A healthy mouth begins with nutrients
I owe my life to nutrients. Due to a severe autoimmune disease, I was weak, malnourished, and facing the surgical removal of my colon. Thanks to nutrition, I am now strong and medication-free, with colon intact. My story is extreme, but it is not rare – I am one of thousands who choose nutrition to transform their health. And whether you seek digestive health or dental health, nutrients work.
Today, I’m going to cover nutrition and dental health, which I’ve not yet discussed in much depth. This post is generously sponsored by Redmond Trading Company, the makers of Earthpaste and Real Salt. I love working with this holistically-minded company and have used their products for years.
What is tooth decay?
Like other plagues of the 21st century, including heart disease, autoimmunity, and diabetes, tooth decay results from chronic stress and nutrient deficiencies.
To understand the relationship between nutrition and tooth decay, one must understand how cavities are formed.
How teeth decay and cavities form
- Consider your enamel – the hard, protective coating on your teeth – like tightly packed cardboard boxes. The minerals calcium and phosphorous fill the boxes, making them strong. When the boxes are not filled with these minerals, the enamel weakens and wears away.
- Every time you eat a carbohydrate, it feeds native bacteria in your mouth. These bacteria produce the byproduct lactic acid which, when left on the tooth, causes demineralization. This is called acid erosion.
- Remineralization occurs when saliva neutralizes the acidic environment. This triggers the teeth to strengthen those cardboard boxes of enamel with minerals.
- Loss of enamel results when demineralization outperforms remineralization. Nutrient deficiencies and excess intake of carbohydrate pave the way for enamel degradation.
- Acidic beverages notoriously demineralize teeth. The most common offenders include soda and lemon water. Rinsing the mouth after drinking something acidic can help. (that, and simply avoid soda).
- Sensitive teeth often results from acid erosion. Enamel demineralization exposes nerve endings in the teeth, creating a sensitivity to cold, hot, acidic and sticky food.
- Cavities result when acid erosion eats through the layer of enamel into the underlying soft tissue.
Is it possible to restore enamel and heal cavities?
Sensitive teeth, tooth decay and even cavities have been healed nutritionally. When enamel is gone, it is gone. Those cardboard boxes have disintegrated and cannot be rebuilt. The remaining boxes, however, can be strengthened to protect the soft tissues of the teeth. The restoration of remaining enamel is often effective enough to reverse cavities.
The Marriage of Dentistry and Nutrition
My health trajectory and life mission has been hugely inspired by Dr. Weston Price, a dentist who identified and articulated the relationship between a traditional diet and oral health. A dentist, Dr. Price traveled the world to discover the secrets of healthy people and found that nutrient-rich diets dictated oral health. Cultures adhering to the traditional, local diets of their ancestors had almost no tooth decay, even though they didn’t practice oral hygiene.
When their ancestors consumed a nutrient-rich diet, and the children themselves consumed nutrient-dense foods from birth, children were physically strong, mentally healthy, had strikingly beautiful bone structure, and indiscernable levels of tooth decay:
When parents strayed from the traditional diets of their tribes and when children grew up consuming refined foods, it led to poor bone structure and tooth decay:
The following nutritional recommendations are inspired by the work of Dr. Price outlined in his landmark book Nutrition and Physical Degeneration. After his travels, Dr. Price began treating his dental patients through dietary recommendations before dental work. He stated,
This form of nutritional control of dental caries is so satisfactory that I can recommend it with confidence as adequate to control well over 95 per cent of dental caries.
Below are the nutritional and oral care steps to support remineralization and a healthy mouth.
Step 1: Restore enamel naturally with nutrition
1. Eliminate refined sugar and grains
According to a study in the British Medical Journal, cavities and tooth decay can potentially be reversed with nutrition. Participants in this study who ate a grain free diet supplemented with vitamin D showed a dramatic healing in their cavities. The group of participants who ate a diet high in grains, however, continued to form cavities.
Not only does the starch content of grains feed the acid-producing bacteria, grains house a compound called phytic acid. Phytic acid is an anti-nutrient which blocks the absorption of minerals including calcium. Traditional cultures across the globe inherently knew how to better access the minerals in grains by soaking and fermenting the grains. Fermented grain products such as old-fashioned sourdough can be easier to digest, but I recommend a completely grain free lifestyle to address tooth decay.
