Paleo Diet and Paleolithic Diet Questions & Answers

Question

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I have a few cavities that are apparently pretty bad. I've started putting a tiny amount of grapefruit seed extract on my toothbrush which seems to be making a huge difference. The oral hygienists usually tell me how bad my teeth are- how much plaque build up, etc and this time when I went to have two fillings done they said my teeth looked good except for a few other cavities that I've had for months before I started with the extract. I've noticed the grapefruit seed extract prevents the "fuzzy" feeling you get after meals- which means that it is preventing plaque from starting. My goal is to avoid having to have all these fillings done which will cost over $1,000 I don't have. Anyway. Here is my plan to try to remineralize my teeth:

eating Lurkpak butter, at least 2 tablespoons per day, also cooking with it

several servings of fatty fish per week- tuna probably- maybe 3 or 4 servings a week

brushing with Wellness Mama Home made tooth powder

putting a tiny dot of grapefruit seed extract on my toothbrush with the powder

eating a paleo diet that avoids starches and fructose (and of course phytic acid, which is eliminated by not eating grains)

flossing daily

switching from my AM coffee to green tea

cooking with, and eating, virgin coconut oil

Has anyone else tried the tooth powder I've linked to above? Has anyone else tried grapefruit seed extract?

I'll update when I have results, but that will be May when I get back to the USA to go to the dentist. Also note, I have had two of the worst fillings done, for a total of $470. Lots of money $$$ When I get back, I'll get my hands on my old x-rays, and I'll get new ones done and post the comparison here. After reading your comments, I think I'll alter the Wellness Mama Recipe. I don't have access to the clay she suggests, and I want to add tumeric and xylitol. I'm skipping supplements because I'm moving to a relatively remote village in Northern Oman for the next seven months and getting a 7 months supply there is not feasible. So here's how I'm getting my nutrients:

K2- 2 eggs over medium for breakfast

D- I'm an adventure guide, outside all day. + brief bouts of sunbathing on my roof

Fish Oil/Butter blend- eating 2 tablespoons Lurpak butter/day, eating fresh local tuna 3-4x a week

Magnesium- swim in the ocean several times a week

calcium (salivary) via the tooth powder mentioned above

Vanderbuilt arcticle (from student) with study references of effectiveness of GSE on fungal and bacterial infections: http://healthpsych.psy.vanderbilt.edu/grapefruitseed.htm
This is the brand GSE I bought: http://www.nutribiotic.com/gse-liquid-concentrate.html

edited Sep 28 at 14:13

asked Sep 28 at 1:38

WayfinderAli
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	You didn't mention floss or waterpick. I'd love to know what the paleo consensus is on one or both of those. Sure our ancestors didn't do that, but that doesn't mean it's not actually good for the gums. – Michael Sep 28 at 2:03
	can you post any pictures or radiographs? – John Sorrentino Sep 28 at 2:14
	Can you post link on grapefruit seed extract and plaque. How did you hear that it was helpful? Thanks. – Glither Sep 28 at 7:53

raydawg · Accepted Answer · 2012-09-28 10:14:04Z UTC

Vitamin K, D, general minerals (magnesium, potassium, calcium, etc.) would help - get these from natural sources (fermented cold liver, bone broths, etc. as in AshleyRoz's answer), but most of all, avoiding sugary carbs.

Other things you can do:

If you're trying to kill off bacteria, you can put a drop of iodine on a tooth that has a cavity or had a cavity. You can also brush your teeth with a mixture of coconut oil and baking soda, and use the same to do an oil pull. Oil pulls are where you use some oil to swish around your mouth for about 20mins, then spit it out, but you can use the coconut oil/baking soda mixture for this as well.
If you really want to kill off all bacteria in your mouth, you can add in a drop of oregano oil when you do this. However, be careful to avoid swallowing it as it may cause damage to gut flora. You'd probably want to get some friendly bacteria after you do this, such as from fermented foods like home fermented kraut, pickles, kombucha.
If you're trying to whiten teeth, you can brush with turmeric. There's a youtube video somewhere, I think it's this one.
If your gums aren't so healthy, get a bottle of ubiquinol such as this one (it's a form of CoQ10 that's available in liquid form as well.) Swish it around your mouth for a few minutes before you swallow it.

