Charcoal Popularity
A lot of new products have come on the market that are charcoal-based. Charcoal is used in a lot of beauty products, health products, and even food. Sometimes charcoal is used to make desserts look a cool, deep black color. You should use caution when consuming or using charcoal products though.
How Does it Work?
When we're talking about charcoal-based products, we don't mean charcoal from a grill. Activated charcoal is made from wood, coconut shells, and other natural materials. It is heated and oxidized into a fine powder, which is then added or incorporated into the products we've mentioned.
One of the main, important uses for charcoal is in the emergency medicine world. It adsorbs (attaches to) harmful chemicals in your stomach to prevent them from causing toxicity. For this reason, it can also adsorb important medications that you need to take for medical purposes. So always consult with a physician before consuming charcoal products.
CONS of Charcoal Toothpaste
While charcoal toothpaste is helpful in removing surface stains, it cannot remove internal stains from your teeth like a professional whitening service.
Additionally, the fine grains of carbon in charcoal toothpaste can be highly abrasive to your teeth. This can start to erode your enamel and threaten the health of your teeth. As your enamel erodes, the deeper dentin is exposed and can cause tooth sensitivity and decay.
Charcoal toothpaste typically does not contain the recommended amount of fluoride, so it cannot help strengthen your teeth as well as traditional toothpaste.
Lastly, the charcoal toothpaste may settle in between your teeth and aggravate your gums, causing inflammation.
Charcoal Toothpaste PROS
We’ve talked about the “adsorptive properties” of charcoal toothpaste. You may be wondering, “What does that mean? Don’t you mean absorbing?” The more common word “absorb” is used to describe a substance being dissolved. However, “adsorb” describes what is happening when one material causes another to adhere to its surface. This is what happens with activated charcoal.
Charcoal toothpaste binds to loose organic materials on your teeth – like plaque and surface stains. Then when it is rinsed away, those materials are washed away along with the toothpaste. It can also bind to and remove acidic compounds that could be harming your teeth and causing bad breath.
Charcoal toothpaste binds to loose organic materials on your teeth – like plaque and surface stains. Then when it is rinsed away, those materials are washed away along with the toothpaste. It can also bind to and remove acidic compounds that could be harming your teeth and causing bad breath.
Best Dentist in Southern Missouri
Access Dental and Dentures is the best dentist in southern Missouri and we can help you get the bright, healthy smile you've always dreamed of without the risk of harming your teeth with popular, over-the-counter products. Give us a call to set up an appointment!
