A Bit More on the Dietary Link to Remineralizing Teeth

I realize quite a bit of time has passed since my last post, but I guess when we "live the holistic life" sometimes life takes precedence over writing.... I am still pondering remineralization of teeth and will be posting soon more about the natural products out there that seem promising.  But I want to do a bit more research and that requires time, which lately has been a bit stretched.

So do stay tuned and if you enjoy this blog, read the past posts that you have missed, while you await more current ones which will become more regular again.... Summer can be quite busy as we all know.... Children home.... Trips..... Life's little and big challenges as well.....

But still on topic of teeth, I thing the issue of not getting enough calcium may be a huge bit.  Though I have researched where calcium exists in my plant based diet, I also realize I don't eat as much as I once did.  I had two pregnancies and nursed both children extended times, and now with all the business of life, I often eat less then ideal at times and not always enough of what I need.... So anyone with a similar issue..... I think focusing on the calcium rich foods and supplementing additional calcium when needed, based on your personal intake from food.  And make sure to also get a variety of the other needed minerals that assist with its absorption, including magnesium... https://www.ars.usda.gov/SP2UserFiles/Place/12354500/Data/SR24/nutrlist/sr24w304.pdf
 and trace minerals,  as well as enough vitamin D - sunlight without sunblock - there is an earlier post that discusses this, but in a nutshell, at least 10 minutes of sunlight, between the months of March and October, at least in the Northeast US - other regions may be more or less, on as much exposed skin as possible, helps build up your stores.  Longer periods are safer after 3 or before 10, as there is risk when you get too much sunlight during peak hours of 11-2.  And later in the day, such as after 4 and before 9 am, the amount of vitamin D we can make from sunlight exposure is lessened, and likely not quite adequate on its own..  Of course supplements are available, as well as fortified foods, though this is a bit less holistic than that making it from the rays of that bright star in our day sky....    Vitamin K is also important, though many plant foods are great sources.... Actually they are the best! https://www.ars.usda.gov/SP2UserFiles/Place/12354500/Data/SR24/nutrlist/sr24w430.pdf

So until the next post, sometime within the next week.... I wish you a glorious day, and remember to eat your dark greens and lots of them... They are good sources of so many important nutrients, many of them important for healthy bones and teeth, such as calcium, magnesium, and vitamin K!

What is Demineralizing Teeth and More Ideas to Replete Minerals

As I have spent the last few days pondering  what I learned on remineralizing teeth, the natural question is, in those of us whose teeth are prone to cavities and / or those of us who suffer from receding gums and loss of tooth mass, what is causing the loss?  Now we all have heard that sugar can cause cavities.   But I found a site that explains the process simply and clearly.  Basically the sugar sitting on our teeth provide food for bacteria that produce acid as a result.  This acid is what wears away our teeth.  And lack of saliva can compound this process, as saliva helps wash away the bacteria and provide minerals for remineralizing teeth. And I would just add to what they write regarding calcium,  as they recommend dairy products for calcium, and we certainly can obtain calcium from the plant world, though  in  the last post we discussed soaking and sprouting, as well as fermenting for increased mineral availability in grains, beans, seeds, and nuts.  Here is the link for the dental website http://www.redrockdental.org/lp/tooth-decay.html.

Though there is a push for getting calcium from dairy products,  there are many down sides to a diet high in  dairy, which we will address in a later post.....   Good plant sources of  calcium (providing at least 25% of the average adult’s adequate intake) include 1 cup cooked green soybeans and 1 cup cooked collards.

Significant food sources of calcium (contributing at least 10%  of the average adult’s adequate intake) include 1 1/3  ounces almonds, 2 tablespoons sesame tahini, 2 ½ cups roasted chestnuts, 1 cup cooked great northern beans, 1 cup cooked navy beans, 1 1/3  cups cooked pinto beans, 1 ¼  cups cooked chickpeas, 2 cups cooked kidney beans, 2 ½ cups cooked black eyed peas, 2 cups soymilk,  60 grams firm tofu,  90g soft tofu, 2/3 cup cooked turnip greens, 2/3 cup cooked beet greens, ¾ cup cooked dandelion greens, 2/3 cup cooked pak choi, 1 cup cooked mustard greens, 1 1/8 cups cooked kale,  2 cups cooked parsnips, 2 cups cooked broccoli, 2 cups cooked Brussels sprouts, 2 ½ cups cooked kohlrabi, 1 cup cooked okra,  1 ½ cups cooked cabbage, 1 ¼  cups cooked rutabaga, 1 ¼ cups mashed sweet potato,  2 cups cooked turnips,  2 1/8 cups cooked winter squash, 2 1/8 cups cooked summer squash, 1 1/8 cups tomato paste, 2 oranges, 4 kiwis,  4 figs and 2 ½ cups blackberries.

