Dental Health Through Nutrition

[Dainty]

EDIT: I typoed the title, would a mod please fix it for me? Thanks. FIXED FRANK

I'm trying out a nutritional protocol to heal my cavities. I figured I should start a thread about it so that everyone who wants to can be informed of this potential option. I'm not 100% certain it's going to work, but if it does it will save me a lot of stress and chemical exposure on dental work. I don't know about the rest of you, but my lack of energy impacts my ability to clean my teeth, which results in dental problems, and I know many of us have MCS, which results in a catch 22. This protocol could be the way out.

Several months ago I was able to see a dentist for X-rays and consultation. I have one really bad cavity and another medium one that's also reached the dentin, and then a multitude of little ones. The worst one is bad enough to cause a lot of pain when aggravated, and the other one sometimes is in pain. The dentist recommended that I get those two taken care of, but being holistic was supportive of my decision to try this alternative method first.

The protocol is not very clearly defined, so I'm making some up as I go. It generally follows the work of Weston A. Price, a dentist who linked cavities to nutritional defeciencies and discovered how the decay can be reversed if the necessary nutrients are added to the diet. He mainly focused on what he called "the X factor" or "activater X" which is now believed to be vitamin K2, and unprocessed cod liver oil, very high in vitamins D and A. Dr. Edward Mellanby is another person who talked about the connection between nutrition and cavities, and fucused mainly on giving large amounts of vitamin D, calcium, and phosphorus to reverse tooth decay. Finally, scientific studies have shown that raising the amount of vitamin C in the blood plasma reduces the amount of debris in the mouth similar to the way a toothbrush does....only without the toothbrush part. I need that, so I added it to my protocol.

There are a lot of ways to get these things into the diet, but since I could count on one hand the foods I can tolerate I knew it'd be tricky, to say the least. I looked for the highest concentration of the target nutrient so that I could eat as little as possible, and as conveniently as possible (so I can keep taking it) and then tested my reactions. After years of not tolerating vitamin D at all (not even in food) despite numerous attempts at supplementation, I discovered that I could tolerate unprocessed, raw, fermented cod liver oil at the same time of getting a lot of factor X. With dairy being my worst allergy since birth (separately allergic to four different components of it), I was delighted to find that high vitamin butter oil, which is a certerfuged extract of dairy oil, does not cause a reaction.

I'm currently working on my calcium and vitamin C sources. Homemade bone broth is an excellent source but I can't tolerate too much of that. Supplementation has been intolerable thus far with calcium citrate, and while I might try other forms they'd have to be compounded so I'm not sure about that yet. Currently I'm seeing if canned fish with bones is tolerable as a food (salmon, sardines, mackerel) since those are somewhat high in calcium. No, I cannot tolerate high calcium vegetables. As for vitmain C, I tried acerola powder but could not tolerate it and am planning to try camu camu powder next. I can tolerate some rosehip, but not too much.

It's too early to tell if all this is working or not. Though I've been taking the butter oil and FCLO (fermented cod liver oil) for months, I've only been cleaning my teeth this past week, which brings out the pain. I've also only increased the FCLO dosage and tried to increase calcium in my diet in the past week or so. The first day my worst cavity was very painful, and I got through the day by swishing lukewarm comfrey tea through the cavity. Comfrey is known as the "boneknitter" herb since it's excellent at speeding the healing of bones and ligaments, so I figured it could help here, and it did relieve the pain for about 15 minutes before I'd need to do it again. The next day the pain was reduced enough that I didn't need to treat it, and the day after that the pain was almost gone but the rest of my teeth were moving around and achey.

It's been a few days since and my teeth are settling down. Eating sugar or swishing cold water in my mouth still makes my worst cavity hurt like crazy, so I have an indicator for home testing as it (hopefully) heals up. If/when I feel that my teeth have healed, I'll return to the dentist for more X-rays to confirm whether or not that is the case.

