I’ve totally been down this rabbit hole, especially after my cousin swore by activated charcoal for “instant whitening.” I tried it a couple times out of curiosity, and honestly, it made my teeth feel super gritty and weird—plus, the mess in the sink was unreal. I did ask my dentist about it at my next cleaning, and she basically rolled her eyes and said both baking soda and charcoal are okay once in a while, but there’s no magic fix. She did mention that even occasional use can rough up enamel a bit if you scrub too hard, which kind of freaked me out.
I got my enamel checked maybe six months after my little experiment, and nothing had changed, but I guess that’s not super scientific. I still get tempted by all those before-and-after TikToks, though. If I’m being honest, I think the real risk is in getting carried away and using these hacks too often because you want fast results. Once in a blue moon seems pretty harmless, but I’d still rather stick with regular toothpaste now... especially since I’m not a fan of the sandy feeling either.
I totally get the temptation with all those TikTok “miracle” teeth hacks—it’s wild how convincing those before-and-afters can be. I tried baking soda a couple times after seeing it online, but I was always paranoid about scrubbing too hard and making things worse. Honestly, the gritty feeling you mentioned is exactly what put me off—my teeth felt weirdly chalky for hours afterward.
Did your dentist say if one is safer than the other, or are they both basically just as abrasive? I keep wondering if there’s really any difference between occasional use of charcoal vs baking soda. Like, is one more likely to mess up your enamel in the long run? I’ve seen people swear by oil pulling too, but that seems like a whole other rabbit hole...
It’s kind of reassuring to hear your enamel was fine after six months, though. Makes me feel less anxious about those couple times I experimented. Still, I’m with you—regular toothpaste feels way less risky (and less messy).
Honestly, the gritty feeling you mentioned is exactly what put me off—my teeth felt weirdly chalky for hours afterward.
Totally relate to that. I tried both baking soda and charcoal during my braces phase, hoping for a quick fix before appointments, but honestly, both felt oddly abrasive. My orthodontist mentioned that while neither is great for regular use, charcoal can be even harsher on enamel if you’re not careful. It’s wild how messy it gets too—my sink looked like a crime scene. I’ve stuck with fluoride toothpaste since then and my teeth feel way better. Oil pulling always sounded interesting, but I could never get past the idea of swishing oil for 20 minutes... just not for me.
It’s wild how messy it gets too—my sink looked like a crime scene.
That’s exactly what happened to me with charcoal—black splatters everywhere, and honestly, I didn’t notice much difference in color. Did you ever feel like baking soda made your gums extra sensitive, or was that just me? I’m curious if anyone actually saw lasting results with either, because for me, it was just a lot of hassle.
Did you ever feel like baking soda made your gums extra sensitive, or was that just me?
Nope, not just you—my gums got sore too, and I was worried I’d done some damage. I tried the charcoal once and honestly, it looked like a disaster scene in my bathroom. Didn’t notice any real whitening either. My dentist told me both can be a bit harsh, especially for folks with receding gums (which I’ve got). At this point, I just stick to gentle toothpaste and hope for the best... less mess, less stress.
