An Unusual Hole in Teeth

Hard to believe, but not all holes in teeth are cavities. Some holes can be wear facets, usually caused by clenching, brushing too hard, or having too acidic saliva.

Such is the case with Abfractions. They are usually found on the front surface of teeth by the gum line, and have no decay. Most of the time, they are painless and get ignored. Not a good choice.

If left unattended, they usually create greater problems as the hole gets deeper over time. These teeth are most prone to fracture since there is no support at the base of the crown. One bite into something hard and the cusp will snap right off, creating a sequelae of root canal with post and crown, or a full extraction of the tooth.

Other times the hole collects food, eventually leading to deep cavities, root canal or total loss of the tooth.

Luckily, we can repair these holes using painless Air Abrasion and placing a biocompatible filling.

Even though they are painless cavities with no decay, they need to be filled to prevent further damage.
Here's a quick video that explains this:

If you liked this post, you may also like: Air Abrasion: Pain-free Dentistry

Castor Oil Pulling

As many of you already know, oil pulling has been around for hundreds of years. It is an ancient Ayurvedic technique used for detoxification and improving health. Conventionally, sesame, sunflower or coconut oils are the most popular for oil pulling, each having their own particular therapeutic effects. And if you want to know the best oil to use for your individual condition, feel free to ask at your next visit with us.

However, there is a new kid on the block: Castor oil. Historically castor oil was mostly used topically to promote healing and to pull toxins out through the skin. But for now there seems to be a sudden interest in oil pulling with Castor oil.

The main plus of using Castor oil, is you can expect similar effects as other oils in a fraction of the time. This can be a game changer for those of us in a rush for a quick daily detox. But the down side is that Castor oil is so much more viscous than other oils. So if oils make you queasy, it may not be the best choice for you.
When practiced regularly, the process benefits the rest of the body as well. In addition to improving oral health, oil pulling can also:
-Relieve migraines
-Correct hormone imbalances
-Reduce inflammation
-Treat digestive issues
-Reduce dental plaque buildup
-Whiten teeth
-Improve vision
-Reduce allergies
-Detoxify the body of heavy metals
When looking for the correct oil to use, organic, cold pressed is usually the best choice. For Castor oil, look for organic, cold pressed, hexane free and packaged in a glass bottle.  We would be happy to recommend a particular brand if you ask at your next dental visit.
As for how to oil pull, it is so simple. You can read our original post with all the directions here.

Castor oil pulling is done exactly the same as the other oils, but only two to five minutes of pulling is needed. That sure beats the usual twenty minute process.

Vitamin K-2 for Healthy Teeth and Bones

 When we think about how we can make our teeth and bones stronger, the first Vitamin that comes to mind is Vitamin D. As we discussed in our previous post  (Vitamin D: How much do we need?) Vitamin D is essential for healthy bones and teeth. But you will see here that it is so much more effective when taken with Vitamin K-2.

Vitamin K-2, or menaquinone, is the missing link that Dr. Weston Price referred to when he did his studies of nutrition, dental health, and physical health.

In 1945, Dr. Price described “a new vitamin-like activator” that played an influential role in the utilization of minerals, protection from tooth decay, growth and development, reproduction, protection against heart disease and the function of the brain. He determined that this compound—which he called Activator X—was found in the butterfat, organs and fat of animals that consumed rapidly growing green grass (in other words, grass-fed animals), fish eggs, and also in fermented foods. It was 40 years later that Activator X was determined to be Vitamin K-2

Demineralized Chipped and Transparent Teeth

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So what are the implications of Vitamin K-2 with dental health?

The most obvious would be bone support holding your teeth in your jaw. If your teeth are loose or your gums are receding, chances are that you are deficient in Vitamin K2. Concomitantly with that, there would be osteopenia or osteoporosis. So it might make sense to get a bone density test, if you are diagnosed with periodontal bone loss.

Another implication of Vitamin K-2 deficiency would be the density of your teeth. If your teeth are thinning, looking more transparent, or have lots of dental cavities (even if you brush and floss daily), then your Vitamin K-2 may be low. At deficiency levels, your teeth will slowly demineralize, making them very susceptible to chipping and decay.

Also notable would be the structural bone growth of children. Vitamin K-2 deficiency will usually create tooth crowding due to underdevelopment of the upper and lower jaws. Vitamin K-2 is essential for bone development as well as bone growth and bone density. Vitamin K-2 promotes healthy bone mineral density by carboxylating osteocalcin, a protein that binds calcium to bones.

There are other health benefits associated with Vitamin K-2.

