Main reasons for cavities

Acids

Sugar and starches leave bacteria on our teeth which causes acids that destroy teeth enamel leading to cavities

Fat-Soluble Vitamins Deficiency

Vitamins A, D, E and K2

Mineral Deficiency

Calcium, magnesium, phosphorus; copper, manganese, silica ( work together with calcium and magnesium)

Digestive System Issues

Leaky gut, lack of bio-available nutrients, phytic acid

Nutrition for strong teeth / healing cavities:

  • Avoid
    • carbohydrates: sugar and starches; processed foods, soft drinks, trans fats
    • gluten; blocks absorption of vital nutrients in the small intestine
    • phytic acid
  • Heal your digestive system so that it is able to assimilate nutrients
    • digestive issues make your body unable to digest fats
    • good fats carry calcium into the bones
    • plant food, leafy greens are the key to bioavailable calcium (no diary)
  • Make sure you get all important minerals and vitamins with your diet by eating:
    • grass-fed meats: pasture raised chicken, organic local wild meat, organ meats, especially beef (making your own pate is a great option or supplementing with grass-fed desiccated beef liver pills)
    • wild-caught fish and seafood
    •  green vegetables (especially dark, leafy greens)
    • grass-fed raw cheese, butter and ghee
    • pasture raised eggs
    • bone broth, soups with meat cooked on the bone 
    • soaked and sprouted nuts, seeds and beans
    • fresh, cooked and fermented vegetables such as saurkraut, beet kvass, pickles (fermented veggies are loaded with natural probiotics, very important for healthy digestive system)
    •  prunes
  • Consider supplementing with cod liver oil (source of vitamins D and A)
  • Supplement with vitamins and minerals

Key nutrients for teeth and bone health:

Calcium

  • Necessary mineral for building and maintaining healthy teeth and bones
  •  Food sources: green vegetables (especially dark, leafy greens), whole fish, nuts (almonds), bone broths/soups
  • In order to build healthy bones and teeth calcium needs the right amounts of several co-factor nutrients; vitamins D, A, K2, magnesium, and also manganese, phosphorus, copper, silica.

 

  •  

[…] calcium, when not bound to the natural co-factors, e.g. amino acids, lipids and glyconutrients, found in “food” (which is to say other living beings, e.g. plants and animals), no longer has the intelligent delivery system that enables your body to utilize it in a biologically appropriate manner. Lacking this “delivery system,” the calcium may end up going to places you do not want (ectopic calcification), or go to places you do want (e.g. the bones), but in excessive amounts […].

Or, the body attempts to disburden itself of this inappropriate calcium and dumps it into the bowel (constipation), or pushes it through the kidneys (stones). Worse, high levels of calcium can accumulate in the blood (hypercalcemia), which can contribute to destabilizing the atherosclerotic plaque through the formation of a brittle calcium cap on the atheroma, can contribute to thrombosis (clot) formation, hypertension (that’s why we use calcium channel blockers to lower blood pressure), and perhaps causing arrhythmias/fibrillation and or heart muscle cramping, or coronary artery spasm (a rather common, though rarely recognized trigger of ‘heart attack’).

—- Sayer Ji “Stoned to Death: Calcium Supplements Proven to Kill Again”

The trouble with calcium is that if it builds up in the wrong places, it can cause anything from tooth decay to heart disease. To control the flow of calcium and fully utilize it, your body needs fat-soluble vitamins. The condition of your teeth is a good sign of whether it’s getting them. In this way, it’s a good sign of your overall health.

—- Dr. Steven Lin. “The Dental Diet”

Calcium co-factor nutrients:

Vitamins D

  • Fat-soluble;  that’s why it has to be eaten with fatty meal for better absorption
  • Helps in dentin formation; necessary to keep your bones and teeth healthy (major factor in bone formation)
  • Necessary for calcium absorption: it is up to vitamin D to make sure calcium is used efficiently
  • Sunlight is a great source of vitamin D (at least 20 minutes of skin sun exposure per day)
  • Food sources: fatty fish (salmon, sardines, mackerel, herring), organ meats (especially beef liver), eggs, butter, ghee, raw cheese (gouda, brie, edam)
  • Cod liver oil contains naturally occurring A and D, also a full spectrum of omega fatty acids

“The mineral calcium is sort of like a cement our body uses to build and strengthen our teeth and bones, and vitamin D is like a truck that delivers the calcium where it’s needed.”

         — Dr. Steven Lin. “The Dental Diet”.

