Coconut oil pulling or activated charcoal for your mouth?

These are the latest trends that keeps popping up all over our social media feeds. We being asked on a regular basis by many of our patients and friends if it really works?!

These alternative oral hygiene products claim many things from tooth whitening to internal health benefits, even their ability to eliminate decay and gum disease. We wanted to discuss our thoughts with you from the perspective of a dental professional.

oil pulling 
Oil pulling is a technique that involves swishing oil around your mouth for around 20 minutes and is said to reduce decay and gum disease and improve dental health. Oil-pulling works through the mechanical action of the swishing removing bacteria from teeth, rather than the chemical nature of the oil itself. Whilst oil pulling is harmless and fine as a complement to an oral care routine, the oil on its own can’t stop decay and gum disease and should never replace tooth brushing, flossing and routine dental visits.

activated charcoal
In theory the activated charcoal toothpaste binds to everything in its path including tartar and bacteria, as it removes this from your teeth they will initially seem whiter and often the added perfumed oils such as peppermint can freshen your breath. In reality the course crushed charcoal can damage your tooth’s natural enamel and is potentially dangerous to your body. If you would like to whiten your smile the safest way to do so is by using a well-tested product as directed by your dentist. With over 20 years of research it has been determined that whitening with dental peroxide is completely safe. Bleaching your teeth with a dental peroxide creates an oxidation reaction making the by-product of that reaction oxygen and water.

our recommendations
We suggest that if you have any concerns or are considering trying any of these methods to discuss it with your dentist first. They are able to suggest the best products to suit your individual needs..