Dental decay is one of the most common health concerns and keeps people in the dental chair more than they’d like. I have had my fair share of dental woes over the years. Although, I have learned over the years that many factors go into dental health and tooth decay and cavities ARE avoidable. I never really thought it was a possibility to heal tooth decay until I experienced it first hand. And while there are situations that have gone too far and warrant work from a dentist, this lead me to dig further into the research which opened my eyes to a whole new way of looking at dental health. After all, if bones can heal and reform, why not teeth? It really goes deeper than just “don’t eat sugar” and “brush your teeth”. I wanted to dig into some of the information I have come across over the years and what I have implemented with my own family over the years.
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I’ll start by telling you my experience. I had been told by my dentist that I had a few cavities forming in a few molars. They were small so nothing that needed to be addressed right away. The steps I took to heal them, I did unknowingly. So what had done it? In retrospect, and after a lot of research, I realized that these changes had occurred alongside my switching from a long term vegetarian diet to eating meats again. I made this switch shortly after having my second baby. My son had developed a cow protein allergy as an infant and so I had to eliminate many different food items including all dairy and soy. This left me with little nutrition from my already restrictive vegetarian diet. I knew I couldn’t just live off of vegetables and my Naturopath concurred. I remember the appointment where she told me that I should consider incorporating meat back into my diet. Considering what I knew about postpartum health and the nutrition needed when breastfeeding, I decided to give it a try. It was surprisingly much easier than I thought to get back into my diet after over a decade of avoiding it. I had no idea the positive impacts it would have on my health. Looking back with the knowledge I have now, it was bound to improve my health. I had been dealing with major deficiencies due to my vegetarian diet and refused to look at it as the true cause. I won’t get into detail on the overall benefits of an ancestral type of diet that includes meat and animal based foods in this article. I will save that for another day. But if you are interested in understanding the benefits of nutrient density and an ancestral diet, I suggest heading over to the Weston A. Price website. This is where I learned the bulk of my knowledge in addition to the anecdotal evidence of my own healing.
How to Heal Tooth Decay with Diet
As it pertains to dental health, ancestral diets are filled with the much needed fat soluble vitamins that teeth and bones require to maintain themselves. Without these vitamins and minerals we are sure to see higher rates of tooth decay and cavities. This is evident in our every day modern society where plant based diets are being glorified along with the epidemic of poor nutrition heavy in simple carbohydrates and sugars. Most Western families follow a standard American diet. These diets are not nutritious and are lacking in the right amount of healthy fats and proteins. The shift away from ancestral eating to modern diets has paralleled the increase in tooth decay over the years. This knowledge was championed and studied by a Dentist named Weston A. Price. He was witnessing the steady incline of tooth issues and decided to put his practice on hold and travel the world to see how rampant decay was in other areas of the world. Turns out, modern western society had the highest rates of poor oral health and tooth decay. On the other hand, the rates of lowest tooth decay were found in some of the most remote places in the world. These places were often tribes that still hunted and gathered all food. It left no room for the highly processed carbohydrate and sugar heavy foods we have in our grocery stores. Their diets consisted heavily of meat, fish and animal products like raw milk. They did not have tooth brushes or toothpaste in these areas. To Dr. Price’s shock, these communities showed no tooth decay and perfectly formed jaw structures that allowed space for all teeth. No overcrowding in the jaw and all adult teeth were perfectly straight. After he completed the largest inter-continental study of dental health ever, he concluded that diet plays the most influential role in oral health. These diets were filled with high levels of fat soluble vitamins, minerals and nutrients found only in animal products. They were devoid of any foods that produced anti-nutrients that scrounge up and deplete needed minerals in the body. It was the start of a new way of looking at dental health.
Many Dentists and Doctors have since gone on to continue the work of Weston A. Price and educate on the importance of a mineral dense diet. One of these Dentists is Dr. Lin. He stated in his book ‘The Dental Diet’, that “a good phobia evolved over the years against fat and cholesterol. Unfortunately, not getting the proper amount of Bioavailable fats from traditional foods like animal proteins, eggs and raw dairy is a major component of poor dental health. By eliminating these mineral dense foods and replacing them with a low fat and high sugar diet we are creating a perfect environment for dental issues and even degenerative disease.”
