Home Care

Diet and Nutrition

Nutrition and Physical Degeneration

The most important home care for your teeth is your nutrition.  We recommend that you take some time and evaluate your food choices and choose to eat organically, when possible, and avoid processed food.   Processed foods that lack the nutrients that are needed to keep healthy minerals in your teeth.

Dr. Weston Price, D.D.S., studied remote traditional cultures in the 1930s.  In his illustrated book, Nutrition and Physical Degeneration,  Dr. Price graphically depicts the physical degeneration caused by the introduction of “modern” foods.  This degeneration includes rampant dental decay and facial and dental arch malformation and the inherent related orthodontic problems.

http://www.westonaprice.org/thumbs-up-reviews/nutrition-and-physical-degeneration

The True Cause of Tooth Decay

The research of Dr. Ralph Steinman, at Loma Linda University, clearly implicates sugar as a systemic factor involved in dental decay. In more than 70 published articles he has shown that dental decay is not just a local disease produced by a topical factor. Sugar produces dental decay, but by a systemic reaction, as well as from external influence on the tooth.  According to Dr. Steinman’ research, there is a fluid flow through the tooth which is affected by sugar. This fluid normally flows from the pulp chamber, through the dentin, through the enamel, and into the mouth of people who have a resistance to dental decay.  When body chemistry becomes unbalanced, the fluid flow is reversed and the process of decay can begin.  Dentistry is now appreciating the fact that there are many relationships between oral and systemic health not previously recognized.

http://www.dr-jacques-imbeau.com/PDF/Dentinal%20fluid%20transport%20and%20caries.pdfConclusions
The rate of fluid transport was suppressed
significantly in rats maintained on a high
sucrose diet as compared with rats fed
Purina laboratory chow. Fluid transport
may be stimulated by the systemic administration of urea or citrulline.
The systemic administration of

Acidity and pH.

Monitoring the pH (or acidity) of your mouth.  Bacteria produce acid and thrive under acidic conditions.  The best way to make your body and mouth less acidic and more alkaline is by the food choices you make.   You can monitor you saliva with pH paper.

Lists of alkaline and acidic foods –for general reference only, not a specific recommendation.   No are any listed products being recommended.

http://www.rense.com/1.mpicons/acidalka.htm

Testing your body’s pH                                                                                  

http://www.alkaline-alkaline.com/human_ph_test.html

Cleaning your teeth. 

Non- Nutritional Options to reduce and eliminate tooth decay and gum (periodontal) disease.

Salt water rinses, using sea salt: This is a really great idea for oral health care.  Sea salt is anti-microbial and contains beneficial minerals and helps to create an alkaline environment in your  mouth.

Another reason to use salt water rinses is that it doesn’t contain the synthetic chemicals,  or alcohol that are in most mouth washes or contain components that may be more abrasive, and could possibly cause other problems.

Salt water rises are best to do before each brushing, and can be used periodically throughout the day.  When selecting the salt to use be sure that you get the sea salt that has not been bleached, is deficient in minerals or contains aluminum.

[Note:  If you are on a salt restricted diet check with your doctor prior to using salt water rinses.   Baking soda may be an alternative for you.]

Brushing – Either a  dry toothbrush or using toothpaste can be effective.  If you use toothpaste, which is not necessary to do a good job,  the fewer additives included the better.  Many toothpastes contain potentially harmful additives, sodium laurel sulfate being one of the more well-known.   A drop of essential oil(s)  or  baking soda also works great.  

When brushing it is important to do it gently with a soft bristled toothbrush.  Angle it at a 45% angle to  the gum line to clean out the bacteria under the gums.  this is done to prevent periodontal disease.  Always use soft gentle pressure.   Hold your brush more like a pencil than a baseball bat.

Then…

Scraping the tongue:  We highly recommend cleaning the tongue during your brushing time to eliminate the bacteria on the tongue.  Many people neglect this step and which can easily be accomplished with many types of products or just by using your toothbrush.

Flossing – cleaning between the teeth where  brushing doesn’t reach:

Flossing can be a challenge at first, but with time can be very rewarding and fun.  Generally, use a light, non-flavored floss and hold a short length between your fingers.  Wrap it around your teeth like a towel around your back after a shower…but scrape it up and down on your tooth, don’t “shoe-shine” it back and forth or you may cut into and damage your gums.

For people for whom flossing just does not work or is too difficult, an oral irrigation device that sprays a water stream under pressure can be very effective at cleaning between the teeth where brushing doesn’t get.

Interdental Brushes may be even more effective than floss.

https://www.dentek.com/blog/201912/are-interdental-brushes-better-floss

https://www.tepeusa.com/pages/tepe-interdental-brushes