At Dazzling Smiles, we encourage patients to take into consideration the many ways they can improve the health and wellness of their smiles. Preventative care is always a key component. Brushing and flossing the teeth after every meal can keep problems such as disease and decay at bay, as well as regular visits to the dental office for examinations and deep cleanings. However, many patients are skeptical when their dentist tells them that the can cure tooth decay.
Tooth decay can be reversed through remineralization. Remineralization can be achieved with a change in diet. This has been touted as an effective way to naturally reverse tooth decay in the book Cure Tooth Decay by Ramiel Nagel. This doctor had continual issues with his daughters tooth decay and researched the reversal of her condition with changes to her diet. His findings were consistent with those of Dr. Weston A. Price, another dentist who has pictures and research that show how diet is linked with improvements (or negative impacts) in oral health. Other doctors, such as Dr. May Mellanby and authors Stephan Guyenet have also done extensive research on the formation of teeth and bones and how dietary changes can help.
There are three identifying factors to determine if enamel will grow and remineralize due to the dietary changes. Mineral content of the diet must be taken into consideration, including fat-soluble vitamin content (Vitamin D specifically) and the availability of minerals for absorption through phytic acid content.
With these ideas it mind, it is important to create a diet that hits these strong points in order to ensure the reversal of tooth decay:
- Diets low in phytic acid (preferably a grain-free diet or one low in grains)
- Diets high in animal fats with fat-soluble vitamins such as A, D, E, and K. These include foods such as butter, liver, organ meats, eggs, cod liver oil, and seafood.
- Diets high in vegetables, cooked or raw
- Diets with fruits in moderations as they contain natural sugars
- Diets with regular, preferably daily intake of cod liver oil
- Diets with no processed foods or sugars
