If a patient cannot clean his teeth, no dentist can clean them for him. ~Martin H. Fischer
Total read time: 12-14 minutes.
Possible savings on dental care: Thousands (eat that Geico)
- Table of Contents
- Inspiration
- The Problem With Conventional Wisdom
- Looking to our Past for Answers
- Appreciating the Past and Making Small Adjustments
- What to Do: The 3 Step Process
- Fluoride and the Pre Step
- Personal Results
- Common Counterpoint
- In Closing
_________________________________________________________________
This post was inspired by 3 events.
1. Only a few short weeks ago I learned one of my sisters was having dental work done- for over half a dozen cavities.
2. I told a close friend this news (who is the son of a life long dentist and is studying to become a dentist himself at the University of Florida). His first reaction was that the cause was likely “genetic”.
3. It’s been about a year since I released a YouTube video (that I will link later) demonstrating how I take care of my mouth in a way few others do. The video only received a few hundred views from my the old blogspot blog, but it has gone mildly “viral” with over 5,000 views and nearly 2 dozen comments.
My family needs help, mainstream thinking is severely flawed on this subject, and that random video I made could use a definitive update and accompanying text.
The Problem With Conventional Wisdom
As I’ve said before, conventional wisdom permeates nearly all subjects of importance. This includes proper care of the mouth and everything in it.
But where exactly does it go wrong? Well there are a few different areas, one- like the rest of the mainstream medical community- is the quick blame on “genetics”.
A second, is the quick assumption by most people that my sister is simply not taking care of her teeth well enough- things like not brushing enough, not flossing, etc.
To illustrate the flaws present in these ideas – let’s take a look at the World Health Organization’s take on the obesity epidemic and the causes behind it (taken from this page). The bolding is from me.
Facts
- Globally, there are more than 1 billion overweight adults, at least 300 million of them obese.
- The key causes are increased consumption of energy-dense foods high in saturated fats and sugars, and reduced physical activity.
To hop in real quick, I’d like to paraphrase a quote I recently saw that went something like “everyone is entitled to their own opinions, but there will always be only one fact”. While I have no argument for the numbers presented in fact 1, “fact” 2 is an opinion- NOT a fact. More in a moment. And for the record, the spelling errors are theirs in the following quote.
Why is this happening?
The rising epidemic reflects the profound changes in society and in behavioural patterns of communities over recent decades. While genes are important in determining a person’s susceptibility to weight gain, energy balance is determined by calorie intake and physical activity…
As incomes rise and populations become more urban, diets high in complex arbohydrates give way to more varied diets with a higher proportion of fats, saturated fats and sugars. At the same time, large shifts towards less physically demanding work have been observed worldwide. Moves towards less physical activity are also found in the increasing use of automated transport, technology in the home…
Expanding upon the bolding, a few of the underlying assumptions from the WHO regarding obesity are
A. The human body is a closed system . (click the video for a 60 second clip on why this is not true)
B. A calorie is a calorie (and we are eating to much, as a sub segment of A)
C. Less random physical activity- IE calorie expenditure- is a significant factor for obesity.
D. Saturated fat- a necessary nutrient we have eaten ample amounts of for millions of years- somehow causes us to store body fat, despite the fact that it does not stimulate the release of insulin (the hormone that signals body fat storage).
E. Letter D can also be applied to fat as macro nutrient in general.
Now, this is an article about oral care, but I would like to take a moment and point out that these assumptions are severely lacking any real scientific foundation and, in my opinion, are flat out wrong.
While certainly not surprising, it is unfortunate to see a large organization such as the WHO support such notions.
And in fact, their recommendations are only perpetuating the problem- if not one of the primary causes to begin with.
In relation to proper mouth care, I would like to make 2 points.
One is that the ideas they promote regarding physical activity and calorie expenditure, basically say that if you don’t burn enough calories through “regular exercise” (which can be loosely defined in their circumstance as any random physical activity), you will gain fat.
In the same way (actions taken), the general assumption regarding those with poor teeth is that they “don’t brush their teeth enough”. The same can be said about those with other oral problems (IE not flossing enough).
