An at-home-guide to whitening your teeth using activated charcoal has garnered more than 1.5 million views, with commenters agreeing that the unorthodox method does deliver promised results.
The video, uploaded by YouTube user Mama Natural, instructs viewers who are not interested in pricey whitening kits or dental procedures to purchase activated charcoal in supplement form from health food stores or online.
“This stuff is highly absorbent – some of the most absorbent material on the plant. In fact, hospitals have it on hand in case someone comes in with a poisoning because it can absorb that stuff and safely remove it from the body,” Genevieve, the host of Mama Natural, said in the video. “The same reasoning works for our teeth. It absorbs bacteria, toxins and staining and makes them whiter as a result.”
Genevieve then walks viewers through the steps of brushing your teeth with the charcoal powder, and suggests brushing in a circular pattern for three to five minutes before rinsing it out.“When you’re actually doing it, it’s going to seem super counterintuitive,” she said, before brushing her teeth with the black-colored mix.Some viewers commented about possible deterioration of enamel, which according to an American Dental Association may be a valid concern.
“Right now, no charcoal teeth whitening products have been evaluated and accepted by the ADA,” Kimberly Harms, an ADA consumer advisor spokesperson told Prevention. “Our biggest concern is abrasiveness – you don’t want it to wear away at the enamel.”Genevieve recommends using the charcoal once per day for three to five days in a row. While users are instructed to spit out the mix, the supplement is safe to ingest.
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