caution

Activated Charcoal

Also known as: charcoal powder

Trendy whitening add-on that can be abrasive and is not a remineralizing strategy.

01. What it is

What it is

Porous carbon used for adsorption and dramatic gray paste aesthetics.

02. Why it’s used

Marketing whitening and 'detox' positioning.

03. The concern

Abrasion risk to enamel and gums; limited high-quality evidence for safe long-term daily use; can mess with fluoride availability in some contexts.

04. Our take

Not our preferred daily driver. If you use charcoal, treat it as occasional and prioritize low abrasion plus a real active.

05. Found in

These ranked pastes list or rely on this ingredient in the formula we evaluated.

06. Sources