An excellent overview of the subject of healing cavities in general can be found here: http://wholehealthsource.blogspot.com/2009/03/reversing-tooth-decay.html

 

[xchocoholic]

Thanks .. this is interesting. I didn't realize that there was a protocal for this. I was hoping my cavities would heal themselves too but after a year of constant pain, I caved and just had a partial crown and a filling last month on two teeth. My integrative doc recommended that I see a dentist who specializes in holistic dentistry but I'd already had an xray at a regular dentist office so I just got him to do it for me. I had all the regular drugs and appear to be ok.

I've been getting minor infections regularly in the ear on that side so I did this to see if it would help me with that. I still don't know for sure though. The area just calmed down enough to chew most foods ...

There's something going on in my sinuses and ears that I think adds to my CFS. I have a nasty smelling clear discharge regularly from my nose. I'm trying a grapeseed nasal spray now. The neti pot just added to the problem because water was trapped in my sinuses.

I'm not sure but I wouldn't be surprised if all this wasn't from the bacteria being trapped in my broken teeth. Good luck with this but don't wait too long ... X

 

[SaraM]

I read somewhere that Molybdenum drops prevent cavity.

 

[paddygirl]

Hi Dainty,

I looked for posts about teeth problems and found yours.

As a middle aged Irish woman my teeth are not the best as dental care when I was young was rough and ready, Gas mask over the face and 'pull em out'. As a result many of my generation are terrified to see dentists.

I absolutely understand your comment on not brushing, as I am slack on that too. Some nights I'm so tired I have to lie down or fall down.

A trip to the dentist changed my mind though. I now brush 3 times a day and floss as he scared me senseless.

I'd gone back with an infected root canal, I'd been putting it off as I knew the treatment hadn't worked and didn't want to lose another tooth. I also had developed a big gap between my (crowned) front teeth.

He x-rayed and said I had gum disease and nearly all my teeth were loose. Plaque was forming and infection setting in under the loose teeth. Not much could be done.

I had previously talked to him about my me/cfs in relation to amalgams and asked if this sudden deterioration could be linked to the ME. He did think that there could be a connection due to the immune system being banjaxed.

i was surprised he came out with this as I am used to being pooh poohed by medical professionals, but he said he had done a lot of research recently as his young girlfriend has FM too.

I was then in the nice position of offering him some research tips! Although horrified to hear of a 20 year student having this disaster of an illness. My youngest daughter is 21 and I can't imagine her feeling the way I do.

I'm going to buy an electric toothbrush today and get serious about hygiene. Going from 1-2 brushes a day to 3. I'm also seeing a hygienist this week.

Do try to brush if you can, I know I sound like a mamma saying this but its your best chance of keeping decay away. Maybe even put a small stool next to the sink.

All the best Dainty, keep smiling! x

 

[Dainty]

Paddy,

Thank you for your reply!

I wish brushing my teeth was merely a matter of self-discipline, but alas, it isn't. I have found an electric toothbrush helpful in significantly reducing the energy required to brush, so I'd encourage you on that idea for that reason, however, studies have shown that properly using a manual toothbrush gets your mouth just as clean as an electric toothbrush.

Even though I have a high quality oral B electric toothbrush, I'm actually looking into a manual. Why? Several reasons. For one, the electric toothbrush is a bit hard on my gums. In order to get the gumline clean I have to move the brush directly over it, and it leaves the gums red and tingling, which indicates damage. Yes, this even after weeks of regular use (and I do not have gum disease). For this reason, since you do have gum disease I would urge you to watch out for this potential problem as you try out your new electric toothbrush. Also, I have to keep the toothbrush on its lowest setting, because at a higher setting if I accidentally leave the brush in one place for too long it will literally rub the spot raw, resulting later in a nice mouth sore.

I'm also concerned that the brisk action is wearing my teeth down too much, due to recent experiences of pain upon eating hard food items. In any case, softer bristles are what I'm looking for now. I could use the manual brush with soft bristles when I have the energy to, and when I don't I can fall back on the manuel.

