Charcoal toothpaste, what is all the buzz about?

Spend a few minutes on Instagram and you may find yourself enticed by one of the many new craft brands of toothpaste on the market. Charcoal, one of the buzziest wellness ingredients right now, is one of the most hyped types of toothpaste you can buy. Brushing your teeth with charcoal is not a new trend. Hippocrates used the stuff in ancient Greece. But does it ACTUALLY BELONG in your toothpaste? The short answer is most likely no, as it is almost always too abrasive to be having direct contact with your teeth. It acts similarly to sandpaper in the way that it wears down your enamel.  The long term effect of such enamel erosion can actually produce yellower-looking teeth because of the underlying yellow dentin.

Besides the enamel damage that can be caused by a charcoal’s abrasively, it has other potentially harmful impacts on oral health. For example, fruit juice naturally inhibits the enzyme glucosyltransferase, a process that reduces dental cavities. But the addition of charcoal interferes with fruit juice ability to block glucosyltransferase, neutralizing the protective effects. Charcoal also contains several compounds that are “reasonably anticipated to be human carcinogens” according to the National Toxicology Program.

We simply don’t have enough evidence of the positive claims associated with charcoal toothpastes, and the current formulas haven’t undergone enough stringently controlled clinical trials. We need more research before we can acknowledge the health and beauty claims for charcoal-based toothpastes. There is, unfortunately, currently more evidence for charcoal’s negative effects than charcoal’s benefits.

Our hydroxyapatite based toothpaste is proven to rebuild your enamel without any harmful ingredients.

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About Dr. Derek

He is not only Co-Founder of RiseWell. Dr. Derek Gatta is a partner at Dr Max & Dr Gatta PLLC in Boca Raton, Florida. If you are in the area, he is your go-to dentist!