Most recent fluoride news has focused on the recently released NTP report, which affirmed that there is…a large body of evidence on IQ effects in children. There is also some evidence that fluoride exposure is associated with other neurodevelopmental and cognitive...
Not news: Sugar contributes to tooth decay. After all, sugar is the favorite food of harmful bacteria and other microbes that live in your mouth. And it’s not just the white crystal stuff you may be envisioning, but all foods that are digested as sugar, such as...
Here’s the thing about tooth enamel: Once it’s gone, it’s gone. Your body doesn’t have any way to grow more of the stuff. So we stress nutrition to support ongoing remineralization of that enamel and keep both mouth and body more alkaline than acidic, among other...
Maybe the best thing you could say about vaping is that some evidence suggests that it may help some adults quit regular cigarettes - emphasis on the word “some.” In fact, over half of adult e-cigarette users also use conventional tobacco products. In young adults,...
Tea is infamous for staining teeth. It’s also slightly acidic – even more so if sugar or lemon is added. Yet there’s also a good amount of evidence that it could help support your oral health. The latest is a study just published in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers...
So if fluoridation isn’t all that, what about applying fluoride directly to the teeth? Are the benefits worth the risk? The idea that topical fluoride is safer and more effective than fluoride you swallow is a common one. Hence, all the toothpastes, mouthwashes,...
For more than 50 years, the American Dental Association has published a book they call Fluoridation Facts. The newest edition just dropped. Like earlier versions, it justifies and endorses the fluoridation of public water supplies, while dismissing any cause for...
Everyone knows that dental tools such as floss, proxy brushes, and oral irrigators are the best way to clean between your teeth. But often, expediency rules, and other objects get used to remove trapped food. According to one recent survey, these include...
Keeping your teeth strong and free of decay depends on a balance between two continually occurring processes, demineralization and remineralization. Demineralization occurs under acidic conditions, especially when minerals levels are low. Calcium and phosphate end...
Just because a health problem is labeled “genetic” doesn’t mean that you’re fated to get it. Genes are potential…until they’re triggered. And this is why there’s so much preventive power in lifestyle choices – the food we eat, the habits we keep. Twins provide a...
Let’s face it: We all love the taste of sugar. Biologically, we’re hardwired to love sweets. It’s a way our bodies ensure our survival when food is scarce. But like any strength overplayed, this taste for sweetness has become our weakness. Just how weak? Here’s how...
The sugar industry could not deny the role of sucrose in dental caries [cavities] given the scientific evidence. They therefore adopted a strategy to deflect attention to public health interventions that would reduce the harms of sugar consumption rather than...
For Valentine’s Day, the American Academy of Pediatrics offers “14 Ways to Show Love for Your Child,” with tips ranging from positive talk to remembering to say “I love you” to providing healthy meals. But we thought of one they missed: Giving them a smoke-free...
For parents with kids who love soda pop, substituting 100% fruit juice may seem like a victory. But it’s a small one. Although the label can make it sound super healthy with claims of “no added sugar,” the fact of the matter is, even 100% fruit juice is already...
Most every adult in the US – 92%, to be exact – have experienced cavities. What’s to be done about it? Quite a bit, actually. Such a high rate of decay is unnatural, and we know the culprit: added sugars. Every time you eat hyper-processed food or sip a soft drink,...
In 2012, I wrote an article in The Healthy Planet that received much attention after its publication. It was titled Dental Ozone: Simple, Safe and Effective. It explained many of the positive effects that ozone therapy could provide for our dental patients today....