Risks Of Activated Charcoal To Your Oral Health

Recently, videos and posts have emerged from various influencers speaking about the purported properties of activated charcoal to help whiten teeth. Several dentists, including General Dental Council president Óscar Castro Reino, have vehemently denied this information.

Castro Reino pointed out that the claims that activated charcoal whitens teeth are not only false, but also pose serious oral health risks. In addition, he emphasizes the importance of consulting oral health professionals rather than listening to viral messages on the Internet.

He also added that activated charcoal is a very abrasive substance. Therefore, it can cause serious dental problems. He also pointed out that it’s like brushing your teeth with sandpaper. The worst part, though, is that it doesn’t even help whiten your teeth.

The Risks of Activated Charcoal

dr. Reino stated that activated charcoal is a substance produced by a chemical process involving the husk of a coconut. This material is extremely aggressive. Then, when applied to the teeth, the tooth enamel can wear off significantly.

Worn tooth enamel carries many risks. First, the nerves are more unprotected, and this causes tooth sensitivity. Also, activated charcoal is so aggressive that it can also damage your gums.

Most paradoxically, rubbing activated charcoal on your teeth and wearing down the enamel leaves a film called dentin. Dentin is even yellower than natural enamel. In other words, not only are there risks from activated charcoal, but it won’t even whiten your teeth.

What do the viral videos show?

There are many videos of influencers to see before and after using activated charcoal. You can see them applying activated charcoal to yellowish teeth. After rinsing, it seems that their teeth have turned a very white color.

What really happens with those images is a very basic visual effect. With charcoal, the teeth look black. When rinsing, they will suddenly appear whiter due to the contrast with the previous image. So in real life are actually not whiter.

for dr. Óscar Castro, it is clear that this information is completely incorrect. Unfortunately, it makes a deep impression on viewers, so they think it’s an effective treatment. We can see them showing misleading evidence that makes the public believe them.

The color of your teeth

The expert also said that normally the teeth are not that shade of white – the natural shade of the teeth is ivory. Genetic factors and the use of other substances cause this natural color to change. For example, think of:

• tea
• coffee
• tobacco

If you don’t have white teeth, it doesn’t mean that there are hygiene problems or that there is another defect. It’s just normal. Castro emphasized that oral hygiene is important, not the deceptive aesthetic effects that are dangerous.

It is best to brush your teeth at least twice a day with a toothpaste that contains fluoride. Also visit the dentist regularly and follow his or her instructions. The dentist is the ideal expert to whiten the teeth.

You don’t need activated charcoal for white teeth

All processes involving your teeth should be supervised by a dental hygienist. This is really very important. Don’t listen to what influencers or non-professional pages are saying.

Dentists are the only experts in this field. Not only can they whiten teeth, but they also assess each patient’s oral health before performing any treatment. For example, if there are gum problems, cavities, or other issues, bleaching can be risky.

Teeth whitening procedures need to be planned, and they also require careful monitoring. That way there are no unwanted consequences. Also, patients should be aware of the potential risks of this procedure.