This article was originally published here and is part of the January 2009 round up.
It is not true that dental treatments and fluoride are the only ways to heal your teeth from cavities.
Using nutrition, Dr. Weston A. Price reduced the rate of tooth decay 250 times in seventeen individuals who had severe tooth decay. In this group, approximately half of all teeth had been affected by decay prior to Price’s nutritional program. After the program, only two new cavities formed within a three year time period putting the rate of reoccurance at 0.4%. 1
No longer should we accept dental surgery or the dangerous chemical fluoride as our only hope and solution for tooth decay. My book, “Cure Tooth Decay: Heal And Prevent Cavities With Nutrition”, describes another way to heal teeth that flies in the face of the medical dogma that believes in disease and suffering.
I began investigating tooth decay, and health in general, because my own daughter was afflicted with tooth decay at the age of one. Children’s tooth decay is commonly referred to as “Baby Bottle Mouth” because it is supposed to happen when children drink fruit juices from bottles. My daughter did not eat sweets frequently, never had fruit juice, was breastfed regularly, and has almost never eaten any type of processed foods, which are known to be harmful and decay promoting.
Weston Price documented how our modern nutrition program is a primary cause of disease and tooth decay. The theory that tooth decay is caused by germs and bacteria is outdated and it does not hold water. The reason is that germs do not like to eat nutrient devoid foods. Germs and bacteria need sustenance just like we do. So when the dental associations say that germs cause tooth decay by eating certain foods and producing acid, it is unreasonable to believe since germs cannot eat devitalized foods like white sugar and white flour - the foods that we know cause tooth decay.
Weston Price was widely respected in his time, and frequently published in many dental journals, including several articles in the Journal of the American Dental Association. Why have his wise words been forgotten, and what did he teach us?
Three Important Food Factors
Dr. Price documented that both water-soluble and fat-soluble vitamins are missing from our modern diets. Of particular note, is the near complete absence of fat-soluble vitamins in our modern diet. Without eating those special foods, and it does not have to be large amounts of them, but frequently, and enough to fulfill your bodies needs, you can be susceptible to tooth decay, gum disease, and other diseases.
Eating special foods with fat-soluble vitamins won’t cure tooth decay in themselves, but they are a part of the cure.
These special foods are as follows:
- Raw grass-fed dairy including, milk, cheese, cream and butter.
- Organs of sea animals including fish organs, fish heads, fish eggs, oysters, clams, mussels, and crab and lobster with the innards.
- Organs of land animals, including liver, bone marrow, tongue, heart, kidneys, pancreas, adrenal glands, gonads and for the more adventurous, brain, eyes and stomach lining.
Dr. Price found that a characteristic of groups containing a high immunity to tooth decay is that they ate regularly from two of these three food categories.
Our modern diet is so lacking in these special foods, and they are not consumed in regular amounts, so it is no wonder why our bodies degenerate.
Tooth Decay Gets Worse Over Time
In an extensive study of over 15,000 people, the Centers for Disease Control published some statistics regarding tooth decay that should be cause for alarm for most people.
Here is a summary: The older you get, the more your teeth are affected by decay. That’s why old people have dentures (fake teeth) and most young people do not…yet.
On average, people in the 16-19 age group have 11.6% of all teeth affected by decay at one time. This steadily increases, and by the time adults are over 60, more than half of their teeth (62.36%) have been affected by decay. A total of 93.1% of all people over the age of 60 have had teeth affected by tooth decay.
If brushing, flossing, massive fluoridation campaigns, and dental surgery were effective in preventing tooth decay, it would not get worse over time. It would stay the same, or get better. This is what I refer to as unscientifically sound practices. If we are to examine the effects of our dental care as a society, the statistics clearly show it is a failure, as tooth decay becomes worse and worse over time. Either Nature is fundamentally flawed and has doomed us to a life that includes decaying teeth, or humans are flawed in understanding and utilizing Nature.
Until we change the way we live, and return to more natural and life-building foods, the trend of tooth decay worsening with age, will continue.
What Really Causes Tooth Decay
After reading and studying the work of Weston Price, the late Harvard Professor Earnest Hooten said we need to consider the habits and ways of the indigenous people, because “it is store-food that has given us store-teeth.”
Time and time again, Dr. Price documented the tragic plight of indigenous people coming into contact with modern industrialization. Many of these groups enjoyed generation after generation of life without significant tooth decay. But after the arrival of industry and commerce, and with them modern foods, their teeth began to degenerate very rapidly.
Freedom From Tooth Decay
This is just an introduction to how you can be free of tooth decay, and avoid those pesky root canals. Our teeth can rebuild themselves, and cover themselves over with a hard and glassy layer, provided we give ourselves the right kind of nutrition.
Living Without Tooth Decay
I have written an entire book on how to live without tooth decay and how to heal your teeth with good nutrition. I cannot give you all the answers in an article, but I can let you know that there is a new way to having healthy teeth.
