Our country is flooded with fluoride. Yet caries – tooth decay – remains the number one chronic, infectious disease among children. More than 90% of adults have had decay in their permanent teeth.

Ninety percent!

And still folks will claim – with a straight face – that fluoridation is a triumph in public health. The science says otherwise.

Nor does it do anything to address the actual cause of decay. It’s merely an attempt to limit dental damage, even as it’s been shown to do quite a lot of damage to the body as a whole.

Going after the cause means, above all, cutting out sugar and limiting consumption of all processed foods. These are the preferred foods of the pathogens – “bad bugs” – that cause caries and periodontal disease, mainly bacteria and fungi. Eliminate those foods, and you effectively starve the bad guys.

At the same time, you can glut them with something they hate: oxygen. One of the reason those bad bugs especially like hanging out between teeth and under your gums is that those are dark, damp, low-oxygen environments.

Here in the office, we can administer ozone – super-charged oxygen – through trays that cover your teeth. At home, you can use ozone oil. Rub it directly on your gums or add it to your toothpaste.

But getting rid of the bad guys is only half the equation. The other is replenishing the good microbes – the ones that help keep the bad guys in check while contributing to a host of metabolic functions.

Oral probiotics are great for helping sustain a healthy oral environment. We recommend Pharmax. This excellent systemic probiotic supplement supports good immune health and increases nutrient absorption, while creating an unfavorable environment for bad bacteria.

Eating eating fermented and cultured foods likewise supports good gut and immune system health. And in terms of overall diet, you want to make sure you get plenty of vitamins A, D, E, K, and CoQ10, while consuming good fats and mostly alkaline-producing foods.

Here’s what else you can do at home to keep the bad guys in check and give the good guys every opportunity to thrive:

1. Brush twice a day with a fluoride-free, alkaline toothpaste – one free from sodium lauryl sulfate, triclosan, microbeads, titanium dioxide, or any other chemicals you’d never think to eat. One of our favorites is Uncle Harry’s: great product, great price, and made locally! We also recommend using a Sonicare or other electric brush.

   Because conditions in your mouth are more acidic after you eat, always wait at least a half hour before brushing and swish with water or an alkaline rinse first to help neutralize acids. Make sure you brush all surfaces of your teeth – tops and sides. When you’re done, dip your brush head into 3% hydrogen peroxide and let dry.




2. Use a Waterpik once or twice a day after brushing to clean between teeth and below the gum line – an area dental floss can’t really reach. You can also add pathogen-fighting compounds to the water: 5 – 6 drops of Providone Iodine or Lugols; sea salt; baking soda; or alkaline mouth rinse.

   If you like to floss, great! Keep doing it – after you clean with your Waterpik. Or don’t. Yes, flossing really is optional.




3. Use an alkaline mouth rinse after meals to neutralize oral conditions. Conventional products don’t cut it. They tend toward acidic, draw minerals away from your teeth, and dry out tissues. We like Uncle Harrys Miracle Mouth Rinse, though you can easily make your own at home: water + 1 tsp. baking soda + 1 tsp. sea salt + 1 tsp. xylitol + herbs for taste (e.g., peppermint, licorice, oregano, et al).




4. Brush your tongue or use a tongue scraper each time after you brush.




5. Practice oil pulling daily. Place 1 – 2 teaspoons of organic coconut or sesame oil in your mouth and swish for 5 minutes. Then spit the oil into the trash.

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