Any suggestions on how to protect your teeth while on a raw diet?

Besides the usual brushing and flossing - what else can you do or eat to protect your teeth? Or not eat?

Usually eating enough crunchy foods (veggies, some fruits, and nuts - if eating nuts) will do the trick to keep your teeth strong and healthy for a lifetime. Also, a balanced raw (vegan) diet will provide your body with enough vitamins, minerals, and nutrition to fortify the teeth from WITHIN. You can't go wrong all the way around. =)

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"Educate and inform the whole mass of the people... They are the only sure reliance for the preservation of our liberty."
—Thomas Jefferson



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/22/2009 05:38PM by plainlydressed.

I highly recommend that you rinse out your mouth with mouthwash multiple times a day.

My current thinking is that it's right after you eat, that's when the bacteria attacks. You want to "nuke" all of the bacteria during the day, that way your teeth go straight back to remineralizing rather than demineralizing after every eating session.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/22/2009 05:49PM by SuperInfinity.

No supplements needed then? Any recommendations on toothpaste and/or mouthwash?

If your teeth are bad... (as mine are/were)... get an antiseptic one even if it's with alcohol. It's not like you're going to be swallowing much of it. Obviously wash with toothpaste at LEAST one a day.

Also take calcium, vitamin d and magnesium supplement. Magnesium especially if your diet is heavily fruit-based. The current theory is that our teeth were malformed with too much high-energy foods and calcium to begin with, now they're "expensive" in terms of calcium etc. to maintain.

In fact most people on SAD are highly deficient in magnesium as well, since it's really only in vegetables.

Your teeth are REALLY important. You don't want to go to dentist for injections into your mouth which will do much more damage than a tiny bit of alcohol that you spit out. If you don't watch your teeth, how do you expect to enjoy eating fruit?! Then you'll start eating processed foods again at times because you'll be go hungry. Be VERY careful of your teeth.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 08/22/2009 06:03PM by SuperInfinity.

i follow fruit with dark leafy greens , either in a blend which i chew or a smoothie which i swish ..i also hold my wheat grass shots in my mouth for a few moments before swallowing

i also oil pull

i also use a waterpik rather than scraping a harsh brush across the surface all the time

i brush with a medium or soft brush

i use a glass straw when drinking so the material bypasses the teeth

not sure what else to suggest ... my teeth are doing better now on raw , 80/10/10 then they ever were

we all seem to have different experiences i think genetics and environment and past damage certainly play a role

...Jodi, the banana eating buddhist

Thanks for the info. everyone! Peace and Love!

Sorry one last question Jodi, what's "oil pull"?

I read where alfalfa sprouts are good for the teeth and protect them.
But i read so much all the time I cannot find it but Ill keep looking.

Well its from right here on this forum,lol!
Here it is:
Re: Teeth, teeth, teeth!!!!
Posted by: tropical (IP Logged)
Date: August 18, 2009 12:35AM


SuperInfinity some things came to mind when I read your post :

- Too much vitamin D is as bad as too little and I wouldn't take synthetic vitamins (if that's what you are taking), I'd rather take Alfalfa tablets - this site lists all the vitamins in alfalfa and even says that it has vitamin D.
[www.purlife.com]
This book has a little blurb that alfalfa helps to rebuild decayed teeth, anytime alfalfa is mentioned on sites selling it they talk about how it is good for the teeth:
[books.google.com]
[www.herballegacy.com]
"Alfalfa to Retard Tooth Decay: A doctor at the University of Indiana pointed out that Alfalfa is especially rich in iron, calcium and phosphorus, all necessary for strong, healthy teeth. Some claim that Alfalfa not only retards tooth decay but actually rebuilds the teeth"
[www.herbalpossibilities.com]
"Alfalfa is one of the few vegetable sources of Vitamin D. Although the sun is generally regarded as the best source for getting this vitamin there are about 4740 International Units of Vitamin D per pound of Alfalfa. This is valuable knowledge if a person is unable to take in sunshine, such as during the wintertime. Taking Vitamin D in Alfalfa is important element in Alfalfa is vitamin B12. Most nutritionist claim that it is only present in animal products, diary products, or sewage."

- Celiac disease (gluten intolerance) is one of the most under-diagnosed illnesses in the country, and teeth problems are a symptom of this.

