the use of chemical bleaches and other ‘unnatural’ products.
A new study disputes these claims, however. (You have to take the new arguments with a grain of salt of course, as the study was commissioned by the British Dental Bleaching Society, the very individuals who most likely want their fellow Brits to actually use those offending chemicals to whiten their teeth, and truly avoid any do-it-yourself, at-home treatments such as charcoal toothpaste.) But here’s the scoop.
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The study found that charcoal can actually inactivate the fluoride present in toothpaste and water, making your teeth more susceptible to decay. Not all charcoal toothpastes contain fluoride but if yours does, it might be ineffective.
It was also found that using charcoal to clean your mouth could put you up against health risks. Charcoal toothpaste can contain human carcinogenic polyaromatic hydrocarbons, cancer causing ingredients.
What’s in the other stuff that whitens your teeth at the dentist? We’re not sure how safe that is either, but so far, so good.
Some people will undoubtedly stick with charcoal as a tried and true teeth whitener. If it works for you, why not. Everyone’s mouth is different.
For more on keeping your smile at its best, click here.
