Vote Yes on CA Prop 37- Make Informed Food Choices
Let Your Food Be Your Medicine

The first in our series in support of CA Proposition 37, requiring the labeling of genetically engineered foods. This issue affects dental health in particular and has far reaching consequences for environmental health in general.  (See our latest post on dentistrygoesgreen.com and a prior post at http://bit.ly/T6ARlD on this subject).

As the above video shows, food sensitivities can cause gum problems, among other health considerations. Supporting CA Prop 37 is important because a healthy diet is necessary for natural dental health. The GMO labeling advocated by Prop 37 is necessary so that informed food choices can be made by all.

As a holistic dentist as well as a citizen,  I am reminded once again of the quote by the Roman physician Galen, “Let your food be your medicine and let your medicine be your food.” That is as true today as it was in his time.

Let Your Voice Be Heard

The California Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) is the lead agency for the implementation of the Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986, better known by its original name, Proposition 65. Proposition 65 is a voter approved initiative that addresses the public’s concerns about exposure to toxic chemicals, and requires that the State publish a list of chemicals known to cause cancer or birth defects or other reproductive harm. Currently, the list, which must be updated at least once a year, has grown to include approximately 800 chemicals since it was first published in 1987.

The Carcinogen Identification Committee (CIC) advises and assists OEHHA in compiling the list of these harmful chemicals. Fluoride and its salts, and tris(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate will be considered for possible listing by the CIC at its next meeting, scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday, October 12 and 13, 2011.

The City of San Diego—as well as the cities of Coronado, Del Mar, and Imperial Beach—began fluoridating all of its drinking water in February 2011, following the San Diego City Council acceptance of an offer of funding from the First 5 Commission in June of 2008. According to the U.S. Surgeon General, there are profound and consequential disparities in the oral health of our citizens that have resulted in a “silent epidemic” of dental and oral diseases that disproportionately affects low-income and minority populations. The First 5 Commission of San Diego County states that, “Community water fluoridation is considered the safest, most effective, cost-efficient and equitable means to provide protection from tooth decay in a community.”

But what does fluoridation mean to you and your health? How do you feel about public water being used as a vehicle for mass medication? And, how do you feel about having city water, water that you pay for, fluoridated against your will?

According to the Fluoride Action Network, a non-profit organization dedicated to raising awareness of the health effects of fluoride ingestion (due to water fluoridation as well as other sources), there are at least fifty reasons to oppose fluoridation. Additionally, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) acknowledges that the mechanism of fluoride’s benefits are mainly topical and not systemic. This means that the fluoride that you swallow in your drinking water won’t be doing you much good (if any) as it splashes by your teeth on the way to your stomach. In April of last year, an issue of Time magazine included fluoride on a list of “The Hazards Lurking at Home,” pointing out that fluoride is “neurotoxic and potentially tumorigenic if swallowed; [and that] the American Dental Association advises that children under 2 not use fluoride toothpaste.”

While San Diegans drink, play and scrub up in fluoridated water, it is to be noted that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has never approved any fluoride product designed for ingestion as safe or effective and that no clinical trials have been conducted and submitted to the FDA to demonstrate the effectiveness of ingesting fluoride. If the FDA does not recognize the safety and effectiveness of fluoride supplements, how can we, as a community of athletes, infants, elders, medical patients (with special emphasis on kidney dialysis patients), and average citizens—all of whom consume various amounts of water in a myriad of ways—feel safe with fluoridated water?

The Fluoride Action Network reports that fluoride is a cumulative poison and that on average, only 50% of the fluoride we ingest each day is excreted through the kidneys. The remainder accumulates in our bones, pineal gland, and other tissues. If the kidney is damaged, fluoride accumulation will increase, and with it, the likelihood of harm.

For more information on the health impacts of fluoridated water, visit The Fluoride Action Network at www.fluoridealert.org and Citizens for Safe Drinking Water at www.nofluoride.com

Fluoride & Water Action Alert
We have the opportunity to let our views about fluoridation be taken into account. A public comment period regarding the toxicity of fluoridation is being held by the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment until 5 p.m. on Tuesday, September 6, 2011.

