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Non-toxic Dental Care
Teeth are important, but they are not worth losing your health over.
"Dentists are taught to sell dentistry more than practice it"
The following are symptoms that Dr. Huggins
has related to the presence of dental mercury and root canals:
- unexplained depression
- unexplained anxiety
- chronic fatigue
- brain fog and memory problems
- unexplained suicidal thoughts
- bloated feelings after eating
- digestive problems
- twitching of facial and other muscles
- numbness of fingers and toes
- slurred speech
- unidentified chest pains
- tachycardia
- frequent headaches
Other dental toxins that adversely effect the immune system or overall general health are present in crowns, bridges, orthodontic braces, children's chrome crowns and some removable partial dentures.
Root canals
Anaerobic bacteria within root canal teeth produce toxins that are among the most poisonous chemicals on the planet. For this reason, they can produce disease at little more than the molecular level. Far below what can be seen on an X-ray. These toxins can be related to almost all of the autoimmune diseases, but since the profession almost demands that dentistry place 30 million per year, and since they are a high profit item in dental service, they will continue to be defended as "preventive dentistry" for years to come. For those interested in good health, however, you have a right to know that these toxins are so potent that just a handful of molecules can create autoimmune diseases in susceptible people. Important to know is that the problem is the presence of these toxins in the periodontal ligament - the attachment between tooth and bone, and not in the pulp chamber. Yes, a dentist can sterilize a column of air in the center of a tooth, but, regardless of what you embalm the pulp chamber with, it is still dead. Another interesting point. A healthy body will reject dead things and create an immune action around the dead part. This results in pain around a dead tooth - which is the sign of good health. If it doesn't hurt, the immune system is not healthy enough to launch a defense, therefore the toxins are being spread all over the body.
Implants
This is a bad topic, again, because both dentistry and patients have adopted them wholeheartedly. Financially rewarding and easy to sell. No one wants removable appliances in their mouth, nor the additional care it takes to wear these appliances. As my professor in immunology at the University of Colorado once said when I asked about implants, "Anything implanted in bone will create an autoimmune response. The only difference is the amount of time it takes."
Aluminum
Is present in porcelain and about half of the composites (plastic replacements for dental silver-mercury fillings). It is damaging to the nervous system, and great improvements can be seen within 6 days of removing aluminum materials from the mouth. Esthetically beautiful, but they don't show in the casket.
Cavitations
Are the new kid on the block. Although described by the Father of Modern Dentistry, Dr. G.V. Black in the early 1900's, and published in many dental articles (mostly outside the US), they are unknown to many dentists. Even the ADA claims they do not exist. When a tooth is removed, the periodontal ligament that attaches the tooth to bone (similar to the afterbirth around a fetus) is left in according to instructions from dental schools. The ligament often prevents bone healing of the socket area. Today, this hole is termed a "cavitation". This is almost always true (over 99% of the time) in wisdom tooth areas. These holes left unhealed are generally lined with necrotic (dead) bone and many of the same anaerobic bacteria that are found in dead or root canal teeth. The ones that are often related to autoimmune diseases. Porphyrins (the energy producing molecule in the blood stream) are particularly attacked by products within the cavitation, therefore offering less oxygen transport and energy molecules for healing and daily operation of the body.
Non-toxic Body Care Products Mix-your-own personal care items:
Natural non-toxic, natural body care products available to buy |
- Rinse acids off the teeth during eating.
- Take calcium pills with vitamin D daily
- Take freshly made sodium ascorbate daily for gum connections to the teeth
- Avoid all fluoride products. They destroy teeth, unravel enzymes and cause 113 ailments
Tissue grafting, bone grafting, and implants are totally dependent on healthy, natural bone. The "accepted" failure rate of these procedures is comparable to the failure rate of gum surgery (40-50%, or the flip of a coin).
BOP, bleeding on probing to measure gum pockets, is only 30% accurate. Such a guess can hardly be considered a dependable diagnostic procedure, not to mention the fact that BOP, with absolute certainty, spreads infection all over the mouth.