Specific amounts of calcium, contained in a variety of common foods can be found on the web page for the USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 21, athttp://www.ars.usda.gov/Services/docs.htm?docid=22114

http://www.ars.usda.gov/Services/docs.htm?docid=17477.  Nutrient profiles for specific foods can be accessed at http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/search/.

All this research has me pondering if just getting powdered calcium, or perhaps calcium with other minerals, in a powdered form, and swishing it around in my mouth  several minutes a day would assist directly with remineralizing.  Eating foods is logical, but if the goal is to have the calcium close to the  teeth, swishing it in a mouth that is in need would seem like a good idea.  So this I might ponder....

So check back within the next few days.... My next post should be some of the interesting, less commonly heard of oral care products that appear promising....

Remineralizing Teeth Naturally

If you read yesterday's post, you now are familiar with my favorite dentist and the sorry state of my teeth and gums.  As I mentioned yesterday, I have visited numerous dentists over the past few years and generally they depress me, speak of a future of possible, or likely tooth loss, due to the progression of receded gums and tooth loss.  I ponder whether it is an over consumption of sweets in the past, a commentary on my present diet, some how related to the 6 plus years of  nursing and two pregnancies...... or a combination of these ad perhaps some other unexamined aspects of my life.... Truth is, we might not know for sure.  But many spoke of a procedure where they take gums from the roof of your mouth and attach it where it used to be around your teeth.... Just writing this makes me queasy and I say "No thank you."  But I realize something needs to change so that I can at least slow or perhaps reverse this situation.  Up until now, I consoled myself that my diet is pretty good, to say the least.... I eat lots of whole foods, an abundance of dark greens..... many nutrient dense foods.  But yet the situation has not improved.

Just a few days ago, I visited Dr. DeSantis, assuming something needed filling.... Ironically nothing was urgent and after some conversation about my teeth she sent me on my way, no money or procedure required.  Though thrilled about that, I was also concerned.  She observed many tiny areas of what appeared to be cavities just beginning.  Her suggestion, though she is not one to push such, was fluoride.... in toothpaste and perhaps a rinse, several times a day to help remineralize those spots.  She explained that fluoride can take the place of calcium in teeth and is more resistant to potential decay. .  I might have grimaced, as if you read this blog regularly, just 2 posts ago, I blogged about the fluoride they add to water and oral care products and how I believe proper oral care and diet are ideal and I prefer to "hold the fluoride".   But here I am now, needing to think it all through.  Knowing that I tend to avoid fluoride, Dr. DeSantis also mentioned a product now available which  utilizes calcium in a similar way.  This sounded interesting....

So I have decided to do a search and see what I come up with that is logical and sensible, that would fit in both with my holistic lifestyle, as well as with my goal or remineralizing teeth.  Interestingly, one of the first sites to pop up spoke of remineralizing teeth naturally with proper diet. http://wellnessmama.com/1756/how-toreverse-tooth-decay-and-avoid-braces-by-changing-one-dietary-factor/  This site focuses on making sure one's diet includes enough minerals (logical), enough fat soluble vitamins (interesting) and avoiding phytic acid (yikes that is high in a diet based on grains and beans).

This site made reference to Weston Price, a researcher who observed that native peoples tended to have healthy, white, well formed teeth, while those consuming a "western diet" had dental carries and very often the need for dental braces.  As my daughter was recently told she needed several teeth pulled and then that braces are needed due to "an overcrowded mouth," this site has now caused me to ponder, is it actually a malformed jaw due to a diet we follow that is so high in phytic acid?   However, in the tradition of Weston Price, this site does recommend trying to minimize phytic acid through soaking and or sprouting or fermenting high phytic acid foods (so consuming traditionally prepared sourdough bread or soaking and ideally sprouting beans, grains, seeds, and nuts before use).  This certainly seems doable, at least to some extent in our lives...

