If you have any sort of social media account, you’ve seen your fair share of activated charcoal posts. Alongside the silicone makeup sponge and contouring with every utensil imaginable, charcoal teeth whitening seems to have become the next big thing on the Internet.
I admit, when the hype first started around activated charcoal, I rolled my eyes a bit and wondered if this was going to fizzle out just like the coconut oil craze (though, truthfully, there are loads of people still on that train). While I definitely don’t see the same amount of posts on my Instagram feed and Twitter timeline, I was still excited to try this activated charcoal powder.
I found out about Cocodento and their activated charcoal powder through Tomoson, a site that connects brands with influencers and micro-influencers to help review products. As someone who has always wanted to find gentler, less expensive alternatives to in-office dental whitening, I was intrigued by the claims that Cocodento made about their charcoal powder. As per Cocodento’s website, it says that their activated charcoal powder will naturally whiten teeth by “pulling” bacteria and stains from the teeth and is “perfect for coffee and tea drinkers”. It also is made of “100% organic coconut shells” and is perfect for anyone who suffers from sensitive teeth.
With all of these claims, I was intrigued. I’m a pretty regular coffee and tea drinker and have definitely noticed the effect it has on my teeth. While my teeth are not exactly yellow, they’re not the whitest they could be. My teeth also tend to get really sensitive from traditional whitening products so I shy away from them, even though I’d love to have whiter teeth. I’m also always weary of the effect harsh whitening treatments are having on my teeth because bleaching your teeth can’t be good for you, right?
I reached out to Cocodento to see if they would let me try their product for a discount, and they were kind enough to send it to me for only $5 shipped! Not only was their customer service friendly, the shipping was extremely fast as well.
When I first opened the pot of charcoal, my first instinct was the smell it. I feel like this is my weird, natural reaction to a lot of new products, and I’m not sure why that is but I sniffed it anyway. Surprisingly, but also not surprisingly, the charcoal powder smelled like absolutely nothing. I’m sure I was subconsciously expecting it to smell like a charcoal grill in the middle of summer, but alas, it did not.
I immediately noticed how finely milled this charcoal powder is. There are no chunks in the powder when you use it, so you don’t have to worry about weird, black chunks getting stuck in your teeth. I also used too much the first time I used it and ended up with a foamy, black mess all over my mouth, which my mom found extremely amusing. However, I learned from that experience, and the second time was much more pleasant.
Honestly, I was not expecting this powder to achieve as much it claimed. Like with the coconut oil craze, I tend to be skeptical of claims until I actually try the product myself. And I remained skeptical until I rinsed my mouth out and checked out my teeth. Brushing your teeth with black dust is definitely a little weird and takes a little getting used to. It just mentally feels wrong, and I think my brain was extremely confused.
This powder has no flavor whatsoever, which makes it infinitely easier to brush with. It lathers and foams just like regular toothpaste does, just without the minty flavor! I wasn’t expecting it to be as refreshing as it was, but it definitely kept my breath fresher for longer. I was pleasantly surprised! Since it doesn’t have any flavor, I wasn’t expecting much freshness from it, but it definitely helped!
My only gripe with this product is that it can be a little difficult to rinse out when you’re done brushing. I still had little specks of black on my teeth after my initial rinse, but these went away with a vigorous second swish. It also may have been partially my fault, because as I noted before, I did use too much the first time I applied it. It’s not the end of the world for this product, but I will note to rinse a little bit better the first time around every time I use it.
All in all, I was extremely pleasantly surprised by this product. I really had no idea how I would feel about using activated charcoal when I received this product, and enjoyed it much more than I expected to. While I think it is a little too early to tell if it this product truly whitens, I can’t wait to continue to incorporate it into my daily routine! Thank you again to Cocodento for sending me this for consideration!
Though product(s) mentioned in this post were sent for review, all opinions are my own and are not influenced by the company in any way.
