The Cause of Dental Cavities
-Research has found that cavities are not just a result of a susceptible tooth surface, bad bacteria and diets high in sugar. Cavities cannot be created without an inflammatory response from the person. This is why researchers cannot create cavities in a lab or after the death of the person.
-In a normal healthy tooth there is flow of fluid from inside the pulp outwards. So imagine that a healthy tooth sweats. This creates a resistance and a nourishing environment for the tooth. A high sugar diet can halt or reverse the fluid flow and make the tooth vulnerable to cavities within minutes.
-The process proceeds like this- First the person ingests fermentable carbohydrates, especially sugar. This causes a halting or reversal of the fluid flow in the tooth. Now plaque and bad bacteria can adhere to the tooth. More sugar then feeds the bacteria causing them to produce acid. This acid causes enamel demineralization and dentin irritation. Then dentin inflammation is engaged and proceeds from acute (sensitivity in a tooth) to chronic levels (a hole in the tooth).
-This process of sugar causing a halt or reversal of fluid flow happens in developing teeth as well and it causes dentin formation to be affected. Teeth that are not even erupted and still under the gums are being affected by this. This may be why some kids are more susceptible to early childhood cavities.
Prevention of Dental Cavities
-Read the book More Chocolate, No Cavities by Dr Roger Lucas. Can be found on Amazon.
- Minimize or eliminate fermentable carbohydrates and sugar from your diet. If you are going to eat them, eat them at mealtimes and not as a snack.
-Eat snacks that are high in protein. Protein improves the pH of the mouth and neutralizes plaque acid. Snack examples are cheese, milk, nuts, Kind bars, salted sunflower seeds, protein drinks, spinach, soy, seafood.
-Chewing xylitol gum after meals and snacks. It helps increase saliva and improve the pH of your mouth.
-Clean your teeth well before bedtime so no food is sitting on your teeth all night long. Use baking soda when brushing, Toms' of Maine Rapid Relief Sensitive toothpaste or a toothpaste with hyroxyapatite in it. Hyroxyapatite is natural alternative to fluoride. Some good pastes with hydoxyapatite in it would be Dr Jen's Toothpaste or FYGG (Feed Your Good Guys) Toothpaste. Both can be found online. We also offer a hyroxyapatite varnish that we apply to your teeth here at our office.
-Use an oral probiotic after brushing and prior to going to bed to help replenish good bacteria in your mouth. We sell ProBiora here in our office.
-Having a diet high in antioxidants and taking antioxidant supplements, like green tea for example, to combat inflammation in your body.
-Lowering stress in your life. Stress greatly increases inflammation in your body.
-Vitamin D3 with K2 supplement- Our bodies need at least 120ug of Vitamin K2 in the MK7 form per day. K2 acts as an antioxidant to battle the inflammatory response but it also directs calcium in your bones and teeth.
-A good brand multivitamin and mineral- Weston Price found in his studies that primitive cultures diets had much higher levels of fat soluble Vitamins A and D and they had relatively little dental cavities. Their diets were also much higher in calcium, phosphorous, iron, magnesium, copper, iodine, minerals and fat soluble vitamins than our current diet.