Activated charcoal is a beauty and health trend ingredient that has found its way into everything from ice cream to toothpaste. My brother, who lives in Brooklyn, has been brushing his teeth with powdered activated charcoal. As an effective ingredient in oral care, I have my doubts. The Journal of the American Dental Association recently published an article on the efficacy and benefits of charcoal toothpaste, and the results of the study did not prove it to be the panacea for oral health.
Charcoal is abrasive, and may in fact be too abrasive to the teeth. Brushing with it can strip away precious enamel (the mineral substance that makes teeth white and strong) and enamel doesn’t grow back once its lost.
Furthermore, the charcoal toothpastes on the market don’t contain fluoride, a substance the American Dental Association indicates as preventative against dental tooth decay.
While more research can be done on charcoal toothpaste, as of now Richards Frankel Dentistry would not promote daily use of it. However, l did enjoy some delicious charcoal ice cream this summer in Toronto….it turned my tongue black!
You heard it from the dentist’s mouth!
Best, Dr. Margaret Frankel
