Dental health

lithezebra
lithezebra Posts: 3,670 Member
edited November 27 in Social Groups
Has anyone besides me noticed how much nicer your mouth tastes when you're not eating sugar and starch? (I had to drink some things with sugar yesterday for a medical test, and even after brushing my teeth, after a few hours I could taste the acid by-products of happy little tooth decaying microbes. I sure don't miss that).

Replies

  • Dragonwolf
    Dragonwolf Posts: 5,600 Member
    Yep, I've noticed it. I've also found that that my overall dental health improves when I stay compliant. Cavities that started forming (softening enamel) reversed themselves and sensitivities are gone! :)

    It's not just about the sugar, but also the fact that sugar is known to inhibit the immune system, and in many people, consuming grains inhibits the absorption of key nutrients needed for dental (and overall) health. Additionally, the USDA diet displaces more dense sources of key nutrients (K2 in high quality butter, for example).

    But yeah, my mouth doesn't feel nearly as gross when I'm being compliant. I've even gotten horrible about brushing my teeth, and despite that, my dentist commented on the improvement of my dental (and gum) health from the previous visit (before I found my ideal way of eating).
  • KarlaYP
    KarlaYP Posts: 4,436 Member
    Much better dental health noticed here too! The benefits of this woe are unlimited!
  • nvmomketo
    nvmomketo Posts: 12,019 Member
    Now that you mention it, yes I have noticed a small improvement. Huh.
  • Fvaisey
    Fvaisey Posts: 5,506 Member
    I find it very noticeable.

    Have you ever tried Oil Pulling with coconut oil? I try to do it daily now. I was doing it before I went low-carb and so I already had coconut oil in the house when I started LCHF. lol
  • mlinton_mesapark
    mlinton_mesapark Posts: 517 Member
    I have wondered about this, too. My teeth feel so much cleaner on LCHF, that now when I have something sugary, my teeth feel so gross I feel like I need to brush right away. If I stick to very low sugar and no grains, I barely feel like I need to brush once a day, and only find meat and vegetable fiber when I floss, instead of yucky plaque.
  • lithezebra
    lithezebra Posts: 3,670 Member
    Fvaisey wrote: »
    I find it very noticeable.

    Have you ever tried Oil Pulling with coconut oil? I try to do it daily now. I was doing it before I went low-carb and so I already had coconut oil in the house when I started LCHF. lol

    What is it?

  • Dragonwolf
    Dragonwolf Posts: 5,600 Member
    lithezebra wrote: »
    Fvaisey wrote: »
    I find it very noticeable.

    Have you ever tried Oil Pulling with coconut oil? I try to do it daily now. I was doing it before I went low-carb and so I already had coconut oil in the house when I started LCHF. lol

    What is it?

    http://wellnessmama.com/7866/oil-pulling-for-oral-health/
  • Sunny_Bunny_
    Sunny_Bunny_ Posts: 7,140 Member
    I just started oil pulling myself. I don't have any issues I'm treating with it but figured it would be a good habit anyway.
    My last check up had almost no scraping at all and there is usually quite a lot of that!
    I also just recently bought some tooth powder from Primal Life Organics. It's supposed to be able to help re-mineralize the teeth which could possibly mend some fine cracks I have in a molar that has an old filling. I hope to see a difference at my next check up. I should be due for new X-rays then, so I hope to amaze my dentist that keeps wanting me to crown it.
    My very cold sensitive teeth from receding gums haven't given me any problems. But I mostly had it under control before the tooth powder with the prescription strength fluoride toothpaste I was buying from the dentist. In the past, if I ran out, my sensitivity would return in about a week of using regular or even sensodyne toothpaste. Hasn't happened in the last month I've been using the tooth powder. Yay!
  • CMYKRGB
    CMYKRGB Posts: 213 Member
    edited December 2015
    Yes, and the dental hygienist commented that my gums were better! Not that my gums are bad, but she noted improvement.
  • lithezebra
    lithezebra Posts: 3,670 Member
    edited December 2015
    Dragonwolf wrote: »
    lithezebra wrote: »
    Fvaisey wrote: »
    I find it very noticeable.

    Have you ever tried Oil Pulling with coconut oil? I try to do it daily now. I was doing it before I went low-carb and so I already had coconut oil in the house when I started LCHF. lol

    What is it?

