see this OP..

[www.rawfoodtalk.com]

this person is blaming 2 cavities on his teeth for their consumption of fruit.

I also see it written elsewhere that too much fruit is bad.

yet Doug Graham says eat as much as you care for.

whats the deal here? why the conlicting info?

who is right and who is wrong? I cannot say, but wish to help this person regardless.

Could it be down to minerals? ie eating too much sugar without enough greens? I intuitively feel this is so.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/17/2011 01:59PM by WanderRA.

I haven't been able to find any data that suggests high fruit consumption can do this although ive not searched much. But would be open if anyone can find any from dental studies.

Since ive been eating alot of fruit and gave up junk food i.e refined sugar ive had no problems with my teeth whatsoever and have not visited a dentist in years. Compared to when i was a kid eating junk food i was getting fillings every second month.

There are many many people on high fruit diets and although ive seen a few people complain about this issue, id have thought it would be more common if true.

Well, fruit CAN hurt your teeth. I'm living proof...

I'll spare writing out the whole history of why I have messed up teeth/bad enamel as I've talked about it on these forums before, I think. Anyway, it's not important. But it's something I've been suffering with and working on healing a long time. And it's gotten much better this past year.

But there have been times I couldn't eat fruit at all. A year ago I was eating a bowl of fresh pineapple cut into chunks. About halfway through I began having extreme pain. I went and looked in the bathroom mirror and there were visible HOLES in my front teeth that hadn't been there a few minutes before... yep, the pineapple acids LITERALLY ATE HOLES in my teeth in a matter of a few minutes.

But am I demonizing pineapple? No, not at all, I love the stuff. My point is though, someone with extremely weak enamel should be very careful.

yes if theres one fruit my teeth dont like its PINAPPLE.

definatly not something one should eat regularly.

My body likes it, my teeth don't. I eat it every day I just blend it or juice it and use a straw. It helps my digestion a lot.

i think under-ripe pineapple causes alot of people alot of trouble.

saliva is the body's number one cavity fighting tool. Stay hydrated so your body produces enough saliva. In my opinion .. brushing immediately after consuming food is counter-intuitive to allowing the body what it does best and thats is producing saliva to neutralize the plaque and acids and bits of food still in the mouth cavity. If you really have to do something to get out the bits of food stuck in your teeth ..flossing or picking is better ..save the brushing for later.

i think keeping your diet balanced with mineral rich greens helps too

ive found oil pulling to help my teeth remain strong white and clean

to answer your question .. do i think fruit makes your teeth bad .. no .. id be more apt to chalk it up to a previously horrid diet and bad history of oral care , possibly coupled with teeth weaking meds in childhood (antibiotics are notoriously bad for this) and possibly bad genetics... but i wouldnt rush to blame fruit

...Jodi, the banana eating buddhist

Fruit can be a challenge for teeth. There are some fruit that cause more problems than others. Its best to avoid dried fruit, as they can stick to the teeth and wear away the enamel. Unripe fruit is a problem, as it tends to be acidic or contain toxins.

Fresh ripe fruit is the best.

Citrus can be problematic. I eat 10-12 oranges a day, and I am not having a problem. I did have some issues when I would cut the oranges into sections with a knife, without peeling the orange, and then dig me teeth into the section. I think this caused my gums to get a bit irritated, as the peel dug into my gums.

As for the acidity, if you are concerned, you can rinse your mouth out with salt water after eating something acidic, and this will neutralize the acids in your mouth.

Also, impeccable dental hygiene is necessary. Flossing and brushing. I like the ionic toothbrush, as it feels like it does an excellent job of removing plaque with a very gentle brushing.

^The same thing happens to me if I try to eat oranges that way. I have to peel the orange and take the little sections and eat them whole. I like it better that way anyway.