Compliance Rate by patients after traditional periodontal surgeries is only 30%. That is, these patients do not follow the dentist's instructions 70% of the time afterwards. This leads to more tooth loss because "the patient didn't do their job." Could it be that the lack of compliance is the result of the radical procedures and treatment of the patient? We find in many cases that the major reason the patient does not lose teeth is due to their own preventive dental care and no one else, not even the dental team.
I did thorough research through medical text books and research papaer. All herbal toothpastes, hydrogen peroxide, vitamin C, CQ10 all help but the treatment method that eliminates the problem for ever is the use of calcium. There is one method CALCIUM THERAPY that works 99%.CALCIUM inhibits OSTEOCLASTS
CALCIUM Method of REPLANTATION Florida studies by Drs.Y. Pohl, A. Filippi, et al, in OS,OM,OP on replantation of teeth using calcium materials seem to reinfoce the publication of Dr. Manhart's report on Calcium Method of Replantation in the General Dentistry Journal (1983).
Ask your denstists to follow this.
Get self-care kit form www.calciumtherapy.com
Everybody with any kind of gum problem will benefit from it.
Guide to Holistic Dentistry
Dr. Weston Price conducted extensive research into the destructive effects of root canals, detailed in his two-volume work Dental Infections Oral & Systemic and Dental Infections & the Degenerative Diseases. His conclusions, ignored by the orthodox dental establishment for over 50 years, are gaining renewed acceptance as holistic practitioners are discovering that the first step to recovery from degenerative disease often involves removal of all root canals in the patient's mouth. The principles of holistic dentistry, based on the research of Weston Price, are as follows:
- Eat nutrient-dense whole foods, properly grown and prepared.
- Avoid root canals. If you have root canals and suspect that they are causing trouble, have them removed by a knowledgeable dentist.
- Avoid mercury (amalgam) fillings. If you have amalgam fillings, have them removed by a holistic dentist who specializes in mercury filling replacement. Click here for searchable databases of holistic dentists (USA and global)>
- Orthodontics should include measures to widen the palate.
- When it is necessary to extract teeth, do so in such a way as to avoid leaving the jaw bone with cavitations, which can be focal points of infection.
Please note that Dr. Mark Manhart recommends saliva instead of toothpaste or tooth soap (info below) .
Saliva is the body’s most important protection against tooth decay.
Recommendations for Healthy Teeth and Gums
We would be glad to offer our expertise and research gathered over the last 46 years.
A clinical evaluation of calcium therapy for periodontal disease
| 5) | School of Dental Medicine, University of Newcastle upon Tyne, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK |
| (6) | Department of Cardiology, Goteborg University, Faculty of Odontology, Goteborg, Sweden |
Abstract
Oral bone and tooth loss are correlated with bone loss at nonoral sites. Calcium and vitamin D supplementation slow the rate of bone loss from various skeletal sites, but it is not known if intake of these nutrients affects oral bone and, in turn, tooth retention.
Subjects and methodsTooth loss was examined in 145 healthy subjects aged 65 years and older who completed a 3-year, randomized, placebo-controlled trial of the effect of calcium and vitamin D supplementation on bone loss from the hip, as well as a 2-year follow-up study after discontinuation of study supplements. Teeth were counted at 18 months and 5 years. A comprehensive oral examination at 5 years included assessment of caries, oral hygiene, and periodontal disease. The odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) of tooth loss were estimated by stepwise multivariate logistic regression. Initial age (mean ± SD) of subjects was 71 ± 5 years, and the number of teeth remaining was 22 ± 7.
ResultsDuring the randomized trial, 11 of the 82 subjects (13%) taking supplements and 17 of the 63 subjects (27%) taking placebo lost one or more teeth (OR = 0.4; 95% CI: 0.2 to 0.9). During the 2-year follow-up period, 31 of the 77 subjects (40%) with total calcium intake of at least 1000 mg per day lost one or more teeth compared with 40 of the 68 subjects (59%) who consumed less (OR = 0.5; 95% CI: 0.2 to 0.9).
