Charcoal Toothpaste vs Regular Toothpaste: Which Is Better For Whitenning?

At the store, you may be on your way to buy some toothpaste only to find charcoal toothpaste. You may never have considered using charcoal toothpaste before. To ensure you get the most out of your brushing, it's important to know if charcoal toothpaste is better than regular toothpaste for teeth whitening.

Here's what you need to know.

What Is Activated Charcoal Toothpaste?

Activated charcoal toothpaste is a type of toothpaste that uses activated charcoal in its ingredients. The toothpaste often contains other natural ingredients, too, to clean your teeth in a healthy and safe way.

The type of activated charcoal that's used in dental and beauty products is a mixture of wood and coconut shells. There are also a few other ingredients thrown in.

This combination is often used in the medical field to help absorb toxins from the body.

Since it absorbs toxins, it's also ideal for teeth whitening.

Why Use Activated Charcoal Toothpaste?

Using activated charcoal toothpaste is a great way to remove stains and absorb them. When you drink or eat something, you're staining your teeth with them. This can make your teeth appear not as white as before.

Activated charcoal toothpaste can restore your teeth's whiteness by absorbing the stains and removing them from your teeth. The result is a whiter smile.

Another reason to use activated charcoal toothpaste is because of its slightly abrasive nature. Charcoal is rough. When you scrub it into your teeth, you help remove any sticky buildup or tartar that may be clinging to your teeth. It can scratch them from your teeth and reveal the white enamel below them.

Not only will your teeth be whiter, but they'll also be healthier.

Pros and Cons of Activated Charcoal Toothpaste

Here are a few positives of activated charcoal toothpaste:

• Remove surface stains
• Removes toxins
• Improves bad breath
• Prevents staining in the first place

A few negatives of activated charcoal toothpaste include:

• Scrubbing too hard with it can damage your enamel
• Stains below the enamel will remain
• May increase tooth sensitivity for some

Is Charcoal Toothpaste Better Than Regular Toothpaste?

Charcoal toothpaste has added benefits than regular toothpaste. Both can give your mouth an effective cleaning. Activated charcoal toothpaste just happens to go a step beyond regular toothpaste.  It all depends on your needs.

Not all regular toothpastes on the market can remove stains and toxins from teeth.  Our regular toothpaste at Lucky Teeth does help with stains and toxins because of bentonite clay and baking soda. Once we add the coconut charcoal to our other version, you get even more strength on the same actions.  With other pastes on the market, you can scrub hard to remove plaque and other debris,  but the cleaning isn't quite as effective because the lack of nourishing ingredients.  Make sure you read the labels and know the purpose of every ingredient.  You will see even organic pastes list "water" as their first and most used ingredient along with preservatives and binding agents.

Whitening Effect of Activated Charcoal Toothpaste

The whitening effect of activated charcoal toothpaste stems from its ability to absorb toxins. Any stains that rest on the surface of your teeth can be absorbed by the charcoal. Once they're absorbed, the charcoal holds onto it until you spit the paste out of your mouth.

The abrasiveness of activated charcoal also removes stains. It can scrub off debris and plaque that makes your teeth look yellow or brown. It can even scrub away plaque that is extremely sticky or hard to remove.  Surprisingly, it will even lessen the amount of plaque your produce.  

Tips for Using Charcoal Toothpaste Safely

Like any kind of cleaning routine, you need to know how to do it correctly to do it safely. Follow these tips to use charcoal toothpaste safely.

1. Use Every Other Day

You shouldn't brush every day with activated charcoal toothpaste some experts suggest. The abrasive nature can increase teeth sensitivity. Too much abrasion can even damage your enamel. This still controversial and we suggest you do your research as well.

A great option if you are unsure, is to use another natural toothpaste between uses of activated charcoal to keep your teeth healthy.  

2. Scrub Lightly

Activated charcoal is middly abrasive. You don't need to scrub hard against your teeth. You'll do more harm than good.

Brush your teeth gently to get the full effect.

3. Wait

You don't usually wait after brushing your teeth with regular toothpaste. To get the most out of activated charcoal toothpaste, you need to wait a minute or two to let the charcoal absorb the toxins in your mouth.

After the few minutes are up, you can spit the paste out and rinse your mouth.  You will feel your teeth amazingly smooth and clean. 

Choosing what toothpaste is best for you depends on your needs and likes.  Regular and Charcoal toothpastes can both have great benefits, just make sure you read the labels and identify your needs.