Today, I’m going to tell you to put charcoal on your teeth to whiten them.
ONLY I DON’T MEAN REAL CHARCOAL, PEOPLE.
We have to get this out of the way – at the very beginning – so that no one reads the first four lines and goes, “Okey-dokey, Jimbo, open up that thar bar-BE-que ‘n let me fish out a brick ‘n shove it in meh mouth. Crunchy Betty said to.”
I DID NOT SAY TO DO THAT.
Stop it.
We’re not talking about charcoal. We’re talking about activated charcoal. Huge difference. And if you don’t know it, you should definitely read on. Before you wobble over to the barbeque and end up with a mouth full of stinky soot.
We’re clear, right? Not “charcoal” – but activated charcoal for teeth whitening. Right! So, let’s keep going. And it goes a little something like this:
Never before I have regretted not taking “before” pictures so much. See, I started using activated charcoal to whiten my teeth about three weeks ago, as an afterthought. After reading this article, my bag full o’ blackness had sat on my counter for a month out of my lumpy laziness, and one day I just dumped a little in my mouth and held it there. Just to see what happened. You know, experiments and all.
IMMEDIATELY, there was whitening. Immediately, after rinsing out all the black.
I was hooked. But not convinced.
For the first two weeks, I did this religiously, every night after brushing my teeth. My teeth are whiter than they’ve been since I was a teenager. For the last week, I’ve only done it three times. I’m thinking even two times a week as a “maintenance dose” will be perfect.
So, instead of showing you a before picture of my dingy before coffee-stained teeth, I’ll give you one better. Me, with activated charcoal IN MY MOUTH. Just keep learning, and you’ll get to the awesome, flattering picture.
Activated Charcoal – Why It Works to Whiten Your Teeth
Before I tell you why it does this, let’s talk about what the difference between activated charcoal and regular charcoal (or even just burned stuff) is.
Regular charcoal – and we’re even talking about those burned up chunky logs in your fireplace – contains a whole host of impurities. It’s not as porous, and it’s pretty disgustingly covered with stuff you wouldn’t want to put in your mouth. Ever. Blech.
Activated charcoal (also called activated carbon) on the other hand, is really just charcoal (burned stuff) that’s been treated with a few gasses to purify it completely and turn it into a powerhouse of porous material that sucks in impurities from the environment around it.
This “sucking in” is a very rough way to describe what it actually does, which is adsorb materials. Adsorption is different than absorption, and what it basically means is that the porous surface of activated charcoal attracts (mostly unwanted) material a bit like a magnet and holds it in its pores. This leaves the area around it clean.
Activated charcoal isn’t just used for teeth whitening, though. It’s stocked in many emergency rooms, ready for people who’ve overdosed on things like drugs and alcohol. In fact, you should never, ever take activated charcoal with your prescription medication, because it WILL render your medication inert and totally useless.
Any good water filter will use activated charcoal as one of its filtering methods. AND, it’s a pretty well-known home remedy for avoiding a hangover if you sail a little close to three sheets to the wind (but you have to take it before you go to bed, or it won’t work).
Many people take activated charcoal often, to “detox,” but the jury’s still out on whether or not it also adsorbs things like vitamins and vital nutrients, so – personally – it’s not something I would take internally on a regular basis.
But how does it work on your teeth?
The answer is: Activated charcoal LOVES tannins.
And tannins (found in MANY foods, coffee, tea, wine, etc., and ad nauseum) are typically what cause staining and dinginess of the enamel of your teeth. It loves the tannins, and the tannins love it more than they love your teeth, so off they’ll go. Hopefully.
However, and here’s the good part, activated charcoal doesn’t adsorb the calcium salts tooth enamel is made of. It’s almost like it was made to whiten. And brighten. And do no harm.
So How Are You Going to Whiten Your Teeth With Activated Charcoal?
If you do some hunting and pecking, you might be able to find some toothpastes that still use activated charcoal as an ingredient. It used to be all the rage.
However, I have a feeling that with the hubbub about hydrogen peroxide as a tooth whitener, and the fact that it doesn’t look as mind-numbingly scary as activated charcoal in your mouth, the charcoal wasn’t as easy to market, so the idea died out a little.
If you can get yourself past the weird mouth look as you’re treating your teeth, you’ll be just fine. Activated charcoal is far less potentially irritating to your gums than hydrogen peroxide. And it’s not as tough on your mouth, in total. Plus, you might get a little tongue detox going on, as your tongue is a place that tends to hold quite a few toxins, if you’re not careful.
So, how are you going to use it? You could add a sprinkle to your toothpaste, or make some tooth powder and use it as an ingredient. But, for me, since I don’t really know what its “scratchiness quotient” is on the enamel of my teeth, I make a tiny little activated charcoal slurry and hold it in the front of my mouth, up against my front teeth, for about 5 minutes after brushing.
Again, you can do this however you want to. Activated charcoal has been used, for at least a century, in things like toothpastes and tooth powders. But, for me, just because I didn’t know 100% for sure whether or not it would scratch my enamel, I wanted to go the safe route.
Here’s how you do the activated charcoal tooth whitening slurry:
- Brush or clean your teeth as normal.
- Mix together a scant 1/2 tsp activated charcoal powder with about 1/2-1 Tbsp water (exact measurements are not necessary, but I do recommend mixing it with the water first, or else you might accidentally inhale some activated charcoal powder and cough for a while).
- Swish it around in your mouth for 15-30 seconds.
- Hold it in front of your front teeth for 3-5 minutes.
- Rinse your mouth – very well. You’ll see why.
Now, as promised, here is an activated charcoal embarrassing picture of me, so you can see how it looks and why you’ll want to rinse your mouth out well (but don’t worry, it doesn’t stain)!
It’s funny; I realized today that I haven’t used a “live, demonstrating” picture of myself on a blog post in MANY, MANY months.
And THIS is how I choose to remind you what I look like:
But not to fret. I took a picture of my teeth (so I can show off how white they are!) following this picture, right after I rinsed. See? SEE HOW WHITE MY TEETH ARE? LOOK AT THEM. JUST LOOK AT THEM.
Ahem.
And now you know. Activated charcoal: It just might whiten your teeth until they’re so bright, everyone around you’s gotta wear shades.
Activated Charcoal – How to Buy It
Quickly, because I know this is going to be a huge question. Where and how should you buy activated charcoal?
Well, my favorite way to buy it is in bulk, but the store that carries it is out of it right now and has been for about a month. You can do a Google search to see if you can find bulk, bagged activated charcoal, but for some reason it’s really difficult to find (and it’s often out of stock, so I’m assuming it’s really popular).
You do have two other very viable options, though.
- Activated charcoal capsules
- Activated charcoal tablets
If you buy the capsules, all you have to do is open them up (and one capsule is just about the PERFECT amount of activated charcoal to use on one tooth treatment) and then pour one into your water. If you buy the tablets, you can smash them into actual powder.
Having activated charcoal in these forms might actually be a little more handy for you in the long run, if you want to use them for other things, like detoxing or overindulging at the office Christmas party.
You can find activated charcoal capsules just about anywhere these days. Your local natural foods store, many grocery stores, and even Walgreen’s. But of course, Amazon is probably the easiest place to order them from.
Go Dazzle ‘Em With Activated Charcoal!
Oooh. Before I forget to mention, because I know that picture of myself with the black teeth was probably scary …
Not only does activated charcoal NOT stain your teeth, but it won’t stain anything that can’t be washed off with water. When I moved a few months ago, I found a hidden area of my wall, behind my “Crunchy Corner” where a good deal of activated charcoal had spattered the very white, very textured wall behind. It was there for at least 6 months. All it took was a super wet, warm sponge and a few swipes, and it was gone.
Now.
But, if you’re like some people and this idea seems crazy, you can also use a natural whitening toothpaste like this one to help get the same benefits.
Have you ever used activated charcoal to whiten your teeth? If not, have you found a “home remedy” that HAS whitened your teeth? Share it with us!
