Is Charcoal Good or Bad For Teeth? Pros and Cons Of Charcoal

One of the biggest trends in the oral health world is activated charcoal. Some wear by it while others caution its use. Here's everything you need to know about charcoal and whether it's good or bad for your teeth.

What is Activated Charcoal?

An important aspect of understanding if charcoal is good for you or not is to first understand what activated charcoal exactly is. When some people think about charcoal, they typically think about the small bricks used to light a grill. This isn't the same kind of charcoal that is used in toothpaste.

The major difference is that charcoal for grills isn't activated. Charcoal that is used in toothpaste is activated by being processed at an extremely high temperature. Once it's activated, it has a negative electrical charge. This is an important aspect of how it can have a healthy benefit in your body.

How Activated Charcoal Benefits the Body

When consumed, activated charcoal races down to your gut where toxins and gases gather. It isn't possible for activated charcoal to be absorbed by the body. As a result, it's eventually lost through your waste.

Before then, however, charcoal collects all of the toxins and gases in your gut. It does so because of its negative charge. Toxin and gases are positively charged in your gut. They're attracted to the charcoal and stick to it. Since charcoal can't be absorbed by your body, the toxins and gases also aren't absorbed. Instead, they go with the charcoal molecule when you use the bathroom.

As a result, charcoal can be a great way to help eliminate any toxins that may be in your body.

There are also different types of charcoal toothpaste. Those looking to receive the most beneficial outcome may want to try activated coconut charcoal. Made from coconut shells, activated coconut charcoal is a clean and healthy way to detoxify the body, relieve you of gas, and to help fight bad breath. Coconut may also soothe sensitive gums.

The Problems with Activated Charcoal

When used in toothpaste, the primary use of it is to whiten your teeth. While it can scrape off some debris that may rest on the surface of your teeth, it can't actually whiten it how you want it to. This is because it can't stain your teeth.

A lot of people believe that teeth are naturally bright white. They're not. Teeth are actually yellower or greyer in color depending on your genetics and lifestyle. The bright white that people associate with healthy teeth is a product of Hollywood.

All the same, it's possible to get white teeth by staining them. Activated charcoal is not a method for staining. It is, however, a great way to help scrape off food particles that are clinging to your teeth.

Some may argue that charcoal is too abrasive. It may scrape away the enamel on your teeth if you scrub too hard or use it too often. Yet it should be noted that charcoal has an abrasiveness of 70 on the RDA scale compared to whitening toothpaste which has a value of 200. In this regard, charcoal may actually be safer to use.

Another concern that some users have is that it doesn't typically contain fluoride. Depending on how much fluoride you're getting otherwise, however, this may not always be a bad consequence.

Is Charcoal Good or Bad for Your Teeth?

Activated charcoal can be a great way to absorb toxins from gums and mouth, and scrape away tartar and stains build up on your teeth. Also, has a smaller RDA value than normal whitening toothpaste. To experience the benefits charcoal has to offer, try using our activated charcoal toothpaste today.