What’s the hype surrounding this new method of teeth whitening and cleaning? It’s definitely not what you’d naturally consider if you come from a history of toothpaste users, but the charcoal cleaning products out now might surprise you.

Ever on the lookout for improved ways of living a healthy and more eco-friendly lifestyle, I’ve been curious to the rumored powers of charcoal powder since it emerged as an alternative to conventional toothpaste, which due to chemicals like fluoride can be quite toxic to us for many reasons.
I found a brand available that was organic and without additives or flavors, and cracked open a new toothbrush as my designated charcoal brush since I’d read and been forewarned that it’s not unusual for the use of charcoal to render your brush bristles black.

This product is what mine looks like — finely powdered black stuff. Sparkly in a  subtle way. The beauty of this brand was finding that certifiable bunny on the back that states it is a cruelty-free product.

Another cool facet of this brand is that they offer a second product that is similarly constructed but made to cater specifically to those with, “Sensitive Teeth, Toothache, Loose Teeth, Receding Gums”.

  

I love supporting companies that are blatantly cruelty-free. It shows they care and go the extra step for activism. As ever, these are just a few kinds of charcoal that caught my eye. I’ve seen some charcoal toothpastes made with all sorts of specialty labels and flavors. Personally, I have adjusted to preferring less flavorful toothpastes since cutting back on using brands like Colgate or Crest that I know contain harmful chemicals and flavor additives. Here’s one brand I found that is on the simpler side and promises not only to clean and whiten like most claim, but also provide “stronger, healthier” teeth.

 

Looking for something fancy yet super affordable that comes with its own specialty toothbrush provided? Worry not! The internet has you covered. (Oh the first world struggle of having too many options of obscure novelties).

Before even mentioning my personal take on the charcoal powder, I’d like to point out the obvious like a true scholar and say that in comparison to your average toxic toothpaste, anything made with simple and non-toxic ingredients has to be an improvement.
I’m not a doctor or scientist, and I don’t claim to be. I do advocate for reading as much relevant health news as possible and staying informed. I do believe in finding new and better ways to improve our quality of living. For something you put in your mouth theoretically 2-3 times every day, I’m all for finding tooth cleaner that doesn’t cause health decline.

That all being laid out, the charcoal powder did not act as a instantaneous whitener; I did not scrub ferociously at my incisors and suddenly blind someone with a smile 20 minutes later. I did however notice that coffee stains were nicely taken off. I did notice that the subtle mint aftertaste was light, and delightfully unexpected from a black powder I anticipated tasting like licking a chimney sweep. I didn’t need much product at all to get a nice lather on my teeth and good coverage cleaning. I’m still using up a few vegan toothpastes I owned already but swapping intermittently for my charcoal powder. Curious? Try some out. 😉