Lin goes further to discuss the connection between teeth and the entire body. He explains that teeth are often the “window” for a persons overall health and we can expect that a mouth showing issues will point towards the same deficiencies happening within the body. He points out that the teeth are in direct connection to every organ in the body. This is such an important concept to grasp as it can be a helpful tool for overall wellness. Our body will display symptoms when there are things like deficiencies happening within the body and we must appreciate these signals, recognize them and make changes accordingly. Dental decay is a signal from your body that you are lacking foundational nutrition. Dr Lin emphasizes the importance of natural forms of Vitamins A, D and K as predictors of oral health. When deficient in these nutrients, tooth decay can set in. These vitamins are abundant in diets that include animal proteins and by products. This includes things like organ meats, bone broths, bone marrow, etc. Our ancestors and even some Grandparents lived off of a “nose to tail” style of eating where all of the animals parts were consumed for their wide range of nutrients. The lack of nose to tail eating in modern diets relying solely on animal muscle protein has also caused a lack of bioavailable minerals and vitamins within our diet. Adding this style of eating back in to your home is highly encouraged by these dental experts.
Organ meats are some of the most nutrient dense foods available. You can read more about the Health Benefits of Beef Liver and organ meats HERE. However, there are a few other foods that also offer a good dose of nutrients required for health teeth. These include raw dairy products which have retained all of their minerals and vitamins due to no pasteurization. There is much debate on raw dairy. It really requires a lot of research to fully understand the real benefits of it. I personally feel that the introduction of pasteurization had many flaws from its inception. You certainly need to know that the source of your raw milk is run by a knowledgable farmer who maintains a clean production facility. However, I will leave this debate for another day. At the moment I want to address the health benefits found in raw milk based solely on it’s nutrient status.
Nutrient Status of Raw Milk to Heal Tooth Decay (Organic Grass fed Dairy – preferably A2A2)
As mentioned above, our diets are now void of many important minerals due to the lack of raw dairy consumption and nose to tail eating. Raw dairy that is left intact with all the beneficial minerals will increase bioavailable minerals within the body. Raw milk is also much easier to digest as it contains natural levels of the enzyme lactase, which helps break down lactose during the digestive process. This much needed enzyme is destroyed by the pasteurization process of conventional dairy. Overall, raw milk contains high levels of fat soluble vitamins and minerals that are both incredibly important when it comes to oral health.
Accessibility to raw milk’s mineral content is dependent upon its enzymes and other factors remaining functional. Here are some approximate values for mineral levels in the average quart of raw milk:
Mineral Content per quart:
Sodium__330-850mg
Potassium__1040-1600mg
Chloride__850-1040mg
Calcium__1040-1225mg
Magnesium__85-130mg
Phosphorus__850-940mg
Iron__280-570ug
Zinc__1880-5660ug
Copper__95-570ug
Manganese__19-47ug
Iodine __~245ug
Fluoride__28-207ug
Selenium__4.7-63ug
Cobalt__0.47-1.23ug
Chromium__7.5-12.3ug
Molybdenum__17-113ug
Nickel__0-47ug
Silicon__700-6600ug
Vanadium__trace-290ug
Tin__38-470ug
Arsenic__19-57ug
Vitamin Content per quart:
Raw Milk contains every known water and fat soluble vitamin.
A__375ug
C__19mg
D__38IU
E__940ug
K__47ug
B1__425ug
B2__1650ug
Niacin__850ug
B6__470ug
Pantothenic acid__3300ug
Biotin__33ug
Folic acid__52ug
B12__4.25ug
Important enzymes in raw milk:
Amylase
Catalase
Lactase-(through bacterial synthesis)
Lactoperoxidase
Lipase
Phosphatase
The Weston A. Price foundation names Raw Milk as “Natures Perfect Food” as it is so dense in important bioavailable minerals and vitamins for the human body. If you can gain access to raw milk from a trusted farmer it can be an incredible source of fat soluble vitamins and minerals to help support dental health. The Weston A. Price Foundation has been campaigning all over the US to re-educate on the importance of access to Raw milk. Their “Real Milk Campaign” has helped legalize the sale of raw milk in 43 of 50 states across the US. You can read more on their efforts HERE.