Special Hints from Plastic Free: How I Kicked the Plastic Habit and How You Can Too
I thought this might help. This dentist offers great help with regards to charcoal abrasiveness and tooth enamel. Turns out that AC is pretty soft on the teeth, but the gums are different story. For that I say, use a waterpik!
Activated charcoal–I saw Doctor George Yu talking about it at a Longevity Now conference in 2011. He said they use it to detox people of heavy metals etc. by giving them AC, putting them on a rebounder for about ten minutes then putting them in an infrared sauna. He showed pictures of a woman with old sunburn showing. They knew it was old damage because they could see the outline of a swimsuit she hadn’t worn in over ten years. He said they have to wipe down the inside of the sauna every time they do the process because there are so many toxins thrown off that it covers the walls.
Can u whiten your teeth with charcoal when u have braces on????
I tried the activated charcoal! I could see a little bit of a difference in just one brushing. It’s not a huge difference but I’m going to keep at it and see what how white I can get my teeth 🙂 I love that it’s natural.
January 1-st is one of the best days in the whole year to take the activated charcoal. =))
I bought the activated charcoal esterday and came across your post. I wanted something natural to try on my teeth to whiten them for my upcoming wedding. I can’t wait to try it!
Hi Guys!
Any commercial toothpaste is horrible for your teeth to include sensodyne. After much research, I started making my own toothpaste and it has made a significant difference. If you do the research you will find that ALL commercial brand toothpastes have pesticides and poison associated with almost all of the ingredients. It’s worth the investment to purchase all natural brands or simply make your own.
Hi I just read this and I was wondering if activated charcoal will also help with the small amount of tartar build up in the places I can’t reach with my toothbrush? I do floss every now and then but not all the time because it makes my poor gums hurt lol. Also I have a dark brown stain on my two front teeth for years of drinking tea and other dark colored drinks.
Charcoal also works on zits! Mix with water and it will take the swelling down a lot-It also seems to help suck the head up to the surface! Sometimes I will make a little charcoal paste and put it on a pimple with a bandaid over it before bed-by morning the pimple is mostly flattened out
What’s up it’s me, I am also visiting this website on a regular basis, this site is in fact
nice and the viewers are in fact sharing good thoughts.
NOOOOO – that’s very dangerous!!!! you’ll ruin your teeth. activated charcoal does not BIND to stains it binds to oil (that’s why it is great for oily SKIN/it absorbs oil like clay) it works like bakingsoda (except it is so much more rough), when you brush your teeth with activated charcoal you are scrabing of your stains AND your enamel…. proof this is how it works? if you just leave it on and do not brush your teeth with it abselutly nothing will happen! please don’t do this you can damage your teeth…
That’s weird. Crunchy Betty says she does not brush with it and it works. Also, there is literally no conclusive study as to the abrasiveness of charcoal on teeth. It’s unknown. Some people brush with it, but it’s not recommended because the abrasiveness is UNKNOWN. Even mainstream dentists will readily admit this. If you have a source on this being “much more rough” on teeth than baking soda (which, by the way, is fine for teeth, do your reasearch), please enlighten me.
Morever, charcoal binds to all kinds of things, that’s why it’s used as a generic treatment for all kinds of poisons and has been used as such for hundreds if not thousands of years. It’s not just for oil.
Excellent find, will incorporate these tips into my routine, never heard of that activated charcoal stuff before but it looks promising, also i can’t believe how many people ignore the importance of drinking water, it’s often the simplest things that have the best results, I was able to whiten my teeth several shades better thanks to having a strong foundation and it includes things like simply drinking lots of water, that and following a good daily routine.
Where can someone find additional information about hypnosis.
“Controlled Trial of Hypnosis inside the Symptomatic Treatment of Asthma. The hypnotist, Don Mannarino, used precisely what is considered a “non-smoker” method.
I don’t know whether it’s just me or if everyone else encountering issues with your blog.
It appears as if some of the written text in your posts are running off the screen. Can somebody else
please provide feedback and let me know if this is happening to them as well?
This may be a issue with my web browser because I’ve had
this happen before. Thanks
Handrails, handrail fittings, balusters, newel posts, and stair accessories are available in Red Oak,
White Hard Maple, Poplar, White Oak, Soft
Maple, Beech, Hemlock, Walnut, Hickory, Brazilian Cherry (Jatoba),
and Mahogany. Call for availability. Most items ship
within 24 to 48 hours. Non-stocked stair parts and custom stair part orders
ship within five to 10 business days.
Very good post. I’m experiencing a few of these issues as well..
I’m a ninjaneer….sooo I tend to think outside the aquarium. That’s the only clue you’re getting as to where one can purchase activated charcoal…. large quantities and inexpensive. You’re welcome.
Activated charcoal is really a miracle to our teeth. I have tried this once, and it worked like magic!
Paragraph writing is also a fun, if you be familiar
with afterward you can write otherwise it is difficult to write.
I am on cancer drugs and was wandering if I could use this treatment as long as I didn’t swallow it? Thanks in advance for your response.
Keith
I don’t know why, but activated charcoal doesn’t work well for me. I also tried some other natural remedies like lemon and strawberries. Works well at first but the succeeding days, the result is not clearly visible anymore and stains are still there. Good thing my classmate recommended his cosmetic dentist in Los Angeles-http://www.perfectwhitesmile.com/. I underwent a teeth whitening treatment and after several sessions, I saw my teeth turned 4 shades whiter!
You can get at Walgreens is called chartabs and is by gas pain stuff in that aisle. Is fifteen dollars cheaper at walmart
Hi I have a full top bridge, can I use this charcoal or will it turn it black as their not natural porous? Anyone used yo remove strain from bridges? Thx
I went to Walgreen’s today to find activated charcoal, and they did not carry it in the asiles anymore. It now requires a prescription there.
As I have teeth erosion, my teeth have become yellow and very vulnerable, making it hard to get rid off the yellowness. But I’ve seen a lot of posts about baking soda, but what baking soda does is just scratch the top layer off but by doing this it makes your teeth even more vulnerable for stains and in the end it’ll be yellower than before. So my big question is will it do the same with the slushing? because it will if you brush them with it, that’s for sure.
I tried this because of another site and encouragement over a video post eventually persuading me to stop being so hesitant. Nothing works my teeth are stubborn. My teeth started whitening with Coconut oil brushing which is amazing because they don’t look as yellow. But after brushing with Charcoal for 30 secs what an amazing difference. This site days not to use all the time. Once a week. But reading here and elsewhere it says to keep it up for 3 to 5 days and also to brush once a day. Also you say and others say to hold the charcoal on for 5 minutes so I will try these techniques and see if it will get even whiter because I believe it can be whiter now whereas before because I’m not use to anything working on my teeth I believed the little amount once a week was all the good I was going to get out of it. Also want to also mention many have tried it a certain way found it didn’t work for them and they followed the first video I followed and found it to start wor king for them. I’m not sure how it is possible but maybe it’s possible that the way you use it matters depending on your teeth for anyone out there having problems with it not working for them. 😉
I can simply try this at home but if it does not work on me.. I will go to cosmetic dental clinic and have my teeth whitening.
What a very interesting blog post and way to whiten teeth! I never thought that activated charcoal would do that. I may have to try it sometime.
Hello friends, how is the whole thing, and what
you want to say about this article, in my view its truly remarkable in support of me.
The first time I heard about this activated charcoal, I was like, “Are you kidding me?” But then, I saw lots of blog reviews about it. Until I got into your page, and I’m really convinced now. It really works like magic. Not to mention that this material is easy to use and will surely save you time and money. But don’t forget to at least set an appointment with your professional dentist, this is the true assurance.
Just went to the dentist after using this treatment and I’ve been trying this stuff out for a while it does work but, my dentist told me to stop using because it’s getting trapped at the underlining tip of my gums.