    http://wellnessmama.com/7866/oil-pulling-for-oral-health/

    Thanks! I tried it. It feels very clean, which makes sense, because plaque is a biofilm, and the cell membranes of all those little bugs would be soluble in fat, so fat would help remove it. Plus, the coconut oil makes my lips soft.
  • Couchpotato39
    Couchpotato39 Posts: 691 Member
    I also didn't have to have such a bad scraping which Inhave always had to have before and my hygentist also commented on how good my gums and teeth were doing.
  • ladipoet
    ladipoet Posts: 4,180 Member
    Since I started on LCHF back on 09/01/2014 I have not had one single cavity! I have some other issues going on with my mouth / teeth, but I am at least very happy about the no additional cavities thing! :) I've heard about oil pulling. Haven't tried it out yet. Might in the future though.
  • macchiatto
    macchiatto Posts: 2,890 Member
    Huh. I had noticed flossing was easier (the floss stays quite clean!) but hadn't made the connection. Nice!
  • DianaElena76
    DianaElena76 Posts: 1,241 Member
    I just started oil pulling myself. I don't have any issues I'm treating with it but figured it would be a good habit anyway.
    My last check up had almost no scraping at all and there is usually quite a lot of that!
    I also just recently bought some tooth powder from Primal Life Organics. It's supposed to be able to help re-mineralize the teeth which could possibly mend some fine cracks I have in a molar that has an old filling. I hope to see a difference at my next check up. I should be due for new X-rays then, so I hope to amaze my dentist that keeps wanting me to crown it.
    My very cold sensitive teeth from receding gums haven't given me any problems. But I mostly had it under control before the tooth powder with the prescription strength fluoride toothpaste I was buying from the dentist. In the past, if I ran out, my sensitivity would return in about a week of using regular or even sensodyne toothpaste. Hasn't happened in the last month I've been using the tooth powder. Yay!

    I have receding gums too, and I thought I had read that oil pulling wasn't recommended for people with gum problems. That's the only reason I hadn't tried it yet. But maybe now I will, knowing it hasn't bothered yours.
  • Sunny_Bunny_
    Sunny_Bunny_ Posts: 7,140 Member
    Mami1976D wrote: »
    I just started oil pulling myself. I don't have any issues I'm treating with it but figured it would be a good habit anyway.
    My last check up had almost no scraping at all and there is usually quite a lot of that!
    I also just recently bought some tooth powder from Primal Life Organics. It's supposed to be able to help re-mineralize the teeth which could possibly mend some fine cracks I have in a molar that has an old filling. I hope to see a difference at my next check up. I should be due for new X-rays then, so I hope to amaze my dentist that keeps wanting me to crown it.
    My very cold sensitive teeth from receding gums haven't given me any problems. But I mostly had it under control before the tooth powder with the prescription strength fluoride toothpaste I was buying from the dentist. In the past, if I ran out, my sensitivity would return in about a week of using regular or even sensodyne toothpaste. Hasn't happened in the last month I've been using the tooth powder. Yay!

    I have receding gums too, and I thought I had read that oil pulling wasn't recommended for people with gum problems. That's the only reason I hadn't tried it yet. But maybe now I will, knowing it hasn't bothered yours.

    Oh. I had read that gum problems were one of the reasons that people choose to do it. Lol
    But I had never seen anything that would suggest it might help with receding. I'm probably just stuck with that I guess.
  • travelgirl77
    travelgirl77 Posts: 99 Member
    Oh this gives me such hope! I started this WOE today and I pray that my dental health improves. My health and wallet would love it so much!
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    Mami1976D wrote: »
    I just started oil pulling myself. I don't have any issues I'm treating with it but figured it would be a good habit anyway.
    My last check up had almost no scraping at all and there is usually quite a lot of that!
    I also just recently bought some tooth powder from Primal Life Organics. It's supposed to be able to help re-mineralize the teeth which could possibly mend some fine cracks I have in a molar that has an old filling. I hope to see a difference at my next check up. I should be due for new X-rays then, so I hope to amaze my dentist that keeps wanting me to crown it.
    My very cold sensitive teeth from receding gums haven't given me any problems. But I mostly had it under control before the tooth powder with the prescription strength fluoride toothpaste I was buying from the dentist. In the past, if I ran out, my sensitivity would return in about a week of using regular or even sensodyne toothpaste. Hasn't happened in the last month I've been using the tooth powder. Yay!

    I have receding gums too, and I thought I had read that oil pulling wasn't recommended for people with gum problems. That's the only reason I hadn't tried it yet. But maybe now I will, knowing it hasn't bothered yours.

    I have receding gums aswell, and I too read oil pulling is not recommended. But then you'll find other sites that DO recommend it...
    I oil pulled every single day for around 3mths and the only outward effect I noticed was a cleaner pinker tongue.
    My dentist was also impressed with my teeth and gums, but I don't know if the improvement was because of the high strength antibiotic she put me on or the oil pulling, or both lol

  • GaleHawkins
    GaleHawkins Posts: 8,159 Member
    My teeth and gums are looking better than I ever remember.

    I do not understand how coconut oil pulling could harm anything. After 15 months of LCHF and getting my Vit D levels out of the 20's to over 90 there really is no crud for oil pulling to reduce in my case.
  • Sunny_Bunny_
    Sunny_Bunny_ Posts: 7,140 Member
    My teeth and gums are looking better than I ever remember.

    I do not understand how coconut oil pulling could harm anything. After 15 months of LCHF and getting my Vit D levels out of the 20's to over 90 there really is no crud for oil pulling to reduce in my case.

