A pair of pearly whites which really live up to the name is certainly a thing of pride. Not only do white teeth make you more confident about speaking, they certainly make your pictures look brighter!
But can charcoal really contribute to helping one pull this off? Consider the facts.
Activated charcoal – which is really reheated coal – is a porous substance that binds toxins, and is often used to treat poisoning (food and otherwise) in humans and animals. The tiny granules of activated charcoal are extremely porous and very effective in binding certain materials to their surface. Apparently, charcoal granules can pull the tannins found in coffee, tea and red wine from teeth, thereby reducing the appearance of stains in just one use.
And according to some people, it may also act as a magnet to attract pigment, while some websites claim that it can also help kill bad bacteria in the mouth by changing its pH. All these sound magical right? But there are also some drawbacks to consider.
Not only is there no evidence of charcoal living up to its claims, its abrasive nature could cause problems if used too frequently. And when it comes to the teeth, one has to be careful of anything that’s overly abrasive. A dentist, Dr Ryan Fleming believes that:
If someone brushes with something like a pumice or activated charcoal every day for a year, they will certainly do irreversible damage to the enamel of the tooth.
Once enamel is brushed away, the yellow-tinged dentin beneath is revealed. And once this happens, there’s nothing you can do to regain the white look of the enamel, other than restoring the tooth.
As with traditional whitening treatments, it’s probably best to brush with activated charcoal once or twice a year. And this seems to be the caution.
See Also: Been Doing It Wrongly? Here’s How To Brush Your Teeth + Video
