Ask your Egham dentist for advice first!

Charcoal has long been something we relate to barbeques and maybe a touch of art. These days it is now in facemasks, supplements and hair treatments. This is because it is thought to have detoxing qualities that grab lots of bad bits and remove them. Here at your local Egham dentist, we have also noticed charcoal is now being used to whiten and clean teeth in the form of toothpaste and tooth cleaning powders. Is it safe? Does it work? Let's take a closer look at this recent health trend.

Activated Charcoal - The Basics

The product used on teeth is activated charcoal, which is a treated form of carbon. The carbon absorbs bits of dirt and toxins into its pores when used, and then it is washed away taking the bad bits with it. Activated charcoal used to be used thousands of years ago as a tooth cleaning ingredient, but that stopped once more sophisticated methods of tooth cleaning arose.

Should You Use Activated Charcoal?

As with any health trend, there are concerns about activated charcoal. The first concern is that it is abrasive which some feel could cause damage to the enamel on teeth with long term, regular use. Another concern is that the charcoal could be absorbing things like medication and nutrients along with the bad things it collects. At the very least, some think that charcoal products are a waste of money because they just don't have the time on your teeth to make any real difference to them.

It isn't all bad though, some feel that the tooth treatments are beneficial in fighting bad breath and in whitening teeth to some extent. There are certainly many people who use charcoal toothpaste as an effective toothpaste that gets rid of surface stains better than other brands they have used. Realistically, the best thing to do before you start using a new product like charcoal toothpaste is to speak to your Egham dentist who can advise you on its suitability for your teeth.

Charcoal Cleaning And Whitening

Charcoal toothpaste could be good at removing surface stains but it won't whiten your teeth like a professional whitening treatment at Crown House Dental will. Surface stains sit on the enamel and so can be removed with products like charcoal toothpaste, whereas deeper stains sit further inside the tooth and can only be reached with stronger bleaches like those used in tooth whitening treatments from your Egham dentist.

So, Is Activated Charcoal Just A Gimmick?

Some might say activated charcoal could just be a gimmick or a trend and that the product won't clean your teeth any better than other toothpastes. There's nothing wrong with using an approved and tested product to clean your teeth, but do speak to your Egham dentist if you want further advice about whether it is right for your teeth. If you have staining deeper than the surface of the teeth, we may recommend teeth whitening to get that celebrity smile effect. Please call us on 01784432641 and we will be more than happy to provide further information.