    I don't understand it either. I hadn't come across that information.
    I do it for the antibacterial aspect since I am trying to stay away from the chemicals in toothpaste and mouthwash.
  • Dragonwolf
    Dragonwolf Posts: 5,600 Member
    The oil pulling may not be recommended for people with receding gums, because the force required to pull the oil around the mouth could loosen the teeth (since they don't have as much gum holding them in).

    It's kind of a catch-22, because the oil pulling can help with the root cause of the recession, but the mechanical action, itself, could cause more harm than good. I think it's a case of "use your best judgement, and assess the state of your own gums."
  • noclady1995
    noclady1995 Posts: 452 Member
    I've noticed so much less plaque when I floss and my teeth feel cleaner! I'll be anxious to know what my hygienist says when she cleans my teeth in a few weeks.
  • lithezebra
    lithezebra Posts: 3,670 Member
    Dragonwolf wrote: »
    The oil pulling may not be recommended for people with receding gums, because the force required to pull the oil around the mouth could loosen the teeth (since they don't have as much gum holding them in).

    It's kind of a catch-22, because the oil pulling can help with the root cause of the recession, but the mechanical action, itself, could cause more harm than good. I think it's a case of "use your best judgement, and assess the state of your own gums."

    How about swishing gently? I would think that chewing and flossing would be problems if the teeth were that loose.
  • Dragonwolf
    Dragonwolf Posts: 5,600 Member
    lithezebra wrote: »
    Dragonwolf wrote: »
    The oil pulling may not be recommended for people with receding gums, because the force required to pull the oil around the mouth could loosen the teeth (since they don't have as much gum holding them in).

    It's kind of a catch-22, because the oil pulling can help with the root cause of the recession, but the mechanical action, itself, could cause more harm than good. I think it's a case of "use your best judgement, and assess the state of your own gums."

    How about swishing gently? I would think that chewing and flossing would be problems if the teeth were that loose.

    If you've ever done oil pulling with coconut oil, you'll know that there's no such thing as "swishing gently." ;)

    Like I said, that's something you'll have to decide for yourself. For what it's worth, sesame oil was traditionally a common oil to use. It might be thinner and more suitable if you're concerned about the strength of the grip of your teeth. It might also help to ensure the coconut oil is fully melted before doing the actual pulling, since it things out when warmed.
  • lithezebra
    lithezebra Posts: 3,670 Member
    edited January 2016
    Dragonwolf wrote: »
    lithezebra wrote: »
    Dragonwolf wrote: »
    The oil pulling may not be recommended for people with receding gums, because the force required to pull the oil around the mouth could loosen the teeth (since they don't have as much gum holding them in).

    It's kind of a catch-22, because the oil pulling can help with the root cause of the recession, but the mechanical action, itself, could cause more harm than good. I think it's a case of "use your best judgement, and assess the state of your own gums."

    How about swishing gently? I would think that chewing and flossing would be problems if the teeth were that loose.

    If you've ever done oil pulling with coconut oil, you'll know that there's no such thing as "swishing gently." ;)

    Like I said, that's something you'll have to decide for yourself. For what it's worth, sesame oil was traditionally a common oil to use. It might be thinner and more suitable if you're concerned about the strength of the grip of your teeth. It might also help to ensure the coconut oil is fully melted before doing the actual pulling, since it things out when warmed.

    Twenty minutes of swishing makes my face tired. I've been taking a spoonful of coconut oil, letting it melt in my mouth, and swishing gently. I do it in the shower to multi-task.
  • GaleHawkins
    GaleHawkins Posts: 8,159 Member
    lithezebra wrote: »
    Dragonwolf wrote: »
    lithezebra wrote: »
    Dragonwolf wrote: »
    The oil pulling may not be recommended for people with receding gums, because the force required to pull the oil around the mouth could loosen the teeth (since they don't have as much gum holding them in).

    It's kind of a catch-22, because the oil pulling can help with the root cause of the recession, but the mechanical action, itself, could cause more harm than good. I think it's a case of "use your best judgement, and assess the state of your own gums."

    How about swishing gently? I would think that chewing and flossing would be problems if the teeth were that loose.

    If you've ever done oil pulling with coconut oil, you'll know that there's no such thing as "swishing gently." ;)

    Like I said, that's something you'll have to decide for yourself. For what it's worth, sesame oil was traditionally a common oil to use. It might be thinner and more suitable if you're concerned about the strength of the grip of your teeth. It might also help to ensure the coconut oil is fully melted before doing the actual pulling, since it things out when warmed.

    Twenty minutes of swishing makes my face tired. I've been taking a spoonful of coconut oil, letting it melt in my mouth, and swishing gently. I do it in the shower to multi-task.

    I think that is a good plan for some others @lithezebra . Since coconut oil is antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal it should help many types of conditions since there seems to be no read downside by most in using coconut oil.
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