I know this is an odd topic for a Nutrition Blog, but I have always wondered if there is a connection between the health of your mouth and the health of your body.
Like most people, I try to take good care of my teeth. I brush regularly, and I floss at least daily. I try to rinse after drinking coffee or tea and I don’t chew sugar-laden gum.
Despite all this, visits to the dentist are rarely fun for me. In the past it was never a question of IF I needed a filling, but rather HOW MANY fillings I would need.
I say ‘in the past’ because for the last four visits to the dentist things have definitely changed for me. Starting about two years ago, I had my first “cavity free” visit to the dentist.
The hygienist took a look at my teeth, then my files, and said “What are you doing differently?” I answered “Nothing” because honestly, I couldn’t think of anything I have been doing that was any different. I brushed my teeth the same amount, and I flossed the same amount too.
My next visit was the same, followed by the next. Then just the other day I was at the dentist and my hygienist said “Hey, I saw your book on the ‘net”. After a little bit of conversation she offered up the idea that “Maybe it’s that fact that you give your mouth a break every once and while that has made your teeth so much better”
Not a bad theory. Now, this is a N=1 case report, completely uncontrolled and full of bias, but I think it is still worth some consideration.
I don’t profess to know much about density, but I could see how if you are constantly eating, then your mouth would constantly requires the enzymes responsible for breaking down food, perhaps this creates an environment that is capable of degrading the enamel of your teeth.
Something to consider for those following Eat Stop Eat.
BP