I actually disagree with the thought that brushing is the best way to keep tooth decay away. Weston A. Price was a dentist who traveled the world to observe aboriginal people groups untouched by western influence, and to his surprise he found that even though they didn't brush or floss at all, their teeth had no cavities. He observed that when they began eating westernized foods instead of their traditional ones their teeth showed rampant decay. He concluded it was a nurtitional deficiency, came back to the US and started healing people's cavities by having them eat a lot of K2 and unprocessed cod liver oil. If a vigorous brushing and flossing regime was necessary for cavity-free teeth, then the various primitive groups price studied, everything from Eskimos to the Masai to Austrailian aboriginals to isolated Swiss villeges would have had mouths full of cavities. In fact, the swiss children's teeth were covered with green slime! Yet he did not find cavities among them.

Besides the proper nutrition so teeth can lay down secondary dentin to heal cavities, another fascinating piece of the puzzle is that vitamin C can act as an "invisible toothbrush". According to this article, a study showed that those with higher blood plasma ascorbic acid levels had lower debris scores than those with lower levels doing the same amount of brushing. In other words, the gunk that toothbrushes scrape off manually diminishes (for whatever reason) with greater vitamin C intake.

My plan, for now, is to brush once or twice a day and floss once a day or once every other day, depending on energy levels and how much I figure my teeth need it. If/when my cavities heal up I plan to try out brushing and flossing less than that, to see if my teeth remain clean and cavity-free regardless, as claimed. According to theory, it should not cause any bad breath, tartar buildup, or anything like that; if it does I'll obviously go back. There is another reason too...overbrushing thins enamel, which I don't want as my enamel has already worn through in one place in the past, and in two more places recently after eating a hard food. That's another reason I'm going to see if I can go with a manual for softer bristles.

Oh and just in the interest of sharing information, I brush my teeth either with salt (fully dissolved so it doesn't scratch the teeth) or plain water. According to this dentist toothpaste basically just makes your breath smell nice, and brushing wiht plain water is just as effective. In the past, if I've wanted antimicrobial effects I've rinsed my mouth afterwards with ground cloves, though currently I just do a final rinse with salt.

I'm so glad you've found a dentist who's open-minded about CFS potentially being a problem. I hope you can get your dental problems resolved without too much difficulty...I know what a pain it can be.

 

[paddygirl]

Thanks for that Dainty, I never knew any of that. I assumed I had problems as I often went to bed without brushing. I had put some of the general tooth soreness down to inflamed sinuses because of allergies. I do eat a lot of fruit and veg and also thought that acid from them might make it hard on the enamel. I too hurt when I use a very rough brush like the little ones airlines give out. I'm just freaked out at the thought of losing any more teeth. Many of my parents generation had full sets of false teeth.

Had a very long day yesterday with a days work and a 150 mile drive, I went into a shop and bought a packet of hard choc eclair sweets. Couldn't resist, I often crave sugar when I have to overdo it but can usually fight off the urge. After I ate most of them my mouth hurt like hell. You would think I'd know better.

Good luck with it all, and keep us posted.

Paddy x

 

[Sallysblooms]

Just make sure the cavity doesn't go to far, then an infection can result etc. I love to get a cavatiy fixed when they are teeny! I go to the dentist twice a year at least. I don't want a cavity to get large, get infected, root canals, not good.

I like Tooth and Gum tonic. You can only get it from dentists, not sure why. Herbal, love it. I use a Sonic Care brush and a manual brush. With the Sonicare or other brushes like it, you don't have to push the brush down on the tooth. Putting pressure on the teeth and gums with any brush is bad. They are both good and one might miss what the other gets. Flossing is crutial once or twice daily.

I use a toothpase for sensitive teeth, good for the enamel.

