How to whiten teeth with activated charcoal?
Whitening teeth at home using activated carbon has collected numerous positive reviews, but the benefits and harms of such cleaning require an assessment even at the stage of preparation for the procedure. All manipulations do not take much time, they are painless. How to whiten teeth with activated charcoal, how many times and how often you can brush your teeth with it, it is worth talking in more detail before using this tool.
Benefit and harm
When deciding to whiten your teeth with activated charcoal, you should properly evaluate the possible benefits and harms of this procedure. You can clean them many times with a natural remedy to restore the natural shade of the enamel. Charcoal helps you get white teeth without going to the dentist's office using the ingredients available.
It can be useful in several ways.
- For the microflora of the oral cavity. This drug has pronounced bactericidal properties, destroys pathogenic bacteria.
- When removing plaque. As a result of the chemical reaction of activated carbon and water, active oxygen is formed, which makes it possible to effectively dissolve contaminants.
- To brighten the enamel. Whitening is as delicate as possible. With activated carbon, a natural shade can be achieved without the porcelain effect.
- In the process of healing the damage. In the presence of ulcers and other inflammations in the oral cavity, activated charcoal speeds up their healing.
It is also worth talking about how harmful it is to whiten with activated charcoal. The main disadvantage of using such a remedy is the effect on the process of assimilation of calcium by the enamel of the teeth. It slows down noticeably. With a single use, this does not have a serious effect. Constantly using activated charcoal to clean your teeth, you should take care of the additional intake of drugs with calcium content.
Are there any contraindications?
Cleaning the enamel surface of teeth using activated carbon may seem as painless as possible. But she also has contraindications. If it gets into the mouth, some of the product may accidentally get into the stomach and intestines. This poses a danger to people with peptic ulcer disease, gastritis, can cause an exacerbation. It is important to take into account the coloring ability of the powder. Crushed tablets can cause discoloration of the teeth and gums for a while. In addition, with intense exposure, the enamel can get cracks and other damage. For owners of sensitive teeth, it is recommended to apply the composition without the use of brushes or other abrasives.
There are other contraindications as well.
- The presence of cracks in the enamel of the teeth. In this case, any home bleaching is contraindicated for them. The procedure should be performed exclusively in the dentist's office.
- Recent disposal of braces. In this case, the harm caused to the teeth will many times exceed the benefit.
- Childhood. Deterioration of calcium absorption by enamel for preschoolers or schoolchildren is much more dangerous than for an adult.
The presence of contraindications is the norm during any procedure. Teeth whitening even at home requires taking all precautions. Then the result will not be a reason for disappointment.
Whitening options
In addition to the usual cleaning of teeth using toothpaste and other means, you can carry out procedures at home that will help maintain the whiteness of the enamel. There are several recipes at once aimed at lightening it. Some people prefer to whiten their teeth with baking soda, but it is not at all difficult for a person at home to do this with black activated charcoal. You just need to choose the right recipe, as well as follow all the recommendations.
With toothpaste
In this case, the preparation of the whitening agent can be carried out in portions or with a reserve. In the first case, 1-2 tablets of activated carbon are needed for a strip of paste up to 2 cm long. This is enough for 1 procedure. You can also mix the contents of a 50 ml tube with a powder of 10 crushed tablets. The mixture will have to be stored in a hermetically sealed container.
Application of the product does not require much effort and includes a number of steps.
- Put a serving of toothpaste mixed with charcoal onto the toothbrush.
- Gently spread it over the surface of the tooth enamel. You need to make sure that the product completely covers the surface.
- Use massaging movements to clean and polish. You need to move the brush in the direction from the gums, strictly vertically.
- Continue the action for 2-3 minutes. You can start a timer.
- Rinse your mouth thoroughly, getting rid of all traces of toothpaste.
- Evaluate the result.