Reducing Sugar, Grains and Phytic Acid Intake to Heal Tooth Decay
Our modern diets rely heavily on processed, packaged foods that are high in starches, grains, sugars and an anti-nutrient called ‘phytic acid’. It’s incredibly important to start making shifts in your diet to improve dental health outcomes. Not only is it important to include the above mentioned foods full of minerals and vitamins that are meant to nourish the body, but it’s important to reduce or remove foods that will support poor oral outcomes. Its fairly common knowledge that reducing sugar intake is a major component of oral health, but there is another nutrient to be aware of when managing tooth decay.
When reading through the book “How to Cure Tooth Decay” by Ramiel Nagel, I learned all about the negative effects of phytic acid on the body. Phytic acid is known as an “anti-nutrient” and is found solely in plant based foods such as nuts, grains. Phytic acid is bad for teeth because it impacts the bodies ability to absorb calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus. These minerals are major components of tooth health. Phytic acid, unfortunately, impacts the way that your body absorbs other minerals in the body. It will scrounge up minerals and remove them from the body, not allowing your body to use them as intended.
The confusing part of this all is that phytic acid actually acts as an antioxidant. However, it binds to nearby minerals within the body and this causes minerals to pass through human digestive systems without being readily absorbed and thereby creating a deficiency.
There are ways to reduce your phytic acid intake. This includes limiting grains, nuts and seeds and focusing on adding in higher amounts of animal proteins. Oatmeal and other grain cereals are particularly high in phytic acid so beat to avoid those if you are noticing decay. There are also ways to prepare foods that are higher in phytic acid which reduces it’s presence or strength. Oatmeal can be soaked or sprouted which allows for a reduction in it’s content of phytic acid. Fermenting grains can also help reduce the phytic acid content. A good example of this is in sourdough bread. By fermenting the dough for at least 8 hours, you can reduce phytic acid content by approximately 60%. You can have a look at some of my simple sourdough recipes like my Easy Sourdough Sandwich Bread or my Simple Sourdough Discard Tortilla. Recipes like this offer a viable solution to reducing the harms of grains and starches on our overall health. If you’re newer to sourdough and want to try your hand at baking healthier loaves you can check out my guide on the best sourdough tools for getting started.
Some other foods you could incorporate to help heal your teeth:
• grass fed animal proteins
• grass fed organ meats
• bone broth made from grass fed animals
• grass fed bone marrow
• organic grass fed milk (preferably A2A2 and raw)
• organic grass fed cheese, cream, butter, yogurts (same sourcing as milk above)
• cod liver oil
Supplements that Prevent and Heal Tooth Decay
One thing to consider is that there are some situations where jumping straight into an ancestral diet is difficult. This can range anywhere from someone who doesn’t tolerate them well to a child who is a picky eater. One of my Children is a picky eater and I have had to implement supportive supplements to help heal teeth while we slowly introduce healing foods. As any Mother of a picky eater knows, this is not a fast process so supplements can help bridge the gap until they are willing to eat more animal based foods.
Some of my favorite supplements for tooth decay include Beef Liver, Animal Organ Complexes, Vitamin K, Butter Oil and Cod Liver Oil. They each have their own way of delivering nutrients and are all great options when dealing with decay. I’ll start by addressing Vitamin K first:
Vitamin K to Heal Tooth Decay
One of the primary roles of Vitamin K2 is to regulate calcium and guide it out of soft tissues like arteries to bones and teeth, where it should be. Vitamin K was dubbed “Activator X” by Dr. Weston Price, Vitamin K2 is a fat soluble vitamin that supports healthy dental, bone, heart, nerve and brain health. It also supports healthy aging and energy production in the cell. K2 in the MK-7 form is largely missing in the modern diet due to the absence of traditional animal foods, especially aged cheeses.
