Biologic Dentistry and Nutrition

Dentists in general are taught tunnel vision, working only in the mouth, truly believing that the teeth have no effect on the body, and the body has no effect on the teeth. Biological dentistry, simply put, is an approach to dentistry that recognizes that the mouth and body are connected.

Biologic Dentists are generally more conservative than traditional dentists. Most understand that even if they were the best dentist in the world, teeth do not enjoy being drilled on, and it is always better to stop issues from occurring rather than fixing something once broken down.

Once the decay process breaks through the enamel and becomes a cavity, physical drilling is required to remove the compromised area, and a filling must be placed. Trovato Nutrition, along with our Biologic Dental Office - Meetinghouse Dental, promotes dental care that is in harmony with the overall system, understanding that all dental treatments impact other areas of the body in some way.

While traditional dentists tend to fix and save everything, concentrating solely on strength and structure (using metal everywhere), the goal of biological dentistry is to find the most conservative dental treatments using biocompatible materials that do not impact the teeth or body in a negative way.

The Mouth is a Window to the Body

The health of the mouth is a direct representation of the health of the body.

Take a good look at your mouth. What do you see?

Mercury Amalgam Fillings?
Porcelain-Fused-to-Metal Crowns?
Bridges?
Root Canals?
Missing Teeth?
Titanium Implants?
Partials?
Dentures?

Chances are, the more dental work you have experienced, the greater the burden your mouth puts on the rest of your body. "Silver" amalgam fillings are 50-52% mercury. Porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns (PFMs) can contain over 10 different metal, some quite high in nickel which is a high allergy causing metal. Throw in bridges, titanium implants, and partial dentures, and the metal adds up quite quickly.

The combination of dissimilar metals that have been placed inside an acidic environment (your saliva) cause a current of energy to be released from the teeth?

Metals + Acid + Energy = Battery

This microvolt discharge stimulates the growth and colonization of bacteria, irritating the gums and expediting decay. It also can disrupt normal energetic signals in the body, leading to neurological effects like memory loss / fog, ringing in the ears, trouble sleeping, sensitivity to EMFs, and more.

Overaggressive dentistry like crowns and bridges can also cause enough trauma to a nerve to need

a root canal. Root canals remove the nerve and life of the tooth, providing a perfect breeding

ground for bacteria, and re-infections are quite common.

Did you know that each tooth is associated with a different area of your body?

During our dental exam we make sure that no teeth are actively infected / re-infected, but we also provide information on the systemic system the root candled tooth compromises. We do not recommend action unless there are clinical signs of infection, but for some, particular health issues that correlate to their root canaled teeth is enough to have them investigate the situation further and ultimately make the right decision for their overall health.

The most thorough evaluation of root canal teeth is a 3D CBCT scan, which allows our doctors to visualize the teeth in three dimensions, tipping and rotating the tooth to fully determine its clinical stability.

The health of the mouth is a direct representation of the health of the body, and chances are, the more dental work you have experienced, the greater the burden your mouth puts on the rest of your body.

Why did you need all that dental work in the first place?

It is time to learn the facts...

The Breakdown Process

Historically, dentists have described the decay process through the concept of acid erosion. Example: “You ate too many acidic foods, you caused acid erosion, and all your teeth are now melting away.” Acid erosion is an outdated theory that is unfortunately still being used by many dentists. The real answer is a bit more complex. If preventing decay was an easy one sentence answer, then no one would have decay.

The answer combines multiple different topics such as bacteria, sugar, saliva, imbalanced pH, minerals, diet, and an incorrect internal dentition flow. The information can seem overwhelming, and it may take a while to fully integrate everything into your life, but starting with the foundation will provide the saliva (the environment) with the building blocks it needs to keep your teeth happy and healthy.

Evidence provided by multiple dentists and doctors through decades of research all come to the same irrefutable conclusion: Diet has an enormous impact on the oral environment.

There is overwhelming evidence linking sugar consumption and dental caries (cavities). Sugar and products typically associated with sugar are the main culprits, but other carbohydrates are also to blame. Studies show that high consumption of starchy vegetables and fruits are also linked with the occurrence of dental cavities.

The reason why sugar leads to decay is the bacteria in the mouth.

Streptococci, lactobacilli, and biﬁdobacteria are a few types of bacteria that contribute to the development of dental caries. The bacteria in your mouth use dietary sugar to produce insoluble plaque matrix polymers to aid in their colonization on the surface of your teeth. Once they have a stable living environment, the bacteria can eat both glucose and fructose (sugar from fruit). In fact, they eat ALL carbohydrates. Even the "healthy" ones. The metabolism of the sugar produces lactic acid, acetic acid, and formic acid which sits between the teeth and leads to enamel breakdown.

Exposing the oral bacteria to any form of sugar will result in acid production, shifting the salivary pH out of the neutral range. Increased acidity creates an imbalance in the oral environment and if left alone with no way to balance (neutralize acids), will force the dissolving of mineral salts found in enamel. (Mineral salts are 90% tri calcium phosphate and 10% calcium carbonate.)

The loss of minerals is referred to as demineralization. Basically, the acidic saliva panics and borrows minerals from the teeth in attempts to balance out the pH. As calcium and phosphate are lost from the surface of the tooth, the tooth becomes more prone to decay.

Demineralization occurs when the pH in the mouth reaches 5.5 or lower. Our saliva is a natural defense against demineralization and contains calcium and phosphate (along with many other macro and trace minerals) that will neutralize acids and remineralize damaged teeth if allowed to work properly for sufficient time. This process is not quick, and it cannot work at all if the pH of our saliva is too low (too acidic). This is far too often the case with today’s standard American diet (SAD).

Weston Price, D.D.S. conducted extensive research that led to the publication of his book Nutrition and Physical Degeneration in 1939. Price observed that in societies living in isolation and eating a “native diet” (not the Standard American Diet), the rate of tooth decay or gum disease was virtually non-existent. It wasn’t until the introduction of sugar and processed foods that he saw a breakdown of the oral environment. Price even witnessed mal-development of orofacial structures, affecting the balance and function of the entire musculoskeletal system.

Take Home Message:

Sugar and carbohydrates cause acid production.

Minerals neutralize acids in the saliva.

This is just the foundation of how to maintain teeth health.

There are multiple other factors involved that we explain during out biologic dental exam or our remineralization education.

Biologic Dental Exam

All of this information and more is covered extensively in our Biologic Dental Exam.

We use this amazing information, logically explaining the “why”, and walking

you step by step through the “how” of optimizing oral health.

Meetinghouse Dental Care and Trovato Nutrition provide oral health nutritional counseling as an integral component of our biological dentistry New Patient Consultation or as a sperate consultation for individuals looking for the information but who do not wish to become a patient at Meetinghouse Dental. We review your average nutritional intake and show you how "dental nutrition" can work with almost every diet in the world as long as certain concepts are being met. The goal is supporting your ability to balance oral pH.

Anthony will efficiently cover as many topics as time allows:

- Biologic dental issues relevant to your mouth

- Proper dental home care with specific tips to remove food AND neutralize acids
- Importance of salivary pH

- The truth behind "acid erosion"

- Factors to slow the breakdown process

- Importance of mineral and healthy fat intake

- Oral bicarbonate system

- Phytic acid's role in tooth decay

- Oral Microbiome

- Dentinial Flow

For more information on biologic dentistry or our

biologic dental exam, please click the button here:

You may also check out our dental website www.MeetinghouseDental.com

To set up a dental appointment, please call Meetinghouse Dental Care directly at (215) 293 - 0909.

Biologic Dental Exam