Why does the toothpaste contain activated carbon?
Basically, activated carbon represents the modern form of ashes, which was used for dental care before the time of toothpaste. Even today, in poor regions of Africa and Asia, the ashes from burning wood are still used to clean teeth. The toothpaste with activated carbon is a return to the past, as carbon compounds have proven to be effective as toothpastes.
However, it is noticeable when you see skull bones or the dentition of patients who used carbon that the teeth have been eroded. The cusps are usually completely worn down after prolonged use, which shows how activated carbon works. Although the abrasive particles of the activated carbon cause plaque to be removed, which may initially have a lightening effect, in the long run it causes the hard tooth substance to be gradually eroded away.
The coarse particles of the activated carbon rub off the tooth enamel like sandpaper, which cannot regenerate. When using toothpaste, the user should always make sure that the RAD value is low. This value describes the particle size within the toothpaste and thus the abrasive effect. Due to the particle size of the activated carbon, it far exceeds the reasonable RAD value, which is why it should not be used as a daily toothpaste.
Side effects/risks
A major problem of activated carbon is its abrasive effect. The coarse particles of the carbon compound are so large that they reduce the hard tooth substance with every application. Thus, the teeth gradually become flatter and flatter and the cusps of the teeth disappear.
A consequence of the flatter teeth is that the entire bite is lowered as the teeth are abraded. By lowering the bite, all bones and tissues have to adapt to new conditions – temporomandibular joint and muscles have to adapt. However, this adaptation is only possible to a very limited extent before discomfort, tension and stiffening of the temporomandibular joint occurs.
These complaints can be expressed as severe pain and can also radiate into anatomically close regions. This can result in headaches, neck pain and even earaches because the temporomandibular joint cannot adapt. Due to the loss of hard tooth substance, especially the enamel, the teeth can become more sensitive to thermal stimuli such as heat and cold, so that hypersensitive complaints can develop.
