This post is going to be about teeth and dentistry. I will mention before I start though, that I am not a Dentist or Medical Doctor, and anything I say in this post is for information only and not to be taken as professional medical advice. I am making it in the hope that before you just accept what you are told, you will at least look into these things yourself.
I myself have never had a filling in my teeth, neither has my older brother or my Father. My Mother has, but I will go into the reasons why later.
First I want to talk about something that I was told many years ago while on a Prince's Trust business course.
We have all grown up being told that we should go to the Dentist for a check up every 6 months.
The Dentist more often than not will then tell us we need a filling. This involves drilling into the tooth and filling it with mercury and other toxic substances. Unless you pay for the more expensive mercury free fillings. They will say we need x-rays and other toxic treatments, and most of the time it is all for profit and completely unnecessary.
However, did you know that unless you have a tooth hurting or some other problem with your teeth, you don't actually have to go to the Dentist for a check up at all?
Many years ago I was doing a business course at Preston University through the Prince's Trust, and the man taking the course (I think his name was Doug, but I can't remember his surname.) was a successful business man who asked us if we all go to the Dentist every 6 months for a check-up, everyone in the room put up their hand up and he chuckled and said "I did that." He then went on to explain how a friend of his, who is a Dentist, came talking to him and when he asked how business was, the Dentist said that business was really bad and he was struggling to make ends meet. Doug had a think about it and decided to start promoting the idea that everyone needs to get a check-up every 6 months. Business soon picked up for the Dentist as people started to go for checks-up every 6 months. This idea soon spread and most countries worldwide have picked up on this meme.
Although this is how I was told this meme took off, I have also been pointed to the following version of events:
Rumour has it that part of the origin of the six-monthly dental check-up as a routine came from a television programme called Amos and Andy in the middle of the last century, and once the idea had been suggested on the show the American Dental Association thought this was such an excellent opportunity for dentists they adopted it in the USA, and the rest (as they say) is history. Whether this story has even the slightest hint of truth or not - it remains a good story, especially now that the issue of the frequency of regular dental attendance is in the news. (1)
What most people aren't told is that when you have a small hole in your tooth, with the right diet and care, that tooth can grow back. Yes, that is right. Rather than having a Dentist drill it, making the hole bigger and fill it with toxic substances, if you change your diet and make sure you clean your teeth at least twice a day, use floss and if you are really good oil pull, your teeth will stay healthy and any holes will grow back.
So which foods are going to help you grow your teeth back, or keep them healthy?
Eating meat is important for teeth, bone and brain health. Although we are bombarded with the idea that vegetarian diet is healthy, it actually lacks some essential nutrients we need. I am using my own family as an example. My Father and Brother have always eaten meat and neither of them have any fillings, seeing as my Father is now 70 and still has good strong teeth that is quite impressive. My Dad has meat everyday and is very fit, healthy and strong. My brother is also healthy and never had any problems with his teeth. I myself have been vegan and vegetarian at various times in my life, but never for long as I got too weak and I did notice my gums bleeding and teeth aching a bit at times. But I also don't have any problems with my teeth and have never had any fillings, my gums are much healthier now I eat meat again and don't intend to ever stop again. My Mother however who doesn't like meat and rarely eats it at all, though 7 years younger than my Father, has had trouble with her teeth and is very weak and struggles with a lot with health problems. I could go into more details about eating meat, but this post is about teeth, so I will leave it now and talk about the other things that help regrow your teeth and keep them healthy.
Healthy Teeth Diet
Meat and fish are important and if you are trying to regrow your teeth it is especially important. Green leafy vegetables and cutting down on all foods that contain grains and sugar. Eggshell calcium is probably the best natural source of calcium, and it is easier for your body to digest and absorb. First boil the shells for 10 minutes, dry and then crush them until a fine powder. You can buy empty capsules to put the powder in to make it easier to take. Vitamin D3 is also needed and works well with the calcium. Researchers at the Japan Women's University, Yokyo studied a combination of vitamin D3 and eggshell powder in animals with osteoporosis. Not only was the eggshell powder with vitamin D3 able to improve bone mineral density, but it did it without significantly increasing blood calcium levels. Magnesium is also important and I suggest getting a magnesium spray and using it before bed, this is the best way for magnesium to be absorbed into the body. Other vitamins and minerals you may need more of are Zinc and Vitamin C.
Now I can't do a post about teeth without mentioning fluoride. I don't think there are that many people left who actually believe fluoride is something good for teeth or our health in general. But seeing as most toothpastes and mouthwashes contain it, it can be hard to avoid. There are fluoride free options available if you look, and I won't mention any product names here, but a quick Google search for: "Fluoride free toothpaste".. will lead you to plenty. If you would rather know exactly what is inside your toothpaste though you can make your own using:
- 1/2 Cup Coconut oil
- 3 Tablespoons Bicarbonate Soda
- 15 - 20 Drops Peppermint Oil or Cinnamon Oil
How to Make Toothpaste
- Melt or slightly soften coconut oil.
- Mix in other ingredients and stir well. Stir several times while the mixture cools to keep the baking soda incorporated.
- Put mixture into small glass jar.
- Let cool completely.
To use: dip toothbrush in and scrape small amount onto bristles.
If you have bad toothache, try first putting some clove oil on it and taking pain killers, if the pain hasn't gone by the next day then a visit to the Dentist may be unavoidable.
I have just scratched the surface on this topic in this post. If you want to know more, please do your own research and make your own informed decision before following any advice in this post.
Research by Tau Tia L Douglass & Kristina Henriques.
With thanks to Meg Rushbrook.
Source
(1)
http://www.nature.com/bdj/journal/v195/n2/full/4810329a.html