The OEHHA encourages you to submit comments in electronic form, rather than in paper form. Comments transmitted by e-mail should be addressed to coshita@oehha.ca.gov. Comments submitted in paper form may be mailed, faxed, or delivered in person to the address below:
Ms. Cynthia Oshita
Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment
P.O. Box 4010, MS-19B
Sacramento, California 95812-4010
Comments transmitted by fax should be sent to
(916) 323-8803.
OEHHA will organize and index the comments received and forward the information to the CIC members prior to the meeting at which the chemicals will be considered.

SIDE BAR: The fluoride used for water fluoridation does not have FDA approval and is considered by the FDA as an “unapproved drug.” The proper use of any drug requires an understanding of how much is too much. Since fluoride is already in many foods and beverages, an estimated total intake of existing fluoride amounts is imperative.

Reprinted with permission from Ocean Beach People’s Organic Food Market. www.obpeoplesfood.coop

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) defines dental cavities or “caries” as the “result of bacteria on teeth that breakdown foods and produce acid that destroys tooth enamel and results in tooth decay”.

I see the result of sugar and poor diet on teeth every day. This coupled with inadequate oral hygeine/home care is the difference between dental health and decay.  When I see the effects on the oral cavity, it makes me wonder what sugar, processed foods, and improper diet does to the body as a whole in terms of acidity, plaque in the arteries, inability to detoxify, and breakdown of the organs and immune systems.  It is a humbling thought.

The acid stays present on the teeth because of either poor brushing and flossing habits (oral hygiene) and/or the presence of too much acidity in the saliva, which feeds the decay-causing bacteria and causes it to flourish.  Children from age 6 until adolescence are at risk for cavities because their constant exposure to sweets, whether in the form of all-too-prevalent candy or ‘good-for-you’ fruit juices, which  contain a high degree of fructose.  While fructose is a natural sugar, it is still a sweet and will feed the bacteria that causes tooth decay.  My youngest patient is currently two years old and has cavities.

In my holistic dental practice, I strongly espouse the basics. What you do every day to maintain the health of the mouth pays dividends on many levels.  Keeping your mouth and gums bacteria free and thus inflammation free has become recognized as having a role in the health of your heart and blood vessels.  Brushing and flossing really are important.  Yes often it is inconvenient, but once a day is all you need to maintain your teeth in a healthy state.  If you have trouble with inflammation, maybe twice a day with regular cleanings will be necessary.

If you have bleeding gums when you brush or when you have cleanings done at the dental office, or if you have pocketing over 3 millimeters when measured by your dentist, then more than the basics may be necessary.  Often deep cleanings or root planing is recommended.  However, I have found that bringing the inflammation down first is more effective than just deep cleanings.  I have spoken about the holistic gel treatment I do in my dental practice in previous posts.  What I haven’t spoken about is the overall effect it has on the health of the mouth.

Basically, less bacteria and less inflammation leads to less plaque and less decay.  Really healthy gums means healthier teeth.  The two go hand in hand.  With this foundation, good home care and a good holistic dentist who is focused on the preservation of your teeth, you will have your teeth for a lifetime.

I recently ran across an article about a study done in Australia where the objective was to determine the effectiveness of preventitive measures in decreasing cavities and the need for unnecessary dental work. This was especially interesting because it dovetails with my philosophy that more dentistry is not necessarily the best approach. I have found over the years that the conservative approach to oral health is usually the best.

What the researchers found in this study was that the program, which by the way was non invasive, was effective in lowering new and recurrent cavities. Not only was it effective, it was effective to the tune of more than 40 percent. That is huge. Imagine, by following preventitive care and proper home care you can have a significant effect on the number of cavities you get. This also means that you will have less dental work to fix and re-fix your teeth during your lifetime. I like the sound of that.

Says study co-author Associate Professor Wendell Evans, “Unfortunately,  the current payment rebate and remuneration process is weighted towards rewarding fillings performed and crowns fitted.”

Thankfully the focus of dentistry is still on prevention. Regular check ups, proper home care / oral hygiene,  and having your dentist teach you the ABC’s of how to keep your teeth healthy for your entire life are goals and habits I would encourage everyone to adopt. The average time between cleanings should be 6 months unless you are one of those lucky people who don’t build up tartar. Young ones should start going to the dentist, hopefully a holistic dentist, at around 4 years of age. Just find someone who loves working with children.

As far as I’m concerned, preventive dental health is still better than the cure.

