Black oil for white teeth? Nope, I’m not kidding! This DIY recipe is perfect for natural teeth whitening. It combines the power of oil pulling with the stain-removing properties of activated charcoal and brightening essential oils for natural, pearly whites.
My Natural Teeth Whitening Story
I used to be obsessed with teeth whitening. I used the gel, the toothpaste, the strips–all of it. My gums would burn, only half my teeth would get whitened, and it was such a pain I’d only subject myself to the obsession every few months.
Over a couple of years, I learned more about natural dental care, and slowly let go of my unhealthy obsession with freaky white teeth. And oil pulling quickly became on of my favorite natural ways to take care of my teeth and gums (read more about oil pulling HERE).
Oil pulling itself leaves my teeth feeling just about as clean as when I walk out of the dentist’s office (sans the sore gums), but I found the stain-lifting power of oil pulling alone to be a little… unexceptional.
Next is where charcoal teeth whitening comes in. Activated charcoal, on the other hand, absorbs everything in sight–including pesky stains from drinking my morning coffee, eating fresh blueberries, and all that good stuff.
I’ve tried brushing my teeth with it, but it tends to get pretty messy and the results are understated because I’m only brushing with it for a minute or two.
Combining oil pulling with activated charcoal is the winning method for me. Add in a couple of brightening essential oils, and this former-tooth-whitening-maniac is more than pleased.
I swish my black oil about 3-4 times per week, and I love the results! This method leaves teeth a natural, pretty white (not freaky Hollywood white!). What I really like is that all my teeth get some natural whitening–not just the front teeth or just part of each tooth. Plus my gums are a healthy pink, and I don’t have a problem with plaque build up.
Best of all, this is one of the teeth whitening home remedies that works for sensitive teeth. Instead of hurting my teeth and gums every time I whiten, I feel like I’m actually improving the health of my mouth while getting whiter teeth! It’s a win-win.
Homemade Teeth Whitening Oil with Charcoal
What You’ll Need:
- 1 tablespoon oil (sesame or coconut oil are my favorites)
- 1 capsule activated charcoal (buy HERE), or about 1/4 teaspoon activated charcoal powder (buy HERE)
Optional:
For more powerful natural teeth whitening, try adding these essential oils:
- 1 drop lemon oil (where to buy essential oils online)
- 1 drop chamomile oil (where to buy essential oils online)
Learn where I shop for high quality therapeutic essential oils online.
Directions:
- If you’re using activated charcoal in capsules, open one capsule and empty the contents into the oil. Stir ingredients together in a small bowl or cup (watch out–the activated charcoal can get a bit messy, but it washes off easily).
- Swish the oil in your mouth for about 10-20 minutes.
- Spit out the oil (in the sink, toilet, or trashcan–it’s pretty black and icky, so the trash might be the best place for it).
- Brush teeth and rinse well with warm water.
- Repeat a few times per week until teeth are pearly white. Then swish 1-2 times per week to prevent stains from returning.
Tips for this homemade teeth whitening recipe:
- You can make a batch ahead of time if you plan to use this every day for 1-2 weeks. It will likely stay fresh longer than 2 weeks, but just to be safe, try to use it within that timeframe.
- If you have trouble swishing this charcoal teeth whitening oil for a full 10+ minutes, try just 3-5 minutes at first. It really does become easier to do the more you do it. You can slowly build up to 10 or more minutes.
- If you’re using coconut oil, it’s probably best to spit it out in the trash can to avoid the chance that it will cool and harden in the plumbing pipes.
- If you have bonding work, caps or veneers, this method might not be right for you. I’ve heard a few stories about it staining dental work. It doesn’t stain natural teeth, though.
Like this charcoal teeth whitening recipe?
Here’s a charcoal toothpaste recipe you can also use to boost your results. You can also check out more natural dental care recipes below:
- Got Plaque? Want to Detox? Try Oil Pulling!
- 12 Natural Toothpaste Alternatives
- Homemade Mouthwash Recipe for Remineralization
I really, really appreciate this post. I’ve tried both oil pulling and using activated charcoal separately (the activated charcoal in water), but never thought to combine the two. I’m anxious to try your recipe!
