Healing tooth decay
A holistic approach to remineralize tooth decay is probably quite different from almost all the mainstream dental advice you’ve ever received.
It starts from the principle that the health of our teeth and gums is tied to the health of the rest of our body, in a two way interaction.
In order, to understand holistic teeth healing strategies, you really have to understand how teeth, and the rest of your body, are connected.
Watch the video, or keep reading to understand the mechanics and anatomy of teeth remineralization.
Healthy bodies remineralize tooth decay constantly
In a healthy mouth, nutrients and oxygen are delivered by the blood stream into the root of the tooth, and these nourishing vital fluids pass from inside the tooth out into the enamel by way of 300 yards of microscopic tubules. The tooth’s sponge-like quality means that when everything is working well, your teeth enamel is constantly being renewed from the inside out. As long as the fluid flow is going from the center of the tooth outwards then tooth decay can be prevented or even reversed.
Tooth decay is a symptom of weak teeth
The fluid flow can impeded by high blood sugar levels, stress, hormonal shifts like pregnancy or adolescence and a lack of certain vitamins and minerals. When the fluid isn’t flowing outwards, the spongey network of tubules in the enamel suck in the bacteria, toxins and fermentable carbohydrates (old food) from the mouth. That’s what causes decay, inflammation and ultimately toothache.
Decay will only occur if the tooth is vulnerable from the inside. So, holistic teeth healing is a whole body approach aimed at allowing that flow of nutritious fluids into the teeth and supporting the body to express its natural inclination to constantly remineralise.
Foods that prevent tooth decay
Diet is the most important aspect of holistic teeth healing because if your teeth are getting the right nutrients flowing into them, they are amazingly resilient. The teeth healing diet I follow is based on the recommendations of Dr Weston A. Price and made famous in Ramiel Nagel’s book Cure Tooth Decay and Sally Fallon’s book Nourishing Traditions.
I eat lots of animal protein in the form of grass-fed meat; organ meat especially liver; bone broth, raw dairy, and eggs. I also eat lots of fresh nutrient-dense vegetables and fruit. It happens to be an delicious and filling way to eat that has not only transformed my terrible teeth, but also improved my skin, hair and nails. And my gut is better! I no longer have the tummy troubles that used to plague me for years.
Check out Feed Your Teeth, my user-friendly guide to teeth healing foods.
Other strategies to help heal tooth decay
The next priority in my hierarchy of holisitic teeth healing strategies is to make sure that your jaw is relaxed so those nutritious fluids can flow freely to the teeth and gums. TMJ disorder, misaligned bite, or tension in your neck and shoulders can all be contributing to mouth problems by blocking the free flow of fluids to your teeth. Clenching and grinding also puts pressure on the roots and can wear down your tooth enamel. I’ve put together a playlist of free TMJ relaxation exercises for you to try.
Hygiene is the third line of holistic defense with a lot of botanical and mineral options for cleaning teeth and gums. Check out my resources for oral hygiene self care.
Holistic teeth healing can also involve working with your emotions and mindset, genetics and ancestral influences, the energetic body, toxins in the environment and in your body, and dental relationships including anxiety and trauma. These are almost always the underlying issues that need to be addressed. Check out my overview of the metaphysical approaches that can help heal your teeth and gums.
A holisitic approach to remineralize tooth decay is probably quite different from almost all the mainstream dental advice you’ve ever receive.
Recommended Reading
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Hello! I'm Meliors Simms, the Holistic Tooth Fairy.
As a natural oral health coach I have worked with hundreds of clients worldwide to avoid unnecessary dental procedures and have better experiences with the necessary ones. (Find out about my coaching services here).
After a diverse career (from research to counselling to arts) and a lifetime of terrible teeth, I stumbled on an Alt Oral approach which prevented what would have been my 7th root canal.
That inspired years of independent research and experimentation, eventually resulting in my uniquely holistic approach to oral health.
My new book The Secret Lives of Teeth is a comprehensive guide to healing teeth and gums with metaphysical perspective. Read a sample here for free.
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