[Black dentifrice, white teeth?].
Level 5 - mechanism / opinion, no new human data
Narrative literature review summarizing one in vitro study and two prior reviews.
PubMed 32840494 · doi:10.5177/ntvt.2020.07/08.20020
What was done
A PubMed literature search was conducted to evaluate the scientific evidence supporting the tooth-whitening claims of activated charcoal-based dentifrices.
What was found
The search identified one randomized, double-blind in vitro study, one systematic review, and one review article. The in vitro study found that 'Black is White Curaprox' dentifrice was less effective at reducing extrinsic staining than other whitening dentifrices. Both reviews concluded there is insufficient evidence to support the cosmetic benefits of charcoal-containing dentifrices. The abstract reports no quantitative values, stain reduction scores, or statistical measures.
Why it matters
Despite popular marketing claims, current evidence does not substantiate that charcoal-based toothpastes are effective whitening agents compared to standard whitening alternatives.
Limits
The abstract reports no numerical data, confidence intervals, or sample sizes. The primary experimental evidence cited is restricted to an in vitro model, and clinical in vivo trial data are lacking.
Cited by
- supports Charcoal in toothpaste has no intrinsic whitening effect and functions only through adsorption of tannins from the tooth pellicle.