Dental Hygiene | An Upbuilding Discourse

January 10, 2011 • 7:59 pm 2

Conclusions on Dealing with Dental Issues

I have finished my review of some of the basic secondary literature on dealing with tooth decay and periodontal problems and have come up with some conclusions based on this. The basic conclusion is simply that dental problems are caused endogenously by bad diet and are exasperated by bad hygienic management of the mouth. This is something that unfortunately is a problem for a large proportion of Western populations for two simple reasons. We eat a bad diet and are misinformed about what a proper diet is made out of and, secondly, we are misinformed about what proper dental hygiene is and what are the most salient factors within it. The main problem is misinformation.

Diet

The most important part of the tooth decay problem is simply structural integrity of the tooth itself. This can be increased by having a well managed diet so that the tooth is not demineralizing because of deficiencies in the body and is able to maintain itself properly. The most important vitamins to achieve this are the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K2 and the most important minerals are calcium and phosphorus (in a ratio of 2.5:1). These will be found most plentifully in grass-fed raw dairy products, eggs, seafood, bone marrow, and organ meats (especially liver).

The reason that the dairy products should be raw and grass-fed is simply because being grass-fed will ensure that the products will have the proper mineral balance and vitamins. Being raw will ensure that those minerals and vitamins will be the most bioavailable. The process of pasteurization destroys enzymes, such as phosphotase, that help with digestion thus making, for instance, the phosphorus less bioavailable than it otherwise would be with the raw product. This enzyme destruction happens when you heat milk above 118F. If you are lactose intolerant there is a chance that you can tolerate fermented raw dairy better than the pasteurized versions but if you cannot then you can get sufficient quantities of these vitamins and minerals through the other foods listed or through supplementation. A high vitamin butter oil combined with cod liver oil should be sufficient to provide you with everything you need. Green Pasture sells these products though you can probably find your own source if you prefer.

It seems that magnesium, copper, iron, and manganese deficiencies may exasperate tooth decay so if you are still having problems after ensuring adequate intake of the aforementioned vitamins and minerals then consider a deficiency in one of these as a possibility, however, if you have a good diet it is unlikely that you shall be lacking in any of these.

Another important thing to consider in the diet realm is that there are many foods that contain large amounts of toxins that can stress the body and which can bind to minerals reducing their absorption. It is best to avoid these foods or to take care in preparing them so that these toxins are reduced. In general, the foods highest in toxins are grains, nuts, seeds, and legumes. Among these foods, the ones lowest in toxins are white rice, chestnuts, and lentils. In any case, no matter which specific food it is among these, you should always soak before you eat or cook the food. With some foods, neutralizing toxins will take more work such as with wheat where a real fermented sourdough bread is your ideal choice since this type of bread is soaked and fermented reducing phytic acid further. In general, however, avoid these except for the aforementioned low toxin foods which can be eaten on occasion with sufficient prep work and should preferably be paired with foods rich in vitamin D, vitamin C, or calcium to moderate their negative effects.

Sweets are also to be avoided since they can cause blood sugar swings which are bad for maintaining mineral stability not to mention all the other problems they are associated with. When you do have something sweet it should preferably be sweetened with honey, molasses, or maple syrup. Sweet fruit should be eaten in moderation and you should prefer bitter fruit like berries, kiwis, and green apples.

Vegetable oils should also be avoided since they contain large amounts of omega-6 PUFAs which can can predispose the body to systemic inflammation. Replace these with animal fats or coconut oil.

Hygiene

The bacteria that can potentially cause the most damage in the mouth are the acid producing anaerobic bacteria that feed off of sugars. This is another reason to avoid eating too many sweets. These bacteria will multiply further in a dry and acidic mouth so the goal is to have an alkaline mouth with healthy saliva secretion which will help remineralize teeth that require it. Towards this end it may be useful to check the pH of your water to ensure that it is neutral or alkaline. It is also important to use mouth rinses without alcohol as alcohol tends to dry out the mouth. When eating food, you should try and end by alkalinizing your mouth by drinking water with your meal or finishing with an alkalinizing food such as cheese.

Some suggest using xylitol mints. This may or may not be to your preference. It seems that xylitol can reduce the anerobic bacteria in a mouth and make the environment more alkaline, however, for those who want natural alternatives for dental hygiene this solution may not be ideal. Xylitol is a processed sugar product derived from birch and, anecdotally, appears to irritate the digestive system in some. It is also lethal to dogs. Use your own judgment. It seems that using xylitol for a limited amount of time may permanently change the mouth environment into being more alkaline so it may be useful to use xylitol for a limited amount of time only.

An ideal oral hygiene routine appears to combine oral irrigation, oil pulling, toothbrushing, flossing, gum massage, blotting, and mouth rinses in some fashion though not all of these are needed together.

A good sample program could be like so:

-Oral irrigation with herbal rinse

-Alkaline mouth wash

-Brush teeth with oil mixture

-Floss with dental tape if necessary

-Blot or massage gums if necessary

-Antiseptic rinse

-Oral irrigatin again

-Alkaline herbal rinse

In this way the mouth would be cleaned of any food particles that may be stuck with the blotting, flossing, and oral irrigation. The bacteria would be killed by the antiseptic rinse and the mouth environment would be made alkaline before the abrasive activity of brushing and after finishing.

It is important to also sleep with one’s mouth closed to avoid dry mouth.

Oil pulling is an additional procedure which can also be helpful in removing toxins from the mouth. It is simply holding sesame oil, for instance, in your mouth for 10-20 minutes and then spitting it out.

In your own dental hygiene procedure I would suggest that you consider a combination of antiseptic rinses to kill bacteria, alkaline rinses to produce an alkaline environment in the mouth, and mechanical or chemical ways to remove food particles such as flossing, oral irrigation, or blotting. It may also be helpful to stimulate the gums in some way in order to get blood to circulate there such as massaging with a Perio-Aid, brush, or rubber tip.

The best results will be had by improving both of these factors so that the environment in which the teeth live in is less damaging to them and the teeth are themselves stronger and better able to manage.

Sources:

http://wholehealthsource.blogspot.com/2008/06/activator-x.html

http://www.westonaprice.org/abcs-of-nutrition/175-x-factor-is-vitamin-k2.html

http://wholehealthsource.blogspot.com/2008/06/vitamin-k2-menatetrenone-mk-4.html

http://wholehealthsource.blogspot.com/2010/12/dr-mellanbys-tooth-decay-reversal-diet.html

http://wholehealthsource.blogspot.com/2009/03/preventing-tooth-decay.html

http://wholehealthsource.blogspot.com/2009/03/reversing-tooth-decay.html

http://wholehealthsource.blogspot.com/2010/05/pastured-dairy-may-prevent-heart.html

http://www.phyticacid.org/nuts/phytic-acid-in-nuts/

http://www.westonaprice.org/food-features/1893-living-with-phytic-acid.html

http://wholehealthsource.blogspot.com/2008/05/real-food-vii-lentils.html

Nagel, Ramiel. Cure Tooth Decay: Remineralize Cavities & Repair Your Teeth Naturally with Good Food.