10 Simple Lifestyle Shifts to Lower Your Dental Care Costs, Prevent Future Cavities, and Empower Your Family’s Dental Health Choices
Tired of Doing Dental Health the Old Way? Read This…
Dental care is never one-size-fits-all. Supporting your family’s needs and care choices starts with education and awareness of what I like to call “Whole Body Health."
We’re often taught growing up that our teeth should be cared for on a surface level. Brushing, flossing, cleaning, and drilling/filling cavities.
These are certainly essential to any great oral care routine, but this list is lacking in looking at deeper prevention of cavities and dental issues.
The truth is, teeth are bones in our bodies just like any other. The health, strength, and integrity of our teeth are influenced by internal factors that go largely unaddressed in most dental care practices. How nourished our bodies are can have great implications on our dental health. When the body is undernourished, it can pull minerals from the bones in our body – including our teeth!
When we look at the body as a whole, we can address cavity prevention and other dental issues that have contributing factors below the surface. The reason that white sugars, nutrient-void white breads/crackers, and sodas cause cavities isn’t only contact with the teeth (though this certainly adds greatly to the issues). These foods deplete the body of needed minerals and are often substitutes for more nourishing food options.
Whole body health is what I have seen lead to strong teeth, healthy gums, and that beautiful smile you usually think of when considering dental care.
Here are my top ten tips for nourishing your body to support cavity prevention.
Please note: These changes can take time to integrate. Keeping you and your family accountable to an expert dentist is key in continuing these practices long-term!
1. Add Bone Broth to your diet – it’s easier than you think!
Your teeth are bones… built from of a vast array of minerals. By extracting the minerals from the bones of chicken, beef, and even venison bones through making bone broth (this is much like soup broth!) and consuming the broth regularly – you can replenish depleted minerals in the body for stronger, healthier teeth!
2. Start a high-quality Vitamin D supplement.
Research shows that there is a correlation between low levels of Vitamin D and formation of cavities. Higher levels of Vitamin D results in less cavities. In northern states like Michigan, nearly everyone is deficient in Vitamin D – especially in the winter! A typical daily dose of Vitamin D3 is 800-2000 mg IUs. A supplement that also contains Vitamin K2 120-200 mcg will be even more effective as these two vitamins work together synergistically in the body.
3. Switch to Xylitol when possible.
Xylitol is a sugar alcohol that actually kills one of the main bacteria associated with cavities! The catch is that you have to get at least 6-8 grams of it in your diet for it to be therapeutically effective. Xylitol can be fatal for our pets so please be mindful about this. This website http://www.drjohns.com has great information, products, and is a local Michigan business!
4. Swap out your toothpaste for a healthier option.
Most toothpastes contain a long list of mystery ingredients to make your teeth feel clean, while not doing much to truly build your oral health. We carry several options in our office for you to pick up when you’re here for your next visit! In addition, dry brushing is a great option, which means not using toothpaste at all. Toothpaste is a delivery system, if there is something in toothpaste you want then use it, otherwise toothbrush bristles work great at removing plaque all by themselves.
5. Use a tooth re-mineralizer… It’s like a super-hero for your teeth!
I recommend MI Paste/Carifree. This product contains bioactive calcium and phosphate to help slow cavity growth and re-mineralize teeth. Apply after brushing and flossing, using your finger to spread it around all surfaces and let it sit for as long as you can without licking it off or sucking it down. The amount of time in contact with your teeth matters! For Adults, re-mineralizing trays can be made to hold the product.
6. Effectively remove plaque.
That sticky white stuff on your teeth is plaque! Brushing your teeth is obviously the most effective way to remove plaque (along with flossing, more on that next). If you have children – be sure to brush your kids’ teeth for them, don't just let them do it! Kids are generally ready to brush their own teeth well when they are able to adequately wipe their own bums! This is just a general rule of thumb; some kids can wipe effectively, yet are unable to remove plaque thoroughly. It's your job to check!
7. Make flossing a part of your regular oral routine.
My favorite floss is the woven style because it spreads out and grabs plaque while in between teeth and below the gumline. But - any flossing is better than none! For kids who have yet to develop the finger dexterity for flossing, or anyone who has trouble wrapping floss around their fingers, I recommend u-shaped flossers.
8. Focus on adding healthy foods that are not cavity causing to the diet.
Instead of focusing on what you “can’t” have, focus on adding healthy foods to the diet. Most simply – eating clean and, when possible, organic, meats and vegetables. The best drinks for strong teeth are water and herbal teas.
9. Know the top cavity culprits to avoid eating them and help your children make healthy choices, too! Here’s my top five “no’s” list:
It can be a challenge to completely eliminate these things from your diet, especially with young children who go off to daycare, school, or eat at friends’ houses. Here’s what you can do to lessen their impact on cavity formation:
10. And, of course, make sure to keep up on regular dental cleanings for your family!
One of the most common questions I receive in my dental care practice is, “What about fluoride?” At our office, we are fluoride-flexible and support your choice to avoid the use of dental fluoride treatments for your family. We do not make this a mandatory part of regular dental cleanings.
Making dental care a top-of-mind priority for your family will keep you accountable to your oral health and aware of how your choices are impacting your dental and whole body health.
You only get one set of (adult) teeth in this life, so take care of them and build them up in every way you can!
We’re often taught growing up that our teeth should be cared for on a surface level. Brushing, flossing, cleaning, and drilling/filling cavities.
These are certainly essential to any great oral care routine, but this list is lacking in looking at deeper prevention of cavities and dental issues.