Vitamin A

  • Fat-solube; that’s why it has to be eaten with fatty meal for better absorption
  • Contributes to bone development, supports healthy immune system and eyesight
  • Works together with vitamins D and K2 in placing calcium into bones and teeth
  • Cod liver oil is a great source (also contains vitamin D and essential fatty acids)
  • Plant based vitamin A needs to be converted by our bodies into retinal, the active form of vitamin A that our body can use (10)

Vitamin K2

  • Fat-soluble; that’s why it has to be eaten with fat for better absorption
  • Important in bone and teeth health; acts as an activator
  • To learn more about importance of vitamin K2 watch here
  • Supplements
    • Vitamin D with K2
    • Walkabout Emu Oil
  • Food sources:
    • eggs, liver, butter, ghee, dark chicken meat, raw cheese (all from grass-fed/pasture-raised)
    • kale, spinach, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts
    •  fermented foods: sauerkraut, natto, cheeses (Gouda, brie, edam, cheddar, Colby, hard goat cheese)
    • pine nuts, grapes, edamame, okra, chlorophyll, alfalfa, blackstrap molasses
  • Importance of vitamin K2 in cavities (watch here)

Vitamins A and D tell our cells to produce certain proteins. Vitamin K2 activates the proteins. The activated proteins make sure calcium goes where it is supposed to, which is bones and teeth. In addtion, it prevents calcium from going into arties, reducing risk of heart disease.

          — Sourced from “The Dental Diet” book by Dr. Steven Lin

“Vitamins A and D are both activated by vitamin K2, allowing them to bind calcium to do their jobs. Weston A. Price […] used a combination of cod liver oil, rich in vitamins A and D, and butter oil, rich in vitamin K2, to treat a variety of modern diseases.”

— Chris Kresser. “Vitamin K2: Are You Consuming Enough?”

Magnesium

  • Magnesium is an essential cofactor for vitamin D synthesis and activation (9)
  • Helps to form hard enamel. Teeth and bones hold up to 60% of the magnesium found in our body. 
  • Sources of magnesium
    • Green leafy vegetables (e.g. spinach and kale)
    • Fruit (figs, avocado, banana and raspberries, dried fruit)
    • Nuts and seeds (almonds, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, brazil nuts, cashews)
    • Legumes (black beans, chickpeas and kidney beans)
    • Vegetables (peas, broccoli, spinach, cabbage, green beans, artichokes, asparagus, brussels sprouts)
    • Seafood (salmon, mackerel, tuna)
    • Whole grains (brown rice and oats)
    • Raw cacao
    • Chlorella, seaweeds
  • Supplement
    • E-Z Mg Standard Process
    • Pure Encapsulations 

“If we are not getting sufficient magnesium from our diet, it doesn’t matter how much calcium we consume. Our teeth are only able to form hard enamel if adequate amounts of magnesium are available. Researchers have found that even a minor ongoing deficiency of magnesium can lead to a significant amount of bone loss. Your teeth and bones hold 50-60% of the magnesium found in your body, so you can see the importance of sufficient amounts for whole-body health.”

    — Francis A. Bertolini, DDS. “Magnesium: A Neglected Mineral Our Teeth & Bones Cannot Live Without.”

Phosphorus, copper, manganese and silica are also needed in trace amounts for healthy bones. More on them here.

Homeopathy for strong teeth / cavities:

“Calc phos 6x and Calc fluor 12x taken thrice daily, for many months has been shown to strengthen and aid in the growth and integrity children’s teeth. (4)

  • Calc phos 6X  — helps with formation of bone and teeth
  • Calc fluor 12X — is found in the surface of bones and in the enamel of teeth
  • Hypericum – repairs nerve damage of a tooth

More on dental homeopathy here.

Imbalance in the body’s hypothalamus and parotid glands as a cause of cavities:

  • Theory worth looking into is that “imbalance in the body’s hypothalamus gland and the resulting decrease in parotid gland hormones are the primary cause of cavities”(16)(17). Because of the two glands not working properly jaw and teeth are not getting nutrition necessary for the teeth to thrive and repair.
  • Proper nutrition together with help of acupuncturist, applied kinesiologist or chiropractor can help to heal the glands.

Modern dental research is now proving that the primary cause of cavities is an imbalance inside the body that controls the nutrients to your teeth. (“The Systemic Theory of Dental Caries”, Ken Southward, DDS., General Dentistry, Sept./Oct., Vol. 59, #5, pp.367-373.) The first step in the cavity is an imbalance in your hypothalamus gland. When this gland slows down or stops secreting a hormone, that controls your parotid gland, the cavity process starts. This slow down of your parotid gland’s hormone slows down the flow of nutrition to your teeth. This hormone controls the flow of nutrients to feed and rebuild your teeth. When the flow slows down or even reverses your teeth start to starve and can’t repair themselves.

    — Dr. Stephen A. Lawrance “The Amazing Secret Dentistry has been hiding from you for 70 years!”