Alas, once again the post is getting long, so for those of you out there who prefer to avoid animal products, we can do our bodies and teeth apparently, a service by lowering our daily dose of phytic acid.   Soak, sprout, ferment foods high in phytic acid, and try to make a higher degree of your foods those that are naturally low in phytic acid.  Eat more vegetables, particularly the mineral rich dark greens, more so than anything  else.... Kale or collards anyone?  So tune in again soon to read the next post....to find out what other interesting sites I found detailing how to naturally remineralize our teeth...

Holistic Dentistry

Though I consider my diet and lifestyle very natural, my teeth and gums are not "happy campers."  I believe my challenges likely began during years of braces in my youth and then the situation was aggravated by my fondness for dried fruit and all things sweet (though organic and dairy free, such  treats are not tooth friendly....).  And then my avoiding x-rays during pregnancy and nursing likely made it more challenging for the dentists I visited over a period of 7 years to see what was going on within....  Our frequent moves likely just complicated matters, as I rarely saw the same dentist more than twice

One and a half years ago, the matter became critical.  I went to a new dentist (of course) in my area and finally allowed x-rays.  My youngest was now 2 and I decided  the risks of not knowing might outweigh the risks to my littlest one (not yet weaned).  I promised myself I would eat some seaweed and miso (my memory told me this might assist with "pulling radiation from the body" as at one point I read or heard that those who survived Hiroshima and Nagasaki had diets high in  naturally fermented food and seaweed, but we will save looking into that for a future post....).   So I allowed the x-rays and was horrified by the results. I was told that one tooth had a cavity so large, my only option at their practice was a root canal or having the tooth removed.  Neither option felt comfortable.  There are so many "unnatural" aspects of root canals, including the use of a bleach solution to "irrigate" the area and the use of "gutta percha" to fill the space (ironically, though gutta percha is named for the plant from which part of it is derived, there are other less natural ingredients included in the mix.... http://endodonticsjournal.com/articles/140/1/Biocompatibility-of-dental-materials-used-in-contemporary-endodontic-therapy-a-review-Part-2-Root-canal-filling-materials/Page1.html).  So suffice it to say  that I was driven to look further.

So I went on a campaign to find a dentist willing to fill this cavity rather than insist on extraction  or  root canal.  After much fruitless searching, I found a wonderful dentist, on the recommendation of a friend.  Located in Newton, Massachusetts, Dr. Michaela Neagu DeSantis, was (and is) worth the trip.  She offered me a free consultation and after examining my x-rays and teeth, told me she would do her best to fill the cavity.  And so she did!  The cavity that no one else would touch is now, nearly two years later, still filled thanks to my favorite dentist.  But my gums are quite receded still, and as I still dip into the treats occasionally and likely have not been as diligent with my oral care, the cavities still come, as my teeth are much more exposed due to the recession.  Though I still visit my local dentist for regular visits (free under my current insurance), I happily travel the extra mile for all my fillings (unfortunately not covered my insurance....).  I know Dr. DeSantis does her best, in all respects and incorporates holistic practices wherever possible.  And if not covered by your insurance plan, her prices are quite fair and reasonable.  I highly recommend her to all in the Boston, Massachusetts area.   Learn more about Dr. DeSantis and her practice at http://www.newtondw.com/about.html

Well this blog post is getting long, so tune back tomorrow, when I will be researching natural options for remineralizing teeth.  Apparently mine are crying out for such!

Water Fluoridation Preventing Dental Caries or Adding Toxic Waste?

Google water fluoridation and there are a plethora of links to click on.  Many warn of the risks and dangers, while numerous others explain the benefits and dismiss the "risks" as not supported by scientific evidence.   Now I admit, I have been avoiding added fluoride like the plague.  We don't drink the tap water, I won't let the dentist give my children fluoride treatments, don't want fluoride in our toothpaste or in rinses, and would refuse fluoride pills (which apparently the doctors suggest to those who don't have a fluoridated water source).  If you asked me why, I admit, until recently, I only had a vague understanding of the logic behind my staunch stance.  But my instinct makes up for this, as my instinct  is huge!

Years ago, I recall reading a journal article that taught me a lot about how this whole fluoride push came about.  And as I research today, I am reminded of the initial rationale.  It was observed that communities in which the fluoride content of the water supply was naturally high (presumably from naturally occurring fluoride which entered the water from the rocks over which the water flowed) had less dental caries than communities in which the water's fluoride content was low.  This makes sense.  However the extension of this logic ceases in my opinion to be as logical and comfortable.  Because naturally occurring fluoride assists in making more cavity resistance in tooth enamel, it is assumed that adding fluoride which is bound up in not so naturally occurring forms "should" do the same, without harm.  And it appears that the fluoride, according to the "scholarly" articles detaches in the water from what it has been attached in the process of creating these fluoride "additives," rendering in no different in respect to how it will be taken up by our bodies and utilized.