I was diagnosed with three cavities two and a half years ago. But through regulating my diet, and eating special foods, my teeth have become stronger and the cavities have halted. My daughter has lived with her tooth decay without the need for dental surgery for close to three years now. With enhanced nutrition her mood has improved, and her teeth have protected themselves internally from infection; this is called arrested decay.
In our society we have deep beliefs in disease and suffering. We believe that “life is suffering.” Or some say that “to be human is to be in a state of sin.” Many of us are not totally conscious of these beliefs, or others like them, so we inadvertently look past answers staring us blatantly in the face. We promote systems such as dental surgery and water fluoridation, which are many times not necessary given the light of knowledge showing us that our teeth are not designed to decay.
You can minimize your tooth decay, indeed prevent it entirely and even heal it once a cavity has formed, if you make good choices for yourself based on the knowledge of decay-free indigenous people.
We continue to fool ourselves, saying that diseases are not curable. But it is time to move away from these limiting beliefs. The cause of tooth decay is known, and knowable. From this knowledge, let us become empowered to take more responsibility for our dental health.
You can learn how to live without tooth decay. You can heal and prevent cavities. To purchase a digital or print copy of Cure Tooth Decay, visit curetoothdecay.com
1 Price, Weston A, DDS, Nutrition and Physical Degeneration, Keats Publishing, Inc., New Canaan, CT, 1939
About the Author...
Rami Nagel is the author of "Cure Tooth Decay: Heal And Prevent Cavities With Nutrition," available from: curetoothdecay.com. Rami is a father who cares about the way we affect each other, our children, and our planet through our lifestyle choices. His health background is in hands-on energy healing, Hatha & Bhakti yoga and the Pathwork. Rami is also the author of several health resources including: healingourchildren.net - Learn the Cause and Prevention of the Diseases of Pregnancy and Childhood and preconceptionhealth.org - A Program for Preconception Health based on Indigenous Wisdom.
May 21st, 2009 at 1:22 am
Every patient has the right to question the dental professional who is about to provide a service and if you are not comfortable with the answers then get up and walk out and find another office. You also have the right to ask to see the sterilization area and talk to the dentist before you have any procedures done.
May 23rd, 2009 at 12:53 pm
Hello Chandler
Do you know about the work of Dr Weston Price?
Kind regards,
Cathy
May 31st, 2009 at 1:51 pm
I feel helpless…………………………
Jun 7th, 2009 at 6:20 am
I have been part of a cow-share since the beginning of May (this morning was my third drop-off as it is every two weeks, Saturday morning bright and early) I have to bike 20-25 minutes to a train station, and then take it 4 stops, and then bike another 10-15min to get to the drop-off. This is basically the very edge of what is considered Toronto East. WOO. its a worth it.
Anyways, I have noticed two things since I’ve been drinking the milk:
1) I seem to have a more balanced energy. I can literally just have a tall glass (about two cups) of the raw milk, and then go for a long, strenuous bike ride, and I can keep pace. Before, I could not do this, unless I ate a good breakfast of lots of eggs and meat. That seemed to be the only food that could sustain my energy. Perhaps, my body likes fats a lot? I’ve always been partial to savoury, tangy, etc. All of my favourite foods are full of fat or pure fat, rather than sugary.
2) I have noticed that my gums and teeth do not ache at all what they used to. I think they do the odd time, but so rarely I do not even remember when. I have not brushed my teeth and more or less, in fact, as bad as it is, I think i have been lagging in the brushing department the last few weeks. (I use tooth soap by the way, ITS A BIG DIFFERENCE in appearance and feel of the teeth, than regular old fluoride paste)
I have been wanting to try to the raw milk diet for a week, but I the max I can fit in all my baskets would be enough to only last me that week, and then I would be without the milk for another whole week. BOO! The one time I want a car.
Jul 2nd, 2009 at 12:21 am
Coconut oil for cleaning teeth! http://www.lowcarbfriends.com/bbs/organic-natural-eating/613222-coconut-oil-body-face-teeth-hair-etc.html
Jul 30th, 2009 at 7:06 pm
Although I hold Dr. Weston A. Price’s work in the highest regard, I’m still not totally convinced that tooth decay can really be healed, especially when you’re an adult. I do believe however that tooth decay can be prevented and halted with this diet. Healing the enamel seems to be the hardest thing. Since when tooth decay appears, there are also underlying tooth problems. In my understanding, the body will always heal the most important parts of the tooth, namely the dentine, cementum and the pulp, leaving the enamel and the gum on the bottom of the to-do-list. I really want to believe enamel can be healed with this diet, but so far I’ve yet to see convincing evidence. Maybe Mr. Nagel can present some? :-)
Jul 30th, 2009 at 7:18 pm
Just want to add that even this article states that it only halted tooth decay not healed with the examples of Dr. Weston A. Price’s seventeen individuals and Mr. Nagel’s family.