Tooth care:

  • Use a remineralizing toothpaste. Make your own or buy one.
  • Coconut oil pulling
    • Put 1-2 tsps of coconut oil in your mouth, swish it for 15-20 minutes, spit it out in a trash can, rinse with warm water
    • Found to reduce bacteria in the mouth, bad breath and inflamation; prevents cavities and improves gum health
  • Mouthwash – make your own or buy.
  • Probiotic for oral health

When dealing with cavities:

  • Use a remineralizing toothpaste. Make your own or buy one
  • Probiotic for oral health
  • Coconut oil pulling
  • Supplements:
    • Vitamins D+K2
    • Extra Virgin Cod Liver Oil (contains vitamins A and D and full spectrum of omega fatty acids – including omega 3 EPA and DHA), our body needs good fats good fats that carry the calcium into the bones
    • Freeze-Dried Beef Liver Capsules
    • Magnesium
    • Cell salts 1,2,8 and 12 (3 times a day); or Bioplasma Hylands cell salts combination
    • Standard Process supplements to consider:
      • Osteotrophin – strengthens bones and teeth
      • Vitamin B12 – needed to produce an adequate amount of healthy red blood cells in the bone marrow
      • Bio-dental and Biost
      • Cataplex F – for fats, flaxseed
      • Organically Bound Minerals
  • Iodine
    • Powerful trace mineral and bactericidal
    • Cavities are often connected to thyroid issues and iodine is needed by the thyroid gland
    • Ways to apply:
      • Lugol’s 2% iodine apply directly on the affected tooth or gum, leave it on for 2 minutes or more, rinse with water
      • Soak Q tip in the 2% iodine, apply to the affected tooth or gum, let it sit for 2 minutes or more, rinse with water (slight temporary staining is ok)
      • Swishing your mouth with diluted iodine
    • Saving gums – by swishing gums with water pick with iodine solution to kill bacteria that settles there (13)
    • Iodine needs to be taken together with selenium to work (13)
    • Watch: “Iodine for teeth and Gums: Critical If You Want to Reverse Cavities” and “Fluoride Does Not Reduce Tooth Decay-But THIS Does!”

Natural dentistry:

  • Avoid amalgam fillings
    • Amalgam fillings contain up to 50% mercury (neurotoxin) as well as silver, copper and tin.
    • Remove and replace amalgam fillings with safer alternatives
    • When amalgam fillings are removed, they emit high levels of mercury vapor which a patient breathes and ingest if proper precautions are not taken to lessen exposure. That is why safe removal strategies have to be undertaken: protective barrier, ventilation, contained treatment area, nutritional guidance (chlorella, homeopathy)
  • Avoid fluoride
  • When filling a cavity look for a dentist that uses BPA and metal-free fillings and bondings (Biocompatible Testing and Materials)
  • Look for dentist that uses ozone therapy
    • Ozone is known to destroy disease microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses and fungi and helps improve cellular function, and promote the healing of damaged tissue (14)
  •  

Sources:

      1. “The Dental Diet.” Dr. Steven Lin
      2. Derek Henry. “How to Heal Cavities naturally.” (2013) https://healingthebody.ca/how-to-heal-cavities-naturally/

      3. Francis A. Bertolini, DDS. “Magnesium: A Neglected Mineral Our Teeth & Bones Cannot Live Without.” https://northcantonsmiles.com/magnesium/

      4. Joette Calabrese. “Cavities? Try Homeopathy.” (2012) https://joettecalabrese.com/blog/homeopathy/cavities-try-homeopathy/

      5. Erin Coleman. “The surprising benefits of taking probiotics for teeth and gum health.” (2018) https://benefitsbridge.unitedconcordia.com/the-surprising-benefits-of-taking-probiotics-for-teeth-and-gum-health/
      6.  “Rescued by My Dentist”by Douglas L. Cook
      7.  Kat Gal. “Benefits of oil pulling with coconut oil.” (2018) https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/323757.php

      8. Chris Kresser. “Vitamin K2: Are You Consuming Enough?” (2017) https://kresserinstitute.com/vitamin-k2-consuming-enough/

      9. Anne Marie Uwitonze, BDT, MS; Mohammed S. Razzaque, MBBS, PhD. “Role of Magnesium in Vitamin D Activation and Function.” https://jaoa.org/article.aspx?articleid=2673882

      10. Sandrine Perez. “There is no Vitamin A in Plant Foods.” https://nourishingourchildren.org/2019/03/14/vitamin-a/
      11. Dental homeopathy (2004). https://www.britishhomeopathic.org/charity/how-we-can-help/articles/conditions/d/in-the-dentists-chair/
      12. “Iodine for teeth and Gums: Critical If You Want to Reverse Cavities.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qUak9-0CFsA

      13. “Iodine For Teeth And Gums Is Crucial For Healing!” https://bestoralbelectrictoothbrush.com/iodine-for-teeth-and-gums-is-crucial-for-healing/

      14. Chris Kammer, DDS. “Dental ozone: The revolution is happening here!” https://www.dentaleconomics.com/science-tech/oral-medicine-anesthetics-and-the-oral-systemic-connection/article/16389313/dental-ozone-the-revolution-is-happening-here

      15. Dr. Mercola (2013) “Cheese—A Nutritional Powerhouse that Can Help Protect Your Heart, Brain and Bones” https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/06/17/heart-healthy-cheese.aspx
      16. Dr. Stephen A. Lawrance “Holistic Dentistry” https://www.wellnessdentalcare.com/holistic-dentistry/

      17. Dr. Stephen A. Lawrence (2011) “The Amazing Secret Dentistry has been hiding from you for 70 years!” http://www.wellnessdentalcare.com/486/the-amazing-secret-dentistry-has-been-hiding-from-you-for-70-years/