ConclusionThese findings suggest that intake levels of calcium and vitamin D aimed at preventing osteoporosis have a beneficial effect on tooth retention.
The American Journal of Medicine, Volume 111, Issue 6, Pages 452-456
E.Krall
Dr. Gerard F. Judd, Professor, Chemist and Researcher, states that the health of our teeth can be improved to a point where they are nearly perfect, if a regimen of frequent rinsing (especially after meals), using tooth soap* for brushing our teeth instead of commercial toothpaste, and taking calcium, phosphate and Vitamin C supplements is implemented.
In Dr. Judd's book, "Good Teeth Birth to Death" offers the below tips to obtain perfect teeth (some information has been added):
- Rinse acids and food particles off the teeth during and after eating. Acids in food destroy enamel. Protect your teeth by rinsing these acids from their teeth promptly. Just sip water, milk or other liquid while eating and rinse afterwards. Water reacts with acids. This will be a huge step in preventing cavities.
- Tooth Paste: Some ingredients in tooth paste (even in "organic / non-toxic" toothpaste) detrimental effects on our teeth. The glycerin that they contain inhibits the teeth from naturally re-enamelizing and flouride is associated with numerous health problems. Many toothpastes also contain glycerin, artificial sweeteners, silicates (sand), dyes, stabilizers and/or other materials that can damage teeth and be detrimental to your overall health.
According to Dr. Mark Manhart DDS Did you know that Saliva works better than toothpastes for cleaning teeth? It is low in salt, anti-microbial, and an excellent "buffer" for the entire mouth, according to Archives of Internal Medicine.
Instead of toothpaste:
Below is what I am using for both my face (instead of harsh soaps) and my teeth!
What I LOVE about it is that it doesn't taste like soap! I wouldn't use anything else on my face either nowadays. It's also convenient that you have one "less item" on your bathroom counter. It's also much cheaper. Items sold as "tooth soap" often cost more than $20 - and I found the ingredients very similar or the same.
Organic Virgin Coconut Oil Liquid Soap - 8 oz. with Tea Tree Oil Organic Virgin Coconut Oil Liquid Soap - 8 oz Ingredients: Organic Fresh UNREFINED Virgin Coconut Oil for the unscented version. Organic high-quality Tea Tree oil essential oils has been added to the one on the left. These soaps are packaged in a special foam pump dispenser that adds air to the soap, causing a rich lather of foam to come out.
- Mix baking soda and hydrogen peroxide ... if you like, add peppermint essential oil for taste. Use as you would use common toothpaste. Baking soda is less abrasive than normal toothpaste, which protects your tooth enamel from wearing down; alternatively. Hydrogen peroxide cleans, whitens, disinfects.
- Toothsoap is highly recommended. Typical ingredients include saponified coconut, palm, and organic, extra virgin olive oils and essential oil. As is the case with toothpaste, they should never contain glycerin, sweeteners, silicates (sand), fluoride, dyes, stabilizers or other materials that can damage teeth. Silica will wear out the enamel of your teeth. Occasional use of baking soda isn't as abrasive and works just as well.
- Another option would be to brush the teeth with bar soap - however, do NOT use ordinary bar soap to brush your teeth! Most bar soaps contain many artificial ingredients that should not be ingested and can also coat teeth. What would work is a plain, unscented olive oil soap, which is sold at most natural food stores.
- - perfect prescription tooth soap contains NO added glycerin, artificial / synthetic sweeteners, silicates (sand), fluoride, dyes, stabilizers or other materials that can damage teeth. All batches of Perfect Prescription bar shreds and liquid soap are made in small quantities to insure you are getting a fresh product. Tooth Soap tastes best if used within 3 months of opening the jar. Perfect Prescription Tooth Soap is made in the USA in a commercial kitchen licensed by the Oregon Department of Agriculture and is Certified Kosher by Star-K.