While I do support cleaning your teeth daily, the problem with this thinking is that for millions of years, we did not clean our teeth much, if at all…
Looking to our Past for Answers
Not cleaning our teeth, disgusting you might say, but know this- ancient man had relatively few dental problems.
And by “relatively few” I mean damn near zero.
The same can be said about the few dozen modern hunter/gatherer tribes that are still thriving today around the world. It’s just not an issue.
For clarification purposes, this voids the logic that my sister doesn’t inherently take care of her mouth “enough”. Were she born at almost any other point in human history, her chances of having a cavity would be slim to none- without any modern form of dental care.
The second point I would like to touch on in relation to the WHO‘s stance on obesity is that of “genes”.
Yes, some individuals are born with gifts and talents that others do not posses. I’m sure everyone knows that guy/girl that eats a SAD (Standard American Diet) and is relatively lean, or perhaps even well muscled. While others, are severely obese (most of us are just mildly obese- if that even makes any sense).
In line with those gifts, some people’s teeth and gums do not respond as negatively to high carbohydrate diets- and some respond severely to such a diet (and again, most of the population falls somewhere in the middle, a la “mildly over fat”).
The problem is this though- like obesity- blaming your problems on genetics is a scape goat- for the patient and doctor (or, uninformed dentist in this case).
The reality is this (a bit oversimplified, but comprehensive none the less) if you eat a proper diet in line with our evolution- which will be low to very low in carbohydrates, or perhaps none at all- you will be neither obese or have any significant dental problems.
Hey you still might have bad breath, which my step by step process definitely prevents like nothing else can- but your teeth certainly won’t be falling out of your head =).
Hence it was mildly alarming to see my friend- who is studying to become a dentist (and doing quite well)- reveal his first assumption regarding the source of her problems to be “genetics”.
In another light, everyone’s genetics are set in such a way as to prevent these kinds of problems from ever happening in the first place- period.
If you’re interested in reading more about that specific topic I recommend this article. And for saturated fats you can read Tim Ferriss’s blog here.
Appreciating the Past and Making Small Adjustments
A favorite book of mine is The Primal Blueprint. For nutrition, I think it’s top notch.
However, an important distinction the author makes is that of minor adjustments to our “primal” diet.
For example, the author supports the consumption of some milk fats and whey. Bovine milk certainly was not in our diet until only a few thousand years ago (hardly a drop in the bucket in regards to evolution), BUT, that doesn’t mean many of us can’t consume those derivatives of milk.
What’s most interesting to me, as noted in my review, is that the author fails to make this same intellectual leap regarding exercise.
As far as I can tell, he is completely tunnel visioned into replicating as closely as possible the physical activity that our ancestors experienced- with little to no regard for modern advancements and positive exploitations of our metabolism, skeletal muscle and cardiovascular systems (taking advantage of the amplification cascade as discussed in Body by Science for example).
Thankfully, I don’t think many people are ready and willing to stop brushing their teeth in an effort to mimic our ancestors- as I think it’s a bit silly (and unnecessary) to do so for the purpose of maintaining a healthy mouth and white teeth.
With that said, let’s get down to business…
What to Do: The 3 Step Process
I can’t claim this process as my own, but I am completely clueless as to who the originator is- and I’ve looked. If you have an idea, please let me know- but honestly I believe the chances are slim that the originator of this simple process will ever be given due credit.
Perform the following once per day, in this order. And don’t skip anything as it is a comprehensive process and works collectively for excellent oral health.
And stay consistent with it- understanding that more of a good thing is not necessarily better (largely a waste of time, in this case).
Step 1: Floss
I prefer to use basic picks like this one . It does not need any sort of special feature- just a basic pick, or even classic floss will do. It’s actually preferred that it is basic and not coated with anything.
Make sure not to miss any gaps, take your time with it (and don’t be overly aggressive), and if you’re new to it, don’t be worry about any minor bleeding. This is a common issue and is largely due to inflammation of gingivial tissue.
Step 2: Swish
Using a small cup of some type*, mix 1 part water, 1 part natural/organic mouth wash**, and a small amount of 3% hydrogen peroxide***. Swish this mixture around for 1-2 minutes. No less, and more isn’t doing much of anything but eating up your time. Once done, spit, and rinse if you want (not necessary until after brushing).