I don't claim to be a scientist, though I consider myself a rational, well reasoned woman.  And I beg to differ.  In my experience, when something is created through less than natural means, the breakdown of said substance usually releases something less than ideal, and often creates an unforeseen and sometimes unnoticed consequence.  It appears, at this point, this is not a generally accepted fact, at least not by the scientific community, but it appears there is much concern out there in other, less "scientific" folk.  Does that mean that this concern is not valid?  I would say not necessarily.  Just because something can  not be corroborated by scientific research and studies does not assure that it has no basis.  It does encourage me to look further, as I am a big fan of erring on the side of caution, not fixing it if it "ain't" broke, and hearing my intuition.

So in my humble opinion, good oral hygiene and a diet low in sugar and added sweeteners is a recipe for success.  And please hold the fluoride (but not in your hand... the form that they add to the water is quite dangerous, acutally  "toxic" before it separates from the elements to which it is attached.... Hmmm very interesting....).

Arachidonic Acid and Cancer

Arachidonic Acid, an omega 6 fatty acid acid found  in animal products has been linked to the growth of certain cancers.   The omega 6 fatty acids are necessary for our bodies' inflammatory responses.  However most people, living in affluent nations, are ingesting more than is ideal of these fatty acids, and hence inflammation, in various forms and conditions, is common.  And there is a link between chronic inflammation and cancer.  So it makes sense, in our efforts to prevent or manage cancer, we should aim for a diet that is low in arachidonic acid and inflammation promoting foods.

Eating a plant based diet, substituting plant sources of protein for animal sources is crucial, as this deprives cancer cells,and our bodies' in general, of readily available arachidonic acid.  But our bodies can synthesize it too, from dietary sources of linoleic acid.  So, though we need some linoleic acid for proper health and functioning, limiting excess will assist us in maintaining a body that does not suffer from the aches and pains of chronic inflammation.  For more information on linoleic acids and the foods in which it is found in relatively high amounts check out this past blog post http://livingtheholisticlife.blogspot.com/2012/07/what-foods-provide-omega-6-fatty-acids.html

Cancer, is it a Disease of Chance, Lifestyle, or Environment?

If ever there was a touchy subject, cancer would likely be it.  Everyone knows of someone battling cancer, or someone that has lost the fight.  Having just had the experience of watching someone struggle with cancer, utilize conventional therapies, and ultimately die of the disease, it is in the forefront of my brain.  Believing as I do, and based on the things I have learned from other holistic folks, as well as reading over the years, I am convinced that cancer is not a disease of chance.  Recently, it has been discovered that there is a "cancer gene" for many forms, and sometimes I think this leads people to believe that there efforts are not of primary importance in preventing this devastating disease.  Based on all I know and believe, I am convinced that with or without the gene, what goes in our bodies has supreme importance and can  determine whether we ever experience this disease first hand.

What goes in our bodies includes the air we breathe, the water we drink, the food we consume, even where and how that food is grown.  Everything matters.  Now there are some hearty  individuals that appear to be able to eat anything, take no precautions, and live to be 100.  But they are rare.  For most  of us, making the right choices is absolutely crucial.

Every day, there are precancerous cells in our bodies that healthy immune systems deal with and so we never manifest in a problem.  But if our immune system is not strong, the story plays out differently.  What keeps our immune system strong?  Avoiding sugar and sweeteners as much as possible.  Sugar lessens our immune function, and the greater the consumption, the greater the immune suppression.  Some believe that the ever increasing number of vaccinations to which our young ones are subjected may take a toll.  Eating processed foods, devitalized of the needed vitamins and minerals may also have a grave effect.  And then there is our liver, our bodies' detoxifier.  The more work it has to do, the more stressed, and the greater toll it takes on our whole system.  If the liver is slower at detoxifying us, due to an overload of work, toxins sit in our bodies longer, allowing destruction to begin.  So avoid unnecessary chemicals, in your house,  in your air, in your water, and in your food.  Take whatever steps you can to live in a clean environment, in all senses of the word.

So if you are concerned, stay tuned.  Future posts will help you to clean up your act, so to speak..... Help is on the way!