Can you reverse cavities and tooth decay by altering your diet? Certain foods accelerate tooth cavities, while other foods provide you good dental health. Find out what to eat and what to do, to get rid of your cavities without any external intervention.

Do you know that dental Caries or cavities are a major global health problem and it affects nearly 100% of adults and 60 – 90% of school going, children?

The good news here is that – tooth decay or cavities are reversible, without the conventional dental intervention of “drill, fill or pull.” With the proper diet and lifestyle, you can bid goodbye to cavities and enjoy shiny, strong and healthy teeth, all through life.

The Truth behind Cavities

Contrary to common belief, tooth cavities aren’t caused by the action of external bacteria on your teeth. Rather, when your body becomes acidic due to a wrong lifestyle, it tries to restore the balance by leaching minerals from your bones and teeth, which starts de-mineralisation, causing cavities. The acidic environment in the mouth also becomes a feasting ground for germs.

Since cavities are caused by the acid-alkali imbalance in the body, it cannot be prevented by external measures like brushing, flossing, using advanced tooth-pastes, etc alone. Healthy teeth are possible only with a healthy diet and lifestyle.

The general rule of thumb here is – your dental health fails, when de-mineralisation occurs far more frequently than re-mineralisation.

How to Spot Cavities?

Look for brown or black spots, holes or pits, on and between your teeth. Sensitive teeth that cause pain when you eat something cold, hot, or sweet are also signs of cavities.

What Causes Cavities?

Most people believe that sugar and soda are the main reasons for tooth cavities. Sadly, that isn’t the complete picture. While it’s true that refined sugar and juices are bad for the acid-alkaline balance in your body and consequently the teeth, several other crucial factors decide your dental health.

• The Foods you Consume Regularly

Your diet can either accelerate or reverse cavity formation.

A study published in the British Medical Journal compared the diets of three groups and the effects of these foods on cavities. Group 1, who were given a grain-rich processed diet saw an increase in cavities, while group 2 who were provided a regular diet had lesser cavities. On the other hand, group 3, who were given a nutrient-rich diet with raw vegetables and fruits, saw the most improvement, with cavities getting healed.

Consuming acid-forming foods like refined grains, eggs, dairy, meat, tea, coffee, sugary drinks, and other processed foods like store-bought foods, ready-made, deplete the nutritional reserves in your body, which in turn, affects your overall health including dental health. To enjoy good dental health, you need a diet rich in all essential nutrients and as close to nature as possible.

• Acid – Alkaline Balance

The normal blood alkalinity levels are 7.40 pH. As mentioned above, if this level is disturbed, the body withdraws minerals from your teeth and bones, in an attempt to achieve acid-alkaline balance. This accelerates demineralisation causing the formation of cavities.

The acid-alkaline balance is disturbed not only by consuming the wrong foods, but also other lifestyle factors like lack of exercise, inadequate sleep and stress.

• Your Mother’s Health

Yes, babies develop teeth when they are in the womb. The foods a pregnant woman consumes and her lifestyle affect the teeth development and the future dental health of the child. So, it’s essential that a woman maintains excellent pre-natal health to ensure that her child enjoys good teeth for a lifetime.

Ways to Reverse Cavities Naturally

• Consume alkalising foods in their raw, natural form. When you eat raw foods, like vegetables and fruits, the saliva secretion in your mouth increases, which in turn prevents the acid-causing bacteria from accumulating in your mouth.
• Minimise refined sugar (try this alternative natural date paste), and other acid-causing foods like grains (phytic acid), dairy, fish, processed foods, meats, sodas and other sweetened beverages, refined oils, and supplements.
• Try oil pulling 3 – 4 times a week, using organic cold-pressed coconut, sesame or groundnut oil. Oil pulling is a fantastic detoxification technique for your mouth and helps you overcome several dental problems like cavities, bad mouth odour, toothache, bleeding gums, gingivitis and more. Swish 1 -2 tablespoons of oil in your mouth as soon as you wake up and before brushing your teeth. Spit the oil out after 10 – 20 minutes and rinse and brush as usual.
• Rinsing your mouth with aloe vera juice offers several dental benefits like treating gum diseases, reducing inflammation, mouth ulcers, and cavities.

• Expose your body to early morning sunlight, for around 20 minutes, with as less clothes as socially acceptable. Vitamin D from sunlight enhances your body’s ability to absorb calcium, which is essential for strong teeth.
• Make sure you rinse your mouth well with water after meals to avoid foods getting stuck in the tiny places between your teeth.
• Try to reduce your eating window, by adopting intermittent fasting. This helps in faster healing of tooth cavities.

Above all, make sure that you get adequate sleep and rest at night so that your body can repair and recuperate naturally.

Picture credit:AdinaVoicuvia Pixabay

Precautions to Take for Better Dental Health

• Avoid using hard-bristled toothbrushes. This is because, when you use these toothbrushes, you are likely to skip brushing the sensitive parts of your mouth, like the area where teeth join the gums because it hurts. Remember brushing your teeth is not about muscle power, rather it’s the technique.
• While choosing mouthwashes and toothpastes, make sure to read the labels and choose dental products made with natural ingredients. Today, you can find several small vendors who sell chemical-free oral hygiene products or you can easily make your own toothpaste at home, using only natural ingredients. Be inspired and get tips from this perfect dental health journey.

Effective Remedies for Relieving Tooth Aches

While holistic lifestyle changes are essential for long term good dental health, these natural home remedies work great when you are looking for solutions that offer quick relief.

• Cloves contain eugenol, which is a natural antiseptic, helping reduce inflammation and pain. Apply a small amount of clove oil on the painful area, or chew 1 – 2 cloves in your mouth, to release the juices. You can also dilute clove oil with water and use a mouthwash.
• Guava leaves have anti-inflammatory properties that aid in reducing dental pain. Chew on fresh guava leaves or boil guava leaves in water, and use that water to rinse and gargle.
• Cold or hot compresses – Applying cold or hot water packs on your cheeks, ear, and throat helps to reduce toothache-induced swelling, making the pain more manageable.

The idea here is to be consistent with your efforts, have patience, and you will start enjoying shiny, strong and beautiful teeth.

Now it’s time to bust a myth!

Myth Corner: Fluoride Toothpaste is the answer to all Dental Problems. It helps to keep cavities at bay.

False. There’s no magic bullet to solve all your dental woes. Preventing and reversing cavities and tooth decays requires a holistic approach, starting with your diet. With the right foods, you can heal existing cavities and prevent future ones. However, the solution doesn’t happen overnight, as you have to reverse years of de-mineralisation for your teeth to heal.

Suggested Further Reading:

• Coconut Oil Pulling & Benefits - https://draxe.com/oil-pulling-coconut-oil/
• Reversing Tooth Decay and Healing Cavities Naturally - https://askthedentist.com/healing-cavities-naturally/
• Sinking your Teeth into Good Health - https://bit.ly/2Wa6iCn
• Natural Alternatives to store-bought toothpaste - https://www.foodmatters.com/article/natural-alternatives-to-toothpaste