- Freshen your mouth and sweeten your breath naturally ...
- Chew a pinch of the following herbs: parsley, basil, cilantro or dill - which are rich in chlorophyll.
- Chew the seeds or make tea by adding the leaves or mashed seeds to boiling water.
- Cardamom contains cineole, a potent antiseptic that kills bad-breath bacteria. You can chew the seeds and then spit them out.
- Anise: Boil the seeds in a cup of water. Strain, and then drink or use as a mouthwash.
- Peppermint tea, a strong antiseptic, fights halitosis
- Oil of Oregano: Plaque and gum disease can be prevented with the oral application of oregano oil because of its anti-bacterial properties. Swish one or two drops in your mouth, or put a drop on your toothbrush when cleaning your teeth.
- Avoid all fluoride products - They occur in drinking water, tooth pastes or gels.
- Fluoride destroys 83 enzymes that deliver phosphate to calcium at the tooth surface needed for strong teeth,
- Fluoride is a severe biological poison.
- Fillings commonly contain toxins (the problem being mercury -- which makes up between 40 to 60% of the filling). Those leak into our body over time and causes disease. Request fillings made of quartzite and epoxy as safe substitute.
Hydrogen Peroxide and Its Multiple Uses in Mouth Care:
Healing Properties: Take one capful (the little white cap that comes with the bottle) and hold in your mouth for 10 minutes daily, then spit it out. You will not have canker sores and your teeth will be whiter. If you have a terrible toothache and cannot get to a dentist right away, put a capful of 3% hydrogen peroxide into your mouth and hold it for 10 minutes several times a day. The pain will lessen greatly.
Mouthwash: Many people don't realize that hydrogen peroxide makes a very effective and inexpensive mouthwash. Use 3% H202 - add a dash of liquid chlorophyll for flavoring if desired.
Toothpaste: Use baking soda and add enough 3% H202 to make a paste. Or, just dip your brush in 3% H202 and brush. Soak your toothbrush in hydrogen peroxide to keep them free of germs.
Toothbrush: Soaking your toothbrush in hydrogen peroxide will help keep them free of harmul germs.
Tooth Ache: Hydrogen peroxide is not a pain killer; however, as an anti-viral, antibacterial and anti-fungal agent, it is effective at treating the pathogen that is causing the infection. The following is from my own personal experience: My dentist wanted to give me a root canal some time ago as one tooth was inflamed and, in her opinion, would die. I felt some discomfort but told her that I would give it chance to heal. I rinsed with hydrogen peroxide (several times a day) as well as coconut oil (once a day). The discomfort went away and I have had no further problems with the tooth.
Tooth Whitening: Having used 3% Hydrogen Peroxide as a mouth wash for sometime ago, I am thrilled to note that my teeth have been beautifully and effortlessly whitened. I used to pay so much for professional whitening, those silly strips and uncomfortable trays. Live and learn.
NOTE: Do not swallow any hydrogen peroxide. When the peroxide rinse is done, be sure to rinse out your mouth with tap water.
Tooth Pain & Toothache Natural Remedies. (Cure For Cavities Tour) Tooth pain happens when the tooth nerve is inflamed. Generally this occurs due to compromised tooth enamel which is allowing material to enter directly into the tooth pulp (the center of your tooth). Sometimes tooth pain can also actually be gum pain, from gum disease or from other gum problems, just be aware of this. Tooth Pain Home Remedy Suggestions I have never had a significant tooth ache. The reason is because I have made my teeth strong and healthy with a careful diet. In addition to the quick home remedies below, I urge you to understand the real cause of tooth pain, and see how you can take long term steps to get your teeth out of pain. Some suggestions have been reported to work by other people. olive oil soaked on cotton applied to tooth vanilla extract or almond extract applied to tooth cut a slice of onion and put it into your mouth near pain crushed garlic on tooth oregano oil clove oil golden seal powder baking soda swished in mouth oil pulling (swishing in the mouth organic sesame seed oil for 5-10 minutes .) Marine grade coral calcium applied to the tooth or mouth Other: Ozone tooth treatments from a dentist.