I’ve lived a grain free lifestyle for four years to address my autoimmunity. I experience no sense of deprivation with the foods I eat. For grain-free, sugar-free recipe inspiration, check out my Recipes page and Pinterest boards.
2. Emphasize Fat-Soluble Vitamins
Dr. Price found that the health-promoting diets of traditional cultures contained 10 times the fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E and K2) than the cultures subsisting on refined foods. Fat-soluble vitamins play a crucial role in remineralization because they help the body absorb minerals.
In the protocol Dr. Price’s implemented to heal tooth decay in children, he fed them one “reinforced meal” six days a week. This meal emphasized the following foods, all extremely high in fat-soluble vitamins:
- Cold-pressed cod liver oil – 1/2 teaspoon per meal
- High-vitamin butter, which came from grass-grazing cows – 1/2 teaspoon, plus additional grassfed butter in the meal
- Raw, grassfed milk – two glasses per meal
To obtain fat-soluble vitamins in your home-cooked meals, enjoy the following sources:
- Grassfed ghee, used as your primary cooking fat. Ghee is lactose-free and virtually casein-free, so it is tolerated by those who may not do well with dairy (but is not suitable for those with true casein allergies).
- Cold-pressed cod liver oil, taken as a supplement. I recommend this brand.
- Grassfed raw milk, if you tolerate dairy products
- Pasture-raised lamb, pork, and beef – particularly the fatty cuts of meat and the organs.
3. Consume Enough Minerals
We need to provide the body with the raw ingredients – Calcium and Phosphorus – for remineralization. Dr. Price’s reinforced meals for addressing tooth decay contained about 1.48 grams of calcium and 1.28 grams of phosphorus. The accepted requirement for these minerals were only .68 grams of calcium and 1.32 grams of phosphorus.
The children in the treatment group enjoyed the following mineral-rich main courses in their reinforced meals:
- Organ meats from pasture-raised animals
- Fish chowder (likely made with mineral-rich fish stock) or
- Meat stews, fortified with bone marrow
Dr. Price’s nutritional program of one fortified meal per day “completely controlled the dental caries of each member of the group.” (Source.)
For more details and case studies on addressing tooth decay with these three nutritional principles, I recommend the book Heal Tooth Decay by Dr. Ramiel Nagel.
4. Support Nutrient Assimilation
We are not what we eat. We are the nutrients our body absorbs. Compromised digestion inhibits the absorption of Calcium and Phosphorous from our food. If we can’t absorb these minerals, our teeth can’t use them for remineralization.
- Consider stomach acid the digestive fire that converts your food into fuel. It’s not surprising that 90% of Americans are likely deficient in this gastric juice, since stress, medications, and nutrient deficiencies all impair stomach acid. Read my discussion: How to heal low stomach acid naturally.
- Impaired fat digestion compromises our ability to assimilate those glorious fat-soluble vitamins. Read my discussion: 8 ways to address fat malabsorption naturally.
5. Stop Snacking
Snacking not only takes a toll on the digestive system (those organs demand a break for rejuvenation), a constant intake of food may impede the remineralization process. Snacking on carbohydrate-rich foods gives those mouth bacteria constant fuel and may prevent saliva from restoring the mouth pH.
Our evolutionary roots indicate that we are designed to eat larger quantities of food, less frequently, and in social mealtime settings. If you find yourself snacking between meals, it likely indicates the following imbalances:
- A daily blood-sugar-rollercoaster due to the consumption of high glycemic foods.
- Inadequate intake of nutrients, particularly healthy fats, at meals.
- Deeply-ingrained lifestyle patterns, such as social snacking in the workplace or boredom snacking in front of the TV.
Step 2: Support enamel restoration with oral care
6. Practice Oil Pulling
If I wanted to entertain my tongue for 15 minutes, I’d much prefer eating or kissing than swishing around a tablespoon of oil. The first time I tried oil pulling, an Ayurvedic technique for improving gum and teeth health, I managed only a few minutes before my gag reflex insisted that I spit out the oil. But nobody ever said holistic health was always convenient, and I was determined to give this healing technique a significant trial period before I discounted it.