Maybe they would loose you as a client and lose money
I’d say keep at it and make sure you rinse the under gum thoroughly
it was
won’t do any harm anyway
and probably a lot of good
Hurrah! In the end I got a blog from where I be capable of
truly obtain helpful data concerning my study and
knowledge.
After a couple of weeks of failed teeth whitening product (no peroxide as it’s terrible for you) and no results thought I would give this a try. It’s amazing how fast it works! I got the whole two shades whiter thing going on and I’m loving it!
Hurrah, that’s what I was seeking for, what a data!
existing here at this website, thanks admin of this website.
There are some other products like the Whitening Strips and the Whitening Gels which are
also used widely by the people for the whitening of
their teeth. This is a pleasant surprise for many folks these days who would like a powerful
tooth whitening solution but may be on a tight budget or just want to a
good bit of money. All one needs to do is order a kit and pay the
shipping charges only to have the products readily
supplied to their home only.
It’s hard to find your page in google. I found it on 19 spot, you should build quality backlinks , it will help you to rank
to google top 10. I know how to help you, just type in google – k2 seo tips and tricks
My FARTS can whiten teeth like no get out! They can actually remove
Felgercarb from exhaust ports! I used to be a pro wrestler and all
my opponents that I vanquished thanked me for their white teeth after
I scissored their heads between my legs and ripped a throaty one in
their face for the audience. Even some audience members got whiter
from my second hand fart blasts!
I forgot to mention, the Pope used to be black, before he met
me at Fart Club.
Perhaps one day they will lock the doors and you will be left behind at that club. Get a life buddy!
Hey there just wanted to give you a quick
heads up. The text in your post seem to be running off the screen in Opera.
I’m not sure if this is a formatting issue or something to do
with web browser compatibility but I figured I’d post to
let you know. The layout look great though!
Hope you get the problem fixed soon. Kudos
I loved this! Also I work at GNC and you can usually get the activated charcoal capsules at most of our stores! Thanks for sharing!
I bought some activated charcoal capsules to try and whiten my teeth. I have a before picture and will take after pictures if you’re interested in posting them.
Hoping I don’t end up with black teeth because my nephew’s wedding is day after tomorrow,
Andrea
205-475-4366
This is a topic which is close to my heart…
Thank you! Exactly where are your contact details though?
Thanks for your marvelous posting! I truly enjoyed reading it, you’re a great author.
I will remember to bookmark your blog and will
eventually come back in the foreseeable future.
I want to encourage you to continue your great posts, have a nice afternoon!
Hi there! I have been doing the swishing with water but so many other sites also just brush the powder straight onto teeth. Has anyone done both? Are there faster results from brushing directly on teeth?
I never tried activated charcoal before but it looks cool and effective. I’m a heavy coffee drinker and kind of embarrassed by my yellowish teeth. Now I will definitely buy activated charcoal and give it a try! Thanks for sharing 😀
I tried this and one time I could see the difference. I did take Picts and it’s noticeable.
I have used activated charcoal tablets to whiten teeth and get rid of a persistent tannin stain – and I now swear by it. It fixed things within a week of daily application. I just crunched 2 charcoal tablets with my teeth, brushed with a toothbrush, and rinsed with salt water afterwards.
I am using sensodyne toothpaste which deposits stuff onto an into the tubules of the tooth willcharcole be attracted to that and remove it
thanks
toothpaste
Sensodyne basically makes a protective coating on your teeth. All you need to do is use regular Colgate toothpaste for a few weeks or even a month. Then you’ll get the same results as everyone else . . . . white teeth.
Any idea if it would have an affect on capped / dead teeth? adverse or otherwise?
You always want to be careful when it comes to putting products (natural or not) in your mouth if you have dead, decaying, capped, crowned or false teeth. That being said, I am a 27 year old with half a mouth full of crowns- no I don’t just eat sugar, yes I brush and floss three times a day….ok maybe not floss three times religiously, but I do keep it with me along with the rubber tip for gums! I do however have UC (ulcerative colitis which is the sister of Crohns Disease) which causes Nasty larynesophogeal reflux aka acid reflux causing acid erosion of my teeth…the point of this soon-to-be-essay, isn’t to divulge into my medical history, but to express that activated charcoal is one of those products that is far less damaging on the teeth than others out there. I have found that it doesn’t stain the porcelain crown nor does it cause excess damage to my bojanky teeth. Sometimes though, if you’re prone to sensitivity you will want to be weary of the time you keep it on your teeth. That being said, you should always check with your Dr. And Dentist about such products! Good luck!!
Hey! You might want to check Dr. Klein’s books for the UC 🙂
Good luck!
Hello, I have just found your site but can’t find how to subscribe via email. Is there a way of getting your blog sent to my email. Many thanks.
Hi there – just curious which toothpaste you use. I’m currently using whitening toothpaste and would like to switch to something more natural.
Thank you!
I read about this article on Marks Daily Apple and it is interesting enough that I am going to get some of the capsules to try myself.
BTW, you are getting a lot of junk comments, the purpose of which I don’t quite understand, but there are a lot of them – almost any comment that doesn’t mention at least some aspect of your post is bogus. They typically contain only bvague statements that could apply to every other site on the web. One of the even caught you (Beats from Dr Dre Studio, a common initiator of these things), so you might want to look at the comments a bit more closely in the future.
Thanks for your post ABOUT ACTIVATED CHARCOAL. (LOL)
When someone writes an piece of writing he/she keeps the plan of a user in his/her brain that how a user can be aware of it.
Thus that’s why this paragraph is great. Thanks!
hello to you C B
could you please reiterate how to use AC on teeth
I do have false teeth will they stain
many thanks
eamon.e
A great (and cheap) place to buy Activated Carbon is an aquarium store!
I was more than happy to find this website. I wanted to thank you for ones time for this wonderful read!!
I definitely enjoyed every little bit of it and i also
have you book marked to check out new information in your blog.
Can’t wait to try this. My husband and I used a mixture of basil oil, lavender oil, and activated charcoal to treat a brown recluse spider bite he had. It was completely healed within a week and prevented the skin around the bite from rotting.
So, my thoughts on this are:
People who claim that this method didn’t work for you – you probably need a cleaning and scaling by a your dental hygienist to remove DEPOSITS. These are hard plaque calcification deposits on your teeth.
People it works for probably enjoy tannins – aka tea, wine, coffee etc. These are surface stains.
This method likely won’t work if what you really need is a cleaning to get rid of those hard bumpy deposits.
This is just a hypothesis to explain why this method seems to work for some (me) and not others. I did it right after I had a scaling done. I still saw stains, and they wanted to bleach (erm… no).
I meant that I still saw stains after they did a scaling – not that I still saw stains after the AC method. It helped my teeth very much, no bleach (ick) necessary! I doubt it would have helped so much with the hardened calcification on my teeth though.
Hey Crunchy Friends! I am definitely interested in trying the activated charcoal. I found the capsules on vitacost.com but you can also get 180 capsules for just under 6 bucks at a site call pipingrock.com. Just thought the other experimenters in natural beauty/health would want to know! I am so impatient to try I am tempted to buy them from my local drug store…but they are so much more! Happy hunting y’all!
how can i get activated charcoal
You mention that you don’t usually smile in pictures, but I think you have a very beautiful smile and great teeth so you should definitely smile as much as possible!
Wow thats pretty awesome. Im gonna give it a try asap…btw both of your pictures looked gorgeous 😉
I’m going to buy the AC already in powder form, is that okay?
A good reason why some folks are not getting the results they seek is due to what they are eating and drinking. Smoking a pack a day would also assist in yellow teeth.
Hi, after using the ‘activated charcoal tooth whitening slurry’ method, should you brush with toothpaste as well or will that lessen the effectiveness of the charcoal?
Hi there I am so grateful I found your weblog, I really found you by
mistake, while I was searching on Google for something else,
Nonetheless I am here now and would just like to say many thanks for a remarkable post and a all round exciting blog (I also love the theme/design),
I don’t have time to read through it all at the minute but I have saved it
and also included your RSS feeds, so when I have time I will be back to read a great deal more, Please
do keep up the great jo.
