HOUSTON – Charcoal products for your mouth claim they can absorb toxins, plaque and tartar like a magnet, but they can be abrasive.
Local dentist, Texas Tooth Lady Terri Alani, uses the toothpaste herself but warns you to take precautions before starting a routine with charcoal for your mouth.
“What activated charcoal does, it acts like a magnet and it just pulls particles and everything away from the area and once it's washed away, it keeps the surface very clean,” Alani said.
The problem is, Alani says, it's abrasive and over time can hurt the enamel.
“You want to brush gently, don't brush with rigor because you can cause sensitivity and thin out your enamel long-term and then if you do that, it's actually going to cause… even more stains so you have to be careful,” she said.
So how often can get the benefit and protect your teeth?
Alani said to limit use to once every other week. “You know, especially for those coffee drinkers, smokers, whatever it will really work,” she said.
Alani said for permanent, long-term whitening you want to use fluoride toothpaste or get professional whitening done in the dentist's office. That is supposed to remove stains under the surface.