*I usually use the cap of the bottle of store bought mouth wash. The idea is to only use as much total liquid as you can, without “overloading” your mouth- in the sense of barely being able to move it around. And leave some extra room for bubbles
** I prefer to use Jason’s mouthwash- that specific model actually. However, this component is optional. You can just use water and hydrogen peroxide (replacing the MW with extra water) and get largely the same effect. However I have noticed that using a mouthwash such as this helps keep my breath fresh- even in the face of food (I $hit you not). There are also benefits of using this mouthwash due to the ingredients list- including aloe vera and cinnamon- which are absorbed through the mouth while “swishing”. Finally, it is important to either use a “natural” mouthwash such as this one, or just water and 3% hydrogen peroxide. Mainstream mouth washes and most breath mints are not designed to support “good” breath and mouth health- and can often have quite the opposite effect (leaving us to wonder just how much of that is done on purpose to increase usage and profits).
***3% hydrogen peroxide can be found at virtually any grocery store in the US. It is completely safe to use orally (as stated on every bottle I have ever seen) once mixed with water. It does an excellent job of cleaning your mouth out in prep for the final step, so please don’t get squeamish at the sight of this word and skip this component.
Step 3: Brush
Take a medium softness* tooth brush, and apply a natural toothpaste (one free of fluoride**). Wet if you prefer, and then apply a small amount of baking soda, and an even smaller amount of sea salt***.
Brush thoroughly, covering all teeth, all sides of them, your gums- and even your tongue if you didn’t perform the optional pre step I will mention in a moment (I don’t).
Like flossing, get it done, but don’t be over aggressive. There’s no need to try to grind your teeth to pulp…
This should take anywhere from 1-2 minutes. Longer if you like, but I rarely spend more time than that.
After brushing, spit, rinse, and your done. Enjoy, your mouth should feel amazing at this point =).
* “Soft” is too soft, hard is too hard- neither are optimal for maintaining proper care of your mouth (trust me on this one). As for electric brushes- waste of money for little to no benefit in my opinion. If you have one, go ahead and use it, but from my experience, it will make little difference in this 3 step process- except as a dent in your wallet.
** “Natural” tooth paste poses 2 benefits. One is the same as the mouthwash- a minimal absorption of the ingredients. The mirror side of this is it’s other benefit- “natural” or organic tooth pastes are usually void of any harmful substances- like sugar, other sweeteners, fluoride (more in a moment), various flavorings, aluminum, fragrances, colorings, detergents, and so forth. While there probably isn’t any “perfect” tooth paste, again, I like to use Jason’s . And while tooth paste isn’t as optional as mouth wash in step 2, if it came down to it, I would just use baking soda and sea salt instead of conventional tooth paste.
***Conventional salt usually has a mixture of various chemicals within in it. Considering how small the amount of sea salt you are using is, it makes sense to avoid these ingredients for a slightly higher price. I have literally been using the same container of salt for over a year now- and I used it on food at one point as well. Also, baking soda is already mildly abrasive. This is a good thing, but the effect should not be amplified through the roof with a copious amount of salt. Just a pinch.
The pre step I mentioned earlier is the use of a tongue scraper. These are found in most grocery stores and are pretty straight forward to use. If you do use one, do it before flossing. Personally, I don’t. I brush my tongue a bit, and that’s enough for me =).
Regarding the use of fluoride- I don’t recommend it, at all.
You’re free to do your own research on the subject as I’m sure this comes as a shock to many- but as far as I’m concerned fluoride having lasting positive effects on teeth is about as proven as saturated fat and cholesterol magically “clogging” arteries.
The use of it by dentists is wide-spread, and borderline dogmatic. On that note, I encourage you to question your dentist about fluoride the next time you are in his office- which shouldn’t be anytime soon =).
It’s also interesting to note that a few dozen countries have banned the fluoridation of their waters including China, Japan, and most of Europe.
And finally, fluoride is not a necessary nutrient. If you never consumed a drop of it in your life, you would suffer no consequences (although it is present in some foods, in tiny, tiny amounts).