Wow, I am going to try this…..it makes sense. The idea of hydrogen peroxide sounds scary to me. I will also post this on my Facebook page. Huge thanks. I want to buy some activated charcoal by the bag, because activated charcoal also adsorbs radiation. Many Thanks and Many Blessings 🙂
Thanks for sharing. I’ve done this a couple times with good results (having a two+ year old makes my oral hygiene habits rather spotty). I found this post thanks to Rupam Henry who sells a wonderful tooth soap here in the San Francisco Bay Area. I just wrote a post about it on my blog…check it out if you’re looking for the best support for a healthy mouth that money can buy!
I read this and I have porcelain crowns that I just paid twenty two thousand dollars for three months ago. My dentist did not tell me that whitening toothpaste and baking soda would take the protective coating off that keeps them from staining. After such a short time, and even though I drank coffee through a straw, they have dulled and stained already! I was about to spend more money for him to polish them, and then found this awesome knowledge! It is a lie that porcelain cannot be stained by coffee and it is also a lie that active charcoal cannot whiten crowns. It can! The only active charcoal I have in the house is my Origins mask called clear improvement. It stuck to my teeth well and it tastes like a Popsicle stick. It worked! I have been buying that mask for 21 years and now I not only know how to whiten my teeth, but I am going to save so much $ by putting AC on my face, I am ordering some from amazon! Thank you!
you can save so much money by making the mask at home instead and add in additional ingredients that also work for your skin. All that mask is is White China Clay and Activated Charcoal and water (information for product ingredients list) both can be found easily online or in stores
Just thought you’d like to know, it is absolutely SAFE to brush with the activated carbon! Carbon on the Mohs Hardness scale is only 0.5, while our tooth enamel is 5! So no worries for your toofys getting scratched!
Hello! I was wondering what website you found the Mohs hard for activated carbon and tooth enamel. Thanks!
Anybody know a website to order the capsules from?
Hi Dianne,
You can order activated charcoal capsules from amazon or ebay, cheaper than your local drug stores.
iherb is another good source from whom to order
I am trying this! Many of those other toothpastes with silica aren’t good for the enamel, because sand is too scrubby.
I can’t wait to try the activated charcoal. Thankyou.
I’ve tried baking soda before which worked quite well but never charcoal. Now I’m really curious to find out how well it works and compare the results with what I got using baking soda.
They use activated charcoal in some gripe waters for babies too, because of it being porous it helps eliminate excess gas that makes babies fussy..Its amazing stuff!!!
Our teeth are the same color as our bones, and the “whiteness” of our bones differs. Hence, our teeth are varying shades of white. As far as I’ve been able to find reading stuff, no whitening agent will safely get your teeth whiter than their naturally occurring color. Appreciate your smile and clean healthy teeth the way they naturally are and ignore the “arctic white” photo-shopped smiles you see in advertising!
Hi, I have a metal dental bridge attached behind my 6 front natural teeth with glue. Will the activated charcoal dissolve the bridge or the glue?
Thought I’d give it a try.. because I just bought some activated charcoal packets for my fish filter… Ground ’em up real fine and followed your directions.. AND..
YEP! Noticeably whiter and smoother too! I’m a chronic coffee drinker & regular smoker, which naturally stains teeth- VERY happy with the results 🙂
Will this help with enamel stains also? The dentist said the only way to get white teeth since i have enamel stains is to get veneers and i dont want that.. so will charcoal help with making my enamel stains go away?
I’m curious about the activated charcoal.
NEVER MIX Hydrogen Peroxide with Baking Soda and scrub your teeth! I went to another natural website, took the wrong advice and mixed the Baking Soda and Peroxide. I scrubbed three times a week, and after awhile my teeth hurt and looked ‘more stained’ than before!
I immediately looked up professional websites, and read about Tooth Enamel Damage. When Enamel (the important protective layer) is weak, Dentin -the yellowish softish second layer of tooth- will show through more as tooth enamel becomes more transparent and damaged.
Although I like most of your advice and the activated charcoal worked on you, it may be too strong with anyone with weakened tooth enamel. Ask a dentist beforehand.
http://www.webmd.com/oral-health/healthy-teeth-10/tooth-enamel-protection
I would not ask ANY dentist ANYTHING !
They are still pushing FLOURIDE for crying out loud!
A known neuro-toxin!
Please do your homework!
I have been doing the oil pulling, with remarkable results.
I do the activated charcoal once a week.
When people ask, I tell them, most are put off by the time involved.
We are such a micro-wave society!
Thanks for this wonderful site and kudos to all the fantastic advice!
Somewhat agree. I would ask a very good dentist questions, but you are basically right in that there are few good ones out there (at least in the Los Angeles/Beverly Hills area). I can go on here for hours about the questionable ethics of several dentists, and a few in particular “practicing” in BH, but what would it accomplice? Bottom line: you have to also be your own doctor and dentist – by that, I mean you have to research, know your body, and know when you really do need a very good doctor….
accomplish (sorry). btw: after a lot of research and tons of meeting/talking with various doctors/dentist, I have found a few very good/excellent ones in the West Los Angeles area (also in Silicon Valley). I can recommend (not on this thread) if anyone is interested…
Are you serious? really? How long have you studied dentistry (like really studied it- not just relied on the internet) to know that dentists are unreliable? Dentists study for many years to begin practicing in their profession. Personally, I would trust a dentist a lot more over what someone has “heard” or “read on the internet”.
Dentists are not dumb. It takes a lot of smarts, hard work and dedication to become one.
They must have a reason for still using fluoride, despite knowing the downfalls of it.
By the way, there is fluoride in most drinking water.
Sorry, but you don’t know everything. Neither do I.
Jan,
I never stated that dentists were dumb, all I am stating is that they are still taught archaic methods that still include using FLOURIDE! Yes, I am aware that there is FLOURIDE in my drinking water, when we found out about it in 2003, we had our whole house done with a filtration system as well as a triple filter system for the drinking, and washing water.
You must do your homework when it comes to dentists and doctors of all kinds. I am still getting the mercury out of my teeth put there by the really ‘smart dentists’.
Go to the rawfoodworld.com site, and learn about alternative methods. There is absolutely NO reason, whatsoever, to have FLOURIDE anywhere near you!
There are natural methods out there, but the Dental Associations as well as your Medical (AMA)’s cannot, will not tell you about them, because there is no money in it. It is that simple.
Good place to start, is to read Kevin Trudeau’s ‘Natural Cures’ What They Don’t Want You To Know’.
After I read that, had my eyes opened about a lot of things.
Good luck with your journey, I wish you well.
You may want to check out the ‘ThriveMovement.com’ movie, that should really blow your mind.
Never said I knew everything, I am a research hound, not just the Internet.
Marjie’s right, fluoridation is an archaic method that we need to drop. Jan, you’re also right in that they must have a reason for still using fluoride, but to what extent are you going to be comfortable with what you hear? Studies have proven that there is no actual benefit. Theories for its continued prevalence range from mistake to ill intent, but no matter what position you take, as researchers continue to look into it, it appears more and more that the truth is it should not be added to our water, our drinks, nor our toothpaste.
Dentists continue to push these ideas because they trust what they are taught. After all, much of it is sound and proven, and they want to help us. But dentists, researchers, innovators, we are all human and all make mistakes. Not everything that is deemed safe has been proven safe beyond shadow of a doubt (only up to current human knowledge), so realistically, you have to expect something is going to slip through.
The error that’s truly going on however is in them choosing to continue adding a toxin despite the clear warnings of its dangers. If they choose to continue forward with fluoride, how do we know there isn’t more they are hiding from us? What is their motive for not admitting to the mistake, or why don’t they at least play it safe since they cannot agree on whether it is safe? Why do we not have the choice? Does it not sound strange to you that a medication with the purpose of strengthening our teeth is forced upon us?