The main difficulties in the preparation of a whitening composition are in the grinding of activated carbon tablets. They are pounded in a porcelain bowl or mortar until they are powdered. Large particles should never be left behind - they can injure the enamel or damage the skin of the gums. The choice of pasta is also very important. Products containing abrasive particles are not suitable. Gel formulations are also best set aside.
For whitening, ordinary white fluoride pastes are perfect, they are quite thick, easy to mix.
With powder
For those who do not experience problems with the digestive tract, as well as for people who want to make the whitening result more pronounced, there is another method. Crushed charcoal powder can be found ready-made in specialty stores, or you can prepare it yourself by crushing tablets. The composition is used as simply as possible: they are typed on a damp brush, and then they brush their teeth.
It should be noted that the abrasive effect on the enamel with this method is more pronounced. That is why it is recommended to use only sensitive brushes with soft bristles. Do not rub in the powder too much - if there are microcracks, it can eat into the surface. For a more delicate effect, it is recommended to replace the brush with a cotton pad or soft textiles. You only need to work out the outer surface of the dentition.
There are many recipes for cleaning enamel using powder. Can:
- dilute it with water to a mushy state;
- mix with baking soda and then apply when cleaning with a damp brush;
- combine with citric acid, then whitening will be as active as possible.
The direct impact of carbon powder on the surface of tooth enamel can be very traumatic. You should not use this method of whitening if the person has obvious problems with the sensitivity of the molars. If you have carious lesions, you should first complete the treatment and then try home whitening products.
With chewable mixture
For those who want to minimize the harm from the whitening procedure, we can recommend a method associated with chewing activated charcoal tablets without crushing them first. This method of use does not have a high impact rate. The enamel lightening effect appears gradually, over 4-6 weeks. But there is no risk of injury to the teeth and mucous membrane, and the action of the agent extends to the entire surface of the dentition.
The features of the procedure include a number of points.
- Use of 2 tablets for 1 procedure.
- Thorough chewing of the resulting particles. The process should last at least 5 minutes.
- Rinsing the mouth. Care should be taken not to swallow the tablets and their particles.
Using this method allows you to gradually lighten the surface of the tooth enamel, slows down the formation of bacterial plaque. It can be used to prevent plaque formation from red wine, strong tea and coffee, and tobacco.
What should be considered?
Activated charcoal brushing should not be done too often. Enough 2-4 times a week until the desired optical effect is achieved. Besides, it is recommended to follow a number of simple rules to make the procedure as safe as possible.
- Avoid excessive effort. It is important that the pressure on the enamel surface is minimal. The brush is only used to distribute the product evenly. You do not need to rub or press in the powder.
- Grind the tablets thoroughly. Pieces of activated carbon that are too large can cause injury. To prevent this from happening, the tablets must be properly crushed into a homogeneous powder in a mortar or other container.
- Reduce negative impact. To avoid enamel thinning as a result of frequent bleaching, it is recommended to use calcium preparations, to carry out periodic remineralization.
- Do not apply toothpaste immediately after the procedure. It will be enough to rinse out the mouth cavity well.
- If the enamel or gums darken, take adequate measures. Usually this effect is the result of too frequent a procedure. Under normal conditions, stubborn powdery particles can be removed with a simple rinse, after 20-30 minutes.
These are the main guidelines to follow when using activated charcoal as a teeth whitening agent.
Review overview
The opinions of those who have already tried to whiten their teeth with activated charcoal look very impressive. Judging by the reviews, the powder has its effect after just a few minutes. Most often, activated charcoal is used in combination with toothpaste, but there are more extreme ways.For example, buyers advise chewing whole tablets, claiming that this method is safer for the enamel.
There are also negative opinions. Basically, they are associated with unjustified expectations. For those who already have a light shade of enamel, the whitening result is almost invisible. Using the product with increased sensitivity of the teeth can even lead to disaster. Those who did not follow the safety rules are faced with a serious exacerbation of this symptom, up to severe pain when in contact with hot and cold foods.