All toothpastes containing charcoal have as the raw ingredient what we call "charcoal powder".For the toothpaste with no active charcoal, the charcoal is just a powder and whitens the teeth with the abrasion of the particles on the teeth. These particles can be really small and not perceptible to the naked eye.For the toothpastes with active charcoal, the charcoal powder is mixed into the paste and no particule can be found. This is the only way the active charcoal will whiten the teeth by absorbing stains, and not because of the particles rubbing the teeth.