I haven’t written enough on nutrition’s role in dentistry except for one specific post and mentioning here and there how healthy teeth begin with a healthy body. Nutrition isn’t my recognized area of expertise; but working in conjunction with other natural doctors, nutritionists, and others and seeking the best for myself and my family has brought me heaps of knowledge and enhanced my dentistry.

Maybe you’ve seen a lot of content published in many natural food/health communities about curing tooth decay, tooth remineralization, and cavity reversal. This doesn’t directly address more serious problems like dental implants, occlusal correction, or serious gum recession caused by gingivitis/periodontitis. Those more advanced conditions are more exciting to me as it is. But restoring dental health through dietary means can certainly solve other things like the early stages of cavities, gum disease, plaque buildup, and weak enamel caused by overall malnourishment.

Modern dentistry, like most fields of medicine, tends to isolate the mouth and teeth from the rest of the body. Just look at the nation’s stance on insurance — you must pay for your teeth separately. The body works as a whole, however. It is a complex system of functions all working together. You cannot affect one function without affecting another somehow. Amalgam may be a cheap and easy way to fill teeth, but what about the mercury that leaks out and embeds itself in organs and tissues all over the body? Braces effectively straighten teeth, but will the patient’s bite change and cause TMJ problems later in life, not to mention the hassle of wearing retainers indefinitely? Removing natural tooth structure for a crown or undergoing a root canal may remove an obvious problem, but do you know how that actually burdens your immune system?

Just some food for thought.