“Fluoride seems to fit in with lead, mercury, and other poisons that cause chemical brain drain,” Grandjean says. “The effect of each toxicant may seem small, but the combined damage on a population scale can be serious, especially because the brain power of the next generation is crucial to all of us.”
http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/features/fluoride-childrens-health-grandjean-choi/
The awesome thing is we’re able to catch these things now. Thanks to the internet, we can better work together as a planet to watch out for our future… meaning that, amongst other things, it’s time to clean up a few mistakes.
It’s spelled “fluoride”
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/03/17/kevin-trudeau-sentenced/6546433/
I’m wondering if there is a different reason other than what the judge sentenced him for to get 10 years in jail for a weight loss book..
Let me just say that the dental office has an office manager and that manager has to bring a certain amount of money for the month. You are how they get that money. They lie to you and tell you that you need a root canal instead of a filling because root canals are more expensive. My sister worked in a dental office and knows how it works. They have to pay the dentists that work there, rent, utilities, etc. If they don’t bring in a certain amount of money per month, the office manager is fired and they bring in another one. I’ve experienced being their means to make money. Watch out! Dentists are not the honest people you think they are!
“The dose makes the poison.” Why are health oriented people so ignorant of this 400 year old first principle of toxicology? Sure Fluorine and Flouride are toxid. Just like the sodium and chlorine in table salt.
Fluoride was discovered to prevent cavities because……….in SW Florida here, it was noticed that whole populations had very few cavities. Why? It is natural in the well water here! NATURAL!
So before y’all cringe in ignorance, get the facts.
Very informative.tq
Im going to try this.
Very informative.tq
Ahaa, its good conversation about this piece of writing here at this web site, I have read all that, so now me also commenting at this place.
Do you know if the activated charcoal will
stain white composite fillings?
Yes, will stain bridge work and crowns.
That is VERY GOOD to know. Being 62 I have several crowns.
so I’ll stay with “oil pulling” – using Organic Coconut Oil. Yes it costs more But I only use a little each morning. –
As for whitening my teeth, I honestly don’t know & that wasn’t why I began – I wanted to improve & keep my gums healthy & get rid of the toxins in my mouth. – But now I will start checking out the whiteness of my teeth… –
But even if it doesn’t do much teeth whitening, I will continue oil pulling because of the Other benefits that I’ve already noticed.
My top teeth are about 90% bonding due to a calcium deficiency when I was younger. Dentist said could not whiten bonding. I have been using the activated charcoal for a few days and I can tell the difference. Stains are being removed and teeth feel smoother. Deffinantly whiter.
Jen, just to be clear you have bonding or that composite resin over your teeth? I just got the composite done because of calcium build ups in my teeth from childhood but I wanted to whiten my teeth and couldn’t find anything that will work on the resin. Are you saying you have the same thing and the charcoal worked?
Coconut oil does wonders and tastes a lot better than charcoal, I’m pretty sure – lol. I swish the coconut oil in my mouth for 20 minutes every day and have very very white teeth! 🙂
Woah this web site is definitely great i really like reading through your content regularly. Carry on the truly great work! You realize, loads of men and women are seeking about just for this facts, you might assist them to enormously.
Tried this today and as scary as it was to have a zombie-like pile of black goo in my mouth, it did work nicely. I think I’ll make this a weekly thing. My tounge is still a bit black, but that is probably doing my mouth a world of good.
My teenage daughter and I wanted to try this out but our initial run to Walmart only had activated charcoal tablets full of artificial colors in them, so I had to go online and found a natural supplement that was much purer without all the additives. We messily opened 4 capsules each to make our slurry and WOW! Not only whiter but smooth just like a visit to the dentist! We are definitely doing this again!!!! Thanks Betty!
Tball3748 what brand do you recommend to purchase?
I purchased a brand called Good ‘N Natural. It has 100 capsules (260 mg – 4 grains) and is very serious about its ingredients. Most of the back label states everything it doesn’t have in it (gluten, soy, etc).
Hello, Nancy :).. I was wondering what results you’re getting with the Good N’ Natural AC? That is the brand that my Dad came home with & I’m not sure about it.. can you tell me how it is working for you? Thank you so much! 🙂
Bummed. No visible results – still yellow-ish. Do I have to do it multiple times or am I relegated to a life of non-pearly whites?
I’ve been using a recipe that has activated charcoal powder/nutiva unrefined coconut oil/Himalayan sea salt/baking soda/essential oil. I have been doing this a month or so and I think it made my teeth more yellow.
Oh, and I am not a smoker or coffee drinker. Barely drink wine.
I think Ponds makes a “whitening” facewash with activated charcoal. They sell it in Asia anyway.
So…finally got around to picking up 100 capsules of activated charcoal at Walgreens for $20, and I must say, I am hooked! My teeth are noticeably whiter after ONE application. The only problem I had with this was the fact that I hate having to keep it in my mouth, but I did it! The thought of having white teeth pushed me through. My partner was skeptical (“Babe! Your teeth are perfect & naturally white already.”) and now he is thinking about trying it – after ONE application. I was never able to use whitening strips because my teeth are sensitive…but now I can still have white teeth. Thanks, Crunchy Betty!
Wow, you paid more than double. You can buy a 100 capsule bottle usually for $8.50 (or less), or if you buy in bulk, it is considerably cheaper.
BTW: Medications should be taken one hour (or more) prior to taking activated charcoal. I prefer the activated charcoal comprised of natural vegetable origin (most ac capsules are vegetable origin)
http://www.vitacost.com/natures-way-charcoal-activated-100-capsules
actually you are all paying too much. Shop here! It’s amazing!
If you have your local cvs order from thier outside vendor, in the pharmacy, you can get a 60 count bottle for under $5. I work
at one in ohio, and thats what i did
I get it for under 5 bucks at Vita Cost,
http://www.vitacost.com/vitacost-activated-charcoal-260-mg-90-capsules-2
Totally amazing tip! We’ve been shooting a lot of Youtube videos and I wanted a cheap and natural way to brighten our smiles – and this works like a charm! Thank you, we will share this post far and wide!
I think it needs to be pointed out here that results vary with each individual. And there is a correlation between overall health and oral health. Thus, oil pulling may work well for some while ineffective for others.
Just started trying this out – no results yet. But while I was browsing around learning more about using activated charcoal, I came across another method called ‘oil pulling’, which is supposedly a detox method and a mouth cleaner. Anyone else ever heard of this?
Don’t do oil pulling! it will cause your teeth to become brown and rotted looking. My mother and aunt did this last year with terrible results!
my family has been oil pulling for over a year…EXCELLENT results. it’s a great detoxifier as well.
Jb & Cadi use both say different things. I would like you to elaborate if possible. I got the book Cure Tooth Decay and they suggest oil pulling. My gums are receding terribly and don’t know which to try. My teeth are becoming increasingly yellow with age etc also. Thank you for any additional info you can provide.
Wrong. – I’ve been ‘oil pulling’ for about a month. My teeth are not brown and rotted looking. Perhaps the Type of Coconut Oil makes a difference??? That I don’t know.
But I use Trader Jose’s Organic and Tropical Traditions. Both very good coconut oil.
I will never use Supermarket Coconut Oils because of all the ‘other’ stuff in it.
Yes, I researched it a while back and decided that it’s a dud. The oil swishing action can help rid teeth and gums of of some yuckness, but then swishing with water or your healthful, alcohol-free mouthwash does that, too, without the inevitable calories that will slip down your throat or the gaggy oily flavor. As far as detox goes–the idea of pulling impurities out of your body through oil in your mouth–the data on the subject is very dubious. (And I looked into the medical studies that you have to train for a couple years to decipher AND the scientific documents from, perhaps formerly, vehement supporters of the practice.)
*On the other hand, it is a viable (good) option for those who have moderate to severe gum disease (gingivitis, periodontitis, potty-mouthitis, etc). Your gums, healthy or otherwise, like a little lube job, and if you have such a disease, any positive attention = a good thing. The positive results to gum disease in the studies is probably for that very reason: people who’d largely ignored or mistakenly effaced their gums gave ’em some good TLC by swishing with something other than a sugary, toxic slurry. Plus it increased their mouths’ awesome salivary action (an excellent mouth-cleaner and gum-maintainer).
