Will Charcoal Whiten My Teeth
Posted by writeradmin
I recently read that charcoal is a natural way to whiten teeth and I’d like to try it. I did in-office bleaching with the blue light before, and the results were awesome, but the aftermath was pure agony. I don’t want to go through that again, but I’m getting stains on my teeth again. I’d like to get them back to where they were, but I really don’t want to do that light thing again. Will the charcoal be a good option for me?
Edie
Dear Edie,
I’ve been seeing those commercials about using charcoal to both brush and whiten teeth on Facebook lately. There are also some YouTubers pushing it. For the benefit of those who haven’t seen them, they are referring to activated charcoal, not the stuff you buy for a cookout on the grill.
While it is natural and non-toxic, it is not actually good for your teeth. Everything has varying degrees of abrasiveness. Although your enamel is very tough, it can’t resist scratches from everything. For example, dentists often use diamond-tipped tools when they need to cut through a tooth to remove decay. Diamonds are so tough, they make very smooth cuts with less effort. Toothpaste has different levels of abrasiveness as well. Charcoal has been tested in studies and is more abrasive than toothpaste, which means it can damage your enamel and restorations.
While using charcoal works may lighten your teeth, once your enamel is damaged it doesn’t come back. As a result, your teeth will be more sensitive as well as more prone to getting cavities. Plus, most people don’t even see results from the charcoal.
There are Better Options for Teeth Whitening
I know you had a bad experience with Zoom whitening, which is what is typically used when people talk about teeth whitening using a light. In-office solutions work quickly, but are a bit stronger. My suggestion would be to get professional strength take home teeth whitening. Be certain that you tell your dentist about the sensitivity you experienced with Zoom. Even though this is milder, he or she can still give you something that will help.
If you happened to be looking for a complete smile makeover, then you could have porcelain veneers done. These can change the shape, size, and color of your teeth all in one go. Just make sure you find an expert cosmetic dentist to do the work. While teeth whitening is a procedure that just about any dentist can do, veneers take someone with advanced post doctoral training.
This blog is brought to you by a gentle dentist in Arnold, MD, Dr. Meredith Esposito.