Dental Decay Resolved?

(Melissa Marie) #1

New here… I’ve read into the dental topics to see if anything had already been posted about this and couldn’t find anything. I was wondering if anyone has had a dental problem diagnosed by a dentist and then had it resolve itself after going Keto?

I have a “sticky spot” and a dark spot the dentist wanted to fill. Generally I don’t have many problems and decided to wait it out to see if it resolves it’s self. The dentist I see was watching it and it basically stayed the same for 6 months. The dark spot is in a grove on the side of a molar and doesn’t look like a cavity and painless and there hasn’t been a change. It looks like a stain. The “sticky spot” was on top of this same tooth. No hole… just slightly sticky when probed. I see everyone posting that they don’t have plaque build up and clear dental visits since keto but still wonder what happens if they did have problems and they are fixed by this WOE.

Not looking to rush out to get it filled just yet. The dentist made a snarky comment that the tooth they were watching hadn’t fixed its self but it would be nice to go back this time and tell him that it did. :wink:

Please let me know if this was posted somewhere else and I will definitely check it out. :slight_smile:

(Stan Brooks) #2

You should get it filled. Teeth can not repair themselves. Have no sugars likely helps going forward but can’t repair the damage done.

(Melissa Marie) #3

That is actually a debated topic which is why I posted this to begin with. Not in the mainstream of course, but there are claims that over time things can recalcify. Bones heal when broken. The claims run along the same lines.

In the event it truly needs to be filled (If the decay continues to worsen,) I will get it filled. Currently there is no true “cavity.”

(Stan Brooks) #4

Is it? Do you have the science on it?

(Jack Brien) #5

My dentist told me that when you have a tooth filled it becomes hard and starts to affect the teeth next to it. I wouldn’t get it filled unless it’s causing you pain. My teeth at full of fillings from a youth of sweets and chocolate. I used to be back at my dentist frequently, but since going keto they seem fine. When I ate a fair bit of sugar over Christmas, they started to hurt again. I should also add that I no longer use any toothpaste, just water to clean my teeth now. The dentist says they look fine and the main benefit of toothpaste is the flouride.

(Jack Brien) #6

Bones are in a constant state of flux, don’t know if that applies to teeth though. Bones are highly vascular, teeth are not.

(Melissa Marie) #7

I seriously doubt there is a study about how a ketogenic diet affects dental carries. Otherwise I wouldn’t be here asking about what others have experienced. :wink:

There are doctors and science that say Keto is not healthy… but yet here we are getting healthy.

(Stan Brooks) #8

From what I understad we are actually born with all our teeth here are some fun picutes

You said it was a topic under debate. That’s what I was asking for.

(Melissa Marie) #9

Searching remineralization of teeth will give you links to read.

This is the first one I found on a quick search but have read it before in other places http://www.naturallivingideas.com/reverse-dental-cavities/

Oil pulling with coconut oil along with a change in diet is a suggestion by many who make claims of healing cavities. Dentists say it’s not possible.

(Stan Brooks) #10

Well until those making the claim can show the science I will keep agreeing with the dentist

https://skeptoid.com/episodes/4409

(Tessy M.) #11

Of course, that impacts their wallets…

(Melissa Marie) #12

Tooth remineralisation is a naturally occurring process in the oral cavity.[2] It is defined as a process in which calcium and phosphate ions are sourced to promote ion deposition into crystal voids in demineralised enamel. Remineralisation remains imperative towards the management of non-cavitated carious lesions and prevention of disease progression within the oral cavity. The process also has the ability to contribute towards restoring strength and function within tooth structure.[3]

[3] Cochrane NJ, Cai F, Huq NL, Burrow MF, Reynolds EC. New approaches to enhanced remineralization of tooth enamel. Journal of Dental Research. 2010 Nov 1;89(11):1187-97.

Cheers to you and your dentist :slight_smile:

#13

I do not think it is that simple, like cardiologists and endocrinologists who are taught certain things, most want to do the right thing and believe that what they are doing is it.

I have no idea if they are right or wrong, however given that we have all gotten here by being attracted to nutritional hereasy, eat fat to lose weight, who knows if there are better options in other areas. I have no idea but I do not want to dismiss it either. I would love for my teeth to heal

While I have no reason to believe or not that this woman is correct, here is some information I found

#14

IMHO plenty of conventional medical folks are all about the pocket-lining, and one must shop around, do one’s own research according to ones values/culture - and use critical thinking in order to make informed choices. A student survey study some years back of Harvard Medical School students estimated that over 80% of them were there for the #1 purpose of financial goals/lucrative career - not healing, not community service, etc.

