Tag: How to prevent cavities

FAQ Coconut Oil Pulling

Posted on by Holistic Dentist

Coconut Oil Pulling

Coconut Oil? Really?

Yes, really. The practice of using Coconut Oil to clean and keep one’s teeth healthy is an Indian folk remedy that dates back thousands of years. Recent studies have confirmed the wisdom of this ancient practice.

 

What does Coconut Oil do that helps teeth?

Coconut Oil Pulling benefits the teeth and mouth in a few different ways. The Coconut Oil removes bacteria from the teeth and gums. This is the same bacteria that causes ‘morning breath’ for some people, so users of Oil Pulling often benefit. Oil Pulling also helps whiten teeth by sealing the tooth’s pores. This helps keep your teeth from getting new stains, such as from coffee or wine.

 

Does Coconut Oil Pulling cure dental cavities?

Yes and no. It will reverse the effects of dental decay in the enamel layer of the tooth, but once bacteria has infected  the next layer of the tooth, the tooth will require treatment by a dentist.

 

Is a special type of Coconut Oil needed?

No. Any type of virgin Coconut Oil available at your grocery store should be fine. Some Report better results with Organic Coconut Oil.

 

How do I perform Coconut Oil Pulling?

Advocates of Coconut Oil Pulling often recommend swishing a  spoonful of Coconut Oil in the mouth every day for twenty minutes. Many of our patients don’t have enough time for that sort of daily time investment, however. We’ve found that even just a few minutes of Coconut Oil swishing per day can achieve surprisingly effective results.

 

 

How To Prevent Cavities: Sugar Is the Prime Cause of Cavities

Posted on by Holistic Dentist

how to prevent cavities

How To Prevent Cavities or Tooth Decay:

Regular tooth brushing and flossing is a very important part of “how to prevent cavities, But….

The truth about healthy teeth is controlling your sugar in take. Control of dietary sugars is an often overlooked factor in cavity prevention. Cavities are formed with the following equation Bacteria + Sugar = Cavities.  It’s that simple and in fact the only factor in the prior equation that can be controlled is Sugar. The way to control sugar is not to eliminate it from your diet, but rather to control the amount of time it is in your mouth. Dietary sugars come in contact with bacteria in your mouth and the by product is lactic acid. The acid erodes the protective enamel layer of your teeth. The amount of time sugar is in your mouth is directly related to the number of cavities formed in your teeth.

The top 5 ways to prevent cavities:

  1. Always brush after eating sweet sticky foods such as caramel, raisins and chocolates. Sticky foods stay lodged into the biting surfaces of your teeth and stay in your mouth long after eating.
  2. Avoid sipping on beverages that contain sugar throughout the day or over long periods time. For example, sipping on coffee with sweet hazelnut creamer or sugar all morning long. Also, beware of natural sugars such as honey in tea and fruit juices as they all contain sugar and will cause cavities.
  3. Avoid chewing gum and habitual eating of cough drops, tic tacs throughout the day. Believe it or not, even some sugar free gums can cause cavities. Just avoid all chewing gum unless you only chew it for a short period of time.
  4. Do not drink soda. Avoid soda. Did I mention not to drink soda? Also avoid diet soda. Soda is acidic and sweet. There is nothing worse than soda for teeth. Check out this video
  5. Brush your teeth two times per day and floss at least once per day. Rinse with an antiseptic rinse.
  6. Treat any clenching and grinding habits or TMJ / TMD problems. Clenching and grinding problems cause surface cracks in the protective enamel layers of your teeth where bacteria can get into and cause cavities. Clenching and grinding problems wear out your existing fillings and crowns prematurely and cause cavities to recur underneath your existing dental work.