Do You Ever Wonder . . .
About the people who write product warnings? Consider the things they tell us not to swallow:
Okay, on that last one I have a real question: How am I supposed to not swallow for 20 minutes while stuff fizzes out of a plastic tray into my mouth?
The answer, of course, is that I’m not. Package inserts are often more about reducing liability than educating the consumer. Case in point? Printing “may irritate eyes” on a can of pepper spray, and the “warnings” about gum irritation that come with tooth whiteners. If they really wanted to educate consumers, the label would say:
WARNING: This product is likely to contain coal tar, fluoride, aspartame, aluminum, and benzene and has demonstrated acute toxicological effects in rats, including but not limited to labored breathing, bloody urine, infertility and incontinence. (source 1)
Fortunately, there’s an easier, cheaper, and completely natural way to whiten your teeth in less than 3 minutes a day. It’s one of the six tooth care recipes I share in my ebook, DIY Organic Beauty Recipes. And like many truly healthy options, the solution seems almost counter-intuitive. Eat fat to lose fat? Check! Flaxseeds for homemade hair gel? Check! Brush your teeth with something that looks like squid ink for a dazzling, pearly white smile? Surprisingly, that works, too.
Activated Charcoal: The Secret To Naturally White Teeth
Activated charcoal – also called activated carbon – is made by processing charcoal with oxygen and either calcium chloride or zinc chloride. It was used medicinally by both Hippocrates and the ancient Egyptians, and it is still the poison remedy of choice in modern-day emergency rooms. Why? Because it’s highly adsorptive, which in plain English means it attracts substances to its surface like a magnet. Like absorptive substances that work like a sponge, adsorptive materials bind with certain compounds and prevent our bodies from using them.
Fortunately for us, activated charcoal is a bit particular about what it locks onto. It’s not interested in calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, inorganic phosphorus, potassium, sodium, zinc and other compounds you probably want to hang onto (including your tooth enamel). It does, however, happen to like tannins – the compounds found in coffee, tea (even herbal tea), blueberries, wine and spices like cinnamon that stain our teeth. As a bonus, activated charcoal also balances the mouth’s pH and is even considered beneficial enough to be used in some tooth re-mineralization formulas.
So, are you ready to give it a try? Good!
No wait, there is something I forgot to tell you. This is really important so I hope you’re scrunched up to your screen nice and close. Ready? Okay! Folks, this stuff WORKS. When you start noticing children in grocery carts and little old ladies hovering in your vicinity, you don’t need to go check your makeup in the mirror. They just want to see you smile again. Okay? As someone who used to pop in whitening trays every day I was skeptical, but give this stuff a week or two and you’ll be amazed. Okay, moving on!
How To Whiten Teeth Naturally With Activated Charcoal
There is no “right” way to whiten teeth naturally with activated charcoal. Koreans put it in their toothpaste, Crunchy Betty swishes with it, and some people simply brush it on straight. Personally, I prefer the following method:
- Open a capsule of activated charcoal (about 1/8 teaspoon) and pour about half into a cup.
- Wet your toothbrush and dip it in the charcoal, then brush gently. Keep in mind that you are not trying to scrub your enamel, you are simply massaging the surface of your teeth with the activated charcoal so that it can attract tannins like a magnet.
- After brushing, hold it in your mouth for 2-3 minutes to allow it to continue to work.
- Spit and rinse thoroughly, then follow with a second brushing using your tooth powder or natural toothpaste.
- Now look in the mirror and smile. You may see a difference with the first application. If not, give it a few days to a week and I promise you will!
Want More Recipes?
In my 180 page guide, DIY Organic Beauty Recipes, I’ll show you how to boost the whitening power of activated charcoal with a minty-fresh mouthwash. You’ll also discover how ridiculously easy it is to make your own beauty products: Quick yet luxurious gifts for the holiday season, fabulous shampoos, conditioners, body sprays, lotions, deodorants, baby products and more!
* Activated charcoal does bind with iodine and may bind with other vitamins and minerals the body needs, so it is not usually recommended for internal use except when dealing with acute situations such as chemical or food poisoning. Activated charcoal does not work in situations where the material ingested is caustic, such as lye.