I had diagnosed dental issues resolved and prevented long before keto - but I did notice when going keto last year, the jaw also went through some adjustment. I’d think that LCHF/keto can go far in helping dental hygiene, due to minimal sugars in the jaw. In my view, the body is a whole - not parts - and it’s all connected. My own experience of learning about the oral microbiome in addition to the gut microbiome - has been quite fascinating. I’ve also had times when I’ve wanted access to excellent dental care by someone I trust & respect (which is only a Biological dentist) but haven’t had the funds. I have a high value on dental hygiene and it’s preventative benefits - as sometime people die from jaw infections that spread disease in the body, and the throat can harbor creepy bacteria and viruses.

#15

Anyway… in 2003, about ten years since my last dental work - I went for a checkup at an upscale elite dentistry practice because I could afford to at the time, and figured I should though I had no symptoms. After panoramic xrays etc I was given a 10K estimate by the conventional dentist on the state of my dental health, and he also tried to make it sound as if I’d be headed to a future root canal without him - which I found patently absurd - so I put him on hold.

In 2006 with no change in my hygiene practices (natural toothpaste and nightly flossing) I went to another dentist, this time to a great old public health dentist in a community program due to my low income realities at the time. And I was told I had some of the healthiest teeth & gums he’d seen in his career and that no decay was requiring fillings at that time despite having sensitivity issues that he said related to thinned enamel. Hmmm…

Then, two years later, I had some sensitive teeth issues happening again, and I was lower income with no insurance to go to the only kind of dentist I could trust at that point (a Biological one) - I researched and then embarked on remineralizing my enamel on a couple of sensitive teeth using Eco-Dent toothpowder (Calcium Carbonate, Magnesium Carbonate) - and sure enough, over the course of many months the sensitivity went away and those teeth felt thicker, which was such a relief and a joy!

Still, I did still observe occasional gums inflammation and tooth decay sensations and was experiencing the beginning of midlife receding gums stuff (was late 40s at the time) - and decided to research again to treat myself until I could afford to pay to see the dentist I wanted to see.

I discovered the whole topic of perindontal bacteria being the cause of disease in the mouth, and how the bacteria actually lives in the throat. And I learned that even the great Eco-Dent toothpowder didn’t contain full-spectrum antibacterial help to permeate the gums and route out infection - it has a bit of mint for flavor, not the strong stuff. I also learned that flossing doesn’t really do much to change the bacterial levels in the mouth as the bacteria in the throat re-supplies the mouth throughout the day and night.

So, I was super happy to find the plant oils-based approaches, and decided to go with the OraMD proprietary blend of spearmint oil, peppermint oil, and almond oil - and the routine of twice daily brushings with a few drops on the brush, and twice daily gargling. Lo and behold, after an initial couple weeks of bacterial battle in my mouth, all feelings of potential decay went away, and any reddened areas of my gums turned a healthy pink.

Finally a year later I was blessed to have both great dental insurance and income, and figured I go check in with a biological dentist (a senior expert female in the field of Biological Dentistry) for a slew of digital xrays and a pro cleaning etc. Despite having no symptoms of ill health in my mouth besides some age-related receding gums…

I warned her that I hadn’t had a professional dental cleaning or filling replacement in well over 10 years, and expressed my concern at the health of my jaw under the tooth w/ a gold crown. Lo and Behold: xrays showed perfectly healthy teeth and jaw, and no thinned enamel. The only work to be done was a recommended tartar removal deep cleaning (understandable after all those years, and also being HCLF for decades) - and an optional cosmetic filling of some of the midlife receding gums areas.

When I told this dentist I’d been using OraMD and previous to that had remineralized with EcoDent toothpowder, she said it made perfect sense that my jaw was so healthy and that I had excellent enamel. Then she shared the fact that she herself recommended and sold OraMD and another antibacterial plant oils based toothcare line (Thieves Oil blend) right there at her office! I decided to get cosmetic porcelain fillings done on some of the receding gums areas - and all told, the whole care cost $1700, of which about half was paid by insurance. A far cry from the 10K estimate I’d gotten 10 years before!

#16

In closing, there are lots of youtube videos on OraMD, Thieves Oil, and such - various compelling ovamonials etc. And I highly recommend remineralization via Eco-Dent or your own homemade powder based on their minerals.

