Activated charcoal for digestive and oral hygiene

Tuesday, April 29, 2014 by: Nanditha Ram
Tags: activated charcoal, digestion, dental care

(NaturalNews) Activated charcoal is not new to the world of healing therapies, yet it appears to have resurfaced in a big way and with good reason. Ancient civilizations had knowledge of how things in nature could be suitably transformed to aid bodily healing. Activated charcoal is a case in point. The ancient Greeks, Hindus and Egyptians apparently knew the worth of charcoal as an intestinal filter and digestive aid that eliminated odors, gas and constipation making it a reliable and safe internal cleanser.

Activated charcoal: what it is

Carbon from burnt wood or vegetation is treated with oxygen resulting in a highly porous substance with a surface area that boasts a huge adsorptive surface. Adsorption is the ability of a substance to attach molecules of gas and other impurities onto itself from the surrounding thin film. This makes it effective in the treatment of digestive disorders, particularly gas, bloating and some types of poisoning and indigestion. In other words, toxic material in the intestinal tract are neutralized and escorted out of the intestine through the process of adsorption, while the charcoal itself remains unabsorbed by the body.

Certain impurities ingested into the body such as chlorine and heavy metals, parasites, pesticides and even viruses and bacteria, the venom from insects and snakes and toxic atmospheric pollutants can be removed using activated charcoal. It is mild acting and does virtually no damage to the intestinal mucous membranes whatsoever. While it adsorbs the unwanted toxins from the intestines, it does not interfere with levels of essential nutrients in the body.

As with every health supplement or product, a caveat emptor in inevitable. One needs to make sure one is taking activated charcoal for the right reasons and in the proper quantities. Overdosing can be an issue so caution is advised. It is not considered suitable during pregnancy and lactation. It can bind to certain medical drugs so it is best to talk to the doctor in that case. If one is taking health supplements, then activated charcoal maybe incompatible with those supplements. It is also advised that activated charcoal not be used in the case of acid, alkali or petroleum poisoning.

The best action, however, of activated charcoal has been a well kept secret for ages. It is excellent for the maintenance of oral hygiene and can be used in cases of abscess in the gums with promising results. Activated charcoal is better than supermarket oral cosmetic products or heavily fluoridated toothpaste for those pearly whites. Also, while it is not inexpensive (depends on where one lives), it is easily available in health shops and costs by far less than dental treatments that burn a hole in the pocket. That is, if used as a preventive to get rid of problems that arise due to poor dental hygiene. It can make teeth extremely white, destroy plaque and cure gingivitis by preventing a build up of bacteria. What is more, it can even stimulate the growth of new enamel. If all this sounds too good to be true, then there is only one way to find out. Try it.

Sources for this article include:

http://www.pureinsideout.com/activated-charcoal-detox.html

http://www.houseofnutrition.com/charcoal.html

http://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/energy/question209.htm

http://www.emedicinehealth.com/activated_charcoal/article_em.htm

About the author:
Nanditha Prasad Ram is a consumer and health journalist and a practicing holistic therapist.
Her blog is available at http://www.bindumandalayoga.blogspot.in