Within just a few days, I was able to oil pull for a full 15 minutes. I no longer oil pull regularly, but I do recommend it for those who need to go the extra mile to support healthy teeth. Oil pulling moisturizes the gums and helps remove bacterial build-up. You can use plain coconut oil or sesame oil, but I use this Daily Swish Oil Pulling Blend. For instructions on Oil Pulling, check out Wellness Mama’s tutorial.
7. Avoid Fluoride in Dental Care and Toothpaste
Fluoride is a neurotoxin. It does not belong in your toothpaste, your mouth, or your water supply. The Fluoride Action Network points out the following:
- Contrary to popular belief, countries with fluoridated water do not have lower levels of tooth decay.
- By FDA definition, fluoride is medicine, but it is not FDA approved. “With fluoridation, we are adding to the water a prescription-strength dose of a drug that has never been approved by the FDA,” FAN notes.
- 50 studies have linked fluoride exposure with lower IQ in children.
8. Avoid Glycerine in Oral Care
Many holistic dentists err on the side of avoidance when using glycerine in oral hygiene. Dr. Gerard Judd is most commonly cited by those who recommend avoidance of glycerine. According to Dr. Judd’s albeit controversial statements, this slippery, thick emulsifier can create a coating on teeth that may impede the remineralization process. When this was brought to my awareness, I was please that Earthpaste is free of this controversial ingredient.
Also, watch out for this ingredient in natural breath sprays. I was using an organic breath spray for a while until I realized the third ingredient was glycerine.
9. Use a Tongue Scraper
Unlike oil pulling, I comply diligently with the Ayurvedic practice of tongue scraping. I use this Ayurvedic Tongue Scraper each morning after brushing my teeth. It can help lessen the bacterial load in the mouth by removing debris and bacteria build-up.
10. Choose the Right Toothpaste
I’ve used Earthpaste for the last four years because each ingredient is a safe and active ingredient for dental health.
- Mineral-rich clay provides cleansing qualities to remove build-up and bacteria, while supporting the proper pH of the mouth.
- Unprocessed salt offers gentle abrasion to polish teeth, as well as anti-bacterial properties.
- Tea tree oil fights the bacteria that lead to acid erosion.
- Essential oils add natural flavor without artificial ingredients.
- Xylitol is a natural sweetener recommended by dentists because it may impair bacteria from sticking to the teeth. Earthpaste sources non-GMO xylitol. I don’t use xylitol as a sweetener in my food, but I believe it is an excellent ingredient in oral care. Earthpaste also offers a non-sweetened, xylitol-free option.
Where to get Earthpaste
- Go to the Redmond Trading website store here.
- Use coupon EmpoweredSustenance for 15% off your order.
- Enjoy fast and free shipping over $50
Have you found that dietary changes improved your teeth? Do you have experience healing tooth decay with nutrition?
Hi I have looked everywhere, other people have asked, but still no answer. I have metal fillings and the clay pulls out metal should I be worried about the toothpaste pulling out my fillings or worse yet poisoning us?
Hi Kristy,
I would be more worried about the amalgam fillings being in your mouth. I’d get them removed by a biological dentist who applies all necessary safety measures: rubberdam, cleanup and oxygen. The amalgams are poisoning you 24/7. After replacement you need to do a long-term and thorough heavy metal detox.
Unfortunately, the replacements aren’t great either; Plastics, with aluminum, barium, and fluoride.
Hi Thia! There is a safe replacement option made our of non bioreactive compounds. It’s called Diamond Plus. My partner recently had his amalgam fillings replaced with it.
We have no clue what to do for detoxing though – if anyone has any suggetions, shoot!
Do metals detoxing with an experienced physician. Look for a doctor in your area who specializes in Functional Medicine, and tell him or her that you need to be tested for heavy metals and if necessary be treated for detoxification. It doesn’t cost that much. I did it out of my own pocket.
