One of the most common complaints people have about their teeth is that they’re too yellow. So it makes sense that dentists and toothpaste businesses alike would want to address this issue with teeth whitening solutions. One of the newest trends to hit the commercial market is charcoal. You might have seen charcoal toothpaste at your local grocery store, or maybe even toothbrushes that are already infused with this dark substance.

If you look at the product descriptions, it seems companies are pretty confident in the whitening power of charcoal. The facts, however, have other things to say. Here’s why charcoal doesn’t whiten teeth!