Is charcoal whitening effective and safe?
Most people want a white and bright smile! Teeth whitening is a conservative and effective way to brighten up your smile. There are many over-the-counter teeth whitening products available, charcoal whitening being the latest trend.
Charcoal whitening claims to be a natural form of teeth whitening. Health food shops and holistic practitioners claim that when charcoal is applied to teeth it removes surfaces stains that it binds to, stains such as those from tea or coffee. However, it is only effective on topical surface stains and it cannot work on teeth that have discolored from internal problems such as age, smoking or antibiotics.
Charcoal whitening is currently not approved by certified dental associations.
As a dentist, I don’t know the extent of the charcoal whitening system, so it may leave teeth stained or blotchy. It may leave tooth enamel susceptible to deterioration and erosion, which can lead to sensitivity and cavities. Since you can’t grow enamel back, the only thing you can do is to protect it with restorative measures.
Teeth are one of the parts of the body that cannot replenish or repair itself when damaged. Any damage to tooth enamel is permanent and can only be repaired with dental treatment such as fillings or crowns. Therefore it is strongly recommended by dental professionals that anyone interested in teeth whitening treatments should choose those tested and approved by the American Dental Association.
To find out more about the safe and effective teeth whitening treatments that we have available at Dentistry of Alexandria, call our office at (571)257-6994.