Personal Results
It’s probably about time I link that video. You can left click it and watch a segment here on the blog, or right click and open in a new tab to watch the entire thing.
The segment that pulls up is footage of my teeth then in December of 2008. That was after performing the described process once per day for many months (usually at night so as I slept my mouth was not only clean but slightly alkaline to start off).
My teeth have only gotten whiter since, I have no known cavities (or any other problems), and my breath is almost always “good”.
Good in quotations because “good breath”, is no breath- unlike the common notion of minty or “fresh” breath.
A properly maintained mouth should have little to no smell at all- for fashion and health =).
I have not been to a dentist in a very, very long time- and have no intention of seeing one anytime soon barring any trauma related damage to my teeth (a chipped tooth perhaps).
The only other kind of oral maintenance (maybe not the best choice of words?) I perform is briefly brushing my teeth with just tooth paste during the day- after a large meal for example. Even this is rare though, maybe once or twice a week- max.
I find it unnecessary. Again, our ancestors went for millions of years without anything remotely like the process described and had no dental problems. As far as I’m concerned, if eating properly, this is ample care for your entire mouth.
If not eating properly, this will help, but ultimately it probably won’t save you from oral problems if you were genetically set to have them anyway. Not unlike my personal saying of you can’t out eat a bad training program (meaning overuse injuries spawned over decades of repetitive wear and tear can not be negated by eating certain foods- it will always be a genetic gamble).
Common Counterpoint
I’ve attempted to lace in answers to as many frequently asked questions as I could in the post. Regardless, I’m sure there are going to be quite a few questions I overlooked.
One that struck me towards the closing of this post however was that of “but my teeth are fine, I brush my teeth like my parents taught me as a child, floss every once in a while, and I see my dentist twice a year”.
This it the same rebuttal that is common when people are given the advice of cutting grains out of their diet when already “fit” or “healthy”. There’s little motivation to do so and without that spark to make a change (being overweight for example) it is difficult for most to let go of past habits and beliefs- and basically devalue a daily activity they have performed for years.
The answer to this question is the same as it is for removing or dramatically reducing grains from your diet- it’s a gamble that’s NOT worth taking. You may have gotten by for many years doing what everyone else is doing, but just how long that will last is anyone’s guess. Factor in the over consumption of carbohydrates, simple sugar, and high fructose corn syrup for a couple decades, and you can see where most of western civilization is heading in terms of dental health.
Eliminate the gamble and take yourself off the fast track to the dentist’s office (in a long enough time span) by eating right, trying this process, and seeing for yourself.
In Closing
Not surprisingly, the conventional wisdom surrounding proper care of the teeth, gums, and everything related is misleading at best, and harmful at worst.
Like nutrition and exercise, the past is a solid source of information- but not the end all.
Be prepared to make a minor adjustment (5 minute per day investment of time), and then do it.
Ditch expensive whitening strips and procedures, perform the 3 step process once nightly- with relatively inexpensive and easy to find products- and you will have a mouth that “people pay thousands of dollars for”- according to my young dentist friend at UF (who is a great friend that I have a lot of respect for).
And indeed, people do pay thousands for teeth as white as mine- not to mention fillings like my sister’s (among other oral problems). Take a little time, save yourself a lot of head ache and cash, and let your dentist be there for serious problems only.
Enjoy
-Anthony
Edit- there is an additional post pertaining to the nutritional aspects discussed in this post and how they relate to tooth decay. You can find it here.
HA! I read this entire thing while reading a big piece of antioxidant rich dark chocolate and feeling guilty about that the whole time!! haha.
I have to say tho, that I’ve always been totally freaked out about the artificial sweeteners in conventional toothpaste. I wouldn’t touch artificial sweeteners of any type in any other situation but feel moderately TRAPPED by toothpaste. I’m gonna give Jason’s a look… and yah, all I use is seasalt when I need salt. That regular table salt is scarier ‘n anything, so many chemicals… but never heard of brushing your teeth with salt.
so, tell me this Anthony… you’re in no rush to go to the dentist any time soon… what about the removal of natural build-up tartar? You only brush your teeth ONCE a day (as in NOT first thing in the morning? no morning breath?) so you are leaving food bits and coatings on your teeth all day from your meals throughout the day, do you not think any of that might cause tartar to build up? You can’t SEE tartar, so how do you know?
