Is it right to use Activated charcoal for Whitening teeth? || How far is it effective? ||
Many of us have been seeing that
village people use charcoal and ash for brushing their teeth (especially in
Bangladesh). For urban people it's a stupid thing! It became an online
sensation this month (August, 2017), after YouTube user "Mama
Natural" posted a video that details its execution began striking fire
online. When I was writing this post, that video has 2M views already.
Now, the question is
that does charcoal really work?
First, we have to know
about charcoal, then we will decide that it does work or not.
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Effect of Activated Charcoal use
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What is Charcoal?
Actually, Charcoal is a certain kind
of half-burnt wood. Mostly, people use charcoal for fires as it burns hotter
and cleaner than wood, and more slowly.
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Charcoal
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The people of China and West Asia
have been making charcoal since about 4000 BC. North and South American people,
Africans, and Europeans also made and used charcoal.
Types of charcoal
- Common charcoal
- Sugar charcoal
- Activated charcoal
- Lump charcoal
- Japanese charcoal
These are most common types of
Charcoal. Here, we will discuss about Activated
Charcoal.
Activated Charcoal
Activated charcoal is actually
activated carbon. It is used to treat poisonings that occurred by mouth. To get
an effective result it must be used within a short time of the poisoning
occurring (typically an hour). It does not work in certain case of chemical
poisoning like cyanide, corrosive agents, iron, lithium, alcohols, or
Malathion. It may be taken by mouth or given by a nasogastric tube.
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Activated Charcoal
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It has some common side effects
include vomiting, black stool, diarrhea, and constipation. If it aspirated into
the lungs, the more serious side effect, Pneumonitis
may result.
Activated charcoal
works by absorbing the toxin.
It is on the World Health Organization's
List of Essential Medicines, the most effective and safe medicines needed in a
health system.
As we know, Charcoal used to treat
poisonings that occurred by mouth and it has two more uses also. But, I am not
going to discuss those. I am going back to the question.
Does charcoal really
work for teeth whitening?
Activated charcoal readily adsorbs a
wide range of organic compounds dissolved or suspended in gases and liquids.
In case of poisonings treatment-
The charcoal particles are binding with the poison to prevent stomach and
intestinal absorption.
From above discussion we can
understand that, Charcoal may be absorbed toxic particles, plaque and
microscopic tidbits that stain teeth as well as worked for teeth whitening. [I
said, “May be”]
But, Medical professionals are
warning against using a DIY whitening trend that involves smearing a
charcoal-derived black mixture on teeth.
Dr. Susan Maples, a Michigan-based
dentist and ortho speaker who authored “Blabber Mouth!: 77
Secrets Only Your Mouth Can Tell You to Live a Healthier, Happier, Sexier
Life,” told FoxNews.com there isn’t enough
evidence available to know whether the supplement is beneficial and that it may
be dangerous.
“I worry about the long-term effects
of a video like this,” Maples said. “Teeth are the only part of the ectoderm
that does not replenish or heal itself— once it’s gone, it’s gone. You can
color your hair, you can pierce your skin, damage your nail, shave an eyebrow—
all of that comes back.”
[Source: Fox News]
The result of the
method may hold true for some users, but the long term internal effect may harm
other people’s teeth. [According to dentist's]
Dental Association has currently not
evaluated or approved any charcoal teeth whitening products.
So, we have to keep in
mind these warnings. Don’t go with trends, follow an authentic method of teeth
whitening.
Now, I have a serious
question. In Bangladesh, villagers have been using ‘Kayla’ and ‘chai’ [Common
Charcoal and Ash] since thousand years. But they have never faced any serious
complications, why? Because they are using ‘common charcoal’ instead of
‘activated charcoal’, isn’t it? I can’t explain anymore than this explanation
for sure.
If you have any
opinion, write in comment’s section.Your comments encourage me to write more
post like this. Please share it if it helps you or anything you find new.
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Sources:
http://amazingribs.com/tips_and_technique/zen_of_charcoal.html
http://quatr.us/environment/charcoal.htm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charcoal
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Activated_charcoal_(medication)
http://www.foxnews.com/health/2016/08/15/video-featuring-charcoal-as-teeth-whitener-reaches-millions.amp.html
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