Prevent -- and REVERSE -- Cavities

Prevent — and REVERSE — cavities without touching toxic fluoride

A: I’ve always been prone to developing tooth cavities. I’ve taken your advice and cut out fluoride by not drinking tap water or using fluoride toothpaste. But I’m nervous about going with no protection at all. Other than good dental care, is there a natural way to help prevent cavities?

Dr. Wright: There are two effective ways to prevent cavities without subjecting yourself to the deranged plan of dumping a dangerous chemical (fluoride, of course) into our drinking water.

Xylitol (a natural sugar) is a incredibly powerful tool for preventing tooth decay because it not only stops the decay in its tracks, it also restores the enamel coating of your teeth — actually healing the cavity! It does this in two ways: it neutralizes the bacteria that causes cavities, and it prevents bacteria from sticking to tooth enamel.

Chewing gum and toothpaste are the most effective ways to put xylitol in direct contact with your teeth. But you’ll also find xylitol in candies, breath sprays, breath mints, mouthwashes, and supplements. Check online, or in a health-food store.

As for strontium (a metallic element), there’s considerable population-study evidence showing that areas with relatively high strontium in the drinking water have less tooth decay than areas with low or no strontium.

Unfortunately, there’s no major industry pushing to dump their left-over strontium into our water supplies (as is the case with toxic fluoride waste from the aluminum industry), so “public health authorities” aren’t going to campaign to replace fluoride with strontium anytime soon. And without that major industry push, there aren’t any double-blind, placebo-controlled studies concerning tooth decay and strontium, so those same “authorities” can argue that strontium reducing tooth decay risk isn’t “scientifically proven.”

Nonetheless, there’s enough evidence out there for ME to safely add “lower risk of tooth decay” to strontium’s list of benefits. (Strontium is also very good for your bones.)

Forget fluoride! Combine daily dental care with xylitol and strontium and you’ll have all the cavity-fighting protection you need.

-Dr. Jonathan Wright