Activated Charcoal Teeth Whitening

Believe it or not, there is a growing trend of using activated charcoal for teeth whitening. Also sometimes known as activated carbon, you might think that it would stain your teeth instead of making them whiter, so if there any truth behind this teeth whitening tip?

What is Activated Charcoal?

Activated Charcoal is also known as activated carbon and is quite different to regular charcoal which you might use on the BBQ. Activated carbon usually starts life as charcoal which is then processed in such a way to be riddled with small pores that increase the surface area many times over.

These tiny pores and large surface area make the activated charcoal highly adsorbent and with further chemical treatment enhanced even more.

In industry, activated charcoal is mainly used in filters or purification processes but it also has medical uses too. The most common is to treat poisonings and overdoses by binding to the toxin to prevent absorption by the body.

How can Activated Charcoal Whiten teeth?

Since activated charcoal is highly adsorbent it is said to be effective at removing some stains from teeth. Specifically stains caused by tannins that you might find things like wine or tea for example. Although there is no proof that this actually works, if you main problem is stained teeth then activated charcoal might be worth a try. It’s cheap and easy to buy online and safe to use.

How to use Activated Charcoal to Whiten Teeth

If you do want to give activated charcoal a try then here are the basic steps for you to follow;

• 1. Buy activated charcoal capsules or loose powder for as little as £6
• 2. Mix a small amount of the activated carbon powder with some water to create a paste
• 3. Apply this paste the teeth with your finger or a toothbrush
• 4. Leave the paste on the teeth for around 5 minutes
• 5. Rinse well with water and brush teeth as normal with toothpaste

Some people claim that stains fade after the first try but others suggest that better whitening results can be achieved using a peroxide based teeth whitening home kit.