Charcoal toothpastes can cause tooth decay and DON’T whiten teeth, according to dental experts

TRENDY CHARCOAL toothpaste has become hugely popular as way to whiten your teeth, thanks to celebrity and social media endorsements. But new research suggests there’s no evidence you’ll get your teeth any more sparkling than if you used regular toothpaste – and you could even risk tooth decay. Dental products containing charcoal are claimed to […]

TRENDY CHARCOAL toothpaste has become hugely popular as way to whiten your teeth, thanks to celebrity and social media endorsements.

But new research suggests there’s no evidence you’ll get your teeth any more sparkling than if you used regular toothpaste – and you could even risk tooth decay.

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Dental products containing charcoal are claimed to naturally draw out the toxins in your gums and remove stains.

But experts have revealed they usually lack an essential ingredient to keep your mouth healthy.

They contain no fluoride, which is needed to destroy plaque and stop decay.

Scientists at King’s College London and the University of Manchester described the products – famous for their black colour – as “marketing gimmicks and folklore”.

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Of the new findings published in the British Dental Journal, researcher Dr Joseph Greenwall-Cohen said: “The problem is that there are so many celebrity endorsements and social media posts about these products, but the claims made about them are unsupported by the evidence.

“The high abortive nature of charcoal limits the amount of active fluoride in the toothpastes required for prevention of dental decay.

“Additionally the ‘whitening effect’ of the toothpaste is limited to removal of staining and may be no more than the whitening effect of any regular toothpaste.”

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The research also revealed that charcoal dental products can also weaken your teeth.

As it rubs away stains, it is wearing away the teeth.

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In 2017, experts in the United States found just eight per cent of charcoal products contain fluoride.

The trendy ingredient can also be found in face masks, cleansers and soap.

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