I've tried activated charcoal toothpaste a couple times, but honestly didn't notice much difference. Plus, my dentist mentioned it can be pretty abrasive too, so I decided to stick with gentler options... everyone's teeth react differently though, I guess.
Honestly, charcoal toothpaste always felt like a trendy gimmick to me—plus, who wants their sink looking like a horror movie set every morning? 😂 I've found that good old baking soda mixed with a bit of water works wonders overnight. Cheap, gentle enough if you don't scrub like you're sanding furniture, and actually noticeable results by morning. But hey, maybe my teeth are just easily impressed...
I've tried the baking soda thing too, and yeah, it does help somewhat—but doesn't it leave your mouth feeling kinda weird afterward? Like, even after rinsing thoroughly, I still get that gritty aftertaste lingering around. Maybe I'm just overly sensitive to textures, haha.
Also, curious—have you ever tried oil pulling with coconut oil? I was skeptical at first (it sounds pretty strange, swishing oil around your mouth), but after giving it a shot for a week or so, I did notice my teeth looking brighter and feeling smoother by morning. It's subtle, but noticeable enough to keep me doing it every now and then. Plus, no horror-movie sink aftermath, which is always a bonus.
Have you had any experience with it or considered trying it out?
I actually tried oil pulling once after reading about it online, but honestly... I got kinda anxious about accidentally swallowing the oil, haha. It did make my teeth feel smoother though, so maybe I'll brave another attempt sometime. Did you notice results right away?
"I got kinda anxious about accidentally swallowing the oil, haha."
Haha, totally get that anxiety—first time I tried oil pulling, I spent half the time panicking about swallowing it too. 😂 But honestly, it gets easier each time. Here's what helped me: start with just a teaspoon of coconut oil (less intimidating than a full tablespoon), swish gently for about 5 minutes at first, then gradually build up to 10-15 mins. I noticed smoother teeth right away too, but the brighter look took maybe a week or two of consistent pulling. Also, pro tip: distract yourself with a podcast or some music—it makes the time fly by and keeps your mind off the whole "don't swallow" thing. Hang in there, it definitely gets less weird!
