Benefits & Risks of Activated Charcoal to Whiten Teeth (Doctor's Advice)

Using activated charcoal to whiten your teeth is the new craze! But does it actually whiten your teeth? What are the benefits of activated charcoal for teeth whitening? Are there any risks to using abrasive charcoal toothpaste? Dr. Nemeth answers these questions and more!

Dr. Nemeth thinks that if it whitens your teeth significantly it could possibly be very abrasive. No long term studies about what activated charcoal does in the mouth have been completed. It could cause the enamel on your teeth to erode away, and it is likely to cause notching, or thinning of the tooth.

It may also irritate the gums and cause the gum tissue to become red. Also if you have crowns, veneers, or fillings in your mouth you have to be very careful with ANY teeth whitening products.

The FDA spends lots of time clearing drugs and other toothpastes. This powder certainly hasn't been cleared to be used in the mouth in any way. We don't know the long term effects of #activatedcharcoal to #whitenteeth , so Dr. Nemeth advises that you be careful and use this teeth whitening technique sparingly!

If you have any questions or would like to schedule an appointment, please visit our website,

We are happy to help you.

Joseph R. Nemeth DDS & Associates
29829 Telegraph Road # 111
Southfield, MI 48034
[phone]

We DO NOT accept Medicare or Medicaid at our office.
If you are a new patient, we require that a $25 deposit be made prior to your appointment in order to reserve your time.

[SKYrise]

Dr. Nemeth is my dentist and I love to see how active he is on YT! Keep it up doc. People deserve to know how to take good care of their mouths 👍🏼

[Kush]

This Dr seems honest, sincere, and knowledgeable. He is only trying to warn people, not tell them to not use the product. Salute to you Doc. Great Job!

[raulalejandromartinez]

Make a diss track on all charcoal related products

[lvx_rose]

Thank you, Larry King's long lost twin brother.

[amandarickert]

This is the first dentist on YouTube that is actually honest instead of telling you not to use anything except stuff you can only have done at the dentist office. Thank you! I've used the activated charcoal and it didn't work at all. I'm going to say this and I don't know if anyone will read this or not but I'm a teeth person. I'm absolutely obsessed with white beautiful teeth. I know some people are into eyes or other features but not me I judge a person's beauty on the way they take care of their teeth. I've always said that if a person is too lazy to take care of their teeth then they are probably lacking in all aspects of their appearance. I'm 45 and I smoke. My teeth really get yellow quickly because of it. The only over the counter products that have ever whitened my teeth are Crest white strips and this stuff I bought at rite aid that comes with a light. I've only ever seen it at rite aid but I forget the name of it. It worked even faster than crest white strips and it's cheaper and lasts longer.

[Queenie]

Been using activated charcoal daily for years. Never had a cavity in my life. I floss every day. Mouthwash everyday. Per my dentist, my gums are perfect. No thinning of my enamel. Brush gently and don't swallow.

[TimeYetWork]

this guy gives me really good vibes, i like him

[Justin-bboi]

I occasionally have nightmares of my teeth falling out. Its terrifying!

[jimtebelskis]

i use charcoal regularly. You need some experience with this, so here is mine - i agree with the doc here that it is abrasive - likely very. what i recommend is brush with regular toothpaste, then floss, then combine AC (activated charcoal) with clove oil on different toothbrush - apply it to all teeth, but DO NOT scrub. Just let chemical action alone do it's for 3-5 min (watch TV..), then spit/rinse. i've had 3-5mm gum pockets for many years - requiring repeating deep dental cleaning, and 3-month checkups. Since i started using AC/oil, my pockets are 1-3mm and have white teeth with no stains, and the hygenist has to search hard for anything to clean. Doc says excellent hygene - keep it up, and come back in 6 months for cleaning (just in case..).
I only do this AC/oil ~4X/week, at night. mouth feels very fresh in morning. never any bad breath.
Yes, i do worry that even chemical action could erode enamel. i think this would be easy to test by long-term exposure on tooth that has fallen out - i will ask my neice if she has one (baby tooth) for that.
I'm a mech engr. I practice/try many home remedies - some have helped me with various things, others not for my case.

[shadypenguinn]

Really interesting to hear a Dr recommend brushing without toothpaste! Would you recommend a specific mouthwash to go alongside a non-toothpaste regiment?

[LM]

Sounds like dentists don't really know; still speculating about charcoal.

[egnb]

The powder makes a mess the paste is better. Charcoal is a naturally good at absorbing and compliments cocoanut oil which is great for removing bacterial infection in teeth and gums without chemical mouth washes.

[nathgomez]

I think youtubers with already whitened teeth are paid to promote them. I'm using and I don't see any improvent, and I'm using it 3 times per week /:-/

[i_bleed_makeup]

I'm VERY happy I stumbled across this video. I received a charcoal tooth powder in a monthly cosmetic subscription box and have been using it regularly (once a day with charcoal powder and once a day brushing with regular toothpaste). I drink a LOT of tea which has stained my teeth REALLY bad over the years. In the past month, since I've been using the charcoal powder my teeth have gotten significantly whiter and all of the stains have gone away, but now I'm EXTREMELY scared I've damaged my teeth 😭 I've been blessed with relatively good teeth. They're straight, I've only had 2 small fillings in my 35 years of existence. But I'm not using the charcoal powder anymore. I'd rather have slight staining on my teeth than mess up the enamel and have problems down the road. It's just REALLY sad that today's "standard of beauty" has such an impact on people that they would actually do harm to themselves in the long run to look "socially acceptable" now (sadly me being one of those people 😭). But this video was a HUGE wakeup call. Thank you SO much for this. I wish I lived in your area so you could be my dentist 😂😂❤

[kiofelix]

Thanks. I am a pharmacist. Activated charcoal is a powerful absorbent. And that is how it works period. I don't think it is more abrasive than any ordinary white toothpaste with non soluble ingredients. Also carbon aka charcoal is actually a good lubricant.

[mikewarren]

This is intellectually honest. I appreciate your candor Doc

[subparinternet]

I just spent 7 dollars on a small tube of Hempseed and Activated Charcoal from one of the brands featured in this video.

Now I'm questioning my motives.

[nisar]

It’s nice for you to inform me that the toothpaste that my dentists have been pushing on me my entire life is the cause of the issues I have with my teeth. I appreciate it. I’ve wondered why I’ve taken such good care of my teeth for the past 60 years and now have indentations near my gum lines. Aside from that, I have been using charcoal tooth tablets for the past 6 months and they haven’t had any direct negative impact so far. They contain Xylitol instead of fluoride, which is a major plus in my book. Ongoing usage will really be the test. Thank you for your informative video.

[theguy]

TLDR; use it, just be careful, especially if you plan on using it every day as there havent been enough studies to show it's long term effects.

[walkct]

Really honest and thoughtful input. Your review really helped me because I was having some swelling in my gums because of charcoal toothbrush. Thank you so much Doc