Tooth decay is prevented not only by brushing and flossing but first and foremost by lifestyle and nutrition.
Our hunter gatherer ancestors did not have toothbrushes or toothpaste or floss or water-picks or dentists.
The pioneer dentist Weston Price already discovered the key to good teeth back in the 19th Century.
Provoked by the death of his only child at a very young age from endocarditis after having a root canal completed, Weston Price wanted to prevent other parents from suffering the same devastation and thus he began his research. He travelled the world to study isolated tribes and proved that rotten and crooked teeth came from nutritional deficiencies.
Dr. Price studied the foods eaten by indigenous people and 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.
In 1939 Dr Price wrote a book entitled Nutrition and Physical Degeneration, in which he documented all his findings. Below is an example of his findings from westonprice.org.
Photos Copyright © Price-Pottenger Nutrition Foundation®, All Rights Reserved, www.ppnf.org
The “primitive” Seminole girl (left) has a wide, handsome face with plenty of room for the dental arches. The “modernized” Seminole girl (right) born to parents who had abandoned their traditional diets, has a narrowed face, crowded teeth, and a reduced immunity to disease.
While there are other factors that we will discuss about oral health, and advice should always be sought from a good biological dentist, the key take-away here is that when nutrition is poor, our teeth and gums will start to weaken.
So, remember that when you make good nutrition choices for your body, you are also making good choices for your mouth.
Wishing you all health and happiness,
Dr Maria Amasanti