This is an extremely hard blog post for me to write. In fact I was going to write an entirely different blog post, but I couldn’t get the writing to flow… so I knew I had to follow my heart, and share this vulnerable side with you.
Running Away from the Dentist
You see, I’ve never had great teeth.
I’ve been going to the dentist for fillings ever since I can remember. My parents didn’t have great teeth, and maybe it’s a combination of genetics, and bad food choices from my childhood days.
As you may recall I was the cookie monster and I ate so much candy when I was little.
I never saw my photo on the wall with all those happy kids who were cavity-free.
It didn’t help that my first dentist was a little rough around the edges. After my dad brought me to the dentist one time and I cried too much, the dentist kindly asked that my mom do all the dentist duty from then on.
The truth is that too many of my teeth have been filled with amalgam fillings. You know the ones that leech mercury into your body? They’re also pretty ugly, all metallic and dark.
Then comes orthodontia…
To make my relationship with my dentist even more rocky, I also had a bunch of teeth pulled when I got braces.
I’ve had a total of 7 teeth pulled, including 3 whisdom teeth. (Don’t ask why they decided to keep the last one.)
I don’t have a lot of teeth compared to most people. When I first went raw I thought I was doing the best thing for my teeth. After all, raw food is good for your body, and bones are part of the body right?
I thought I was so immune to health problems since I was eating more raw food, and really taking care of myself. I mean I was brushing 3 to 4 times a day, flossing with dental tape regularly, and swishing after every meal.
Yet when I went to the dentist last summer I had to have a root canal. Yuck! Never again. That was the turning point for me.
Becoming an Adult
It’s not about teeth, or health, or any of that stuff. It’s about becoming an adult, being honest with myself, and taking full responsibility.
You know how it’s easy to ignore that you’re in debt when you only pay the minimum balance on your credit cards? The same is true when you ignore slight tooth pains, or your check ups at the dentist.
I’ve read a lot of information about eating a raw food diet and maintaining healthy teeth and gums.
The Weston Price folks say you need to eat raw dairy products and raw eggs. I gave that a try for awhile, but didn’t feel so good. (I’m always evolving, and I don’t claim to have all the answers. If raw milk works for you, all the better!)
One of the things I learned from this video is that raw foodists tend to think themselves impurvious to health challenges, even around their teeth.
The sad truth is that when you’re eating more healthy fruit sugars, the bacteria in your mouth is actually thriving. None of that fake sugar can compare to the real deal, and that’s good for your body but also good for the bacteria between your teeth.
Replacing Amalgam Fillings
I’m really glad to have gone to a holistic dentist for my root canal, since she is helping me to remove all my old amalgam fillings. Last week I had an old amalgam filling replaced and I had a cavity growing underneath.
I have 3 more to go, and I also need to go for a full check-up and clean up. I used to absolutely hate going to the dentist.
Now it’s my responsibility. I take myself willingly to the dentist because I know that there is still the possibility of developing cavities while eating raw. Especially because of the not-so-good start that I had as a child.
So if you’re experiencing sensitive teeth, or you’re worried about your old amalgam fillings I urge you to find a holistic dentist.
Book that appointment, no shame, no blame.
I’m finding out the hard way that it’s never too late to really take your health seriously, and really make the most of what you’ve got. And your teeth are pretty precious.
How to Keep Your Teeth Healthy
Here are some of the things I do now to maintain my healthy teeth and gums:
- Floss with Dental Tape: Dental tape is thicker than regular floss, and it removes more stuff from between your teeth. Make sure to floss below the gum line, because it’s usually where the stuff hides.
- Brush with Tooth Soap: Although I haven’t experienced any teeth growing back or cavities reversing, many people who use tooth soap have had great experiences. If you don’t know what tooth soap is, check it out here.
- Rinse with Ecodent Mouthwash: None of that alcohol content, but all of the bacteria killing power. At least that’s what the bottle says. I’ve been using this Ecodent mouthwash
for a little over a month now, and it’s very refreshing.
- Oil Pulling: Swishing cold pressed sesame seed or sunflower seed oil in your mouth slowly for 15-20 minutes, then spitting it out. Rinse again with fresh water a few times. Be sure not to swallow the oil. This is great for whitening teeth, and strengthening gums.
- Going to the Dentist: A lot of web sites teach you all of these alternative methods for taking care of your teeth, but this one is usually not on the list. Honestly, I regret not making dentist appointments a priority in my life even while I was traveling abroad and living the carefree raw foodie lifestyle.
- Eating Lots of Leafy Greens: So I already did this with green smoothies, but I didn’t realize how important it was when I first went raw. Eating more greens and less fruit is the way to make sure you’ve got lots of minerals to keep your teeth healthy.
- Keeping Citrus Fruit to a Minimum: This one is kind of interesting. The idea is to keep citrus fruit to a few times per week. The trick is also to brush your teeth before you eat citrus, since citrus actually makes the enamel on your teeth softer and more prone to pain after brushing.
- Keeping Nuts and Dried Fruit to a Minimum: These foods get stuck between your teeth and create food for bacteria. It’s something I’m personally still working on, since you know I love my raw sweets and those usually involve dried fruit and nuts.
What have been your experiences?
Did you experience tooth sensitivity, or cavities while eating raw food? I want to know!
It’s only by speaking up and sharing our experiences that we can find what works for each of us. I hope you learned from my story, because it’s not easy for me to admit that I’ve had tooth issues for the majority of my life.