Types of Tooth Pain
This will help you get an idea of what type of problem you have. This is not meant to be a replacement for dental advise, but to help you understand what you are needing.
Pain: Temporary sensitivity to hot or cold foods without recent dental work.
Meaning: Minor breech of tooth nerve or beginning gum disease.
Pain: Lasting sensitivity and more constant awareness of hot or cold foods without recent dental work.
Meaning: The tooth pulp is likely infected, the tooth may be cracked or chipped, or the beginning of gum disease.
Pain: Temporary sensitivity to hot or cold foods after recent dental treatment.
Meaning: Dental work can cause tooth pulp inflammation which would be an intense but very short pain. Tooth pulp should heal within 2-4 weeks.
Pain: Lasting or prolonged sensitivity and constant awareness of hot or cold foods after recent dental treatment.
Meaning: The tooth cavity may have been too close to tooth pulp and dental treatment did not protect the pulp sufficiently. One person wrote to me about this issue after having their mercury amalgam's replaced. Conventional dentists will normally recommend root canals to treat this.
Pain: Sharp pain from biting down on food
Possible Meanings:
- Loose Filling
- Tooth Decay
- Cracked or Fractured Tooth
- Infected Tooth
Pain: Constant and severe pain with pressure, swelling of the gum, and sensitivity to touch.
Meaning: Tooth abscess(infection).
Pain: The tooth hurts when you tap your finger from the side.
Meaning: The periodontal ligament is degenerating or inflamed
“I was in pain and the cheek had actually started to swell up. Within three weeks of trying the diet I could tell I was turning the corner. The tooth stopped hurting; my teeth all over became whiter. After over a month on the diet it is hard for me to fell which tooth was bothering me. When I look at it in the mirror it still has a hole but the tooth feels like it is healing. Thanks a million to Ramiel Nagel for writing this book. Unbelievable!" Leroy, Utah
Your Toothpaste ...
... is likely to contains fluoride - a severe biological poison.
- Fluoride causes us to absorb extra aluminum and aluminium is the metal that show up alarmingly in the brains of Alzheimer's victims.
- If you look at your tube of toothpaste, you will see a warning similar to this: "Warning. Keep out of reach of children under 6 years of age. If more than [sic] used for brushing is accidentally swallowed, get medical help or contact a Poison Control Center right away."
The warning on toothpaste tubes is due to lawsuits in which children were poisoned by fluoride-containing toothpaste.
For instance, Keith Cantor, a little boy from Oregon died in the dentist’s chair from ingesting ½ teaspoon of fluoride, and 3 kidney dialysis patients were killed in 1998 at the University of Chicago Medical School, when nurses used unpurified Chicago tap water for dialysis.
To add to the problem, most states add at least 1 ppm of sodium fluoride or fluorosilic acid (radioactive toxic waste that contains fluoride) to the water supply, even though it has been proven that at least 113 medical side effects from cancer to headaches are caused by fluoride in the water.
Toothpaste Prevents Tooth Re-enamelization
Toothpaste contains viscous, sticky glycerin, the main ingredient in toothpaste, which coats the teeth and prevents re-enamelization from nutrients in the diet. Glycerin takes over 20 rinses to be removed and leaves your teeth coated! Skeptical? Try this simple test. Start with a clean sink and smear some of your toothpaste on the sink. Rinse it off and watch how the water beads up because of the sticky glycerin. You will have to keep rinsing and rinsing to remove it! Your teeth are similar to a porcelain sink, and your teeth are being coated every time you use toothpaste. Coated teeth cannot re-enamelize from nutrients in the diet!
Toothpaste Contains Silica
Silica, which is sand, can harm gums and abrades (wears away) tooth enamel.
Alternatives to Toothpaste:
- Mix your own:
- Baking Soda:
- Mix baking soda with salt
- Even better: mix baking soda either Aloe Vera Gel or 3% hydrogen peroxide (H202) to make a paste.