The reason we opt for MITO Life’s Purely K if because it’s contains an optimal dose of K2 to support every tissue in the body. There are three bioavailable forms of Vitamin K found within MITO Life’s blend, they work together synergistically and there isn’t another vitamin K on the market like it. The three forms of K that make up Purely K are:
• K1 or Phylloquinone
• K2 in MK-4 form called Menaquinone-4
• K2 in MK-7 form called Menaquinone-7
Most Vitamin K supplements on the market will only contain one form, often K2. It’s also common that supplements couple Vitamin K with Vitamin D, which has its downsides. If you are trying to increase Vitamin K within the body, taking Vitamin D will antagonize and deplete the effects of the Vitamin K. This is especially important when it comes to healing teeth as good levels of Vitamin K are imperative.
You can find my favorite Vitamin K supplement HERE from MITOlife – discount code: THV15
Beef Liver and Multi-Organs to Heal Tooth Decay
The biggest draw to consuming liver or other organ meats are their nutrient density and large range of vitamins and minerals required for the human body. They’re some of the only foods that hold this kind of nutritional abundance. It’s exceeds all “superfoods” in almost every micronutrient. In summary, it contains more nutrients, gram for gram, than any other “super” food.
- A major source of daily protein intake
- High levels of Fat Soluble Vitamins
- Highest levels of Vitamin A in any food
- High levels of B Vitamins, especially B12
- A natural source of Folic Acid
- Bioavailable Iron (Far superior to synthetic iron supplements that often don’t absorb)
- Trace elements and their proper co-factors such as copper, zinc and chromium
- A good source of CoQ10
- Contains Purines, nitrogen compounds that act as precursors for DNA and RNA
When I was postpartum with my second born, I suffered a major decline in health. I lost a large amount of hair, experienced cavities, my hormones were suffering and blood tests showed anemia amongst other deficiencies. Prior to having my children, I was vegetarian for many years. The lack of animal foods put a deficit in my vitamin and mineral stores. Fast forward a few years and I went through two full term pregnancies and extended breastfeeding journeys with both my children. In pregnancy alone, a Mother passes 10 pounds of her minerals to baby. Breastfeeding will transfer even more. A woman with normal stores and levels of vitamins and minerals will be able to go through these stages just fine. However, many women are deficient these days. This is generally due to an epidemic of under eating or following trendy fad diets that eliminate animal foods.
This experience is what led me to understand the benefits of beef liver and organ meats. I had grown up in a Ukrainian family watching my Grandmother and Mother consume these types of foods. It was not new to me per se. My Grandmother grew her own food, cooked from scratch, and ate nose to tail. Liver was a staple meal at the dinner table. But I never fully appreciated the nutrition value of this.
I often feel as though our health can benefit from going back to basics. Back to the ways our ancestors lived and ate. This was my personal experience being brought back to traditional ways in modern day times. Once I began consuming Beef Liver, my health peeked dramatically. My hair grew back in thickness and length. My blood tests showed normal levels of nutrients including iron. No more anemia. No cavities. I truly believe that these types of whole food supplements from animals can be such a blessing to Women especially.
The reason why these organ supplements are so beneficial to the teeth is their high amounts of fat soluble vitamins and minerals. They are essentially a well rounded multi vitamin found in Nature. If you aren’t sold on the idea of eating liver or other organs then supplementing with freeze dried encapsulated or powdered forms can be a much easier delivery system. I personally don’t do well with the taste of liver or organs and opt for beef liver or multi organ capsule. If you are sensitive to histamine I recommend this Multi Organ complex over the Liver as it contains other organs with high levels of DOA enzymes which help process and eliminate excessive levels of histamine.
For kids, you can sprinkle the powder or open capsules to sprinkle into various foods. We prefer into certain smoothies and pasta sauce to hide the flavor best.
