Activated charcoal can remove surface stains, which means if you have a latte addiction, this might be your jam. Things like wine, berry, or tea stains can be effectively removed with charcoal toothpaste. It won't, however, have much of an effect on intrinsic stains, like those from smoking. You'll need a professional whitener for that.

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If you're looking to whiten naturally, you have some other choices. Hydrogen peroxide and baking soda are great alternatives to charcoal. If you want white teeth by any means necessary, here are some awesome ways to do it.

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Now that you've done your research, if you'd like to give it a shot, there are lots of highly-rated products to try. There's the Kopari Coconut Charcoal Toothpaste, $12, and Lush makes the Boom Dental dynamite, $10.95, a tablet you chew and then brush, thus cutting down on the plastic packaging. We've also had good luck with the Colgate Essentials Charcoal Teeth Whitening Toothpaste, $4.99.