Health Tip: When Not to Brush Your Teeth

Last summer I was talking with a woman at a fruit stand who told me that acids in fruit soften tooth enamel for up to an hour after eating them. It’s best not to brush teeth in that period because it may harm the enamel. I hadn’t heard that, so I did a few searches on the Internet, and it seemed to be the prevailing advice.

Any acids in the mouth can soften tooth enamel, such as coffee, soft drinks, fruit, wine. One way to help is to swish your mouth with water after eating or drinking acid foods. Another suggestion is that you drink such beverages through a straw. My suggestion is that you wean yourself off acid drinks such as wine and coffee and especially soda. Acid does harm to more than your teeth. And just avoid brushing your teeth for an hour after consuming such acids.

Sensodyne Propoganda

This morning when I decided to blog about acids and tooth enamel, I came across an article published July 2, 2008. I see that Sensodyne paid for a study to examine dental erosion in children’s teeth.

The study of dentists and parents of school-age children, by toothpaste company Sensodyne, found that 53 per cent of five-year-olds exhibit tooth erosion.

Whenever I hear about a new scientific study, I look for the profit motive. My first question is, Who paid for it? Answer: Sensodyne.

My second question is, What’s in it for Sensodyne? I looked up a Sensodyne product and here’s their sales pitch.

Daily Anti-Cavity Fluoride Toothpaste for Sensitive Teeth. Hardens enamel. Protects against the effects of acid wear.*

• Wine acids
• Fruit acids
• Soda acids

*Protects your teeth from sensitivity and the effects of acid wear. Everyday foods such as fruit, sodas, orange juice and wine contain acids that soften the enamel surface which is then more easily worn away by brushing. As the enamel layer becomes thinner, teeth can become visibly less white and older looking.

So now we know why Sensodyne paid for the study and made sure it was published in major newspapers. Always find profit motive and financing when reviewing any study.

Here’s a customer review for the toothpaste marketed above:

I was having pain and increasing cold sensitivity. My dentist recommended Sensodyne generally. Since I drink a lot of coffee and diet sodas I decided on my own to try this version. The sensitivity improved within a week (I’ve now been using for a month).

Her dentist is a moron. He should have suggested that she quit drinking coffee and sodas. But where’s the money in that??? And what’s the reviewer to do now? This toothpaste should not be used longer than a month?

The reviewer is ignoring the warning signs by her body: pain and sensitivity. And she’s using a toxic product so she can keep consuming poisonous fluids.

Another question is, Why is Sensodyne studying children’s teeth when they have an entire generation of middle-aged people who’ve grown up with the advice to brush their teeth after every meal. Wouldn’t those be the teeth you’d want to examine? How many five-year-olds brush their teeth after every meal, and how many years have they been doing so? Compared to, How many fifty-year-olds brush their teeth after every meal, and how many years have they been doing so? “Oh no, my child’s teeth are eroded.” Yes, it’s a brand new market for Sensodyne. Parents love their children.

In my thirties I had sensitive teeth, and the dentist sold me his special toothpaste that would decrease this sensitivity. I remember it was very expensive. I used it for a while and didn’t notice any difference. I stopped using it. Not long after I gave up Diet Coke, my favorite drink. My teeth haven’t been sensitive in I don’t know how many years.

Acids Do More than Just Damage Your Teeth

The acids in these foods don’t just damage teeth. They build up in the body and poison the cells. (I will write more about this in subsequent blog posts.) Have you ever seen people with rashes in their elbow, arm pit and knee creases? These are acids being excreted by the skin and they are causing local irritation in areas where the perspiration is not immediately evaporated. If it does that to the outside of your skin, what’s it doing to the inside?

Acids in the body are very damaging to cells and must be neutralized by alkaline minerals. Calcium is one such mineral. The body must rob calcium from bones and teeth to neutralize acids. People think cavities are caused by bacteria in the mouth. A different paradigm states that cavities are caused by leeching of calcium to buffer acids. A debate continues regarding fruitarians, because many have given up their all-fruit diet when threatened with loss of their teeth and health because of fruit acids.

Weston Price, a dentist in the early 20th Century, traveled the world looking for isolated tribes and inspecting their dental and physical health. In every instance, those people who ate their local, historical dietary consisting of meat, milk, grains and produce had very few dental caries. Their palates and jaws showed normal development with straight, healthy teeth. The people exhibited robust health and were immune to common diseases of the time, such a tuberculosis.

In all societies were white man’s food was introduced–flour, refined sugar, oils, canned food, jams–dental caries and disease abounded. The children born to those consuming this food had smaller dental arches, resulting in crooked teeth, and they were prone to disease. He published his findings in Nutrition and Physical Degeneration. This book is a classic text that belongs in every health seeker’s library.

Sergei Boutenko, son of Victoria, a popular raw food author, claims that his teeth had cavities but when he began eating raw food, the teeth filled in and repaired themselves. I know a natural hygienist in Australia who regrew the enamal on two teeth when he converted to a raw food diet.

We all know how prevelant osteoporosis is in this country of high milk consumption and calcium supplementation. Folks, more calcium is not the answer. You need less acids.

Please, give up soda and carbonated beverages today. Just do it! With a pH of around 2.0, loaded with sugar and chemicals, there’s nothing good about it. Why do you love it so much? Because most of it has caffeine, a highly addictive drug, and sugar, which floods your bloodstream and makes you feel energetic. Same goes for those horrible energy drinks. Read about the health benefits my waiter experienced when he gave up Mountain Dew.

Thirst calls for water, not soda. Stop giving your money to the corporations that are poisoning you for profit. Trust me. Save your teeth, save your bones, save your cells. Pledge here to give up that vile drink.