Thanks, Wendy! I love using them together. I never could swish charcoal water in my mouth for 20 minutes–but I knew I could do oil pulling for that long. I think being able to swish it for that long really gives the activated charcoal time to absorb stains.
I am definitely trying this! What a great idea! I know activated charcoal can help your body detox because it kind of sucks things to it and carries it out of the body. Just didn’t make the connection that it could do that with your teeth, too. My coconut oil swishing will never be the same!
I would be careful about spitting it down your sink or toilet though… Coconut oil can clog your pipes pretty quickly if it’s not washed down with a LOT of hot water. Just a helpful tip. 🙂
Good call on the coconut oil–hot water is a must to rinse it down!
Hi Elizabeth! I have been oil-pulling for a while. I don’t know if it’s doing me much good, but I will continue to do it anyway. I have not noticed an improvement in my dingy teeth like my daughter has, so adding the AC powder is my next step. Thanks for posting.
My question is, if I oil/AC swish once or twice a week, do I continue plain oil-pulling daily?
Love your blog. It’s a nice weekly addition to my inbox.
~ Melisa
Thanks, Melisa! 🙂
You can still do oil pulling as much as you like–I personally forget to do it more than a couple times a week anyway. I think doing it with activated charcoal actually helps me remember to do it more often!
Thanks for this post, I have tried the oil pulling before and found it really useful for dental health. Question about the charcoal…I have a bridge and some crowns, will the whitening effect leave my teeth looking mismatched? I know that other whitening products won’t work on porcelain.
Hmm, that’s a really good question. I’ve read mixed reviews on using activated charcoal with dental crowns–some even report staining, so you might want to be cautious.
This method will lift what is called extrinsic stain. So the stain on natural or porcelain will be lifted. It all depends on how well they were matched when placed. So safe.
I’ve been oil pulling for awhile now and I also noticed that while it leaves my teeth feeling clean, there is no whitening power! I will definitely try the activated charcoal if I can find it. Thanks for the post!
You’re welcome, Amy–let me know how it works for you!
Never heard of this! Love the idea but 10 to 20 minutes of swishing? My face muscles can’t do 2 minutes with my natural mouthwash. Will try and see…
Definitely build up! You can start for just 1-2 minutes, then slowly build up to 5 and beyond. It’s not as hard as it seems, and you don’t have to swish as vigorously as with mouthwash. Just “moving” the oil around in your mouth can help a lot.
Coconut oil while swishing is broken down by the power of our saliva and is no longer an oily substance. It will not harden and clog pipes but since you have pulled bacteria out of your mouth you want to only spit into a toilet, then flush because you will NOT want that bacteria in your sink or sitting in the garbage can!
Add peppermint oil for mouth sores or gum issues. Peppermint also helps when those wisdom teeth come in.
Start oil pulling with a five minute goal and work up to 10 then 15 and 20.
Great inspiration to combine these two amazingly natural health powers. I have been doing oil pulling for a long time and recognised that I had nearly no calculus build up anymore. My dentist was surprised as I had no tea stains and I was able to reduce my teeth cleansing to 1 x a year! Just by oil pulling. Not to mention the other health benefits.
Now my question: How long will it take to see the charcoal whitening effects come in? 1 month or shorter…? I do not want to brush my teeth with it as it is too messy for me. But oil pulling with it makes perfect sense.
I notice a small difference right away, Danae, but it definitely takes a few times to notice a real difference.
I’ve been researching about oil pulling and your site showed up. Your post about black oil is interesting. Fusing two components to be better? I’m gonna try that later. It just sounds kinda gross, black oil! Makes me imagine grease! LOL Buy hey, if it’s going to work and I’ll reap good health benefits, why not right?
Sarah
It’s definitely worth a try! Let me know how it goes. 🙂
I have been thinking about oil pulling for a while, but I haven’t actually tried it yet. I have tried AC in homemade toothpaste and gave up on that, so I really like this idea of oil pulling mixed with the AC. Is it okay if
I don’t do those essential oils? I already have coconut oil and charcoal capsules. What about peppermint EO? Im excited to try this! Thank you for posing 🙂
You can definitely skip the oils or try some others if you’d like. They just add extra whitening benefits.
