If you’re a fan of natural health solutions, you’ll be excited to learn about the teeth whitening benefits of activated charcoal. By simply dabbing and rinsing your teeth with this black paste, you can remove most superficial stains. Local Anchorage and Wasilla cosmetic dentistry practice, Four Corners Dental Group, recommends the practice if you do it with care, and take the time to educate yourself about it.

Here’s everything you need to know about this unusual but effective DIY treatment.

What Is Activated Charcoal?

Essentially the same as regular charcoal, activated charcoal has been heated, oxidized, and reprocessed into a super-fine powder. It’s not just a cosmetic dentistry product, though—activated charcoal is also used for skin care, stomach problems, air filtering, and even in healthcare and poison-control facilities. The incredibly versatile powder is sold in many health food stores and is surprisingly effective.

Can Activated Charcoal Work For Everyone?

The material naturally adheres to coffee, tobacco, and wine stains, and removes them permanently when you spit it out. Stain removal is not the same thing as bleaching, however: activated charcoal does not whiten naturally yellowish teeth. If you don’t get the results you want from charcoal, you should make an appointment at a cosmetic dentistry office for professional teeth whitening treatments.

Is Activated Charcoal Safe?

The tooth-whitening powder is not currently regulated by the American Drug Administration, whose main concern is its abrasiveness. Activated charcoal is nontoxic and kosher, but its grittiness has the potential to damage tooth enamel. For safe results, do not scrub or brush the material on your teeth. You’ll enjoy all its tooth whitening benefits by gently dabbing it on.

Four Corners Dental Group is a cosmetic dentistry practice that emphasizes a holistic approach for their patients. To set up an appointment in Anchorage, call (907) 258-3384, and to see a dentist in Wasilla, call (907) 376-2790. You can also visit the family dentistry online for more information about their services, which include teeth whitening, cleanings, restoration, and pediatric and general care.