|
 At a minimum, any claims charcoal toothpaste marketers make have no
scientific evidence behind them, the authors of a paper in the
British Dental Journal warn.
"The evidence highlighting any potential benefits of charcoal
toothpaste over regular toothpaste is severely lacking," said Dr.
Joseph Greenwall-Cohen of the University of Manchester Dental School
in the UK, one of the coauthors.
"In general, I would encourage all people to stick to regular
toothpaste over charcoal toothpaste," Greenwall-Cohen said.
A wide variety of charcoal toothpastes and tooth powders are
available on store shelves, and packaging often claims that these
products are "natural" or "eco-friendly" or have "antibacterial" or
"antifungal" properties, the paper notes. This may persuade
consumers they're buying something good for the environment that can
also help prevent or treat gum disease or other oral health
problems.
"There is simply no scientific proof that these products are capable
of detoxifying your mouth, offer any increased antimicrobial
activities (antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral), or can fortify/remineralize/strengthen
tooth structure," said Dr. John Brooks, a researcher at the
University of Maryland School of Dentistry in Baltimore who wasn't
involved in the paper.
There's an outside chance that charcoal toothpaste might lure some
people with poor oral health habits to suddenly start flossing and
brushing after every meal, and if this happens it could be
considered one benefit of these products, Greenwall-Cohen and
colleagues write.
But the problem is that people with poor oral hygiene who try
charcoal toothpaste may actually find it damages their tooth enamel
or increases their risk of cavities, they warn.
[to top of second column] |
Not much research to date has tested the safety and effectiveness of
charcoal toothpaste against alternatives in head-to-head clinical
trials.
Some small studies looking at the effects of charcoal toothpaste
have, however, found that it may be too abrasive to tooth enamel.
Charcoal may erode the outer layer of enamel on teeth, exposing
interior tissue and increasing the risk of tooth decay, some of
these studies suggest.
Charcoal may also cause cancer, Brooks, who has done research on
charcoal toothpaste, said by email.
"I have concerns about the chronic exposure of the oral mucosa
(tissue) to charcoal as the federal government has classified
charcoal as a carcinogen," Brooks said. "Another potential health
concern we uncovered was that one-third of the 50 brands of charcoal
toothpaste we investigated included bentonite clay, a mineral that
may contain crystalline silica, another recognized carcinogen by the
federal government," Brooks said.
When consumers do seek out specific toothpaste ingredients, fluoride
is what matters most, dentists say. Plenty of research has found
brushing with a toothpaste that contains fluoride can help prevent
tooth decay and cavities.
"None of the charcoal toothpastes would likely offer any
cavity-fighting potential any more than brushing with non-fluoride
toothpaste," Brooks said.
SOURCE: https://bit.ly/2WMNMwR British Dental Journal, online May
10, 2019.
[© 2019 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.] Copyright 2019 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content.
 |
