Degeneration of the teeth has become the accepted “norm” in today’s society.  Millions brush their teeth religiously in hopes to preserve their pearly whites.  However, these same individuals are plagued with cavities, infections, and total degeneration of the teeth.

For whatever reason, the majority of society has no caught on to the fact that diet plays an extremely important role in the health and integrity of the teeth.  In fact, teeth are actually bones and those with weak or fragile bones almost always have teeth problems as well.

Luckily, a doctor by the name of Weston A. Price preserved valuable information that could help millions if followed.   For those unaware, Dr. Price was a dentist who studied numerous un-contacted tribes still living a traditional way of life.  They followed a diet of what they could hunt, gather and maybe farm.

Expecting to find disease rampant among these people, Dr. Price found the complete opposite.   He found that these people were free from the diseases of the western world, had strong healthy builds and that they all had perfect teeth.  There were no signs of osteoporosis or weakening of the bones.  They also exhibited no cavities, infection, tooth decay and were able to house their wisdom teeth perfectly fine (1).

Below are the top 5 strategies for remineralizing the teeth and preventing and reversing degeneration of the teeth.  Many of these strategies come from Dr. Weston A. Price’s findings and truly are a gift when it comes to remineralization.

Extra Virgin Raw Cod Liver Oil for Teeth Remineralization

We have written before about the benefits of cod liver oil before on this blog, but never in depth about how it benefits the teeth.

Raw Cod Liver Oil contains a host of vitamins and minerals that are essential for healthy bone (teeth) development.   In particular, cod liver oil contains a vitamin called K2.  K2 is only found in select animal foods and is not presented in any plant foods (fermentation produces small amounts of this vitamin).

Research has shown that K2 actually helps drive calcium into the bones where it belongs (2).  This leads to stronger bones, stronger teeth and better health.  In fact, those experiencing degeneration of the bones are often dealing with a vitamin K2 issue and not a calcium issue.

When the body is deficient in K2 it doesn’t matter how much calcium one may consume.  Without the presence of K2, calcium cannot get into the bones.  When there is not enough K2 in the body, calcium begins to accumulate in the body and this leads to calcification.

Ghee For Better Health

Ghee is the type of food you would want to have in your home at all times. The vitamins and minerals present in Ghee are not found in any other food and its properties are extremely unique.

Like Cod Liver Oil, Ghee also contains the important vitamin k2.   However, it also contains Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) and Butyric Acid.  These two acids are extremely important for overall health and very few foods contain them.

Research has shown that consumption CLA rich foods induce fat burning in the body (3). It is also a potent anti-inflammatory ().  Furthermore, a study also revealed that Butyric Acid is extremely effective at reducing inflammatory conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome (4).

Ghee is a definite must for not just those looking to preserve their teeth, but also for those looking to better their overall health.  In fact, Ghee has been considered a sacred food in India for centuries just for this reason.

Eat Quality Animal Foods

One thing Weston Price observed when examining these un-contacted tribes is that they all included some form of animal food in their diet.  He did not find a single tribe that existed solely on vegetables.

Also, it should be noted that the quality of animal food these tribes were consuming was much better than what is available to the general population today.  There was no such thing as “grass fed” or “organic” because these people were taking what the land provided.  As a result, the animal foods were extremely nutrient dense and contained an array of vitamins and minerals that are no longer present in most commercial bought animal products.

For this reason, it’s extremely important to include organic, wild caught, pasture raised and grass fed meats into your diet regularly.  In fact, we believe that an individual’s diet should consist of mainly animal products.  You can read more on why animal products are needed for optimal health and why vegan diets are dangerous long term.

The Importance of Fermented Foods

Fermented foods are an excellent source of hard to get vitamins and minerals and benefit the intestinal microbiota immensely.  All the tribes in which Dr. Price studied included some form of fermented food in their diet.

We now know that fermented foods contain small amounts of the extremely important vitamin K2 (5). Although not as abundant as in animal foods, fermented foods can make a great addition to a remineralization protocol.

They also contain billions of live probiotics that are essential for the integrity of the gut.  The probiotics found in fermented foods can help bolster the immune system and protect the body from disease (6).

Activated Charcoal

Activated Charcoal is great for brushing the teeth.  It’s an all-natural teeth whitener and contains no harmful chemicals such as fluoride.  It also helps alkalize the mouth by raising the PH.  This discourages the growth of harmful pathogens found in the mouth.

In fact, the mouth should have an extremely high PH, while the stomach needs to remain low.  Simply, use activated charcoal in the same manner as you would tooth paste and be prepared to be amazed by the result!

Oil Pulling

Oil pulling is an old ancient technique used in the system of Ayurveda Medicine for centuries.  It’s extremely effective and very cost effective.  Use either organic extra virgin olive oil or organic coconut oil and “swish” in your mouth for at least 10 minutes.

This discourages the growth of harmful bacteria and irradiates any bacteria that may be present.  It also helps reduce gum inflammation which is a common problem when teeth begin to degenerate.

Cut the Sugar

This is an absolute must if you wish to improve the health of your teeth, as well as overall health.  If you don’t cut the sugar, forget everything outlined in this post, you will not have success.

White sugar is toxic to the human body and we were not designed to consume such a food.  Fruits should be eaten in moderation and raw honey is OK in moderation.  An emphasis on good healthy fats should take precedent in the diet and replaced by all sugar items.

 

1. Price WA. Nutrition and physical degeneration: a comparision of primitive and modern diets and their effects. Oxford: Benediction Classics; 2010.