Bodily detox? No. Supple smooth gums and (briefly) glossy teeth? Yes. Great facial-muscle workout? Ouch, probably. But there are more effective ways to achieve clean pearlies than by swishing costly oil first thing in the mornin’ for upwards of 20 minutes. And incidentally, there is the possibility that if you don’t do it properly, you can prevent your nice, clean toothpaste from doing it’s good work on the enamel. (Will the enamel-building calcium compound seep in to plug the tiny holes with an oil slick coating the tooth? hm…)
A bodily detox, most definitely! I do not think you understand just how much disease throughout our bodies is a direct result of bacteria/toxins within our mouths. Therefore, detoxing the mouth of harmful bacteria most certainly constitutes as detoxing the body as well. The less work our immune system has to fight the HUNDREDS of harmful bacteria trapped in our gums, teeth, root canals, etc., the more our bodies can focus on fighting bacteria, toxins, disease, etc. throughout the body. AND the less there will be to fight, as the mouth is a gateway for bacteria and toxins to enter the body. Unfortunately, “clean” toothpaste (whatever that is) just doesn’t cut it for the majority who have been misguided and flat out lied to by the ADA, FDA and our dentists who fill our teeth with amalgam aka mercury fillings and bacteria promoting root canals. I could go on and on but if you do not realize there is a direct correlation between oral health with your overall health, you have no business posting. With all do respect, do your research.
OK, that was rude. You can do better.
No, not rude. Just FACT!
Yes, bad oral health can effect overall health in it’s own way, but you make it sound as if the mouth is the ONLY gateway to our internal system. Human bodies have other places bacteria can infiltrate. The mouth is just ONE. Some of the easier ways bacteria gets in is through direct contact, airborne germs taken in through the nose, bacteria through cuts on the body, STD’s that wreak havok on organs, etc.
You cant blame problems with the liver, kidneys, intestines, stomach, heart, etc. solely on oral problems. If you have an ulcer or acid reflux due to a condition unrelated to oral health, that, in turn effects your overall oral health by the acids that creep up the esophagus and sometimes the mouth. If you have chronic sinus or ear problems, that too will effect your oral health vs the oral health effecting them. i have several health conditions yet every time i see a dentist, they are completely taken a back by how well my oral hygeine is, so if your theory is right, why do I have all of these other problems with my liver, spleen, kidneys, heart, spine, etc…
Most say it was because of my horrible bout with spinal menengitis when i was a baby, flat lined 3 times in ambulance, 2 times in hospital, 9 spinal taps. Could more harmful bacteria be intorduced during the slinal taps, the IV’s, etc. to make my health worse as I get older? Do you believe my health has deteriorated because of poor oral hygeine when I was a baby, even though my mother was OCD and made sure I was in perfect health, even oral health? There is no way to prove we would all be ‘healed’ or even close to it if all of us had the most pristine oral health. Life is not that simple.
I too believe you were on a VERY high horse when you responded to CJ. It was rude because you believed your theory is the ONLY theory.
Good reply, Venus. Very well said.
I do oil pulling with coconut oil (extra virgin, organic, cold pressed) and have had wonderful results with it. I also brush with baking soda/coconut oil. My teeth are whiter than ever. Some of that also comes from my all natural diet with zero sodas, sugar, and limited coffee/tea.
has anyone with braces tried this? i really, really want to try but i’m afraid i’ll have little black dots stuck in my braces for weeks!!
I would wait til the braces come off because it won’t whiten underneath the brackets, and when you get your braces off you would have those little areas not whitened. And I’m not sure but I would assume that when you whitened after removing your braces those spots would still be ‘not as white’
good point! well, i did try it once and it whitened parts of my teeth but there’s so much glue on my teeth around the brackets that nothing is going to penetrate that! guess I’ll have to wait to know if it works for me or not.
I’ve been doing this for a few day and I don’t see any difference… 🙁 I so wanted it to work…
Same with me. I guess I don’t have much in the way of surface stains, just yellowish teeth. 🙁
Same! Been using the capsules twice a day for almost a week now. Can’t see any visible change whatsoever 🙁 Will keep going til the whole bottle’s gone, but it’s not proving to be the miracle cure I hoped it might be…
With natural remedies you usually dont see fast results (although sometimes you do). Over longer periods of time your teeth will absolutely whiten and you will be preventing future stains/yellowing/dullness. Trust me it does work and is great for maintaining. I have an all natural skincare line and we are currently developing a product for teeth with activated charcoal… its great. It also makes a great mask for the skin.
I wonder if your toothpaste has glycerin? Tooth soap and then the activated charcoal may work?
Hi, just read that you have an all natural skincare line plus activated charcoal toothpaste. Would very much appreciate your website so I can read, learn and purchased natural products. Thanking you in advance. Ann
Try with coconut oil.
I brush with an mixture of equal parts baking soda and coconut oil. Makes my teeth extremely white! It was a pleasant surprise, as I was only expecting it to clean my teeth as my commercially bought toothpaste had.
Amanda…
I hear that baking soda is abrasive to the teeth and can wear away the enamel.
Baking side is actually the best thing you can use….it is the softest, just mix with water and brush away. I use coconut oil and baking soda with peppermint oil. (I am a dental hygienist)
Agreed. Baking soda mixed with hydrogen peroxide/water followed by activated carbon/charcoal works quite well – and is inexpensive when compared to overpriced commercial teeth whiteners. I have not tried coconut oil or peppermint oil, although I sometimes simply rinse with sea salt (and then plain water) to help maintain gum health.
Wow, this is a great thread and I want to learn more. Will someone please reply with an exact recipe for making this mixture? I have horribly yellowish teeth and have for decades. I’m hoping that the activated charcoal will work in my situation as well.
What are the exact steps for making the charcoal and/or coconut oil and/or baking soda, etc.?
Thanks, this is fascinating.
just heard this quote from sister after doing the charcoal trick 4 times, “Check out these chicklets, they are mega white!” as she comes strolling into the room.
I cannot wait to try this! I’ve been contemplating buying an expensive teeth whitening system because I’ve been disappointed with my teeth lately. Thanks!
I have to take medication everyday, if I do this before I take it will it still render my medication useless?
If your medication is a pill, activated charcoal will render if useless only if you swallow it. Spit it out after swishing it in your mouth and you should be fine.
I’m not sure this is correct. It does not adsorb everything, including some medications. My daughter uses it with her medications (benzos) and never has had a problem. I have used it to whiten my teeth and to help digestion. It has also been a lifesaver when I got food/alcohol poisoning. I do not use activated carbon (charcoal) everyday, as it is more effective a few times a week….
I’ve used it occasionally for that smooth, clean feeling. Since I drink coffee everyday, not sure I’ll achieve that glowing white that you see on tv, but feel good about the results. Even my dental hygienist noticed and wanted to know what I had used! Good luck!
Just wow. Thanks Betty! You are so right, the results are immediate and really noticeable. I have quite thin enamel on my teeth, so my dentist is really reluctant to put a whitening treatment on them (and made me feel about 12 when he strongly recommended I didn’t use an over the counter one myself). This is really mild and using the method you recommend, not at all abrasive, so I am just so pleased! I have only been using it week, so i am excited to see what results a few more weeks will bring!
I’ve been trying this for the last several days and it works so well! Thought I’d try it for my nails too, so I started sitting with my fingers in the mixture for a few minutes every night. Guess what? That works too 😀
Ooh I would LOVE to try this! I hate teeth whiteners, but I also hate not having white teeth… although my boyfriend just gave me a weird look when I said I needed some teeth whitening. :p
I am also on birth control though, as another commenter was saying. I will wait until I’m in my non-active week to try this. 😀
http://www.charcoalworks.com/index.html
If you want to learn more about charcoal, check out my aunts website, she is a guru for charcoal. Our family have been using it for everything for YEARS! and her Patches, like a band aid, are amazing!!!!