• Heart health. Activates a protein that prevents calcium deposits from forming in the walls of blood vessels. If your K-2 levels are good, it lowers your odds of aneurysm or heart attack.
• Reduce tumor growth. Has antioxidant properties that may help protect against cancer. In addition, findings suggest that K-2 may suppress genetic processes that lead to tumor growth.
• Normalize blood sugar levels. Interacts with osteocalcin which may help the body to use insulin more effectively
• Improve brain health. Mostly due to its antioxidant properties and prevention of blood clots everywhere.

 

It is clear that Vitamin K-2 plays a vital role in achieving excellent health.

In my many years of dental practice, I have helped countless numbers of patients with obvious Vitamin K-2 deficiency. It is easily correctable if you add the necessary beneficial foods or proper supplement.

To learn more, it would be wise to make an appointment with an informed health practitioner who can guide you appropriately.

 

Vitamin D: How much do we need?

 

Vitamin D is an essential nutrient that helps regulate calcium and phosphorus in the body. It plays a major role in maintaining proper bone and tooth structure. Most recently, it has been implicated as a necessary nutrient to keep our immune system strong and is an important marker (need high blood values) in recovering from Covid.

Demineralized teeth from Vitamin Deficiency

So if you have periodontal disease (gum inflammation and bone loss), rampant tooth decay, osteoporosis or immune issues, you should definitely get your Vitamin D levels evaluated. Healthy blood levels should be between 60 to 80 ng/ml. Conventional medicine says any number above 20 ng/ml is enough. It isn’t.

There are different forms of vitamin D: ergocalciferol (vitamin D2) and cholecalciferol (vitamin D3). Vitamin D3 is twice as effective as D2 and easier for your body to use.

Vitamin D is found in fish, eggs, and fortified milk. It's also made in our skin when exposed to sunlight. During periods of sunlight, vitamin D is stored in fat and then released when the body needs it and no sunlight is available. Without adequate vitamin D levels, your body will only absorb 10-15% of the calcium you eat from your diet. Health problems are sure to follow.

 

So how much Vitamin D do we need each day? According to this Pubmed research, doses of 800-5000 IU/day should be enough. Enough to prevent deficiency and obvious health problems. If your blood values are low (less than 30 ng/ml) you might need more. Also, bear in mind that Vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin and needs to be taken with a fatty meal to maximize absorption. If you are just popping your vitamin D with a salad, you may be getting no benefit from the vitamin.

 

As an extra note, I want add that it is possible to overdo Vit D intake. Recent research has shown that high blood levels of Vitamin D ( more than 100 ng/ml) may cause hypercalcemia leading to calcification of soft tissues and blood vessels. This may result in cataracts, kidney issues (nausea, high blood pressure, excessive urination and thirst), fatigue, dehydration, muscle weakness, heart arrhythmia and dizziness.

Best to speak with your licensed health provider to determine how much supplementation you should take daily. Or bring your lab blood results to to your next dental visit, and I can guide you accordingly.

Tooth Erosion

Have you ever noticed that your teeth look thinner than they used to? Maybe even a bit darker? Some wear is inevitable as we age, but excessive wearing away of the tooth surface can have many causes.

According to one recent study, general dental erosion was found in 28% of 15 year olds and 34% of 17 year olds. Basically that means that erosion prevalence is rising as we chronologically age. Additionally, severe dental erosion was found in nearly 20% of adolescents (age 15 to 17). That’s almost 1 out of every 5 teenagers.

Statistics like this are alarming, since erosion of teeth will only lead to bigger dental problems in the future – usually tooth sensitivity, nerve exposure and even breakage of the teeth involved.

This bio-corrosion of teeth is a multifactorial issue that needs to be addressed at an early age, before damage is done, as the damage is usually irreversible.

Tooth erosion can look different depending on the cause. Here are a few different scenarios.

Fronts of teeth are eroded

         

Teeth edges are eroded

     

These are the many causes of tooth erosion:

• Clenching or grinding of teeth

• Acidic foods and drinks (carbonated beverages, some bottled flavored waters, ACV or lemon water)

• Medications

• GERD –gastro-esophageal reflux disease

• Eating disorders (vomiting after eating- anorexia or bulimia)

• Overbrushing with electric toothbrushes or hard bristle toothbrushes

• Abrasive toothpastes

• Acidic saliva pH (usually due to diet or toxicity in system)

• Mineral deficiencies

• Vitamin deficiencies

• Swimming in chlorinated pools (See our blog Swimming Can Be Harmful to Your Teeth 

All of the above are correctable, with simple lifestyle modifications. Be sure to ask at your next dental appointment on how we can best address these necessary changes in habit, diet or nutrient supplementation. By being proactive now, you will prevent bigger dental problems in the future.