You can find my favorite Beef Liver supplement HERE from Perfect Supplements – Discount code: HOLISTICVANITY (If you buy 3 or more perfect supplement brand products, including their beef liver, you get 20% off. Plus you can stack the discount code on top for additional savings)
Cod Liver Oil and Butter Oil to Heal Tooth Decay
Cod liver oil and Butter oil are two whole food and nutrient dense supplements that will heal teeth and provide immense benefits to overall health. According to Dr. Weston A. Price’s work, these two oils used together can reduce the incidence of cavities 90%! The combination and high levels of Vitamin A and Vitamin D, along with omega fatty acids are what create the perfect environment for healthy strong teeth. As a side benefit, Cod liver oil is incredibly beneficial to the overall immune system and growing brains of young children. The fatty acids present within cod liver oil also provide anti-inflammation to the gums which supports an overall healthy mouth.
Butter oil is high in fat soluble vitamins, Vitamin K, Vitamin A and Vitamin E. The fat soluble vitamins found within these two oils are the major factor that contributes to the prevention and halting of decay. If I were to begin with any supplements, I would personally opt for these first. They are incredible sources of the vitamins required to keep teeth from decaying and have so many other benefits. They are foundational nutrients that our society is unfortunately quite deficient in.
You can find my favorite Rosita Cod Liver Oil and Green Pastures Butter Oils HERE from Perfect Supplements – Discount code: HOLISTICVANITY
Some other Holistic Oral Hygiene Tools to prevent and heal Tooth Decay
The above supplements provide support from the inside out, they are my top choice when it comes to supplementing nutrition for dental health. There are a few other internal supports I use such as cell salts to help the body keep strong and healthy teeth. There are also topical supports like the puddy from bliss energetics. This puddy has helped us reverse some cavities with great success while also focusing on diet. There are also a few other things you could consider adding to a regimen if you are hoping to prevent or heal some tooth decay below:
- Hydroxyapatite Toothpaste: A good natural solution for those who wish to avoid fluoride. Hydroxyapatite has been shown to strengthen the teeth. My favorite is the Risewell Hydroxyapatite Toothpaste for Kids as well as Risewell Hydroxyapatite Toothpaste for Adults.
- Remineralizing Puddy: A topical puddy that can be applied to problem spots and cavities in the teeth. Filled with remineralizing ingredients that help rebuild enamel from the outside in. This puddy is created by Bliss Energetics and has been a huge factor in arresting and reversing decay in our home.
- Cell Salts: These are Homeopathic Medicines made from twelve minerals and mineral salts that are essential to human health and function of human cells. Cell salts work by regulating the nutrient supply in cells and stimulating a self healing response from the body.
- Xylitol Mouth Spray/Chewing Gum: Can be used when not home after a meal/cant brush. Keeps the Ph of the mouth balanced between meals which is a huge contributing factor to decay.
- Coconut Oil Pulling: Helps maintain the Microbiome of the mouth and teeth. An imbalance and propensity toward bad bacteria flourishing in the mouth is a factor in tooth decay.
Shop Supplements + Tools to Heal Tooth Decay
Risewell Adults Toothpaste
Risewell Kids Toothpaste
Ollois Organic Cell Salts Complete Kit
Ollois Organic Cell Salts – 12 Salt Combo
Green Pastures Butter Oil + CLO – Capsules
Green Pastures Butter Oil + CLO – Liquid
Green Pastures Butter Oil – Capsules
Green Pastures Butter Oil – Liquid
Rosita Cod Liver Oil – Liquid
Rosita Cod Liver Oil – Capsules
Perfect Supplements Multi Organs – Capsules
Perfect Supplements Beef Liver – Powder
Perfect Supplements Beef Liver – Capsules
Bliss Energetics Remineralizing Tooth Puddy
MITOLIFE Purely K
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[…] My kids dealt with proneness to cavities for years. I couldn’t figure it out and dug into the research on preventing cavities. There are a number of things that have changed the trajectory of my children’s dental health […]
[…] My kids dealt with proneness to cavities for years. I couldn’t figure it out and dug into the research on preventing cavities. There are a number of things that have changed the trajectory of my children’s dental health […]