- If you like a mint taste -- just add peppermint essential oil.
- Hydrogen Perioxide: Just dip your brush in 3% hydrogen peroxide (H202) and brush.
TIP: Only use the hydrogen peroxide paste once a day (my dentist recommended the evenings) and use the Aloe Vera gel in the morning.
- Herbal Toothpaste: Powder sea salt and dried horsetail stems in a coffee grinder; mix dry and wet ingredients separately; then slowly mix all ingredients into a paste.
- More is not better! My dentist recommended not to brush more than twice a day - it wears your enamel down! However, frequent rinsing - especially after each meal -- is very conducive to maintaining a healthy mouth.
Use as you would use common toothpaste. Baking soda is less abrasive than normal toothpaste, which protects your tooth enamel from wearing off.
- Mouthwash:
- Rinsing your mouth throughout the day, and most certainly after ever meal / snack, will keep your mouth fresh and clean, and teeth and gums healthy.
- Hydrogen Peroxide: Use 3% Hydrogen Peroxide. Add a dash of liquid chlorophyl for flavoring if desired. I use this in the evening and take a herbal mouth wash in the morning and throughout the day. I found the hydrogen peroxide whitens my teeth. I used to buy various inconvenient products to whiten my teeth (those uncomfortable trays) and was amazed that using hydrogen peroxide as a mouth wash works better - and is so much less expensive! Live and learn.
- Herbal Mouth Wash: 2 Cups Water, 2 Tbsp Organic Sea salt, 5 drops Peppermint extract, 4 drops Horsetail extract, 1 drop Sage extract ... Combine ingredients and store in a tightly sealed bottle; shake before use.
I use Hydrogen Perioxide in the evening and a herbal mouth wash in the morning and after meals. For about 15 minutes each (usually during my shower and while getting dressed) I use Coconut Oil, which has antibacterial / antifungal properties. This will keep your mouth and teeth fresh and healthy.
Gums are firm and resilient, with a healthy pink color. Healthy gums do not bleed on probing. Tissue is firm with a normal variation of lighter and darker areas.
Common Dental Health Problems:
- Cavities / Demineralization:
Tooth erosion, teeth wearing down / cavitiy formation
- Dental plaque:
Plaque is a combination of bacteria and sticky bacterial products that forms on the teeth within hours of cleaning. Its source is the natural bacteria in the mouth, In small amounts and when newly formed, plaque is invisible and relatively harmless. But when left to accumulate, it increases in volume and the proportion of harmful species in the plaque grows.
- Gum pockets:
Gum pockets are formed as the plaque pushes the gums away from the teeth. However, they are also formed by fluoride (ingredients in commercial tooth care products and added to drinking water) - as fluoride severs the protein molecules adhering the gums to the teeth.
- Periodontal disease:
Any form of ill health affecting the periodontium--the tissues that surround and support the teeth. These include the gums (or gingiva), the bone of the tooth socket, and the periodontal ligament, a thin layer of connective tissue that holds the tooth in its socket and acts as a cushion between tooth and bone.
Periodontal disease is an infection of the tissues that support your teeth. Your gum tissue is not attached to the teeth as high as it may seem. There is a very shallow v-shaped crevice called a sulcus between the tooth and gums. Periodontal diseases attack just below the gum line in the sulcus, where they cause the attachment of the tooth and its supporting tissues to break down. As the tissues are damaged, the sulcus develops into a pocket: generally, the more severe the disease, the greater the depth of the pocket.
Periodontal diseases are classified according to the severity of the disease. The two major stages are gingivitis and periodontitis. Gingivitis is a milder and reversible form of periodontal disease that only affects the gums. Gingivitis may lead to more serious, destructive forms of periodontal disease called periodontitis.