{ 16 comments }
Oh my. I was sweating just reading this post. Good dentist memories. Although I haven't had much problems with my teeth, I still get the shivers. I completely agree with you on flossing, oil pulling and brushing. I personally don't think citrus is all that bad if you rinse afterwards and brush after about an hour (otherwise you could be brushing your enamel away.. ouch).
I think Frederic Patenaude mentioned that he brushes before he eats because that gets rid of all the bacteria that cause the cavities, so it doesn't matter if you eat sugary stuff when there are no bacteria present. It's an interesting theory. When I started eating more raw I noticed my teeth started turning translucent, so I started brushing more often, flossing and oil pulling and that problem hasn't progressed further.
Nice post. I think this is a big issue that needs to be addressed. Good teeth are awesome ;).
I know what you mean! Shivers. ;) Though my new dentist is totally awesome, so I can't complain.
It's pretty cool to consider brushing before you eat, I read about that too. And woohoo for oil pulling, eh? :)
And yeah I think it's really important to be open about this issue because I think most people who are new to raw might not know what's going on or where to turn to.
Hi Nathalie,
I actually like my dentist. (is it bad that he has freshly baked cookies available for when we finish up???). That said, though, I know what you mean. My daughter, who eats the least amount of sugary products, and it really all around very healthy – easily gets cavities. My older son, on the other hand, hardly brushes, and has never had a cavity. We have to work with what we're given, huh?? And I have a few of them amalgam fillings that I'm slowly getting replaced. Anyway, good stuff to think about. And…I'm thinking of you too, Nathalie…hang in there at the dentist!
Hey Lance!
Ahh if my dentist would have given me freshly baked cookies when I was kid, I think I would have enjoyed my visits more. ;) Instead they showed me what was meant to be a caveman “toothbrush”, which was just a twig. Umm… ouch?
I have cousins who are the same way: the daughter has cavities but brushes & takes good care, where the son doesn't brush or care and has no cavities.
Good luck on your amalgam replacements too. Your good vibes are super helpful, since I know there's more to go. ;)
I can definitely relate to hating the dentist! Once I was an adult, I adored the fact that I could control whether I saw the dentist or not. At first I tried to psych myself up enough to go… then I dodged their phone calls like a pro. I avoided the calls from my childhood dentist for 4 years and got a guilty final call from them– basically that if I wasn't going to them for my dental care, they just hoped that I was going somewhere. I felt guilty because it seemed like my former dentist cared more about taking care of my teeth than I did. I just wasn't brave enough to make that appointment until last year.
I picked a new dentist, one who understood why people hate to go. I L-O-V-E my new dentist! He got to know me in an office before I even had to sit in “the chair” and didn't tell me I needed to “keep it down” when I cried (like my old dentist had). I cried because he asked why I hated to go to the dentist and what turned me off to it from my previous experiences. No dentist had ever asked that before! It is definitely all about taking it into your own hands, finding the right dentist for you, and deciding you'll do it for yourself. Plus, he refuses to do amalgam fillings because of the health concerns. Thanks for sharing Nathalie!
Awww… I can totally relate to your story! I actually went to another dentist before finding this one, and the guy was totally inhumane. He was actually more interested in my computer skills than in actually helping me with my teeth (which is what I went there for right?). And he barely even listened to my concerns.
My new dentist really listens, she hears what I'm saying and understands. She has this “no blame, no shame” thing going on too… so I didn't even feel guilty telling her that I hadn't been to the dentist because I don't like it.
Thanks so much for sharing, it feels good to know we're not alone. :) Yay for taking responsibility and finding the right person to be our dentists! Woohoo!
My dental health improved when I stopped eating gluten, grains, sugars & and a high carb diet in general. I have a second set of adult teeth, 5 wisdom teeth was removed when I was 14 and about 5 amalgam fillings. I've been told for the sake of my MS, I should have them replaced, but too afraid to have that done that this time…
Aww I know what you mean about replacing the amalgam fillings. For me it's really been an eye opening experience, and not as scary as I thought. It's totally doable! But I understand where you're coming from.
Thanks! I was thinking I should just wait until they fall out one by one – cheaper too. Ill have to give it some though….Its more the $$ than anything.
Yes, I love the “no blame, no shame” thing too! I was honest about how long it had been and never got a lecture. He and his staff also made sure they told me everything along the way, so there was no coded talk over my head to freak me out about what they weren't telling me. And maybe most importantly, he takes pride in every patient who he can help overcome their fears, instead of getting visibly angry with me for not liking the dentist (also my past experience). It truly makes all the difference to find the right one! So glad you found The One! ;)
My dental health improved when I stopped eating gluten, grains, sugars & and a high carb diet in general. I have a second set of adult teeth, 5 wisdom teeth was removed when I was 14 and about 5 amalgam fillings. I've been told for the sake of my MS, I should have them replaced, but too afraid to have that done that this time…
Aww I know what you mean about replacing the amalgam fillings. For me it's really been an eye opening experience, and not as scary as I thought. It's totally doable! But I understand where you're coming from.
Thanks! I was thinking I should just wait until they fall out one by one – cheaper too. Ill have to give it some though….Its more the $$ than anything.
Yes, I love the “no blame, no shame” thing too! I was honest about how long it had been and never got a lecture. He and his staff also made sure they told me everything along the way, so there was no coded talk over my head to freak me out about what they weren't telling me. And maybe most importantly, he takes pride in every patient who he can help overcome their fears, instead of getting visibly angry with me for not liking the dentist (also my past experience). It truly makes all the difference to find the right one! So glad you found The One! ;)
Some of the dentists are really good in adopting to the nature of patient to cure their teeth troubles as smoothly as possible. From your story the dentist seems to be really nice and knows his job really well.
Great article! Very well written! Thank you!
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