Thumbs Up: Keeping My Kids Cavity-Free

Tara Carpenter, NC.

Nutrition Consultant specialized in therapeutic nutrition to heal.

Originally published on April 23, 2019.

This is a hot topic for parents, everyone really because who wants to get a cavity? Cavities are no fun no matter how old you are …. my youngest child is 17 and continues to be cavity-free. My oldest is 22 and had a tiny cavity at age 6 (a baby tooth because he feared needles) and I opted to pull that tooth instead of putting in a filling as he would lose it shortly.

As a Holistic Nutritionist, I am always seeking ways to help the body do what it naturally does. Heal itself. I read and study traditional practices then create traditional ways to make modern-day recipes. This is truly what I do best and love the most. When I had my babies, I studied every parenting topic under the sun: boosting breastmilk, child-led weaning, first foods, vaccinations, keeping teeth strong without fluoride and sealants.

Ways I Keep My Kids Cavity-Free

Fermented cod liver oil for enamel erosion, tooth sensitivity, gum recession, and cavities. It comes in cinnamon, chocolate, unflavored, etc. and capsule, liquid, or gel form. For fast results, oil-pull with Royal Butter Blend. Green Pasture is a family-owned company in the United States and the only folks I know of making cod liver oil in the traditional manner.
Chicken stock or any meat stock, esp. fish stock, is rich in minerals, gelatin, collagen. Humans consumed stock for millennia as a valuable source of nutrients hard to find elsewhere. Stock can maintain healthy teeth and heal teeth in a natural way.
Cultured butter is rich in beneficial flora/probiotics and easy-to-digest. In fact, butter this way is often tolerated by those with fat/dairy sensitivities and easy to make; you only need cream and culture starter. Butter and other healthy saturated fats (i.e., duck fat, lard, coconut oil) can improve the strength of the teeth because saturated fat is what literally carries nutrients from food you eat into your teeth and body parts. “Oil pulling” with any of these fats goes directly to teeth.
Soak grains + beans/nuts/seeds as they contain enzyme inhibitors (i.e., phytates, tannins, goitrogens) which are anti-nutrients known to cause tooth decay/bone loss. Phytic acid is the most popular anti-nutrient that interferes with mineral absorption by blocking large % of minerals, making them unavailable to body. For ex. 80% of phosphorus in pumpkin seeds are blocked by phytate. Teeth need minerals to remineralize. So, do your part by ‘unlocking’ minerals in these foods by soaking them the traditional way here.
Collagen aids mineralization, stability, and bone density in teeth/connective tissue that keep teeth securely in jaw. As we age (or eat deficient diet) bone density and connective tissue dwindles and this can shrink jaw and gum tissue and leave teeth prone to damage. Collagen is tasteless and can be added without kids knowing ;0
Use stevia and lakanto instead of sweeteners that affect blood sugar and can potentially play a role in causing cavities.
Bone marrow is fatty, nourishing, and possibly one of the best remedies for teeth. Our ancestors relied on this primal food found inside the large bones of mammals. I roast beef bone marrow at 425 degrees F for 15 minutes until marrow drizzles out. The kids scoop marrow out of bone with (see video of my 3 yr old eating marrow).
Make unsalted probiotic-rich food (i.e., purple potion, young coconut kefir) a normal part of meals. These living foods contain trillions of beneficial flora that can alkalize mouth, balance blood sugar, and keep bad flora in check. The mouth has its own set of bacteria called ‘oral microbiome’, an inner world closely connected to tooth decay. Eating probiotic food made with high-quality culture starter and kefir starter regularly can maintain microbial balance in mouth and prevent tooth decay. My kids have eaten these foods since 2011 and I find them indispensable at every meal.
Heal yeast overgrowth in gut/mouth with yeast, sugar, gluten-free diet to stop yeast growing. Candida is found in plaque of kids with cavities. I recommend Body Ecology Diet to reverse yeast overgrowth.
Read Cure Tooth Decay by Ramiel Nagel.
Teach kids to breathe through nose unless eating or talking; esp., during sleep. If child mouth-breaths at night, they wake with dry mouth/smelly breath which dries mouth microbiome and means teeth are no longer bathed in saliva; a problem because saliva has critical nutrients to remineralize teeth and without enough saliva the mouth pH can become too acidic. This can allow bacteria to flourish which promotes cavities. Patrick Mckeown considers mouth breathing #1 cause of cavities, more than diet and dental hygiene.
Choose an extra-soft toothbrush. Most kids brush hard and over-brush areas; which can harm tooth enamel and gum tissue. Model how to gently do soft brushing for them.

May all bellies be happy!

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References

https://askthedentist.com/mouth-tape-better-sleep/

https://bodyecology.com/articles/artificial__natural_sweeteners.php

https://www.drstevenlin.com/oral-probiotics-benefits-can-they-prevent-tooth-decay/

https://mommypotamus.com/reverse-tooth-decay/

https://wellnessmama.com/3650/remineralize-teeth/

Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links for products I believe in and use on a regular basis. See more here. All content is general information only, primarily educational in nature, and not to be treated as a substitute for the medical advice of your primary health-care practitioner that you, the reader, may require for any cause whatsoever, now or in future. Consult your primary practitioner regarding any health problem(s) you have and keep them informed to opinions, ideas, and advice on this site you find useful. You can email tara@happybellies.net with any questions or concerns.