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Natural Dental Care

Healthy teeth and gums are the cornerstone of good health.

While brushing and flossing twice a day is very important; gum disease, plaque build-up and cavities may have more to do with diet than we previously thought.

The theory that sugar causes cavities by breeding acid-producing bacteria in the mouth may be flawed. Eating a diet high in sugar and processed and packaged foods may actually cause cavities by pulling minerals from teeth and bones in order to be metabolised.

Phytic acid in the diet binds to vitamins and minerals making them hard to absorb. So a diet high in sugar, processed foods and phytic acid can cause a mineral deficiency resulting in cavities. You can reduce your phytic acid intake by avoiding grains, grain-products, nuts, seeds and legumes, or by soaking these foods properly before cooking to reduce the phytic acid content.

Our modern diets are also low in fat-soluable vitamins A, D, E and K. The vitamins are essential to strong bones and teeth and efficient tissue repair. A diet high in minerals and fat-soluble vitamins and will help to reduce and sometimes even heal cavities.  This includes eating organic fruit and vegetables, grass-fed organ and muscle meats, grass-fed butter and dairy, healthy fats, fish, eggs, and properly soaked grains, legumes, nuts and seeds.

Taking daily supplements of Vitamin C, Vitamin A,Vitamin D3, Vitamin K2, Vitamin E, Calcium and Magnesium can ensure that you are meeting your daily requirements for these cavity-preventing nutrients. 

Avoid commercial toothpaste with ingredients like hydrated silicia, artificial sweeteners, chemical dyes, triclosan, sodium laurel sulphate and fluoride. We now know that these ingredients can damage tooth enamel and have negative effects on the health of your body. Some of these ingredients also have a detrimental effect on the environment after they are washed down the drain.

You can make your own natural toothpaste using coconut oil, bicarbonate of soda, peppermint oil and mineral salts. If you prefer the convenience of shop-bought toothpaste then go for natural and organic toothpaste.

Many people like to freshen their breath with a minty mouth wash. Skip the alcohol and chemical laden mouth wash and make your own using a tablespoon of salt, warm water and a drop of peppermint oil. You can also purchase natural mouthwash that doesn’t contain alcohol, chemical flavourants and colourants. 

10-15 minutes of daily oil pulling with coconut oil is a helpful practice for good oral health. The oil medium is useful for dissolving and removing bacteria that house themselves in an oily bio film. You can also add some essential oils of peppermint, clove or tea tree oil for an anti-bacterial boost. This practice is ideally done in the morning before brushing, flossing and rinsing your mouth with salt water.

Sources
http://www.rodalenews.com/toothpaste-chemicals
http://draxe.com/naturally-reverse-cavities-heal-tooth-decay/
http://wellnessmama.com/1756/reverse-tooth-decay/