Porcelain crowns – I have porcelain crowns toward the side of my mouth and it will not match the whiteness of your original teeth when brushing with AC. It did make my teeth somewhat white, but I use coconut oil on my teeth for 3 – 5 min with same results. I just swish coconut oil around and it also whitens my teeth.
What code do we use to get the $10 discount at Vitacost website?
I wonder is this safe for people with a gum disease or gingivitis??? What do you think?
Thank You CB! As a coffee and red wine drinker my teeth needed help. Read your post and immediately went to Walgreens. After 2 applications, I can smile bright again. Your post is timely. I can now cancel my teeth cleaning appt with my dentist. Wasn’t looking forward to it anyway. Oh, I also made a honey AC mask this morning and my skin feels fresh, soft and very clean. Thanks again!
what a great idea! I have a lot of extremely high quality activated carbon for my saltwater reef tank. I’m thinking this will be safe to use since my coral are extremely sensitive, and it’s safe for them. I’m going to give this a shot. Thanks!
What about breastfeeding mamas? Can I use activated charcoal while breastfeeding?
Crazy thought, but the description of how activated charcoal works makes me wonder if it’s good for cleaning grout. I suppose it wouldn’t be if it’s way expensive for use in that large of quantities. It just reminded me of a video I saw online about using oxygen bleach to pull out gunk from nasty-looking grout.
Thank you so much! I have a seriously toothy grin and those whitening strips are terrible for me because I get a distinct line you can see when i smile. I have been doing this for a few days and my teeth look lovely. Also my slurry was spilled on an antique quilt and came right out.
I went to buy some today but it seems that Health Canada removed it from the shelves… I wonder if I could buy the kind for aquarium or order it online from the US?
Hi,
I ordered some from Nature Approved – a Canadian on-line company. I’ve ordered from them before, and they’re great. They also sell it on ebay.
Make sure the AC you use is food grade, not the type used for fishtanks and filters!
I can’t wait to try this! ps you are ADORABLE.
OMG it worked! It really worked! My husband noticed right away, so that should tell you something. I’m so psyched. I’ve always taken good care of my teeth but I love coffee and tea, so they get a little stained. I’m really glad I have a way to whiten my teeth crunchy style 😀
Ha I meant to type in my name as Crunchy Mama, not Chrunchy, but oh well.
This stuff sounds amazing! I wonder if it would still work if I have a porcelain crown on my front tooth? I don’t want the rest to be brilliant white and have one off-colour tooth!
Crowns will not change color. If your crown matches your teeth now Do NOT whiten your other teeth. I am using it because I whitened my teeth before getting my front crowns replaced, but now my ‘regular’ teeth have returned to their former color. Actually they are still whiter than they were but not as white as my crowns, so I was looking for a natural way to maintain the color.
Has anyone with ceramic crowns tried this yet? Any word on whether it’ll stain/damage a crown? (I’m thinking it should be fine, but can’t find anything online either way.)
Good question! Anyone know the answer?
Holy crap, your teeth are soooo bright! I have to get some of that magical stuff ASAP! Wow! Like..unbelievably white and gorgeous! 😀
I’m on birth control. When is it safe for me to try this (in case I accidently swallow)?
There was a discussion about this in a group on facebook where I posted this link (because I had just tried it and it works GREAT!), and one girl did a bit of research and found that if you want to be on the safe side you should only use this during the non-hormonal period, when you are not taking pills or taking pills with no hormones in them (if you’re on a pill with 28 tablets per cycle). I don’t know, but I wouldn’t think you’d ever really swallow enough for it to affect the hormones, but I really don’t have any idea. I’m curious as to what Betty has to say about this?
I’m actually a pharmacist and you shouldn’t have to worry as long as you separate your medication from the AC by at least 2 hours (you probably don’t have to worry at all because systemic absorption will be minimal). AC actually binds to medication in the gut to prevent absorption into the bloodstream ……..that is why it is used in acute overdose and never several hours or days after an overdose. Once your oral contraceptive (or any med) is absorbed, which is generally considered to be less than 2 hours, you don’t have to worry about the AC binding to the drug and preventing it’s absorption……this is how it makes these meds “inert, by binding to them so your body can’t absorb them.
I was just trying to research about using AC while on BC. thank you for this!
OMG – i am so excited to try this – MY teeth are not that bad, but i love coffee, tea and red wine (ahem) and my teeth are SO Sensitive I HATE using bleach! will also send this to my brother who wants to whiten his teeth but can’t afford to properly – a sneaky way for me to get him to be more crunchy (evil laugh)
Just tried it with my mom. Gotta say we kinda looked like the Wicked Witch of the West, but it was worth it! I don’t really see a lot of difference in whiting, but it does make my teeth feel really clean and brighter without the burning sensation of whitening strips! I’ll keep at it, and hope to see some great results 😀 THANKS BETTY!
I seriously can’t wait to try this! I just found your blog by the way, and it’s the best beauty-related blog I’ve seen on the internet, ever. Seriously. Keep it up! 😀
Ok I did it…but now I have a black tongue…and I scrubbed it with a washcloth. How do you not have a black tongue?!
Toothbrush, meet tongue! It worked perfectly for me. 🙂
So a black tongue isn’t permanent? It’s easy to wash off with a wet toothbrush and some scrubbing?
Since water filtered with activated charcoal is void of minerals I am going to guess that it does absorb minerals and therefore should not be used frequently, or at all by people like me (sadness. i want pearly white teeth) who have a demineralization problem already.
Nice chompers Betty!
Actually, it doesn’t adsorb minerals. For some reason, it pretty much ignores inorganics (which is what minerals are … like the calcium salts that make up your enamel). So you’re good there!
Love this idea! I’m not a fan of whitening toothpastes (the *chemicals* – ick) so this sounds like a fab alternative. Thank you xx
Timidly de-lurking to say that I LOVE your blog, and to ask a possibly silly question. Do you know if the activated charcoal they sell for aquariums and terrariums is the same thing? I have a container of the stuff, and it would be easy to crush a bit of it to powder. But I don’t want to turn into a fish. 😛
I took my husband to Walgreens last night to get some! He said it was the same as what is used in our tank while we were purchasing it last night. I bought the capsules and my family is all game to try it. Truly the only ingredient in the gel capsule is activated charcoal. I think you might be good. Crunchy Betty may have a different opinion.
I bought the capsules too, but am having a terrible time opening them! I end up with activated charcoal everywhere 🙁 Any hints that you’ve found, or do you just dissove the gelatin capsule as well?
put the half that you can see all of (the outside one) on the top, then flick it gently a couple times to settle the powder. Grip the bottom in your left hand, top in your right (between thumb and forefinger) and slowly (very controlled), twist until you feel it release, then keep twisting slowly while pulling the top up. try to do all of this over the container you’ll be mixing in, in case some spills out. I open capsules all the time at work (ICU nurse, I have to open them to get the meds out to give it to patients who can’t swallow), and I still have a bit of trouble with some of these caps, this stuff is so fine and floofy it sometimes just goes everywhere no matter how controlled you do it, haha.
Oh my goodness this is great news. I always felt kinda weird applying those icky gel strips to my teeth, worried they’d burn my gums or something. As a result I have a drawer of expired whitening strips. Tomorrow I am going on a hunt for some activated charcoal and will report back with the results! Thanks again Crunchy Betty! <3
I love activated charcoal. Use it for many things…….even facials. Goodbye blackheads! It is great to have on hand when you have an upset stomach too. This is one of the things I hope to never be out of.
I love this. We have been doing it for a month now and it is amazing the difference. We also brush with it with no enamel issues per our dentist. I also saw that someone below inquired about medication and holding the solution in their mouth. Though you should check with your physician, I checked with mine and he said it was not an issue as long as I was not swallowing large amounts. I do not take it internally because it does wipe out medication. Call your physician before you try it just to be sure. Oh and as a super taster, there is no taste that I have noticed.
