Should I go to the dentist? (Vitamin D, fillings, et cetera)

[andyville]

I recently made a thread about teeth whitening, and thought I should start another one on a related topic, in case other WaiSays followers are facing similar issues.

I have made some drastic lifestyles changes over the last year; I have been exercising very regularly, gone from being average to very fit, my skin has cleared up completely, my blood values have improved dramatically, et cetera.

About a month ago I realized there is one aspect of my health that has been going downhill, though, and that is my teeth. I never really payed attention to them when I was younger, so I really don't have anything to compare my current teeth status to, but I feel quite confident that they have become a lot more yellow.

I guess I can live with having a yellow tint to my teeth, but there is another thing that worries me far more: when I open my mouth in front of a mirror with strong lights I see subtle, vertical cracks on my front teeth, and small, black dots here and there. In addition to the small dots there is a larger, more noticeable dot on my upper left side, pretty far back. Also, the edges of the teeth look slightly transparent. My doctor suggested that this could be related to my low level of vitamin D intake, which led me to start taking a vitamin D supplement since about a month.

I know that bad dental hygiene can be a very bad thing for overall health, which is why I want to do something about this situation. I have a bunch of questions, primarily aimed at Oscar. Feedback would be GREATLY appreciated, as I am a bit worried about all of this.

1. Should I see a dentist as soon as possible, or would it be wise to wait and see what the vitamin D supplements will do for the transparent quality of my teeth?

2. Is it reasonable to assume that the black dots I see are cavities? If so, is it possible that these could heal themselves from increased vitamin D intake and extensive brushing/flossing twice a day?

3. Can cavities left untreated be bad for other - currently healthy - teeth, even if I take excellent care of my dental hygiene from this point forward?

4. In case I will need fillings, are there better materials than amalgam these days? I remember reading very scary stories about amalgam and how it is toxic to the body.

5. My current diet is largely juice based, primarily consisting of fruit juices and nut milks. I assume this is a good thing, considering that chewing solid foods obviously leads to food getting stuck in between teeth?

6. I have no pain anywhere in my mouth; is this a good sign? I like to think this means none of my hypothetical cavities can be THAT severe, but I really do not know much about these things (which should be clear from this post).

Sorry about a post on the rambly side, but all of this got me a bit worried. Any input would be greatly appreciated.

andyville.

[Iris]

Why don't you simply eat more salmon instead of taking a vit. D supplement? This way, your body can absorb exactly what it needs. More is not always better, you know. Especially not when this is done by taking supplements.

As far as I know, cavities never heal itself. Once they're there, they need to be filled by a dentist.

[Oscar]

The vertical cracks are not something to worry about, unless they change/get worse. The same goes for the translucency, although it does depend on how it is translucent. What's the exact location on a specific tooth of these black dots?

Cavities, as far as I know, can only remineralize when the 'cavity' is in a white stage, so in a demineralized stage.

I agree with Iris on the vitamin D, IF that's the cause anyway.

[Iris]

Cavities, as far as I know, can only remineralize when the 'cavity' is in a white stage, so in a demineralized stage.

Good to know

IF that's the cause anyway.

indeed

[snowbunny]

5. My current diet is largely juice based, primarily consisting of fruit juices and nut milks. I assume this is a good thing, considering that chewing solid foods obviously leads to food getting stuck in between teeth?

Citrus juices (i.e. o.j.) are terrible for your teeth, because of the high acidity. Also, dried fruit is terrible for your teeth, as it can get stuck in between. You're best off just eating fresh, ripe fruit. The good news is that digestion begins in the mouth, with salivary amalase, which begins the breakdown of sugars from GO. This is the body's natural defense against cavities.

I don't know about nut mylks on your teeth, but I don't believe nuts are good in any large quantity in the human diet. I would limit my consumption of nut mylk to no more than a pint a week, but not all in one sitting.

If you floss twice a day, and brush once or twice a day, gently with water, you should be pleased with the results, provided you are only consuming raw food, primarily fruit.

6. I have no pain anywhere in my mouth; is this a good sign?

Not necessarily, not at all.

As for suspected cavities, please get them evaluated professionally. You would not want to leave them to rot, just to see what they might be or what they might do... this will lead to painful root canals down the road.

I hope this is helpful to you.

[andyville]

Thank you so much for the replies, people!


Iris:

I am vegan. I realize this is not really part of the Wai diet, but there you have it.


Oscar:

The spots are all located on the surface of the teeth that meet when I clench my jaws. That is, the top or bottom part rather than the sides.


snowbunny:

Thank you for the advice. I did contact my dentist eariler today, only to find out that you have to wait in line for one and a half year. God bless socialized healthcare! I am considering turning to a private alternative, especially if I see no rapid improvement with the increased vitamin D intake.

[Oscar]

The spots can be either discolorations or beginning cavities, which might be a bit hard to distinguish without the proper equipment.

[firefly]

hi everyone

i am very new to the whole wai thing but have been doing a lot of research on the forums and also reading a lot of the wai material.

coming across this post, i felt obliged to reply as my teeth are really
important - without them we can not eat [im not talking about drinking but eating] and that is extremely important factor for me.

a couple of years ago i spent a bit of money to go and see this oral hygenist who is very much a green/holistic thinker. she explained a lot of information to me and the most important misconception: we dont have to brush our TEETH but we NEED to BRUSH our GUMS!! 99% of problems in the teeth actually originate in the gums, the gums are basically the housing for the teeth. it is where the roots + nerves live and it is those things that we want to protect. the enamel is there for us to chew our food. the gums are the most important thing to keep healthy.

she basically re-educated me on how to take care of my mouth. i try to go to the oral hygenist at least every 6 months to properly clean my teeth - i usually pay much less cause the hygenist does not have to spend that much time on my teeth cause everytime they say: wow, very very good condition!

what i do:

1. i have an electric tootbrush - extremely important as it actually massages your gums to improve and stimulate circulation. i do not brush my teeth, i brush my gums, i FLOSS my teeth every day and i ensure the floss goes on either side of the groove in between the teeth - basically when you put the floss up in the tooth you gently take it along the left side and then along the right side.
i do use toothpaste [natural/organic] as it just helps to glide the toothbrush along the the gums.

anyway, i dont know if this is going to help at all but i would definitely suggest going to a GOOD dentist. try and find someone who has knowledge about curing cavities with oxygen. it is a relatively new technology but has been on the market for a couple of years. i always try and find a dentist with an understanding of holistic healing - ITS NOT EASY but there are a few tucked away in little corners behind little hills

good luck. love your teeth! they are worth sooooooooo MUCH!