Also- toothpastes which contain glycerine stop the body from being able to properly remineralize teeth. Basically everything I was ever taught as a child about dental care is wrong (fluoride is good for us, brush with toothpaste, blah blah blah). I brush my teeth with ground herbs and everything started getting better once I made that switch.

thats awesome Cora what herbs do you use ? When i was in india .. Neem is used predominately there

...Jodi, the banana eating buddhist

Prana nailed this one.

I've had two dental appointments in the last two weeks concerning my change in diet, a checkup and follow up work.

I explained my eating habits, and my dentist said the very same thing, it's no big deal, just be sure to rinse after you eat if you can't brush.

Regular dental care is legions more important than any sugar/decay issues, my dentist said that the texture was more important than sugar actually; if your teeth are weak in any way, the hard texture can over time lead to more problems than anything.

The only way you'll know if you need to beef up your program or change anything is a simple exam.

Don't worry about sugar / acid content - worry about your visits to the dentist, go as much as you need to.

If you get disease in your gums/teeth, then you are in major hot water. Bacteria in the gum and bone can leak bacteria into your bloodstream and increase your risk of stroke, heart attack and other gruesome conditions.

It's overall tissue and bone health at the top, and you can only be sure you are in a premium state or need change by going in for the exam.

Go schedule one and avoid problems.

I go in for my first treatment on Thursday, and it's a start to a process that will reach over ten grand just for return to basic health levels. I'm glad I went and got the education.

PS

It's absolutely none of my business what others choose for themselves, really.

Now, with having said that, there is no way on this green earth I'd let one of my kids go without a checkup once every six months.

Gum disease like I have does not cause pain. If you were to see me in person, and really look at my teeth, you'd have no clue I have what I have. Exposed teeth, whiteness, lack of pain, a surface glance tells a false story.

What's going on under the tissue line, the foundation of your jaw and all surrounding soft tissue is the key. The only way to learn these things is through an exam and x rays.

If one were to have personal resistance to these things for whatever reasons, that's cool, live long, be merry..but for my life, and my kids (who get stellar dental care compared to what I've received previously) no more of that.

Regular checkups every 90 days for me, and a minimum of every six months for them.

Fruit is bad for your teeth . . .

. . . . If you don't rinse, brush, and floss your teeth, possibly

Yeah a little rinsing after eating or drinking acidic foods cant be harmful id say, good call tamukha.

I always rinse after consuming my water kefir.

Best book to read on teeth health is 80/10/10 by Doug Graham.

Ive NEVER seen someone get issues from eating fruit. Sure if you eat it unripe (most people do), eat 'other stuff', already have dental issues, your dentist wants more money, your dentist has trashed your teeth from past work, your doing drugs, you have bulimia, your anorexic etc.

If fruit REALLY caused teeth issues, how come the crew that I know that are living the lifestyle RIGHT dont have ANY issues? Interesting huh.

Everyones got teeth and it seems like everyones got issues with em. How many 811 crew are there on earth vs how many dentist shops you see in your suburb? MUST be the fruit right?

Of course it's not ONLY the fruit. And of course some people have stronger teeth than others. Very few people are living the perfect life you mentioned so for some of us we have to be careful.

I think the biggest problem time is when you're crossing over... coming from a very bad lifestyle and diet to a raw foods diet. Your body needs the fruit, but your body also hasn't had the time to heal, strengthen your teeth and bones, alkalinize, etc. But if you can get through that "crossing over" stage then the teeth begin to grow strong from all the vitamins and minerals in the raw diet and therefore are less sensitive.

Although, I still don't believe I would have healed my teeth as much as I have without oil pulling. It has to be hands down the most simple, and POWERFUL act of hygiene one can do.

Oh, and I use the Dr. Christopher herbal tooth powder Jgunn. It's good stuff, very fresh tasting and one container lasts a long time. I imagine you could also grow and dry your own herbs and grind them up into a powder. I'd like to try growing my own mint and what not and seeing if I can accomplish this.

You have to rinse your mouth with water after eating fruit. Some people eat all of the time, so the mouth is under siege. [www.fredericpatenaude.com]