Ooh, I’m a super taster, too! It’s the reason why I never developed a taste for coffee or wine, which is lucky for my teeth. Still, I’ve been wanting to try this, too, but was worried that I’d gag. :/
I read somewhere that, while AC doesn’t harm your enamel per se, it can harm it by abrasion (think rubbing fine sand paper on your teeth). But I don’t see how this could be any worse than using baking soda. Glad to know that your dentist gave you the go-ahead 🙂
I LOVE that you posted this today. I read this after going to the Dentist and asking how much whitening cost. $300 for the stuff you take home or $600 quick in office procedure. Ya needless to say I wasn’t doing either of those! I can’t wait to try this thanks!!
I have activated charcoal from Soap Making Resource for my soap. Do I need to be concerned if it is food grade or not. The site doesn’t mention it. I’d love to try this.
So I pulled out the packaging that I have and it says “cosmetic use only” I guess I’ll order some more online just for my teeth 🙂
I was so excited when I read this post last night, I went right out today and bought some active charcoal in capsules. I am stunned by how well this worked! Thanks so much for continuing to be my crunchy hero 🙂
I am surprised no one has mentioned anything about the taste of the stuff. I have a gag reflex and would love to try this, but would not enjoy vomiting a bunch of black slurry into my sink. Does it taste like a charcoal briquette smells?
As far as I remember it has no taste. I had to eat the medical crap when I was a dumb child and the texture was god awful… like eating sand. But no taste.
I agree and that was my question. Horrible gag reflex and wouldnt want to gag on the black stuff!
Not really any taste, it is the texture that might be a problem, gritty.
Once you get it in your mouth, press your tongue flat to your palate and let the slurry sit around the outside of your teeth. You won’t notice a taste, and the AC will be on the outside where the visible staining is. Oh yeah – and the cheapest I’ve found for bulk on the food grade AC is here: http://www.ebay.com/itm/160852572484?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649
Just bought a 10oz bag for $15 bucks – and I won’t have to fiddle with capsules!
I had no idea!!! That’s awesome. 🙂 Now where I can find it cheapest! I need this though for all the tea I drink!!!
http://munchtalk.blogspot.com/
Oh my! As a tea drinking Brit, I can’t wait to try this. You are the best. Now out of my way I’m off to Vitacost.
This displays my level of trust in you: As soon as I read this post I went running into the bathroom with my activated charcoal;) I drink 1-2 cups of coffee a day and I was REALLY needing some whitening. It worked so incredibly well! I’m shocked at how much whiter my teeth are after just one time. I’ll definitely keep it up. Thanks for the great idea!
Since you mentioned being afraid of brushing with it I thought you might like to know that there a toothpowder on Amazon that is made with activated charcoal. So it looks like it it safe to brush with too!
Here is the link to it – http://amzn.to/2aB7mqM
Very cool! Thanks for info! I can’t wait to try it.
Thanks for *the* info – whoops! 🙂
What I’d like to know is this, does it taste as nasty as it looks?
Your teeth look amazing! I want to try this however, I do have to take prescription meds long term for depression and do not want it to interfer with that.. so my question is, it is safe to just have a small amount in your mouth to whiten teeth and not swallow or will it still harm the effectiveness of the meds?
there have been a few comments about this. it shouldnt be a problem since your not swollowing it, BUT still talk to your dr
Oh man, I spent so much time with activated charcoal in chem lab. I hated the stuff. It’s so light that the slightest breath of air sends a gray cloud wafting all over every piece of equipment and notebook on the lab table, and a static electric charge on the (shiny white) scales meant that I was forever scrubbing at dingy gray plastic.
Mileage varies, but I did not find that activated charcoal comes off easily. Glassware, sure, but I permanently stained a passel of plastic funnels, rubber stoppers, rubber tubing, and probably certain areas of the expensive, super-accurate, chemistry lab scales.
Despite all that, I may still try the tooth-whitening magic. I’ll just be very very careful. Like drop-cloths and a smock.
Hooray! I’ve done the strawberry trick before, but I didn’t stick with it long enough to see results. But I have activated charcoal capsules, and this looks so simple!
Oh my god, your teeth look absolutely brilliant! I so can’t wait to try this!
I went ahead and bought some activated charcoal tablets a few months back to use as eyeliner (it was pretty funny actually, I was at the pharmacists and she was all like “have you been poisoned?” and I was all like “ummm… no…” and she was all like “well if you have diarrhea you should really use this and that instead” and I was all like “ummm… can I just have the charcoal, please?”). I first tried mixing with coconut oil and a bunch of other stuff but in the end I found that it was best to just dip the wet eyeliner brush in the tablet. And it’s perfect to just bring one tablet whenever I’m going somewhere 🙂 aaanyways, thanks for the fantastic tip! 🙂
What. A great idea! How long does it last and do you put it inside your eye as well as outside??
I put a thin stroke just above the eyelashes. The results are really black and I find it lasts for the whole day 🙂 Perfect!
Wow!!!!
It actually IS really useful if you have the flu/diarrhea. Works way better than that OTC stuff.
What a great idea! I love finding inexpensive ways to look great and white teeth are essential! I’m going to try it.
Chase
AC has been my go-to for years for upset stomachs, but who knew! I’ve been burning my mouth with hydrogen peroxide for a couple weeks with minimal results so I’m trying ASAP!
Me too, Julia! I did hydrogen peroxide for a little bit, but the results weren’t immediate like activated charcoal seems it will be. Good luck! 🙂
I am ridiculously excited about this! I just had my teeth cleaned yesterday, I’m a tea drinker and my teeth stain so bad. I can’t wait to try this!!
Thank you Betty!
I definitely want to try this! Will someone let us know if they find a good place to buy? I might order from Vitacost… but are there other “essentials” you recommend buying there? Is it worth it to sign up? I’d hate to only order one thing 😉 I know, I know.. such a broad question.
I use Vitacost all the time and have been for a few years. Its definitely worth signing up for.
I just saw that they have my most favorite peanutbutter. Its $2 a jar cheaper through them! I always try to make a big order of about $50 so I can get free shipping. I get a lot of different things like essential oils, soaps, tea, cod liver oil, homeopathic pills for allergies, heartburn, headaches. I get stuff to make my own toothpaste, coconut oil…so many things. I wish I had seen known about the activated charcoal a few days ago when I made my order.
Depends on what you buy! I order my coconut oil through them and also (since I’m preggers) folic acid and unison and vitamin b6. I order enough with just coconut oil to make it worth my while. They are really speedy and when I made a mistake on an order they fixed for me without any hassle–so I’m a pretty satisfied customer.
I’ve seen activated charcoal in facial bars and I’ve heard it’s good for acne. Any thoughts?
I don’t have thoughts about activated charcoal and acne, but when I started using plain oatmeal on my face as a cleanser it was like a miracle. Seriously. My skin was so dry/damaged I washed once a day with oatmeal mixed with a little water to form a paste and then I used plain shea butter at night to moisturize and then splashed water on my face in the morning and used a little coconut oil as a moisturizer. It took about a month but my face is the healthiest it has ever been. I don’t use shea butter anymore, because now that my face isn’t as damaged it is too much moisture, but just use a tad of coconut oil in the morning and at night.
It might not work for your problems, but oatmeal was a miracle cure for me.
I can not wait to try this! I’ve always shied away from other tooth whiteners because I didn’t want sensitive teeth or inflamed gums. Yay! Off to find some activated charcoal.
Beth, me too, I was recommended by my dentist not to use any kind of harsh whitening/abrasive stuff because I have quite weak gums, so I’m really excited about this! 🙂
My, I feel like I’ve been commenting a lot lately, but I’ll share anyway.
Activated charcoal is also much better at de-stinkifying your fridge than baking soda is. Just a bonus.
thanks for this! I find baking soda just isn’t strong enough 🙂
i wonder if this would work for a cloth diaper pail O.o i must try!