Jul 31st, 2009 at 2:43 pm
Hi MK
I have written on this blog before so for more info read through.
There are those of us that have healed decay and enamel.
I have remineralised tooth enamel and reversed decay.I saw two dentists in a few months because i couldn’t %100 believe it! Both dentists words were that i had great teeth. They could see where the decay was but it was reversed. I saved myself big dollars. It took 2 to 3 years but i was breastfeeding during the whole time.
Our body is absolutely amazing. Give it what it needs and it will use it!
This was how I discovered Dr Weston Price and the Price Foundation, after I typed in heal teeth naturally because I didn’t want to have work done while pregnant or breast feeding and I didn’t want to lose any teeth.
Also my daughter chipped her front tooth (small but clearly visable) at about 9 months old. Now at 3.5 it has filled in.
Jul 31st, 2009 at 2:46 pm
Hey Anita
I just discovered coconut oil is great for cleaning teeth too! i ran out of my paste and tried coconut oil and its great!
I want to experiment, try mixing the oil with a bit of bi-carb soda, have you tried it?
Aug 1st, 2009 at 8:46 pm
Hi Cathy Mifsud,
thanks for answering. I will give it a try. Have nothing to lose :-).
It’s really difficult in my country to find a toothpaste without fluoride that doesn’t taste bad though. All the toothpastes without fluoride here have sodium bicarbonate, which I found too abbrasive for the enamel of my teeth and some sort of calcium compounds which I understand isn’t also very good (in toothpaste that is).
Aug 1st, 2009 at 9:52 pm
You can dissolve baking soda in warm water and then brush with that. That way you avoid the abrasiveness of using the b.s powder directly on your teeth. I use about half a tsp or less in half a cup of water.
Aug 1st, 2009 at 11:34 pm
MK
your welcome.
Some tips,not sure if these are above in Rami’s blog post. Don’t brush after food, always a bit before or well after. So the enamel can do its thing uninterrupted.
Avoid citrus or sour fruits while healing it can strip enamel.
For one week I’ve been brushing with coconut oil because I keep forgetting to buy some paste (I actually hate buying paste even the good one I’ve found, so I’m probably forgetting on purpose) and I find the oil great! Its weird, it even lathers up a little. I am going to experiment with some bi-carb, I don’t think it would be too abrasive together with the oil but we’ll see.
Also there is so much to gain eating this way, SO much, not just on teeth!
Anita how are you going with the coconut oil???
Aug 2nd, 2009 at 12:58 am
Hi Cathy, are you trying to say that breastfeeding might have slown down the process in your case? The reason I’m asking this is because I’m wondering if extended breastfeeding can deplete calcium (and or other minerals?) in your body. I’m still breastfeeding my 19 months old and last month I experienced some pain in my right shin and also some lower abdominal cramps. Could that be related to breastfeeding?
Aug 2nd, 2009 at 10:16 am
Anita, thanks for that link about coconut oil. I visited it and learned something new and useful: using coconut oil for oil pulling. But after further researching the topic of oil pulling I read that sesame or sunflower oils are the best for oil pulling for some reason. I’m so excited about oil pulling now that I can’t wait to try it. Apparently, it helps pulling out mercury from the gums and tissues which is important for those who have amalgam filling. But also good for general detox and improves health in general.
Aug 3rd, 2009 at 7:26 am
Hi Cathy,
Re. Coconut Oil for cleaning teeth- I only tried that once, with everything else, but will get back to it. Sounds great with bicarb soda! My concoction is bicarb soda, himalayan crystal salt, a splash of hydrogen peroxide, & now adding Coconut oil.
Aug 11th, 2009 at 12:52 am
Mainstream toothpaste makers are now producing products touted as remineralizing teeth. I’ve seen them offered at the dentist’s office and I’ve also seen OTC stuff in the stores.
If they think it can be done, I bet it can be done.
Aug 11th, 2009 at 12:56 am
Oh and Bettina? Yes, absolutely, breastfeeding can rob you of minerals if you aren’t getting enough in your diet. Your body’s going to prioritize the baby’s health even if it has to steal from your own. This is why Dr. Price noted that traditional cultures offered special foods to pregnant and nursing mamas. They needed it. :)
I had not been able to take very good care of myself between pregnancy 1 and pregnancy 2 even though almost nine years elapsed between my children’s births so when child number two came along she really depleted me. I had inflammation problems during the pregnancy and huge weight gain afterward along with various other physical grievances. Finally I have some knowledge I can use to turn it around.
Aug 14th, 2009 at 10:45 pm
Dana. Thanks a lot for your answer.
Jan 30th, 2010 at 10:26 pm
Here’s some info. about Clay for healing teeth decay. The calcium in Bentonite clay may help re-mineralize a tooth with mild decay. Fascinating!!
http://www.aboutclay.com/info/Uses/toothpaste.htm