The right foods and supplements help mouth health as well as the rest of the body for sure. I have a comfy wicker chair in my bathroom so I can sit and take my time to brush, etc. I also use dental wipes and a get for my little doggie's teeth! In nine years, she has never needed a dental! The vet always looks at her teeth and is happy!

 

[L'engle]

Hi, I don't know if you can have xylitol, but they make gum and mints from it. It's a sugar made from birch bark that has anti-bacterial properties. I keep some mints beside my bed and when I wake up I eat one. It makes my mouth feel clean and many studies have found it to be good for preventing or reversing tooth decay. It's great for in between brushings or if you are too sick to get out of bed. It tastes good, too, not weird like artificial sweeteners. It also helps with dry mouth.

Here's their website:

http://www.xlear.com/

I also eat coconut oil a few times a day and try to swish it around my teeth. My mouth feels noticably better and it's also good against bacteria.

I hope you can find these useful, since it's a way to help your mouth without the abrasion of more brushing. Good luck!

 

[L'engle]

BTW, Xlear's green tea gum is probably one of the freshest, most pleasant gums/mints I've ever tasted! (The xylear mints taste pretty good too, but something in them has a weird smell. )

https://www.xlear.com/b2c/ecom/ecom...amily=SPRY&itemNum=BLGT&siteId=1&bulkexists=0

 

[Dainty]

Thanks, Sally and L. I haven't made up my mind about xylitol yet. I definitely cannot tolerate most commercial products, even those completely natural. I've also heard some concerns that it isn't as good for teeth as has been advertised, but since I have yet to research the matter thoroughly I don't have much info to offer there.

As a general update, I have only recently been able to get a hold of a form of calcium I can tolerate. I ended up having to have it compounded, which definitely isn't ideal but after months of trying to get it from food sources and various supplements it's all I've got. It's taking a while to make it tolerable (it's a calcium magnesium combined optimally) but I'm hopeful I should be up to a good dose within the week.

I've also had blood tests taken last week that will show my vitamin D levels. If my levels show really low after all this supplementation then I might end this experiment, since good D levels seem very important for healing cavities. (Again, remember I started this thread to talk about healing cavities through nutrition as opposed to dental work or merely preventing them.) However, now that I have the calcium in play I'd probably wait at least until I reach a good level with that.

My main cavity is still painful whenever anything sweet its eaten, and another one or two are occasionally the same. In addition, there are two other cavities that are visible though not painful.

Please do not tell me to get them fixed; I'm fully aware of what I'm doing. I have very severe MCS with life-threatening reactions, and I've made the decision that for now the risk of worsening cavities if this alternative treatment does not work is better than the risk of a life-threatening reaction from dental work. If at any time that changes, I will be sure to see the dentist; I have been blessed with an excellent holistic dentist who will do everything possible for me.

 

[Sallysblooms]

That is good that you have a dentist. Sure don't want the damage to get worse.

 

[Dainty]

That is good that you have a dentist. Sure don't want the damage to get worse.

Thank you for your concern. I believe I mentioned my dentist in the first post on this thread. he's a good one.

Again, I consider the risk of worsened cavities to be better than risking my life. I don't want the damage to get worse either, but y'know living's kinda nice too.

 

[August59]

I was getting a fair amount of cavities, mostly because my mouth stays dry most of the time. I had noticed a product called Biotene (it has Xylitol) and used it every night after brushing teeth and I haven't had a cavity in my last 4 visits, whe used to be at least one every visit. That puts me at using it for about 2 years now and recently a new Biotene is on the shelf called Biotene PBF, which has 2 enzymes added that dissolves biofilm (plaque is a biofilm). So, it might be something to use on the really bad nights when you can't brush, but could at least swish this around for a minute and spit it out and hit the sack. Hope everything turns out ok cause I know how you feel. My dentist told me my teeth was made out of chalk because they were so soft.

 

[*GG*]

Perhaps you will find this info helpful? Haven't read the whole thread, just came across it.

