Dentist’s council against using charcoal to whiten teeth

 

The latest tooth whitening trend is to use charcoal like toothpaste to break down stains, but now dentists are voicing concerns about the practice and recommending that people who want whiter teeth do it properly at the dentist, instead of trying home remedies that could be damaging to their teeth.

It has been suggested that the practice of brushing charcoal onto the teeth could cause enamel erosion and tooth sensitivity with prolonged use, as well as minimal whitening with deep staining. Speaking to FoxNews.com Dr Susan Maples said that there is no evidence to suggest that brushing teeth with charcoal is going to successfully whiten them but it could damage them permanently. Dr Maples added that there could long-term effects to this type of DIY dental treatment because tooth enamel does not grow back once it has worn away.

Instead of damaging their teeth, Dr Maples added that patients who want to get whiter teeth should use approved products or ‘at-home whitening trays provided by their dentist’ instead of utilising home remedies that might cause injuries to the teeth.