Thumbs Up: Keeping My Kids Cavity-Free

Tara Carpenter, NC.

Nutrition Consultant helping people regain natural gut microbiome after yeast, bacterial, and viral infections.

Originally published on April 23, 2019.

This is a hot topic for parents, everone really because who wants to hear they have a cavity in the dentist chair? Getting a cavity is never fun no matter how old you are….

I have two kids; my youngest is 17 with no cavities. My oldest is 22 with a tiny one when he was 6, thankfully was a baby tooth and because he had a fear of needles, we decided to pull the tooth instead of putting in a filling as he was going to lose that tooth naturally shortly.

As a Holistic Nutritionist, I seek ways to help the body do what it naturally does, to heal itself. I read and study traditional practices then create old ways of making new recipes. This is truly what I do best and love the most.

When I had my babies, you bet your boots I studied every parenting topic under the sun: boosting breastmilk, letting child lead the way in weaning, 1st foods, vaccinations, and how to keep teeth strong without fluoride and sealants.

Ways I keep my kids cavity-free:

Fermented cod liver oil for enamel erosion, tooth sensitivity, gum recession, and cavities. It comes in cinnamon, chocolate, unflavored, etc. and capsule, liquid, or gel form. For fast results, oil-pull with Royal Butter Blend. Green Pasture is family-owned and only folks making this traditional food the traditional way.
Chicken stock or any meat stock, esp. fish stock, is rich in minerals, gelatin, collagen. Humans consumed stock for millennia as a valuable source of nutrients hard to find elsewhere. Stock can maintain healthy teeth and heal teeth in a natural way.
Cultured butter is rich in beneficial flora/probiotics and easy-to-digest. In fact, butter this way is often tolerated by those with fat/dairy sensitivities and easy to make; you only need cream and starter. Butter and other healthy saturated fats (i.e., duck fat, lard, coconut oil) improves teeth because fat carries nutrients from food we eat into our teeth and body parts. “Oil pulling” with any of these fats goes directly to teeth.
Soak grains + beans/nuts/seeds as they contain enzyme inhibitors (i.e., phytates, tannins, goitrogens) which are anti-nutrients known to cause tooth decay/bone loss. Phytic acid is the most popular anti-nutrient that interferes with mineral absorption by blocking large % of minerals, making them unavailable to body. For ex. 80% of phosphorous in pumpkin seeds are blocked by phytate. Teeth need minerals to re-mineralize, so ‘un-lock’ minerals in these foods by soaking them.
Collagen aids mineralization, stability, and bone density in teeth/connective tissue that keep teeth securely in jaw. As we age (or eat deficient diet) bone density and connective tissue dwindles and this can shrink jaw and gum tissue and leave teeth prone to damage. Collagen is tasteless and can be added without kids knowing ;0
Use stevia and lakanto instead of sweeteners that affect blood sugar and cause cavities.
Bone marrow is fatty, nourishing, and possibly one of the best remedies for teeth. Our ancestors relied on this primal food found inside the large bones of mammals. I roast beef bone marrow at 425 degrees F for 15 minutes until marrow drizzles out. The kids scoop marrow out of bone with (see video of our 3 yr old eating marrow).
Make unsalted probiotic-rich food (i.e., purple potion, young coconut kefir) a normal part of meals. These living foods contain trillions of beneficial flora that can alkalize mouth, balance blood sugar, and keep bad flora in check. The mouth has its own set of bacteria called ‘oral microbiome’; this inner world is closely connected to levels of tooth decay. Eating probiotic food regularly can maintain microbial balance in mouth and prevent tooth decay. My kids have eaten these foods since 2011 and I find them an indispensable part of every meal.
Heal yeast overgrowth in gut/mouth with yeast, sugar, gluten-free diet to stop yeast growing. Here’s a candida quiz to see if your child has yeast overgrowth. Candida is found in plaque of kids with cavities. I recommend Body Ecology Diet to reverse yeast overgrowth.
Read Cure Tooth Decay by Ramiel Nagel.
Teach kids to breathe through nose unless eating or talking; esp., during sleep. If child mouth-breaths at night, they wake with dry mouth/smelly breath which dries mouth microbiome and means teeth are no longer bathed in saliva; a problem because saliva has critical nutrients to re-mineralize teeth and without enough saliva the mouth pH can become too acidic. This can allow bacteria to flourish which promotes cavities. Patrick Mckeown considers mouth breathing #1 cause of cavities, more than diet and dental hygiene.
Choose an extra-soft toothbrush. Most kids brush too hard, and over-brush in areas; which can harm tooth enamel and gum tissue. Model soft brushing for them.

Safer Kind of Floss: Making the Switch

References

https://askthedentist.com/mouth-tape-better-sleep/

https://bodyecology.com/articles/artificial__natural_sweeteners.php

https://www.drstevenlin.com/oral-probiotics-benefits-can-they-prevent-tooth-decay/

https://mommypotamus.com/reverse-tooth-decay/

https://wellnessmama.com/3650/remineralize-teeth/

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May all bellies be happy!

Disclaimer: This content is general information only; primarily educational in nature and should not be treated as a substitute for the medical advice of your doctor that you, the reader, may require for any cause whatsoever, now or in future. Consult  a medical doctor regarding any health problem and keep him fully informed to the opinions, ideas, and dietary advice offered on this site you find useful.