Activated charcoal has emerged as a trendy ingredient in oral care, with products promoting it as a natural solution for tooth whitening. Its inclusion in toothpaste formulations is based on its porous texture, believed to help adsorb surface stains and bacteria.

However, the actual effectiveness and safety of charcoal toothpastes have become subjects of increasing scrutiny, especially as consumers seek non-invasive alternatives to traditional whitening treatments.

In a systematic review of 11 in vitro studies (Montero Tomás et al., 2023), researchers found that charcoal-based toothpastes generally produced minimal whitening effects compared to products containing hydrogen or carbamide peroxide. Whitening, when it occurred, was primarily due to the abrasive action of charcoal particles removing surface stains, not from any chemical lightening of intrinsic tooth color.

A clinical trial (Ribeiro et al., 2024) further supported this, finding that charcoal toothpaste and powder showed no significant whitening advantages over regular fluoridated toothpaste, and were rated lowest for user satisfaction and comfort. Additional studies also confirmed that while charcoal products may help with extrinsic stain removal, they do not significantly alter overall tooth color when compared to standard whitening agents (Fernandes & Agnihotri, 2023).

More concerning is the abrasiveness of charcoal. Nearly all reviewed studies noted that charcoal toothpastes exhibited the highest abrasive potential among products tested (Today's RDH, 2023).

This abrasion may lead to long-term enamel erosion, increasing tooth sensitivity and potentially heightening the risk for caries.

Despite its popularity, activated charcoal in toothpaste is largely evaluated through in vitro methods, limiting how confidently its real-world safety can be confirmed.