- Sanguinaria-Mint Mouthwash - a make it yourself mouthwash. I haven't tried this yet, when I finally hunted down a bottle of vodka it was $40.
[www.embassyofheaven.com]

Thank you for finding this post roadrunner!

roadrunner Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Well its from right here on this forum,lol!
> Here it is:
> Re: Teeth, teeth, teeth!!!!
> Posted by: tropical (IP Logged)
> Date: August 18, 2009 12:35AM
>
>
> SuperInfinity some things came to mind when I read
> your post :
>
> - Too much vitamin D is as bad as too little and I
> wouldn't take synthetic vitamins (if that's what
> you are taking), I'd rather take Alfalfa tablets -
> this site lists all the vitamins in alfalfa and
> even says that it has vitamin D.
>

No it is not as bad as too little. There's little risk of an overdose in vitamin d. The synthetic d2 is the only vegan type you can get.

> This book has a little blurb that alfalfa helps to
> rebuild decayed teeth, anytime alfalfa is
> mentioned on sites selling it they talk about how
> it is good for the teeth:
>
>
> "Alfalfa to Retard Tooth Decay: A doctor at the
> University of Indiana pointed out that Alfalfa is
> especially rich in iron, calcium and phosphorus,
> all necessary for strong, healthy teeth. Some
> claim that Alfalfa not only retards tooth decay
> but actually rebuilds the teeth"
>
> "Alfalfa is one of the few vegetable sources of
> Vitamin D. Although the sun is generally regarded
> as the best source for getting this vitamin there
> are about 4740 International Units of Vitamin D
> per pound of Alfalfa. This is valuable knowledge
> if a person is unable to take in sunshine, such as
> during the wintertime. Taking Vitamin D in Alfalfa
> is important element in Alfalfa is vitamin B12.
> Most nutritionist claim that it is only present in
> animal products, diary products, or sewage."
>

???? I have no idea what Alfalfa is, where I would get it, how much it would cost and to be honest I don't care.

I only take 1000 units of vitamin d a day, far under any type of megadoseage.

> - Celiac disease (gluten intolerance) is one of
> the most under-diagnosed illnesses in the country,
> and teeth problems are a symptom of this.
>
> - Sanguinaria-Mint Mouthwash - a make it yourself
> mouthwash. I haven't tried this yet, when I
> finally hunted down a bottle of vodka it was $40.
>

So it contains alcohol anyway.

SuperI,

Alfalfa is a seed that is grown as a crop for animal feed, because it's cheap and dense in minerals and protein. It is also the most common commercial salad sprout, at least in the U.S. If you've ever eaten sprouts on a salad, they were likely alfalfa. They are dead easy to grow at home.

Buddha,

Eat lots of leafy greens, especially in smoothies, and rinse out your mouth before brushing, to flush acids off and keep the toothbrush from grinding them into your enamel. Bacteria grow in an acidified mouth, so if you eat alkaline things, and don't let them linger for long before rinsing and/or brushing, you should be fine. Lastly, I advise against mouthwash--it's caustic, and although it may kill bacteria, the demineraliztion it can cause isn't worth it, IMO. You shouldn't need it if you practice bacteria prevention, anyhow.

oil pulling is found here ive had really good luck with it making my teeth look whiter and feel stronger in the gum pockets [www.oilpulling.com]

...Jodi, the banana eating buddhist

Here's a link [www.wynman.com] that might interest you. It's from the website of a guy named Robert Wynman. He practices Natural Hygiene, eats mostly or only raw foods, and was a dentist for many years. He's retired now. His website is if nothing else very interesting. He's got lots to say about oral health.

Mercury (part 2 of the interview),
flouride (part 3 or 4 of the interview),
toothpaste (don't use any; part 6 or 7 I guess),
toothbrush, he suggests the blotting brush which you can find at this link to the Price Pottenger Nutrition Foundation's website. I've bought it and if it really is as good as he says, it's a major bargain.

[www.ppnf.org]

He says that using a waterpik is a great idea. He says that brushing without toothpaste is best. He recommends using a technique called the Blotting Technique along with, guess what, the Blotting Brush in the link above. There's also a tiny booklet that explains things. As well as a video. The Price Pottenger website is really cumbersome but by hunting and using the search function I found things.

I've searched high and low for a raw food dentist but haven't found any who are not retired. Another guy named Tom Stone, who was a dentist / raw foodist in the SF Bay Area has also retired. But he doesn't seem to have a website.

My mouth is in pretty bad shape. That's why I've done so much research on how to keep it all healthy. I would say that I've made some major improvements in a pretty short time.