The truth is, teeth are bones in our bodies just like any other. The health, strength, and integrity of our teeth are influenced by internal factors that go largely unaddressed in most dental care practices. How nourished our bodies are can have great implications on our dental health. When the body is undernourished, it can pull minerals from the bones in our body – including our teeth!
When we look at the body as a whole, we can address cavity prevention and other dental issues that have contributing factors below the surface. The reason that white sugars, nutrient-void white breads/crackers, and sodas cause cavities isn’t only contact with the teeth (though this certainly adds greatly to the issues). These foods deplete the body of needed minerals and are often substitutes for more nourishing food options.
Whole body health is what I have seen lead to strong teeth, healthy gums, and that beautiful smile you usually think of when considering dental care.
Here are my top ten tips for nourishing your body to support cavity prevention.
Please note: These changes can take time to integrate. Keeping you and your family accountable to an expert dentist is key in continuing these practices long-term!
1. Add Bone Broth to your diet – it’s easier than you think!
Your teeth are bones… built from of a vast array of minerals. By extracting the minerals from the bones of chicken, beef, and even venison bones through making bone broth (this is much like soup broth!) and consuming the broth regularly – you can replenish depleted minerals in the body for stronger, healthier teeth!
2. Start a high-quality Vitamin D supplement.
Research shows that there is a correlation between low levels of Vitamin D and formation of cavities. Higher levels of Vitamin D results in less cavities. In northern states like Michigan, nearly everyone is deficient in Vitamin D – especially in the winter! A typical daily dose of Vitamin D3 is 800-2000 mg IUs. A supplement that also contains Vitamin K2 120-200 mcg will be even more effective as these two vitamins work together synergistically in the body.
3. Switch to Xylitol when possible.
Xylitol is a sugar alcohol that actually kills one of the main bacteria associated with cavities! The catch is that you have to get at least 6-8 grams of it in your diet for it to be therapeutically effective. Xylitol can be fatal for our pets so please be mindful about this. This website http://www.drjohns.com has great information, products, and is a local Michigan business!
4. Swap out your toothpaste for a healthier option.
Most toothpastes contain a long list of mystery ingredients to make your teeth feel clean, while not doing much to truly build your oral health. We carry several options in our office for you to pick up when you’re here for your next visit! In addition, dry brushing is a great option, which means not using toothpaste at all. Toothpaste is a delivery system, if there is something in toothpaste you want then use it, otherwise toothbrush bristles work great at removing plaque all by themselves.
5. Use a tooth re-mineralizer… It’s like a super-hero for your teeth!
I recommend MI Paste/Carifree. This product contains bioactive calcium and phosphate to help slow cavity growth and re-mineralize teeth. Apply after brushing and flossing, using your finger to spread it around all surfaces and let it sit for as long as you can without licking it off or sucking it down. The amount of time in contact with your teeth matters! For Adults, re-mineralizing trays can be made to hold the product.
6. Effectively remove plaque.
That sticky white stuff on your teeth is plaque! Brushing your teeth is obviously the most effective way to remove plaque (along with flossing, more on that next). If you have children – be sure to brush your kids’ teeth for them, don't just let them do it! Kids are generally ready to brush their own teeth well when they are able to adequately wipe their own bums! This is just a general rule of thumb; some kids can wipe effectively, yet are unable to remove plaque thoroughly. It's your job to check!
7. Make flossing a part of your regular oral routine.
My favorite floss is the woven style because it spreads out and grabs plaque while in between teeth and below the gumline. But - any flossing is better than none! For kids who have yet to develop the finger dexterity for flossing, or anyone who has trouble wrapping floss around their fingers, I recommend u-shaped flossers.
8. Focus on adding healthy foods that are not cavity causing to the diet.
Instead of focusing on what you “can’t” have, focus on adding healthy foods to the diet. Most simply – eating clean and, when possible, organic, meats and vegetables. The best drinks for strong teeth are water and herbal teas.
9. Know the top cavity culprits to avoid eating them and help your children make healthy choices, too! Here’s my top five “no’s” list:
- Foods that dissolves in the mouth (breakfast cereal, crackers, pretzels, bread)
- Fruit juices, even if they are watered down, it's best to eliminate all together.
- Dried fruit, which has a high sugar content and sticks in teeth
- Processed foods with sugar including candy or fruit snacks
- Sugary drinks (like chocolate milk) and soda pop
It can be a challenge to completely eliminate these things from your diet, especially with young children who go off to daycare, school, or eat at friends’ houses. Here’s what you can do to lessen their impact on cavity formation:
- Limit quantity and time snacking - the longer these things are in the mouth the more damage is done!
- Don't sip, chug! Again, the longer something is in the mouth the more damage can occur.
- Rinse with water several times after eating the above-mentioned foods.
- Use xylitol gum/mints after consuming these foods.
10. And, of course, make sure to keep up on regular dental cleanings for your family!
One of the most common questions I receive in my dental care practice is, “What about fluoride?” At our office, we are fluoride-flexible and support your choice to avoid the use of dental fluoride treatments for your family. We do not make this a mandatory part of regular dental cleanings.
Making dental care a top-of-mind priority for your family will keep you accountable to your oral health and aware of how your choices are impacting your dental and whole body health.
You only get one set of (adult) teeth in this life, so take care of them and build them up in every way you can!
We are currently accepting new patients at Naturally You Dentistry, and would be honored to serve your family. Click below to speak with our expert staff to get your care questions answered and set up your visit today (or Call 269-962-5774).
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