I’m definitely going to try black oil ~ and with any luck, spitting it into the toilet will result in a cleaner whiter toilet bowl as well! ha ha!
I tend to put the oil in my mouth just before stepping into the shower. I know I take at least a 10-minute shower, and since I’m also washing, shampooing, & conditioning, it takes my mind off the fact that I am swishing for 10 plus minutes straight!
Hi! I love all these great natural substitutes—but I am scared that in doing the charcoal process, is there any chance that this will make my teeth black? I would love a better alternative for teeth whitening, but just want to ensure it doesn’t go opposite, lol! Thanks so much! 😀
Not at all! Sometimes I have to brush the charcoal away, but it rinses off completely after that. It definitely does not stain teeth! (But it can stain dental implants, etc. so be careful about that.)
Aside from oil pulling this activated charcoal home remedy really works like magic. If you don’t have enough budget to have a regular teeth cleaning then this is the answer to your problem. Other than teeth whitening, this product also helps your indigestion and skin problems, yeah you read it right. Activate charcoal is good at adsorbing toxic chemicals and dirt from your body.
We brush our teeth with activated charcoal all the time. We also practice oil pulling (infrequently, but as soon as we think about it). Combine the two? What a great idea! Will make for less “fly around” powder, too. We are always wiping up that black powder.
Hello Elizabeth,
may I congratulate you on your site, I found it to be extremely informative and interesting. I have just started oil pulling with the coconut oil & activated charcoal, (after having read your articles) however a scary thought occurred to me so I decided to pose the question to you.
Given that the charcoal removes toxins so efficiently from the body, I’m wondering if by using it with the oil pulling, is it likely to draw any mercury from amalgam fillings?
I truly hope not as I’m keen to continue this exercise and experience the results that you’ve mentioned.
Thanks for sharing this awesome awareness. 🙂
I’m not 100% sure, but since charcoal binds with the toxins, I wouldn’t be too worried as long as you don’t swallow it. I would be more concerned about using hydrogen peroxide, which has been shown to leach mercury from fillings (and obviously don’t bind to or absorb it!).
Yes, oil pulling is contraindicated if you have amalgams because, just like chewing or drinking, it accelerates the release of mercury. This is based on the research done by the authority on mercury chelation, Andrew Hall Cutler (there’s a facebook group by his name devoted to mercyr detox). The only safe way to handle mercury fillings is to have them removed by a dentist that uses the safe iaomt protocol of amalgam removal.
I just went for a cleaning and was shocked to find the new dentist anted a lot and said for the very first time in my life I needed a “deep” cleaning? Ironically in the last 2 days I have stumbled across an article on oil pulling and now whitening that you suggest and am thrilled at the idea of the alternative. my question is when you suggest olive oil or coconut oil do these have to be in completely liquid form or does the paste form of coconut oil work for instance for this oil pulling too, or perhaps something sold specifically for this? I’m think of what to store in my bathroom or travel with in particular that will be easy. I also heard something about licorice root oil being effective and wonder what your thoughts are on that since I happen to have always like licorice anyhow?
Thanks,
You can use the coconut oil in solid form and it would still work – you just have to swish it around in your mouth to soften it up. I haven’t looked into licorice root oil, I’ll have to check that out!
I’m swishing as I write this comment.
Not sure if full comment posted but I was asking what to brush with after swishing, warm water, or toothpaste? Thanks
Either one is fine.
hi there
im just wondering if u can prepare an oil-AC mix in like a bottle or so.
i think mixing it every morning again is gona annoy me ^^’ or is the AC and the oil going to separate by time?
but this is such a smart idea!!!! haven’t thought of it myself xD
thanks
You should be able to mix it ahead of time.
Are you still drinking coffee everyday and what do you do after a cup of coffee? Did it stain your teeth again or is it still white?
I still drink coffee every day, and if I keep up with my whitening routine I don’t have a problem with stains.