I’m gonna look into incorporating your tips but I sure as hell am NOT giving up my once a year check up and cleaning at the dentist, that’s for sure!!
thanks for a great post. Can I finish my chocolate now? LOL
J
Hey Jackie
HA! I read this entire thing while reading a big piece of antioxidant rich dark chocolate and feeling guilty about that the whole time!! haha.
Na don’t, I eat dark chocolate pretty frequently- just in really small amounts.
You only brush your teeth ONCE a day (as in NOT first thing in the morning? no morning breath?)
Yes, usually once per day. I have a picture of my teeth from today if you are interested in up to date results =). As for morning breath- as long as I eat 3+ hours before sleeping, no, not at all. Again, “good” breath is NO breath- which is what I wake up with. I won’t pretend to understand the science behind this process to some deep level, but it makes sense, and it’s worked without failure for over 1 year now.
Know anyone else brushing their teeth once a day (on average) and waking up without morning breath?
so you are leaving food bits and coatings on your teeth all day from your meals throughout the day,
Not quite- if I eat a high carbohydrate meal (such as yesterdays bag of almonds, dark chocolate, and dried cherries, totaling just over 100g of carbs) I will brush my teeth with a small amount of just tooth paste. Basically, if my mouth feels “yucky”, I clean it. This is rare though, like once a week rare. If I eat some eggs or meat, I don’t brush until night time.
Also, think about our ancestors as I mentioned in the post. They didn’t have dental problems… how often were they brushing their teeth and having anxiety attacks about tartar? (joking here, but think about it). Unless you’re going to eat a lot of carbs in a meal, I don’t see the point in brushing your teeth until later (save garlic breath). Carbohydrate is what’s going to rot your teeth, not real food =).
I’m gonna look into incorporating your tips but I sure as hell am NOT giving up my once a year check up and cleaning at the dentist, that’s for sure!!
I’m definitely not a dentist, so by all means go (I may have been to strong in recommending blowing off the denty ha). But yea, it just seems like a waste of money to me. Combine that with them flushing your mouth with hordes of fluoride- I’ll pass. Regarding tartar, again, think “primal”, and then consider this process as MORE than enough care for your mouth under the right circumstances (eating right). It shouldn’t be an issue (and I’m curious as to how the abrasiveness of baking soda and sea salt affects tartar- as in I’m betting my mouth on it).
finish your chocolate, I had some today too =)
thanks for commenting
-Anthony
I’m gonna pick up the necessary supplies and begin trying this out. BTW, if you don’t already have it in your queue of articles to write, you should put together some suggestions of this lower grain diet, perhaps even a few recipes?
Keep up the great work, Anthony!
@Thom
A few posts are in queue, soon =)
Nice post! And well done on the formatting too, really easy for the eyes
In addition: Hydrogen Peroxide is slightly corrosive in larger amounts, am I right? Though I doubt 3% is dangerous at all, just don’t drink too much of it
Cheers,
Jonas
@Jonas
Hey man, been meaning to e-mail you! Thanks for the comments, I worked hard on organizing this post =).
Regarding HP, yes there are downsides to it. But, in small amounts (you should be using a “dimes” worth of an already heavily watered down version- 3%-, or less) it should have no real negative effect. If anything, I’d be concerned with my intake of fluoride long before a tiny amount of HP being absorbed through my mouth (ya, I don’t recommend drinking it ha).
-Anthony
I know from experience this works out awesome, I mixed up the 3 parts of the liquid in an old crest whitening, mouthwash bottle, so I just mix it all up and pour it into the cap. It does get a bit bubbly though lol.
I cannot tell you how glad I am for this post!
PS. I heard Julia Roberts say in an interview once that she doesn’t use deodorant because she doesn’t need it. Do you think that deodorant might work like toothpaste–the more you use, the more you need?
