Is charcoal toothpaste safe or effective?

Remember when lighting a grill was the first thing you thought of when you heard the word charcoal?

Not anymore! Now, activated charcoal has been dubbed "black magic" for skin care, makeup, and even toothpaste.

 

Some claim the dark black toothpaste is giving them whiter, brighter teeth.

"Once I'm done using it, it feels really clean on my teeth," said Melinda Isley, a PR specialist in Fort Myers. "It almost feels like I just left the dentist's office after getting a cleaning, and I like that a lot."

Isley started using activated charcoal toothpaste six months ago. So far, she has no complaints, other than the mess it makes.

"You don't want to wear anything nice when you're brushing your teeth. It's like spaghetti. You're going to get it all over you, and it's black," Isley said.

Dentists, like Dr. Phillip Kraver, aren't as optimistic, saying that charcoal toothpaste can actually do more harm than good to teeth.

"They may be damaging your teeth in a way that's irreversible," said Phillip Kraver of Cape Dental Care. "I don't currently recommend charcoal toothpaste to my patients, mainly because it's not proven to be safe or effective,"

Read more at NBC2