Orange is the new black, but is black toothpaste the new… well, white toothpaste? It could be, especially with the kind of whitening effect it can have on your teeth – according to Pinterest and YouTube, at least. If you’ve just heard about it, wait until you get to the craziest part: it actually seems to be working.
What’s the Deal with Black Toothpaste?
It’s not just a bizarre aesthetic choice to make you feel as if you’re squeezing tar out of a tube and rubbing it all over your teeth. Black toothpaste contains activated charcoal, the same element guilty for most loony something-turned-black DIYs flooding the Internet. It seems that it contains some compounds which help remove stains caused by coffee, red wine, or tea. You don’t need to be an expert in dental hygiene to understand why it works the way it does. Charcoal has natural adhesive properties which essentially scrub the culprits out of your teeth.
However, if you see someone proclaiming that this is the secret to a 1,000-watt smile, they probably haven’t tried out a session of charcoal brushin’ themselves. Sure, the miracle pitch paste is useful for stains, but this is pretty much where its miracles end. You’ll still need to adopt the classic teeth-whitening methods if you really want a grin to rival the shine of the sun.
Is Black Charcoal Toothpaste Safe?
It’s probably everybody’s first question. After all, you are rubbing on your teeth the same object your uncle tosses into the fire during the family barbecue. There is charcoal specially designated for consumption and you can find appropriate supplements in plenty of stores. It’s odorless, tasteless, and harmless to your digestive system – as long as it’s edible. In fact, it even has great benefits when you’re dealing with certain digestive problems, but this is a whole other story.
The only catch is that dental hygiene experts haven’t gotten far enough to test and draw a certain conclusion regarding this wondrous discovery of the Internet. American Dental Association spokesperson Kimberly Harms spoke to Prevention, declaring that the charcoal paste has yet to receive the ADA stamp of approval. She recommended staying off the charcoal teeth treatments for the simple fact that it’s so adhesive it could risk damaging the enamel.
How Can I Get It?
You can either DIY a quick fix or you can acquire an actual black toothpaste.
Method #1: DIY
Get some handy activated charcoal tablets. Break 2-3 of them and then add them to a cup or container of choice. Pour roughly one tablespoon of water, stirring with the charcoal until you get a paste. Apply the mixture in gentle tabs rather than scrubbing to avoid damage to the enamel. Wait for 3 minutes before rinsing.
Method #2: Buying
Here are some trustworthy brands you can try:
- [easyazon_link identifier=”B00KYT5U5C” locale=”US” tag=”beautifu0f2-20″]Beverly Hills Perfect White Black Toothpaste[/easyazon_link];
- [easyazon_link identifier=”B00WGBMIXI” locale=”US” tag=”beautifu0f2-20″]Curaprox Black Is White Toothpaste[/easyazon_link].
Wrapping Up
If you’re feeling experimental, don’t pass on this opportunity to give the Internet-famous black toothpaste a try. This is especially relevant to people struggling to get rid of stains and the (unpleasant) likes.