Hey Carly
Thanks for the comment. Regarding deodorant…somewhat. Like your mouth having “good” breath (no breath), your body naturally shouldn’t smell too too bad on it’s own. Even after a workout, it shouldn’t be unbearable- although, probably not pleasant ha.
I think the bigger issue with deodorant is not how much you use though, it’s the quality of what your using. Like toothpaste, I stick with Jason’s deodorant- it’s free of any weird substances, including aluminum and other nasty stuff in common deodorants (which when used in excess, probably make the problem worse, like toothpaste).
Make sense? Quality>quantity =)
-Anthony
Hi,
I was wondering what your thoughts on sugar free chewing gum are? Obviously popular wisdom states it is good, but I alse read somewhere using chewing gum for too long actually promotes bad breath.
I like to use it in the day because I use a Warrior Diet (Ori Hofmekler) type approach to nutrition, and just eat mainly fruit/salad throughout the day with a big eat in the evening. I find this works well for me in terms of energy and physique, but I get a bad taste in my mouth and some bad breath in the afternoon, despite drinking lots of water. I don’t know if this is ketosis (is it even possible to drop into ketosis in the period of a single day?!) or something else (drinking tap water?).
Anyway, your thoughts would be appreciated, and I’m giving your routine a try as of today, got everything except the natural mouthwash (which I’m gonna leave out) and the baking powder, which I’ll pick up later.
Hey Matt
I personally stay away from gum, “sugar free” or not. In fact the sugar free gums may be worse than sugared gums (depends on what they are using as a sweetener in place of some form of sugar).
Every once in a while- like once or twice a month- probably won’t lead to any problems though.
As for ketosis, I’ve read it’s a possible cause of bad breath, but if you’re eating fruit daily I highly doubt your dipping into it.
Give the routine a try and drink plenty of water- see if any changes occur for your breath. Although, when I drink unfiltered tap water my breath reeks too- not to mention my mouth feels dry and disgusting.
Finally, check this post out from Mark S. Little bit different perspective but should prove to be a good read
http://www.marksdailyapple.com/phenylketonurics-chewing-gum/
This post could also prove helpful for breath problems
http://www.marksdailyapple.com/natural-cures-bad-breath/
thanks for commenting, good luck
-Anthony
Thanks for the reply. What do you do for water then, buy bottled?
I drink ~3L a day usually, and buying this much bottled water isn’t really feasible for me. Any suggestions?
Oh man, do I ever have a suggestion =). Just wait… I recently found the ULTIMATE solution to bottled water (like you said, its not feasible to buy that much clean water, which I did for many years).
Full review on what I’m talking about this week.
-Anthony
I feel our body’s PH balance has a lot to do with modern health problems. The article below just hits the tip of the iceberg. How our saliva/digestive system breaks down food, weakness, the teeth themselves, white blood cells, and so much more are all effected.
http://www.atlantaclassicalhomeopathy.com/pHbalance.htm
A little fun fact. Nazi Germany used to give Fluoride to prisoners in attempt to dumb them down. Yet its still used widely in Elementary and Middle Schools, in most Public water systems, and in most toothpastes in stores. Pretty messed up.
I think it has a lot to do with dental care, but beyond that I’m not so sure… Although, perhaps not coincidentally, carbohydrate is bad for both your teeth and the rest of your body.
Dream,
I’ve read this post a few times and thought about it off and on. I’m reading the Vegetarian Myth at the moment, in a section talking about Weston Price. He was a dentist by trade who searched the World trying to find civilizations with exceptional dental (and overall) health and understand what made that so (no surprise: eggs, meat, fish).
So, that got me thinking about this again and I want to finally post some thoughts I’ve had.
Like you, I have recently found myself looking to the past for answers on health. That’s why dental health seems to be giving me a struggle lately. I mean, what were the Aborigines or Torres Strait Islanders, two groups Price found to have exceptional dental health, doing to keep their teeth so healthy? I can’t imagine they were doing much gargling or flossing, let alone isolated hydrogen peroxide being available.
It seems to me that, on a proper diet, there should be little need for any type of dental care. My personal rational is that without massive amounts of grain/starch/sugar feeding unfriendly bacteria in my mouth, whatever guards against tooth decay worked for the past 2 million years still should.
