You might want to check out Dr. Robert Morse on you tube. He believes that teeth problems occur when the diet is to acidic. I have had problems with my teeth as well. I recently switched to a low fat raw vegan diet. I have also been drinking a heal all tea that I ordered from Dr. Morse. My teeth are starting to remineralize. Hope this helps!

Coco,
I hate that genetic stuff about dental health, but there is truth to it. I had a friend in high school who had naturally alkaline saliva. He didn't have to do anything special foodwise, and the dentist even said he didn't have to brush. So, naturally he didn't. His breath smelled terrible, and he had stains on his teeth, but he didn't ever have any cavities. It seemed so unfair.

He had incredibly bad acne however, so I guess one can't have it all. I wondered however if the no brushing policy would be good for life. I haven't seen him for over twenty years, so I don't know if anything has changed or not.

Now that's interesting, as it would suggest that an all alkaline or base-forming diet could eliminate many dental problems (although I believe brushing is mandatory), what do you think?

Mislu, I think calcium is only a small part of this type of problem unless they are cracking or breaking easily. Over all health and hygene is the bigger issue. I have not studied the subject but in my opinion and from what I remember most people have defficiences but not so extreme as to allert the the AMA zombies. Also there is a difference between what is read in a blood sample and what is actually being used by the body. There is calcium carbonate in just about everything it seems, but I don't think it's any good for the bones accept to make the body more alkaline. The only time I have had any problems with my teeth was when I did not brush enough. Any dentist that tells anyone not to brush there teeth is an idiot imo. Use Perio Paste by BioPro, look it up.

Geo,
I haven't done the research, I don't know when the toothbrush was invented. I do know that the majority of history, humans didn't have access to a toothbrush, yet remains show that there were actually less cavities and dental problems. But then again, maybe people didn't live so long.

Its been a long time since most people have been "free range" without any access to processed food, and without cultral restraints for food choices or other human activies. So I don't know if that information is worth much to most of us that live with pavement, indoor plumbing, suboptimal foods, often limited access to fresh air and sun.

I recently learned about the aghori, and I am just so surprised at what human beings could actually eat and yet be physically and mentally ok. I don't expect a huge shift in my habits, but I feel a sense of relief that perhaps some of the preoccupations I have around food are perhaps unreal.

I read something about learning how to tell what you body really needs. It seems like it should be obvious, but when I really think about it, most of them are cultural, the 'shoulds and should nots'. I never really learned how to eat based on the senses and the amount of salvia I produce.

Thx for that mislu, and I haven't heard of the 'aghori' but I'll google them. I think in our world, that brushing is a definate. My Psych lecturer often said that brushing adds six years to our life span. I never got around to asking him the reasoning behind it, but I'm sure he wouldn't say such a thing to a hall full of students if there wasn't research backing it up.

Just a bit of trivia.... the work 'google' is the name of a large number. It's a 'one' with one hundred zero's after it. A google plex is a google to the power of ten. I think that's the way it goes??? And there's an even larger number called 'graham's number' after the guy in the 70's who found it mathematically. He doesn't know the first number, but worked out the last number, which is a seven. So infinity is a fact, as far as numbers are concerned. Since if there was a largest number, you could just add 'one' to it, and so on.

Any stats on flossing? Children to teenagers brushing is the big thing to do. People 20-50 I have heard that flossing is the major thing to do, along with brushing, but mostly that people are in the habit of brushing.

I literally can't fall asleep without brushing. Its that ingrained in my habits. I can take a nap, but evening sleep I just can't do without the brushing.

What did people do before the toothbrush?

I don't have any stats onhand, but it's hard to believe that primative societies didn't use anything. Early pics of Australian Aborigines show gleaming white teeth, but despite the general consensus that they ate only meat, around 70% of their diet was actually vegetation which the women and children collected.

I might do a little digging around and see if there's any reference to early brushing...but don't hold your breath haha.

cheers,
geo

p.s. In our modern society I believe flossing (with tape not floss) is a must.

People have been brushing since 3000BC, you can chew up the end of a stick and scrub teeth with that. Remember too that people live much longer today than ever before, we would have died before all our teeth fell out of our heads.

Yeah, good points coco, do you have a reference for the 3000BC thing?

Ok, I just did a very quick search, and the only reference I could find was wikipedia, who mentioned the 3000yr old practice. Unfortunately, wikipedia is not considered an academic source, so it cannot be relied upon to be accurate. Google scholar didn't turn up anything either, but I'll keep it in mind.

I had never heard that aboriginals ate only meat, but that it made up a portion of the diet. Some seasons more, some less. Including some time period of eating moths in a cave. I understood that it was the most varied diet on the planet.

Ok, then maybe people are being more informed now-a-days, certainly you are Mislu, and it would be my guess that most people who are interested in nutrition would be as well. I suppose I was meaning in general, as I know that Oz Indigenous peoples were always portrayed as mostly meat-eaters.

Thx for the clarification Mislu x

I have been vegan 9 years. 90-100% raw for....4 years. Always high greens, workout/sunlight, rest, floss daily, brush 4-5 times/day. Teeth health has remained consistent. Not one cavity. Some wear and tear from grinding, but I got a mouthguard for that, and it's not related to veganism or raw foodism. My mom was a dental hygenist. Her description of people's nasty teeth coming into the office was enough to make me want to be proud of my mouth. Plus I Like to kiss.

Geo,
That sounds like weston price foundation information. I think they said that aboriginals had between 60-80% of calories as animal fats. I am not sure where he got that information. I can only predict bad things for most people who try to obtain that in combo with a modern lifestyle.

Yes Mislu, depending on where they lived, by the ocean or the outback of the interior, their diet would have varied. But the worst thing to happen to them diet wise was the introduction of white man's white flour, salt and sugar.

Mislu Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I mentioned that in my
> experience raw food seems to help dental problems.
> Did I cross the line?

It depends on what is being consumed. If he's eating lots of dried and sticky foods like dried nuts and fruits, it's not going to help. If he's eating fresh, water-rich foods AND following a proper dental routine, then it's great advice!



Swayze
[www.fitonraw.com]

Raw food is not the problem, it is how we use it.
For some because it is raw food it is always good without side effect so they eat all the time, raisins, grapes, fruits and the teeth and mouth are always bathed with fruit sugar

Well, my partner just went back for round three for work on his teeth. The inconvience and expense is enormus. He was in alot of pain, and has not been sleeping very well.

To my surprise he said on his own that he want to do an 'apple diet'. I asked him where he got the idea, and he said it was on his own. I think he would like me to join him. I think he wants apples and pears, but perhaps for only a few days, and then after that who knows?

I haven't been feeling well the last few days, but today I felt especially crappy. He was surprised at how little I was eating. I usually eat more. We also had very bland food he thought I could tolerate it. I ate some, but anything made me feel sick to my stomach. I would have completely fasted, but I still have to study for finals, and go to class for review lecture and prefinal tests. I am not feeling very 'present' I have a headache and feel feverish, and some digestive problems.

Oh, Mislu, I hope you feel better soon. Stress about school may be affecting your immune system, so remember to eat lots of hydrating vitamin-rich foods and to get lots of sleep. Good luck with finals

Its stress alright. I had a make up test on thursday and got the results this morning. I was just so relieved that I passed and can now do lab. It doesn't raise the test average, but just allows me to demonstrate physically what I learned. I fret about that all weekend. I feared the worst, but I did much better than expected.

Thank you for the suport!

Congratulations Mislu :-)