Forget Filling Cavities: Regrow Your Teeth Instead

by Kim Evans, citizen journalist
See all articles by this author
Email this author


(NaturalNews) If you've got a cavity, maybe you want to try regrowing your own teeth before heading for a filling. Our bodies are constantly renewing themselves and although it isn't commonly known, we can regrow our teeth too. In fact, regrowing our teeth is highly preferable to having them filled because most fillings these days either contain mercury (a known toxin that damages the brain and nervous system) or are estrogenic (white fillings release estrogen and contribute to hormonal problems.)

Besides, regrowing your teeth is simple. You'll just need two things: comfrey root and organic eggshells. Eggshells are used because they contain 27 minerals and loads of calcium, so they contain the ideal building materials to regrow your teeth. In fact, the composition of eggshells is very similar to the composition of our teeth and bones. Comfrey root is used because it accelerates bone, teeth and tissue growth. In fact, another name for comfrey root is knitbone, primarily because of its ability to knit - or regrow - bone together so quickly.

When you're regrowing your teeth, aim to eat one organic eggshell each day. Blending your shells into fresh fruit smoothies is a great way to consume them because blending breaks them into tiny particles that are easily consumed. Smoothies with bananas are ideal because the banana will keep the shell particles suspended instead of allowing them to sink to the bottom of your glass. After cracking the egg, just boil your shells in water for five minutes to kill any pathogens before use.

While you're re-mineralizing and adding plenty of calcium to your body with eggshells, you'll also want to use comfrey root on your teeth and gums. Either fresh or dried comfrey root will do the trick, but if it's dried, boil the root lightly for ten minutes to rehydrate it. Then, blend a square inch of the root with a few tablespoons of water to make a liquid - and swish the liquid in your mouth and between your teeth for about 20 minutes. When you're finished, just spit it out.

Using comfrey in this manner is best done once a day, and you'll likely see progress within a few weeks. Many cavities can be completely regrown within a month or two with regular use. The best part is: you can heal your teeth without leaving toxic metals or hormone disruptors in your mouth for the rest of your life.

As a note, comfrey root can be a little hard on your liver so if you have liver problems, you'll want to avoid using comfrey. After your teeth have regrown, you'll also want to end the use of comfrey so as not to over do it.

More:

http://proliberty.com/observer/2002...
http://www.herbalremediesinfo.com/C...
http://www.naturalnews.com/028049_c...

 

[Dainty]

August,

Thank you for the recommendation. I can't handle most commercial preparations (including all natural) due to my MCS, but I'll look into it if this other stuff does not help. It sounds like something that could be really helpful for a lot of PWCs.

ggingues, thank you for the information! I'm already a big fan of comfrey's healing properties, and actually instinctively used a comfrey rinse in my mouth on the two days my teeth were in a lot of pain. It would relieve the pain for about ten minutes before I'd need to rinse it again. I stopped because I didn't think to use it on my cavities in general...I don't know why I didn't put two and two together! Your links didn't work but I found them with a little research. I'm definitely adding this to my regieme, thanks!

As for the eggshells, I think I'll stick with the calcium and mineral supplements I'm doing now, but that's defintely something I want to look into at a later date, because if I can tolerate them I certainly prefer natural stuff to pharmeceutical.

Thanks again! I hope, if and when this protocol works, I can show my before and after x-rays to prove it.

 

[leela]

Don't get me started on conventional dentistry! So much of it is a Big Lie anyway (I read in a dentistry journal once that most dentists are aware that something like 75% of the procedures they advocate are unnecessary.)

With the CFS/MCS I stopped being able to tolerate toothpaste long ago, even the so-called "natural" kind, and like some of the posters here, find that it is entirely unnecessary; we've just been conditioned by marketing to believe it's an essential element in dental hygiene. I make my own tooth cleaning solution from sweet almond oil and essential oils that have anti-microbial and healiing properties. I also use those tea tree toothpicks as a main tooth-cleaning method, which is so easy to do in front of the tv lying on the couch!

