Most of us associate charcoal with the barbecue, so you might be wondering why this unexpected ingredient is increasingly popping up in the toothpaste aisle! Surprisingly, the use of charcoal for toothbrushing goes all the way back to ancient Rome, and it’s been found in toothpastes since as early as the 19th century. Yet these days, it’s a popular addition to various cosmetics, toiletries and supplements. Colgate Australia includes charcoal in several of its toothpastes, such as Colgate Total Deep Clean Charcoal Toothpaste and Colgate Natural Extracts Pure Clean Charcoal + Mint. If you’re interested in charcoal teeth whitening, there’s Colgate Advanced Whitening Charcoal Toothpaste. Rest assured, our charcoal toothpastes are pleasantly flavoured, with a texture resembling that of baking powder toothpaste. They have a grey colour because of the charcoal powder, but they aren’t black and they won’t stain your basin -- or your teeth! From time to time, people who enjoy our products ask us about the abrasiveness of Colgate’s charcoal toothpastes. What are the benefits of charcoal toothpaste? Charcoal powder is one of the ingredients used in:
- Colgate Total Deep Clean Charcoal Toothpaste
- Colgate Natural Extracts Pure Clean Charcoal + Mint
- Colgate Advanced Whitening Charcoal Toothpaste
The benefits of using these products relate to the toothpaste formula as a whole, rather than the charcoal content. We do not currently derive any specific benefits from the charcoal.
Should you be concerned about abrasivity with charcoal toothpaste?
The abrasivity of a toothpaste is commonly measured by its RDA value. The recognised safe maximum for dentine abrasion is 200 units by the American Dental Association, or 250 by the US Food and Drug Administration. Therefore any product below the RDA index of 250 is regarded as safe and gentle, with the average toothpaste on sale in the supermarket being between 80-150.
We can confirm that the RDA value of all Colgate consumer toothpastes, including our Colgate Total Deep Clean Charcoal Toothpaste, falls well below the maximum value. There is no need to be concerned. The charcoal content of these toothpastes will not adversely affect the texture of your teeth. Colgate’s charcoal toothpastes leave your mouth feeling fresh and still include important ingredients for healthy teeth, like fluoride