Some factors increase the risk of developing periodontal disease:
- Tobacco smoking or chewing
- Systemic diseases such as diabetes
- Some types of medication such as steroids, some types of anti-epilepsy drugs, cancer therapy drugs, some calcium channel blockers and oral contraceptives
- Bridges that no longer fit properly
- Crooked teeth
- Fillings that have become defective
- Pregnancy or use of oral contraceptives
Several warning signs that can signal a problem:
Besides his program I have also added brushing with coconut oil, using food grade hydrogen peroxide in the waterpik, and am going to buy Dr. Schultz's Tooth and Gum formula pretty soon. My gums already look about 75% better! They were awfully red on the bottom especially. My teeth still hurt when I chew, but I am not sure if it is from the cleaning or not because they didn't hurt before she cleaned them execpt for a couple of them. I had never had them cleaned so...she was pretty rough.
- Gums that bleed easily
- Red, swollen, tender gums
- Gums that have pulled away from the teeth
- Persistent bad breath or bad taste
- Permanent teeth that are loose or separating
- Any change in the way your teeth fit together when you bite
- Any change in the fit of partial dentures
I bought an Interplak by Conair at K-Mart for $20 and it had all the same attachments as waterpik, the same two year warranty, just didn't look as fancy and it works great. The waterpik brand cost $40 so it saved a lot...If you can not find a waterpik in your area I would buy the Interplak for you and ship it to you if you like. By the time you pay shipping prices it might not save you much from the waterpik price, but he'd have something to clean his teeth with really well...I have five gallons of virgin coconut oil so I could send you some of that too if you'd like for nothing. Coconut oil has really wonderful properties, it is anti-viral and anti-parisitical. Several people that belong to the coconut oil group I am a member of said it has done wonders for their mouth, the gums especially. Just let me know if I could be of help...hope this helps a bit,
- Gingivitis:
In its earliest stages, gum disease (inflammation or infection of the gums) is referred to as gingivitis
- Periodontitis:
If gingivitis is left untreated, the bone becomes inflammed or infected -- resulting in the loss of bone tissue and teeth. This is the number one cause of tooth loss in adults. Furthermore, researchers have identified a link between periodontitis and the risk for a fatal heart attack or stroke. Untreated periodontitis may be as significant a risk factor for heart disease.
Different Types of Dental Restorations
Different types of dental restorations are designed to do specific jobs; here is a breakdown of the most common:
1. Sealants-white filling materials in a "flowable" form. Used to fill the decay-susceptible grooves of the back teeth (usually children 6-18 years) as a preventative procedure.
2. Fillings-composite (white) filling materials. Placed directly into the prepared tooth. Used where the existing fillings or areas of decay are small enough that the remaining tooth structure has not been overly weakened.
3. Inlays-used in similar situations as fillings except a pre-made piece of ceramic material is bonded into the tooth. This results in superior physical properties, possibly providing a lifespan of 2 to 3 times longer than a composite filling. Inlays are a top-quality alternative to the composite filling. Traditionally gold alloy has been used for inlays, but now ceramics are excellent.
4. Onlays-used in situations where the tooth is fractured or has been severely weakened, the onlay is similar to the inlay described above except that the ceramic covers the entire or most of the biting surface. Unlike a crown, it does not cover the entire visible tooth structure, so there is no need to grind away all sides of the tooth unless there is a specific reason (like decay.)
5. Crowns ("Cap")- A crown, the largest tooth restoration, sometimes cannot be avoided. It covers all sides of the tooth as well as the end. It is used when there is limited tooth structure left, when an existing crown must be replaced, or when the tooth is an "anchor" tooth for a fixed bridge. In cases where it is impossible to get proper moisture control) below the gum line or near the back of the mouth), a cemented crown may substitute for a bonded one.
6. Veneers-thin porcelain facings that cover the front side of teeth. Used cosmetically to change the length, color and shape of teeth.
7. Bridges-used to replace missing teeth when sufficient "anchor" teeth are available on each side of the gap. Numerous systems are available, including fiber-reinforced ceramics, Zirconium-based ceramics and porcelain fused to metal bridges.