I floss about 4 times a year, and if I go once a year for a check-up/cleaning, that's a miracle. The hygienist *always* is amazed at my dental hygiene, and when I tell her how much flossing is going on....well, there's a long silence!

Another topic that crops up for me is the use of nitrous oxide for extractions etc. I absolutely cannot tolerate it--it makes me anxious instead of eliminating anxiety--and today I came across this info:
http://www.side-effects-site.com/nitrous-oxide-side-effects.html
which totally explains why! It covers so many of the CFS issues, so I think it's really important people know about this. The site doesn't seem exactly science-based, but considering my own experience, and the uncanny coinciding with known problems for PWCs, the info appears at the very least noteworthy.

Also, I think others on this site have already mentioned the necessity to alert the dentist to use a numbing agent that does not contain epinephrine, as in general PWCs don't tolerate adrenaline well.

 

[Dainty]

Time for an update.

I continue to have 4 - 5 day periods where I can't clean my teeth, which is just going to have to be okay. It's unfortunate though because (potential TMI) when I miss a few days the next time I floss I can smell the decay from between certain teeth when the floss comes out. Gross! However as long as I floss a minimal of every other day it's fine, once a day is my ideal. Since it only happens in a couple spots I'm brainstorming that for healthy, strong mineralized teeth there may not be a need to floss, but for weak teeth that already have a cavity it may very well be necessary, similar to scraping out and cleaning an deep wound regularly until it heals, and not doing so progresses infection. Yes, I know doing what I'm doing is risky....let's see, don't try this at home? I'm a professional? Haha....hmm. :worried:

The comfrey root was an epic fail, which is disappointing. I had high hopes for it, but after some experimentation there's no doubt that swishing my mouth out with comfrey root tea results in ugly tartar build-up all over my teeth the next morning, which doesn't happen otherwise. I'm guessing it's just sticking to my teeth which leads to this unpleasant result. I may go back to trying the comfrey leaf tea, since that didn't seem to cause this problem, but I'm running low and there are a lot of hoops to jump through to order more.

I've just about doubled my FCLO intake fter realizing my eyeball measurements are more than a little off. lol Got myself a proper measuring tool, taking 1 1/2 ml (a little over a fourth of a tsp) approximately 4 times a day, more or less. I noticed a significant increase in fatigue soon after upping the dosage but my gut is telling me to stick it out and see where it leads. Other things may be contributing as well, ya never know with this illness...and it does seem to be improving the past day or two.

Anyway, as far as actual vitamin levels go I'm getting approximately 225% "daily value" of vitmain A and 570% dv vitamin D. I know, I know. You've got to be careful when megadosing with vitamins. One thing I'd like to point out is that this CLO doesn't have exacting amounts because no synthetic vitamins are added....in other words, it's a food, which means the vitamin levels fluctuate naturally. Some batches have more or less than others; what's on the label is just the minimum guaranteed. I basically just slowly increased the dose until my body said "no more" and I plan to keep it at that level until it seems I should take less.

I need to increase my calcium. Current intake is 400mg a day (apparently 1,000 mg is what's recommended), and the only reason I haven't increased that is because it's so difficult to increase the dosage slowly--I get confused, then my body gets messed up because you can't play too suddenly with magnesium dosages without consequences. But I really need to get on that somehow, as my dietary calcium intake is nil.

An encouraging sign several weeks ago was that after a few days of really upping my calcium intake for the magnesium (over double what it is now) my teeth became noticeably whiter. I wasn't looking for or expecting this change so it was a pleasant surprise...just caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror and did a double-take. Bright teeth! Calcuim has got to be a healthier tooth whitener than the bleaching agents used these days for that purpose.

Until I looked at the label to write this post I didn't realize just how low of calcium I've been getting. That's kind of important for teeth rebuilding themselves. So I'm back to feeling like "of course it isn't working, you haven't been doing it right!" I'm back to being hopeful that this just might work. Such is the roller coaster of experimental treatment.