Food, and keeping things pretty clean in there seem to be at least as important as mental composure.



This way is not compatible with Zen practice. This way IS Zen practice. - Dr. Doug Graham

Nothing whatsoever should be attached to. - Buddha

[reactor-core.org]

[www.scribd.com]

I have heard that some of the commercial mouthwashes have ingredients that are carcinogenic - mouth and throat cancers etc.

every time i drink any acid fruit juice or even grenn juice i drink with straw.
acid fruit juice is not that good for your teeth and green juice stains your teeth.

There are many organic toothpastes at health food stores. There was also an episode on Mythbusters on making your own cinnamon mouthwash - probably much healthier than the drugstore-bought carcinogenic stuff.

[www.healthyfoodrawdiet.com]

Thanks again everyone for your posts!

I guess I better do my homework : ) Peace and Love to all!


My teeth are just starting to bother me, that's why I'm a little worried.

oil pulling is found here ive had really good luck with it making my teeth look whiter and feel stronger in the gum pockets [www.oilpulling.com]

...Jodi, the banana eating buddhist

Thanks for info Jodi! I'm going to share it with my father... I'm sure he will be interested in it.

oil pulling whitens my teeth!


I actually swish my mouth with green juice - it mineralizes the teeth and makes mine whiter! Fruit stains my teeth.

Mouthwash is a bad idea I think, for reasons stated above.

La V - glass straw! I have to look into that - sounds beautiful and effective!

The first time I tried oil pulling my teeth whitened. I couldn't believe it so I showed my very skeptical roommate and she couldn't deny it. My teeth were whiter after just 20 minutes.

The main reason I tried oil pulling is for my dry skin and yes by the next morning I felt a difference. After trying so many different soaps and moisturizers oil pulling is the only thing that stopped my dry skin. After one week of oil pulling (3x/day) two close friends commented on how great my skin looked. I was convinced!

You have to be careful about what oil you use though. It's best to use unrefined, cold pressed oils. I used coconut oil. I had a hard time finding the unrefined, unbleached one at my grocery store so I bought online from www.naturesapproved.com. I was told that regular oils may work but definitely not as well.

Good luck and I hope you have as great results as I did.

thanks for the update Greathealth. So you only did it for 1 week, 3x a day? How long do you keep it in your mouth.

Jgunn,

How long have you been oil pulling?

hmm i think about 15 months now i think i started it last year around the end of summer

...Jodi, the banana eating buddhist

Very interesting. What benefits have you noticed? I see you mentioned whiter teeth, any other health benefits? I did it a few times, and it felt good. Maybe I should start again. I was doing it in the morning for about 10 minutes, that's all I could do, worked my way up from 5 minutes though. I'd love to hear more about your experience.

my teeth feel stronger in their sockets, whiter as mentioned, ive had far fewer, cankers and mouth sores, I havent noticed anything outside of that that i would say is extraordinary i usually do it for about 10minutes every morning

...Jodi, the banana eating buddhist

My dad was a dentist. When I told him that Istop brushing my teeth, he replied ok just floss. Toothbrush has bacteria over time. Here is what I do instead:
-Garging with wheatgrass
-No dehyrated foods
-Drink water
-leafy green vegetable
-No nuts
-Hydo peroxide
- Chew on cinnamon and neem sticks
-detox body
-fasting
-Peaceful thoughts
-Spiritual health
-Emotional health
-Exercise
-yoga
-Spread love
-Give

Everthing is connected....Nourish all parts of the body

I never oil pulled before. That was the first time and immediately my teeth whitened and the next morning my skin started to soften and it looked porcelain white. I was amazed when I looked in the mirror

I did it for 20 min, 3x day, for one week.

I stopped for about a month cause I got lazy and already I am noticing blotchy red spots on my skin again. I think I'll do it again after the holidays

Roadrunner,
The alfalfa you mentioned, thats the mature leaf which is dried and formed into capsules? Does alfalfa sprouts also contain vitamin D? I found a link of someone that is 32 that claimed to have grown 2 inches from taking large amounts of alfalfa tablets. There is some risk of developing acromegaly, not a pretty condition.

I use a homemade mouthwash made with a homemade variation of the '5 thieves' aromatherapy blend: cloves, cinnamon, rosemary, lemon, eucalyptus - a few drops of each in water. I swish it round my mouth for a bit, especially after citrus fruit etc.