Calcium is the fifth most abundant element in the earth’s crust and makes up more than 3% of the crust. Classified chemically in Group 2 of the periodic table as one of the alkaline, metallic earth elements, it does not occur as the metal itself in nature and instead is found in various minerals including as limestone, gypsum and fluorite. The most abundant mineral in the human body, calcium is one of the most important elements in the diet because it is a structural component of bones, teeth, and soft tissues and is essential in many of the body’s metabolic processes.

Absorption of calcium is affected by many factors, including age, the amount needed, and what foods are eaten at the same time. The calcium 2+ ion is involved in many physiologic processes and is one of the most important macronutrients for the body’s growth and general cellular function. It is needed for every organ and cell to function, for example, it is necessary for the electrical charge of the heart beating. Among its many physiological functions is nerve impulse conduction. Calcium metabolism or calcium homeostasis is the mechanism by which the body maintains adequate calcium levels.

As the most abundant metallic element in the human body, it is an essential constituent of bones and teeth. About 99% of the calcium in our bodies is found in our bones and teeth. It is essential not only for the formation, mineralization and maintenance of bones and teeth but also for the development of healthy gums. Most people are aware that calcium plays a role in bone density, in keeping bones and teeth strong. Both baby teeth and adult teeth need calcium to grow and develop. It combines with phosphorus in a crystalline form of calcium phosphate, the dense, hard material of the bones and teeth. Your bones and teeth serve as reservoirs that your blood taps into for its ongoing need for calcium. Calcium release from bone is regulated by the parathyroid hormone.

Calcium is better absorbed from food sources than taken as supplements. Widely used in the treatment and prevention of osteoporosis, calcium levels are tightly controlled by a complex interaction of hormones and vitamins. Alone it can’t prevent or treat osteoporosis, but an adequate calcium intake is needed for any other treatment to work. Ultimately, the amount of calcium that your blood saps from your bones and teeth is determined by the amount of calcium that your blood receives from your diet.

When you realize that there is as much or more calcium in 4 ounces of firm tofu or 3/4 cup of collard greens as there is in one cup of cow’s milk, it is easy to see why people who do not drink cow’s milk may still have strong bones and teeth. However, eating plenty of healthy, calcium-rich foods does not guarantee that you will have healthy bones and teeth. Your body still needs the ability to absorb and metabolize the calcium it receives, which can also be a function of how well your food is digested. Good digestion begins with healthy teeth and properly chewing your food, so don’t forget that regular dental maintenance is a health issue as well.

People are always looking for ways to take better care of their teeth.  One of the age old methods of brushing your teeth and caring for your gums that works – especially from the point of view of holistic dentistry- is using salt water.  The reason why it works so well is that salt water is a mineral treatment that kills bacteria and reduces inflammation in the gums.  It makes the gums ‘tighter’ by pulling fluid out and it has an alkalinizing effect as well.

Another age old common household item used for brushing is baking soda.  This helps remove plaque and some stain and may whiten teeth slightly.  The main thing it does however is alkalinize your mouth.  It can be used in conjuction with salt water for a short period, i.e. a few days, however I would not recommend it for long term because it is abrasive and can leave a funny taste and odor.  Basically, it is too alkaline to use for very long.

If you have inflamed, red or bleeding gums this is called gingivitis.  Salt water can really help with this until you can get in to see your dentist for a cleaning.  Mix some salt in a cup of warm water. Strong is good.  Take some in your mouth, rinse, spit it out and repeat until all the water is gone.  Do this once or twice a day and the redness should decrease or go away completely.

If you have painful gums, they are swollen, or if they bleed when you touch them you may have gum disease and you will need more intense treatment and support.  The first thing you should do is buy some peroxide 3% solution.  Make sure it is 3% and not stronger or it may burn your tissue.  Next mix it 50%/50% with water.  Next, take some into your mouth and hold it there for about 2 minutes. Then spit it out and repeat. Do this 4-5 times a day if possible.  If that is not possible do it at least twice a day, when you get up and before you go to sleep. Use hydrogen peroxide for only 3 days. Then change and start rinsing with salt water.

The other thing you need to do is call your dentist and get the build up and tartar off your teeth.  Your gums will never fully heal unless you remove the hard deposits that are sitting on your teeth and causing gum irritation.  The other thing that tartar does is hide bacteria that inflames your gums.

Look for future posts over the next couple of weeks where I will tell you about other effective and natural ways to clean your teeth and gums.  There are also natural products out there that will even whiten your teeth and remove stain.  So stay tuned.