Kelly Bejelly · Answer 2 · 2012-09-28 02:13:44Z UTC

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I haves used Uncle Harry's tooth powder. I don't know if it will help you but it's awesome. I would also recommend bone broths. Goods Luck! I can't wait to hear if it works.

answered Sep 28 at 2:13

Kelly Bejelly
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scottts · Answer 3 · 2012-09-28 04:27:21Z UTC

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Consider using xylitol gum and/or toothpaste. Xylitol promotes teeth remineralization.

answered Sep 28 at 4:27

scottts
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	do you know if you can buy xylitol powder I can add to my tooth powder recipe? – WayfinderAli Sep 28 at 4:52
	I've never seen powder, but I add the granules to the toothpaste I make from everydaypaleo.com – MathGirl72 Sep 28 at 14:43
	Check out epicdental.com they have powder sweetner that is xylitol and also some xylitol rinses. – scottts Sep 28 at 16:46

Aughra · Answer 4 · 2012-09-28 08:27:50Z UTC

Lots of shellfish, fermented cod liver oil/ butter oil, Carlson's mk-4 K-2 5mg two daily, vitamin D, organ meat, and brushing with dolamite powder and sipping bone broth throughout the day. Easiest way to get LOTS of bone broth in the diet is Nourished kitchen's "Perpetual Soup"

cbucker · Answer 5 · 2012-09-28 14:02:24Z UTC

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Once the cavities are beyond the very first stages, i.e. just barely affecting the enamel, it is not possible to 'heal' cavities. depending on the extent (from what you say its rather progressed) of the cavity you can arrest the procession of demineralization.

flouride and xylitol have been shown to help. also, any methods that can increase saliva production will be beneficial.

answered Sep 28 at 14:02

cbucker
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What about all the Weston A. Price research on healing cavities- even progressed ones- via remineralizing teeth? – WayfinderAli Sep 28 at 14:27

Has that been reproduced? No. – cbucker Sep 28 at 14:45

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@cbucker- no time like the present for self experimentation! Do you think my protocol will at least keep them from getting worse? – WayfinderAli Sep 28 at 17:49

Self experimentation can be enlightening most def. I think, and I know the science shows that you can definately arrest the progress sometimes even to the point of no 'infection' (working definition of active rotting) and the area will rermineralize to a point. the actual cavity cause by the former rotting will not fill back in though and your sensitivity may still be elevated due to a physically smaller barrier between your root/pulp/nerve and the inside of your mouth. – cbucker Sep 28 at 18:42

anonymous · Answer 6 · 2012-09-28 15:07:41Z UTC

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I have read that xylitol can be a powerful aid in remineraliing and healing teeth. Check out Dr. Ellie. http://blog.modernpaleo.com/2012/05/how-to-have-perfect-teeth-and-healthy.html

answered Sep 28 at 15:07

anonymous
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tinamonster · Answer 7 · 2012-09-29 17:54:36Z UTC

Do the suggested coconut oil pulling, then brush your teeth, then floss. If nothing else the oil will help loosen stubborn stuff that's stuck in between your teeth. Also, if you don't believe that the oil is drawing out "toxins" then there's no reason not to just swallow the oil after 20 minutes and you can then benefit from it nutritionally as well.

Additional things you might try: - if you breathe through your mouth, don't. Switch to your nose so that you keep your protective saliva around. Keep your nose unstuffed at all times and that will help. This applies when you sleep as well, although I'm not sure what kind of luck you will have with changing that one. Dream of yummy meals so that you salivate a lot?

consider adding nourishing herbal infusions to get your minerals. Plantain, nettles, oatstraw, strawberry leaf, chamomile, horsetail. Licorice root is said to be good for battling cavities. If your gums are inflamed or unhealthy there are a whole host of anti-inflamitory infusions you would want to look into both for drinking and for swishing with.
do an occasional neem oil and tea tree oil rinse.
drink green and black tea
rinse with warm water and sea salt
chew on sticks of bay, eucalyptus, oak, fir, and juniper (from The Herbs of Life (Crossing Press, 1992), suggests that "the twigs contain volatile oils which stimulate blood circulation, tannins that tighten and cleanse gum tissue and other materials, such as vitamin C, which maintain healthy gums.")

BaconHealsChic · Answer 8 · 2012-09-28 15:19:22Z UTC

I say go for it and good luck! I've been experimenting with the same types of things for myself and my kids. I really appreciate your question. The only thing I would add is...if you can afford it try Green Pastures butter oil capsules or butter and fermented cod liver. I would also incorporate liver.

I also do the coconut oil pulls and I've been brushing with coconut oil and baking soda or just sea salt.

I'm not sold on xylitol as others have mentioned. I really like the info you posted from Wellness Mama. I'm going to try it!

Nancy · Answer 9 · 2012-09-28 16:22:33Z UTC

I'm guessing the grapefruit seed extract would be too acidic to put on your teeth? I've heard that after eating fruit to immediately swish your mouth with water to get the acid off your teeth, and to refrain from brushing for half an hour because your teeth have been temporarily softened by the acid and brushing would brush away some of the enamel. I got an unbelievably high amount of cavities when I was vegan; one of the many positive side-effects of getting on (mostly) Paleo and almost completely off fruit has been improved dental health. Have you told your dentist the cost is a factor in not getting your cavities filled at this time? He might be able to offer a discount, or a payment plan, or to recommend a dentist who could. It would be terrific if you could get them filled asap.

What do you think of my healthy teeth protocol? (I’m trying to heal cavities)

9 Answers