A few years ago I read an article about a pro-bacteria that naturally builds a lattice-work over our teeth each night that researchers thought protected them. I didn’t think of it much at the time (I need to find that article again) but now I think, “Of course!”. I’m sure mouthwash protects me against gingivitis germs, but am I also destroying a vast, ancient and mutually beneficial ecosystem in my mouth every morning?
Of all the tooth-having animals to exist on Earth, the only ones to use any of these products are Humans, for the past hundred or so years. I wonder what that percentage is – infinitesimally small, I imagine.
Of course, the issue is that most of those animals probably didn’t have white teeth. Which brings me to my next main issue. Are white teeth healthy teeth? This is an assumption most of us seem to have but what makes white teeth more able to chew food or more resistant to dental diseases? It seems more like a societal expectation and desire. One that I have too, which is precisely where my conflict lies.
What if optimal teeth are slightly discolored teeth. Isn’t that pretty likely, evolutionarily speaking? It still may then be ok to go the extra mile to get them sparkling, but surely adding complexity (brushing, cleaning with chemicals, etc) has some _potential_ risks, even if small. Things like a connection between brushing teeth and receding gum-lines.
Not sure where this leaves us exactly and unfortunately I bring only thoughts and no answers. My main point is: there’s something unique about dental health and it my be interesting for someone (you, me, anyone) to pursue some more answers.
Thanks for reading, I’m interested to hear what you think!
-Nicky
Hey Nicky
I agree 100% that there should be little if any need to “clean” your teeth (beyond picking meat out of them) on a proper diet. Hence, I only encourage doing this process once per day, and perhaps only brushing 1 extra time if your mouth feels “yucky” from eating something with carbohydrate in it earlier in the day.
I think the reality is though, that few people eat no carbohydrate (which I’m not so sure our teeth can handle well, regardless of what occurs naturally). I personally eat a little every day, usually around 20g, although it varies from 5-40 grams.
If I ate 100% meat and eggs, I would possibly skip brushing, and only floss/gargle some type of mild mouth wash for better breath (and the flossing to remove any meat stuck in my teeth), since at that point I would view brushing as completely unnecessary.
I think the white teeth being percieved as “healthy” is a good question to ask, one I unfortunately have no answer to either =). But, white teeth are pleasant to the eyes, something I believe is instinctual, not “forced on us by the media”. The media is a reflection of that being some sort of mild positive trait.
And certainly discolored teeth are not visually appealing. This of course doesn’t correlate to discolored teeth not being “healthy”, but it’s interesting to look at anyway.
As for it being evolutionary likely that discolored teeth are optimal, I don’t believe so. I can’t imagine our ancestors had perfect sparkling white teeth, but I also doubt they were “discolored” to any noticeable amount (such as with big coffee drinkers and smokers). They probably had fairly white teeth….and bad breath from meat lol (although, I don’t believe it contributes to any sort of damage, just bad breath).
Anyway, thanks for bringing up more discussion, its always welcome.
-Anthony
One final thought- aren’t teeth inherently “white”? Meaning if they pop out white…is there any reason they *shouldn’t* stay that way?
Food for thought.
-Anthony
Hello Dream,
Thanks for posting this.
I found your video on a thread of Mystery’s forum and I have been doing this for 3 days now.
I can’t thank you enough.
Since I started I have totally eliminated bad breath.
No matter what I eat (within the limit
), I wake up in the morning and spend the whole day without ANY breath AT ALL.
I have never believed the hype of movies that show actors waking up in the morning and speaking to each other with their faces seperated by mere inches.
I now see that this is VERY POSSIBLE
I also feel my mouth cleaner and anytime i rub my teeth with my finger, they always have that squicky clean feel
I’m sure that in the next few weeks, I’ll get even whiter teeth, but for those that want to try this method out, even if you end up just eliminating bad breath it’s a result NO other product will give you.
Will
Anthony, I’m going to try this out. Is there a particular thing of hydrogen peroxide I need to get?
Also, just curious – what do you do for other things – soaps, gels, deodorants etc. Thanks!