My jaw continues to be happy and healthy! :sparkles:

I make my own plant-based tooth cleaning drops now, as it’s a bit cheaper and I just enjoy it. For whitening, I use a toothpaste once a day by Mysteek Naturals - a great formula containing activated charcoal (yep, the toothpaste is black! it’s fun…) along with tea tree/Melaleuca oil, a bit of clove oil, and some other good stuff. I love her recipe, and it costs more than making my own, but I treat myself.

Over a year ago whilst I was still HCLF, I did get a significantly chipped molar while encountering a small stone in some grains. And I recall having some vulnerability with that just after going keto, while the body was changing over some systems and processes towards new rejuvenations… I treated it with Clove oil for a night or two, and it was fine. Am fortunate to be able to look forward to going back for a checkup with the Biological dentist this summer to have that molar repaired… In the meantime, keto feels like a boost for my oral microbiome - no more milk chocolate, no more sugar in my tea, no more sugary desserts - the erythritol and stevia drops do me just fine, and the little sugar I get via bittersweet chocolate and red wine is very minimal.

(I know nowadays some large commercial toothpaste brands are incorporating Triclosan antibacterials into their stuff, but being that it’s been banned from soaps and is environmentally disastrous to the microbial balance of soil and water, I think it’s terrible and hope it’ll be banned from toothpastes soon).

(Mark) #17

http://www.cheeseslave.com/sources-of-vitamin-k2/. Here is a list of some foods that are high in vitamin k2 as you will notice many are keto friendly,vitamin k2 has been shown by Weston A Price to be beneficial for dental health,not sure if keto is directly improving dental health, however some of the foods that work well with this way of eating are K2 powerhouses

(Melissa Marie) #18

Yes!!! Modern medicine treats it as parts and not the whole so we patch people up and send them on their way essentially ensuring they will return for more treatments because the whole is never addressed.

I will definitely check out the OralMD and Eco-Dent. I don’t use fluoride at all and only buy natural tooth paste. The current tooth paste I use has tea tree and other oils in it and I have some Tea Tree oil as well that I used for treating scalp and skin issues, as well as thieves for it’s antiviral qualities. Just saw bentonite clay is also good for remineralization and I have some of that as well.

I hadn’t looked into using the oils in making my own concoction for dental purposes. I don’t even know why I hadn’t thought of that. lol I will definitely be looking into this!

I very much prefer natural solutions over western medicine, though I do understand that it does serve a purpose and is sometimes necessary. I am very skeptical however and definitely do my own research (and try to fix things naturally) before allowing a DR who will only treat the symptom and not the whole to do something that will unnecessarily alter my body. (Learned the hard way after tubal ligation now suffering from PTLS.) There are definitely many problems with the current system. I would love love love :heart_eyes:to find a dentist like the last one you saw!

I used to have decent experiences at the dentist but it seems like it has turned into a money making experience and they are just looking for things to do. One office I went to about 10 years ago used a probe to check tooth density and essentially there wasn’t any visible or detectible damage on x ray but that was their go to for filling teeth. It could “detect the beginnings of decay” and they would fill teeth on that basis. Literally they were looking for any excuse to fill teeth. Was a nice office and that was definitely how they paved their path into money.

Thanks so much for your response SlowBurnMary :slight_smile: Deffinitely sounds like I may have some luck reversing the slight problem I have.

(Melissa Marie) #19

Butter, cream, lard, ghee :heart_eyes:

I actually used emu oil a long time ago for skin problems but never researched very deep into it. I will definitely have to give it another look.

I remember vitamin K supplementation being discussed on the forum but I can’t remember why it was recommended. (Update/edit… it was for reversing calcification of the arteries :thinking:) I will be looking into this also. Useful information.

Thanks!

(Melissa Marie) #20

It appears K2 is a catalyst for remineralization.

Without Vitamin K2, the body cannot direct calcium to the bones where it’s needed; instead, the calcium resides in soft tissue (like the arteries)–leading to a combination of osteoporosis and atherosclerosis.

"Researchers have speculated that Vitamin K2 may affect dental health.

However, no human studies have tested this directly.

Based on animal studies and the role vitamin K2 has in bone metabolism, it is reasonable to assume that it impacts dental health too.

One of the main regulating proteins in dental health is osteocalcin, the same protein that is critical to bone metabolism and is activated by vitamin K2 (20).

Osteocalcin triggers a mechanism that stimulates growth of new dentin, which is the calcified tissue underneath the enamel on your teeth (21, 22).

Vitamin A and D are also believed to play an important role here, working synergistically with vitamin K2 (23)."