8. Implants-Titanium posts surgically placed into the jawbone. Implants are used to support a dental prosthesis (from single crowns to full denture) once the bone grows around the post (usually three months after placement.)
9. Removable Partial Dentures-used to replace missing teeth when insufficient teeth remain to support fixed bridges or a patient does not test well for bridge materials. Partial dentures can be metal or acrylic-based. Acrylic-based partials are bulkier and do not stay in place as well as metal partials. Metal partials can be made with precision attachments that eliminate the use of unsightly metal clasps.
10. Removable Full Denture-used when no teeth remain. Caution" most, but not all, acrylic bases contain cadmium, a toxic substance, as a color stabilizer.
Taken from Dental Truth, a publication of DAMS, Intl., November 2002 issue. DAMS, Intl. is a 501c(3) tax exempt nonprofit group that educates the public on non-toxic dentistry and how to recover from the effects of toxic dentistry. Contributions are tax deductible. They are always welcome.
The best toothpaste for healthy teeth and gums is 3% hydrogen peroxide and baking soda.
- William Campbell Douglass, M.D.
Hydrogen peroxide dissolves dental plaque.
- McCabe, page 29.
***
Baking soda has the effect of increasing alkalinity in the mouth, thereby neutralizing acids produced by the bacteria responsible for plaque and tooth decay. Baking soda is also a mild abrasive and whitens teeth.
Hydrogen peroxide is alkaline and bubbles and foams as it destroys the bacteria. If there are pockets between the teeth and gums, the foaming action of the hydrogen peroxide helps to clean them out. It also cleans the tongue. For oral use, you can dilute the 3% hydrogen peroxide with up to 10 parts water.
Overbrushing can damage teeth by wearing off the enamel, and it is hard on the gums. The hydrogen peroxide and baking soda combination is so effective cleaning teeth and gums that we find ourselves brushing more gently, using the peroxide & soda to clean the gumline, rather than too vigorous brushing.
Many toothpastes contain zirconium which is very hard and whitens teeth by "polishing" or grinding off the surface of the enamel. By contrast, hydrogen peroxide gently whitens teeth with the bleaching action of oxygen. This preserves the enamel of your teeth. You get this bleaching action when brushing with hydrogen peroxide/baking soda combination, and also when using hydrogen peroxide as a mouth wash.
Rinse the mouth well when you are done. Keep the hydrogen peroxide out of your eyes. Read the label carefully and follow the directions. The 3% hydrogen peroxide is not "food grade" and may contain other ingredients that are not intended for internal consumption. Also, you may want to be careful to keep the hydrogen peroxide off your clothing because the oxygen in it has a bleaching effect. This is good for whitening teeth, but not so good for clothes!
***
Alternative to Gum Surgery
"The treatment consists of rubbing a mixture of baking soda and hydrogen peroxide into the gums. It's not quite that simple. The dentist has to do some housecleaning around your mouth, and the patient has to take the time at home for the peroxide to do the job. But the treatment is basically very simple and very effective." - Dr. Douglass, page 59.
Periodontist Dr. Paul Cummings taught gum surgery at the University of North Carolina and reports a 98 percent success rate in 1,000 patients using hydrogen peroxide. "The irony is that you can get better results without surgery. I've been using the nonsurgical technique for five years and the results are 300 percent better than I ever got with surgery." - Dr. Cummings, quoted in Dr. Douglass, page 60.
***
Teeth are held in the gums by connective tissue, and formation of connective tissue needs vitamin C. About 4 grams of vitamin C daily is required to prevent receding gums and the formation of pockets between the teeth and gums. For more information on teeth care see see this section on nutritional supplements, and FAQ 16.
***
The 3% hydrogen peroxide is also an excellent mouth wash, gargle and skin cleanser. If you would like to learn more about hydrogen peroxide, using hydrogen peroxide in your bath and other subjects, we have a full page on the subject of oxygen. Hydrogen peroxide is just water with extra oxygen. - Editor, Alkalize For Health
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