Most conventional dentists you come in contact with are never going to ask you about your nutrition. What you eat, how you eat and do you use any nutritional supplements is not important to them. On the other hand, dentists who practice biological or holistic dentistry are very much concerned about the food you eat. They believe that nutrition and the health of your teeth are strongly connected, and they often express amazement how the rest of their colleagues do not feel concerned about this issue.
How it started
The first person to start exploring this question and to, eventually, dedicate his life to biological dentistry, is Dr. Weston Price. He was the first to cover the issue in his book „Nutrition and Physical Degeneration.“ At the beginning of the 20th century, Price spent almost 25 years traveling the world and exploring this connection, now called the tooth-nutrition connection. He claimed while examining native Americans, which whenever they introduced Western refined foods into their diets, hence replacing natural food, they started to experience dental problems. He backed these claims with a series of x-rays and photographs of teeth and accounts of people involved.
The basis of the claim
Teeth are very important parts of our body, and they need many minerals to grow and keep their function into old age. These minerals include phosphorus, magnesium, copper, zinc and, most importantly, calcium. These are usually not found in refined foods. Examples of this are white flour and rice as well as refined, white sugar, where there are not essential minerals whatsoever.
Furthermore, these foods can have a detrimental effect on your dental health. For example, sugar is the perfect food for bacteria which reside in your mouth, and they cause plaque and, eventually, destroy your teeth. Drinks which contain acids, like cola drinks, also have a damaging effect on tooth enamel. Bone loss, a growing problem today, is often connected to intake of phosphoric acids in drinks. This acid binds calcium and magnesium, not allowing these minerals to reach the bones. Also, plain fruit can damage your teeth as well. It is because of the sugary substances and strong acids found in fruit.
