Initially, you may find it hard to believe that a substance so dark and powdery could have whitening effects on your teeth. But this is only until you read testimonials and see photos explaining how effective it is in cleaning and whitening our teeth. This method of teeth whitening is trending and has spread across social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram.
What Makes It So Popular?
The effectiveness of charcoal toothpaste is derived from the fact that activated charcoal is a very porous and absorbent compound. In fact, activated charcoal is used for treating people who have ingested poisonous materials, as charcoal absorbs the ingested poison. Those that market charcoal toothpaste base their claims on the properties of activated charcoal. The belief is that the activated charcoal will clean and whiten the teeth by absorbing tough stains and bacteria.
Cheaper Than Conventional Teeth Whitening
Another thing that makes charcoal toothpaste very popular is that it is way less expensive than other teeth whitening products. Everyone wants to have white teeth, but not everyone can afford teeth whitening sessions and conventional teeth whitening products. It is very encouraging for some people to feel that they have a chance of having white teeth without having to spend as much.
Visit any Edmonton Dental Clinic to know about all the teeth whitening options that can be both affordable and effective.
Does It Really Work?
Whether it works or not is still inconclusive. Past researches have ended up with results that don’t show any tangible or solid advantages of charcoal toothpaste in comparison to conventional toothpastes. Continuous research is being conducted to verify actual advantages of charcoal products against existing whitening products.
Smooth and Shiny Teeth
Any claims of those people that say that charcoal works might not have been teeth whitening but actually teeth polishing. Teeth whitening involves penetration of chemicals through the enamel and causes the oxidization of compounds inside the teeth that cause discoloration. The whitening comes from the inside of the teeth.
Charcoal toothpaste or powder is not capable of doing that. What it actually does, is scrub the enamel of tough, dark stains that might have been caused by coffee, smoking, or drinking red wine, which cause teeth to darken. The tough stains caused by these elements are polished away by the abrasive components of charcoal. The teeth will not change color, it will just be polished and be rid of the dark stains externally.
Is It Safe?
Studies about the safety of using charcoal products on teeth are not able to conclude any evidence of safety or danger to the teeth. Even the Canadian Dental Association cannot provide an approval for the use of charcoal products on teeth because of the inconclusiveness of previous studies.
Although there are also no conclusive studies that show dangers of using charcoal, dentists are worried about it. This is because people are using home-made mixtures of charcoal and coconut oil which might contain higher amounts of abrasive compounds than existing teeth whitening products. It is still best to ask your Edmonton Dentist about safe and proven ways to whiten your teeth.
What Bad Can Happen?
A high volume of abrasive elements in teeth whitening products, charcoal included, can actually yellow the teeth instead of whitening them. It is because too much grit and abrasiveness can scrub away the enamel. As the enamel gets thinner, it becomes more yellowish no matter how much you whiten it. Aside from the yellow color, a thin enamel means thinner protection for your teeth as well.
To know more about the effects of charcoal products and recommendations on whether or not to use them, get in touch a Dentist in Edmonton today.
