Everyone thinks that once you get a cavity it cannot be healed. In fact, you’ve probably been told that the only solution is to go to the dentist and have part of your tooth drilled out and filled with synthetic material. Well, that’s not true! When you nourish your body, it has the ability to heal itself. Amazing, right?! We can fight off colds and flu, repair broken bones, heal cuts and burns…..and even heal cavities!
There’s a lot of research proving that tooth decay can be reversed. But there are a lot of people trying to hide this information, like the American Dental Association and your dentist….because you pay their bills.
But the truth has been out there since the 1930’s thanks to Dr. May Mellanby and Dr. Weston A. Price. Dr. Mellanby conducted a dietary clinical trial on children with cavities. The children were divided into 2 groups. Group 1 ate a standard diet. Group 2 ate a remineralizing diet high in calcium, and vitamin D (up to 2000 IU per day). There was no difference in dental hygiene practices between the two groups. The children following the remineralizing diet had 93% fewer cavities than those following the standard diet. And the cavities in the remineralizing diet group actually healed without any dental intervention!
Dr. Weston A. Price’s story is even cooler. Dr. Price traveled the world searching to discover what causes tooth decay. Dr. Price found a common link between eating modern foods and cavities. He witnessed many indigenous isolated tribes that had perfect teeth and little tooth decay. But once they were exposed to a western diet they experienced tooth decay, bone loss and chronic illness.
When Dr. Price analyzed the foods used by isolated primitive people he found that they provided at least four times the calcium and other minerals, and at least ten times the fat-soluble vitamins from animal foods such as butter, fish eggs, shellfish and organ meats. Now, just think for a moment. How is it possible that these isolated groups of people with little access to toothpaste or floss are free from cavities. But Americans, who have access to every cavity preventive product on the market, have a mouthful of cavities, root canals, mercury fillings, and missing teeth? In fact, 92% of adults between the ages of 20 and 64 have had dental cavities in their adult teeth (Source). It’s because of their diet. Is your mind blown?
The dilemma:
According to the American Dental Association, tooth decay occurs because:
“[Tooth decay] occurs when foods containing carbohydrates (sugars and starches) such as milk, pop, raisins, cakes or candy are frequently left on the teeth. Bacteria that live in the mouth thrive on these foods, producing acids as a result. Over a period of time, these acids destroy tooth enamel, resulting in tooth decay.”
And that’s not entirely true. Although a poor diet does cause cavities, it’s not because of sugar left on the teeth, but because a poor diet lacks vitamin and minerals and other nutrients to keep teeth healthy. A few problems with this theory are:
- Groups of indigenous people who had fermentable carbohydrates stuck on their teeth all the time that did not brush or floss were
- Foods that bacteria like to eat, such as milk, vegetables, meat, fish and fruit, are not commonly implicated in causes of tooth decay.
So, what causes cavities?
- Not enough minerals in the diet
- Not enough fat-soluble vitamins in the diet (A, D, E and K)
- Too much consumption of Phytic Acid rich foods
- Too much consumption of processed sugar
How to heal cavities:
In addition to brushing and flossing daily, there are several ways you can reverse cavities without resorting to taking in fluoride. Here are a few for you to consider:
- Eat foods that are high in minerals and fat-soluble vitamins
- Stop eating sugar: It is highly acidic and can decalcify or demineralize the structural content of teeth that create dental decay. Bottom line, make stevia and raw honey your new best friend and ditch processed sugars.
- Avoid phytic-acid: It is a mineral blocker and enzyme inhibitor found in grains (and nuts and seeds) which can cause health problems in our diets. Phytic acid has become an issue because we “are too busy” to use ancient food preparation techniques such as sprouting or sourdough fermentation which kills off the phytic acid.
- Consume raw dairy: It is filled with the vitamins and minerals that contribute to strong teeth.It is loaded with calcium, vitamin K2, vitamin D3, magnesium, phosphorus, and fat-soluble vitamins.
- Use mineralizing tooth paste and avoid fluoride.
- Oil-pulling in the morning: Used for centuries by Ayurvedic medicine, it is a fantastic oral detoxification procedure. It consists of swishing a tablespoon of oil in your mouth for 20 minutes, this simple process has been praised to cure everything from gingivitis to headaches to systemic diseases like diabetes! If you can’t do 20 minutes, 3-5 minutes is still good. I recommend using coconut oil.
Foods to focus on:
- Coconut oil, grass-fed organic dairy (especially butter), grass-fed meats, seafood and bone broths
- Organic cooked vegetables (soups with bone broth)
- Organ and gland meats (liver)
Supplements to consider:
- Fermented Cod Liver oil: High in fat soluble vitamins (A, D and K)
- Fermented Cod Liver oil AND Butter Oil: A mom healed her son’s cavities using this (Source).
- Magnesium: Required to use calcium and phosphorous effectively
- Gelatin: If you don’t have time to make bone broth, this is a good alternative and is great for gums and digestion
If you want to learn more, read these books: Cure Tooth Decay, Nutrition and Physical Degeneration
