how to avoid sink stains from activated charcoal toothpaste

by connie gregson, founding head of r+d at hello products Published: April 24, 2019

about the author show less

about the author

Connie is our founding director of R+D, which not only means she created the formulations for our products, but that she has more degrees than a thermometer. One of her degrees is an MS in food biochemistry, and she was a research scientist in Pepsi’s Product Innovation Group before deciding to focus cavity prevention and optimized oral health. When she’s not climbing, hiking, ultra-marathoning, playing guitar, or making awesome brownies with chickpea flour, she’s whipping up the most naturally friendly oral care products around.

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Photo: friends brushing their teeth

So, you’ve decided to start brushing with charcoal toothpaste. We’d like to just take a moment to pause and say “Good choice!” and “Welcome to the dark side.”

You’re about to experience a fresh new world of brushing wizardry. A momentous marvel of mouth cleaning magic, even. But before you start, you might want to brush up on the ground rules we recommend to ensure your brushing experience leaves your sink as pearly white as your teeth will be.

Follow the best practices outlined below, and you’ll be mint.

Tips for Clean Brushing

Choosing your toothbrush

Feel free to rock your favorite brush – electric and manual models are both fine for use with charcoal, but in either case we recommend using a soft-bristled brush head. Apply a pea-sized amount of paste to your brush. If you’re using an electric toothbrush, be sure to put the head of the brush into your mouth before hitting the power button, that way you avoid a charcoal-nado or a personal Jackson Pollack retrospective all over your bathroom.

Brushing duration and pressure

Proceed to brush for two minutes, making sure to address all surfaces of your teeth. While we’re all for brushing enthusiastically, be sure to only apply light pressure. You’re not sanding a deck here – activated charcoal specifically used in toothpaste is quite effective at removing surface stains from your teeth while keeping abrasiveness in check.

Sink care

Once you’ve hit the two-minute brushing mark, it’s time to spit responsibly. Carefully aim for the middle of the sink and follow up with a few mouthfuls of water to rinse out any remaining charcoal paste from between your teeth and along your gumline. You may want to get a little closer to the sink when you’re doing spitting to avoid the unflattering splattering that comes when spitting from on high. Next, rinse off your brush to remove any remaining bits of paste from your bristles. Then finish up by rinsing out the sink right away – that way it’s clean for the next person (even if that next person is you).

Photo: charcoal hemp toothpaste

To rinse the sink, all you should really need is a few well-placed handfuls of water to coax any remaining charcoal particles down the drain. The beauty of using charcoal in toothpaste form (as opposed to powder) is that the paste keeps the inky stuff more neatly corralled while still providing amazing brightening and cleansing benefits. Here’s some of our favorite math: easier rinsing + less mess = happier brushing.

upgrade your brushing game.

shop all charcoal products

Congrats – you’ve successfully and tidily brushed with charcoal toothpaste. All you have left to do is practice looking bashful for when you inevitably start receiving compliments about your bright smile. Or, if you’re looking to dial up your freshness level even further, consider following up with a charcoal mouthwash after brushing. The future is looking bright, and so are your chompers.

charcoal