About The Author
Heather Dessinger, aka The Mommypotamus, is a wife, blogger and mom to two amazing kiddos, both waterborne at home. She loves all things fermented, talks to sock puppets and dreams of owning her very own flock of backyard chickens. She is the author of two ebooks. Nourished Baby is a simple guide to introducing real food to little ones, and DIY Organic Beauty Recipes is a collection of 50+ beauty and personal care product recipes that really work.
More Information
How to Use Activated Charcoal to Whiten Teeth Naturally Without Making a Mess
Food Poisoning Remedies That Work Fast
Toddler’s Severe Tooth Decay Halted in 5 Days
Whiten Your Teeth Without Dangerous Chemicals
Natural Alternative to Dangerous Baby Teething Gels
Resolving Periodontal Problems with Bone Broth
Coconut Oil Stops Strep Bacteria from Damaging Tooth Enamel
What is the True Cause of Crooked Teeth?
10 Signs Your Dentist is Truly Holistic
Avoiding Root Canals with Diet Alone
Could the Cause of Your Illness Be Right Under Your Nose?
Most Wisdom Tooth Extractions Totally Unnecessary
Looking ahead to Try this. My Teeth are Naturally Light Yellow, will it still Work ? Thanks For sharing this Awesome Article for Teeth
Thanks for sharing! This actually worked!!
Even though there were good reviews for pearl drops and iwhite, i’m cynical about such reviews online being totally impartial, that’s not to say they don’t produce good products, even though some are pricey. as i don’t believe sites that review them are totally impartial.
So i did my own research, there are 100s so couldn’t decide. However a friend recently told me about a home whitening kit because she had good results. I had to search for it online as it’s usually only given as part of an after care solution once you’ve has laser teeth whitening, but they now sell them separately.
It’s called White Guard home teeth whitening kit, it’s non peroxide so claims it won’t damage teeth. It worked really well for me, but that’s no guarantee it will for you. And no i’m not being paid/sponsored, i’m just a regular girl who has no affiliation to any supplier of products.
I’m just cynical about independent reviews as the same mags and publications trot out the same brands pushing the same products day after day, do they think we are stupid or sheep. If you’ve found a product via your own research and testing that turns out to be really good, do same as me and add to comments section for such products so that real women like me and you aren’t being sold the usual suspects and get to try other good products. Don’t be like sheep and just follow the crowd it’s 2017 BFN. 🙂
Lemon juice will also erode your enamel! Do not put lemon juice on your teeth! It will give your teeth the same look as people with eating disorders or acid reflux. It can cause cavities and even tooth loss if you lose enough tooth structure. It may remove plaque but if you like your teeth to have enamel I would recommend against this. You don’t actually need toothpaste to remove plaque at all…just a damp toothbrush moved in a circular motion. Rinsing the lemon juice out will not prevent acid erosion.
Thanks, Sarah.
Natural teeth whitening means no chemical, safety and economy.
Let me add something about lemon juice and teeth whitening.
It’s possible you have combed lemon juice through nice hair to achieve blond streaks for a teenager. Lemon juice maintains a pool of same bleaching effects on your teeth. Simply use your finger or maybe a soft cloth to help rub the lemon juice across your teeth just the summer seconds. Salt is usually mixed into that lemon juice and it is quite useful for removing plaque build-up. The gritty texture and consistency scrub teeth without causing harm to the enamel. Just mix salt using lemon juice, and work with a toothbrush to brush the complete surface of one’s teeth. Immediately shortly, rinse your butt end thoroughly with tepid to warm water to avoid any sort of acidic damage.
I found it at Walgreens!
I’m started use an electric toothbrush after it was adviced by my dentist and now I can see much more whitening on my teeth.
Hello Sarah!
I had an important question for you how do I go about brushing my toddlers teeth I threw away her toothpaste that had xylitol but what can I use now to brush her teeth ? Thank you so much in advance!
If you check the blog I have a post with a recipe for homemade toothpaste 😉
I’ve been researching teeth whitening methods but I’ve discovered I have little confidence in many (if any) of the commercial products on offer.
I’m currently collating different natural teeth whitening methods and I shall certainly be making a note of the activated charcoal method.
The comments from your readers seem to indicate this method is worth checking out.
Thanks for the great post.
Thanks for sharing this guide! I’ve tried the activated charcoal, and the result were amazing. This safe chemical can also help to purify the water. Sometimes, i doubt that if i used in excess my teeth may remain black for a long time. Is it so?