 

[Sallysblooms]

Oh my gosh. You can't brush and floss? Yikes, that will be really bad for the rest of your teeth and that bacteria is bad for the heart etc.

 

[Dainty]

Oh my gosh. You can't brush and floss? Yikes, that will be really bad for the rest of your teeth and that bacteria is bad for the heart etc.

Sally, I feel like your responses towards me in this thread have been demeaning. I have already stated multiple times in this thread from the first post that the extremity of my CFS interferes with my ability to clean my teeth. I am fully aware that is not a good thing. If I could change it, I would. What I'm confused about is why you think it'd be helpful for me to hear from you how bad a job I'm doing with my teeth. I'm doing the best I can; trying to scare me into doing a better job is not going to make a difference.

I understand that you disapprove of my decision to attempt to heal my cavities through nutrition instead of having them filled by a dentist right away. It's okay to disagree with me - it's not okay to keep making these kinds of comments designed to pressure me into doing things your way.

Fair enough?

 

[leela]

Hi Dainty,

Have you ever tried Oil Pulling? It's been a long time since I've done it, so I forgot to mention it to you before, but I think it might be just the ticket in your situation. In fact having just remembered it again, I think I'll start again myself

I have adapted these instructions from a website. This practice is based on an Ayurvedic technique that is soothing, healing, and nourishing to the mouth, and can also have beneficial effects on the system overall.




Oil Pulling

In the morning before eating anything take about one tablespoon of organic cold-pressed sesame or sunflower oil in the mouth but do not swallow it. Move oil slowly in the mouth by rinsing, swishing, and pulling through the teeth for ten to twenty minutes. Tilt the head backwards to make sure you get the back teeth. [I like to put an old towel over my chest and lie in bed for this, as it makes it easier to go longer, and I can tilt my head comfortably on my pillow--but the towel is essential because spit happens!] Swishing activates the enzymes and the enzymes draw harmful bacteria out.

The oil must not be swallowed, for it has become toxic. As the process continues, the oil gets thinner and white. If the oil is still yellow, it has not been pulled long enough. It is then spit from the mouth into the toilet. It is essential to vigorously rinse/swish the mouth several times with water and fingers, to aid in expelling the loosened bacteria.*

It is essential to avoid swallowing the oil, as it is full of toxins and microbes. It is reported that during the oil-pulling/swishing process one's metabolism is intensified. This can lead to improved health beyond the scope of a healthy mouth. One of the obvious results is the fixing of loosened teeth, the stopping of bleeding gums and whitening of the teeth. Some say it reduces headaches, pain, swelling, enhances sleep and energy--but I don't know about this as I've not practiced it for extended periods.

The oil pulling /swishing is best done before breakfast. To accelerate the healing process, it can be repeated three times a day, but always before meals on an empty stomach. Wait four hours after eating to do the oil pulling.

*After you have completed the Oil Pulling and the Rinsing, you also have the option to rub the gums with a diluted essential oil formula if you wish. You can also experiment with adding a few drops to the oil you swish with. Organic essential oils like thyme or myrrh are not terribly expensive and have healing/antibacterial properties. Peppermint or spearmint might give you that freshyfresh feeling in your mouth if you don't like going without that. If you use essential oils, just don't apply them directly, simply add one drop to some of your base oil before you rub it on, or add a drop or two to the oil you swish with.]



Hope this is useful info! I really feel for you that you can't brush or floss, and I am with you on the dentistry-avoidance! This technique might be gentle enough, and at the same time effective enough to get you through and possibly enhance your natural dentistry protocol. It is an ancient practice, and I suspect one of the many reasons it's effective is that sesame and sunflower oils are high in calcium and other minerals.

P.S. For what it's worth, maybe the previous poster was simply trying to express concern and caring? I read it that she feels for you too and expressed her caring through worry. Just a thought.