First there are some tests, like measuring the metals in a hair sample is one way, and then you’ll probably get a supplement that will cause your body to release metals from your tissues for a urine test. That will tell your doctor which metals you have and how much. Then he or she will probably put you on a detox program, which pretty much consists of supplements which cause your body to release the metals, and making changes to reduce your exposure to metals, like:
* Get safe cookware that doesn’t leach metals into your hot foods and coffee.
* Wear an appropriate respiration mask if you work around metal dusts or fumes (construction, some crafts, etc.)
* Wear gloves when working with adhesives or solvents which contain metals, or lead items (some craft figurines, etc.)
If you have dental fillings that contain mercury, definitely look into getting those removed, because the mercury slowly leaks into your body. There are safe alternative materials that are pretty common now. Just ask your dentist about it.
Check with a holistic dentist, lots of greens and healthy paleo, mediterranean or keto diet is amazing, also check into water fasting safely, it will all pull out toxins, also Livton can be gotten through Dr Dobias, he is a vet on-line, but the Livton is human grade and this is the best price without a script. Exercise and extra sleep. Cleansing should occur every 6 months, see videos from Dr Dobias, what applies to his dogs has been based on humans. Cilantro is the strongest green to help too alond with dandelions. Find a naturopath physician to help if the holistic dentist can not. Try to high quality foods as best you can afford and find and don’t fret if you can’t just do what you can, pray and meditate, good fortune to you, blessings!
Hi. What would happen if i use this toothpaste (Earthpaste) with amalgam/ or other fillings in my mouth? Is it safe to use it with the fillings in?
Yes, this toothpaste is safe to use if you have fillings.
I see EarthPaste all the time on the Thrive site. I avoided buying it because the name sounds like something you would caulk the foundation of your house with. I finally broke down, despite my perception of construction material, and bought some and WOW it is the best toothpaste I have ever used.
Ive tried oil pulling using hemp oil it works great but it is sometimes a bit messy so now im using hydrogen peroxide 6 percent to swish around my mouth after brushing and you wont smell a single bad odor after it also cleans the tongue even if you dont brush it you just rinse the h202 thoroughly and brush again one last time to remove any food stuck around with a clean toothbrush no toothpaste then rinse again. But my concern is will it have bad effect on my teeth on the long run lauren?
Very good question! Following!
Could you help us by answering this about the hydrogen peroxide? Thank You!
You really need to watch dr. Ellie Phillips on YouTube or read her book, Kiss your Dentist Goodbye. I had bad teeth since childhood and spent thousands of dollars through the years on restoration and cleaning. I now follow her program consisting of 3 rinses and brushing with stuff you buy in a drugstore for one month and my teeth are better than ever. Previously I brushed with hydrogen peroxide and baking soda and with my last visit I had 2 cavities and deep pockets and the dentist recommended periodontal surgery. I will go back in 3 months and I believe my mouth will be in a much better shape.
Hi, dentist drilled my upper 4 front teeth vertically making them look worst, feel like she just wanted to practice her cosmetic dentistry as it was not required to do that extensively as there was no major decay. This was done in March 2017 and she said after 3 to 4 yrs I would need caps, I just cannot imagine myself with caps….I am just 33 years, is there a way out.
What about if you suffer from sensitive teeth. My understanding is that a high fluoride toothpaste relieves it. So what would the alternative be for sensitivity please?
Strengthening your enamel with the same steps outlined in this post will help reduce sensitivity. Sensitivity results from degrading enamel.
Does rice count as a grain?
Yes, but many people on a grain-free diet (including me) enjoy some white rice because it is more easily digested than other grains, and lacks the anti-nutrients in other grains.
What do you eat to get enough calories / energy? I need more energy not getting enough calories to feel ok and now resorting to white rice, white and sweet potato, but it’s not helping?
This may help you: http://empoweredsustenance.com/increase-nutrition-with-food/
Do you have any diet suggestions for committed vegans? Most foods you mentioned are definitely not, lol. Thank you!
Are you able to offer any diet alternatives for committed vegans? Thanks so much!
Such an informative information you shared.
Thank You!
What steps are needed to creating a beautiful smile?
If raw milk is unavailable, is Grassmilk better than nothing or would it be better to forgo milk if it’s not raw? Thanks so much for the information in this article!