Benefits of Activated Charcoal

Over the past few years, activated charcoal has attracted quite a bit of attention in the media. It is commonly used in emergency rooms across the U.S. to treat and reverse some types of poisonings. It is not a naturally occurring substance, but rather is made from sources such as coal, wood or coconut shells and becomes “activated” through a

heating process. Activated charcoal traps unwanted chemicals in its tiny pores by a process called adsorption, where positively charged toxins attach themselves to the negative charge of activated charcoal.

Proponents say using activated charcoal offers many oral hygiene benefits, including the prevention of cavities, bad breath and gum disease. Online you’ll see people using activated charcoal to whiten their teeth. For the most part, it works wonderfully to remove the tiny particles that cause stains, yet it may not work on your crowns or veneers.

On the other hand, charcoal is mildly abrasive and there is no evidence that it has any effect on stains below the tooth enamel. In order to effectively whiten teeth, a product needs to work on stains on the surface, as well as intrinsic stains, which are those below the enamel.