I Kissed Toothpaste Goodbye

Heather Dessinger

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I Kissed Toothpaste Goodbye

The tale of how I came to shun toothpaste (even “natural toothpaste”) is a somewhat convoluted one. It started about ten months ago when, on our way back from a service celebrating Papaw Dessinger’s life, Katie’s front tooth broke.

No trauma. No fall. It just broke.

What had happened to my otherwise healthy, robust child? Turns out, Katie had a lip tie (same as my son’s) that caused milk to pool near her top four teeth in the front, causing a breastmilk version of “bottle rot.”

I felt horrible, confused, and embarrassed. You name it, I felt it.

Every time Katie smiled in public I felt the sting of the expressions I’d see on other people’s faces. How could I let my child walk around like this without doing something? The thing is, I wanted to do something, but I knew that although dental procedures could cosmetically correct the problem, they couldn’t strengthen her teeth. I wanted to know how we could correct the problem naturally, so I began researching ways to build up Katie’s teeth and bones. Food had been a healing force in my life and I believed it could do the same for my daughter.

My AHA! Moment

After scouring the web I ran across someone who had been through the exact same experience with his own daughter. Ramiel Nagel, author of Cure Tooth Decay, had successfully helped his daughter’s cavities heal using food. I had never heard of such a thing! Apparently, the tooth structure that had decayed didn’t fully grow back it’s original structure, but the decay disappeared and new enamel formed to seal and protect what was left of the tooth. Amazing.

The days spent waiting for Amazon to deliver my precious package stretched my patience, but when it finally arrived I knew it had been worth the wait before I finished the intro:

“Decaying teeth can be a scary, painful process. When in a state of fear and panic, we disregard the most sensible decision we could make: to search for the real cause, rather than succumb to the easy and passive response of allowing a dentist to “fix” the problem for us. We have been taught, for the most part, that tooth decay is inevitable and that we have no choice in the matter. After reading this book you will see that this is far from the truth.”

The book is based on the research of Dr. Weston Price, a figure whose findings had played a prominent role on my own journey from chronic disease to vibrant health. Dr. Price was a prominent dentist that traveled the world in the 1930s to study why indigenous cultures have stronger teeth and fewer cavities than modern “civilized” cultures. Dr. Price was no quack. In fact, he was the first research director of the National Dental Association, which later became The American Dental Association (ADA).

During the 1930s, Dr. Price was able to document the sharp decline in health experienced by previously healthy people who came into contact with modern civilization. The revealing findings of Dr. Price, along with his telling photographs, bring home the fact that our modern food and lifestyle is a primary cause of disease.

Cure Tooth Decay, p. 24

Despite our zillions of toothpastes, mouthwashes, flavored flosses, etc. we are actually worse off than many “primitive” cultures when it comes to dental health. We have more cavities, more gum disease, and more need for braces.

How can that be?

Dr. Price found that traditional diets were significantly higher in fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E &K), calcium and phosphorous. As tooth enamel wears away these nutrients are needed to replenish it (often referred to as tooth remineralization). Unfortunately, since the modern diet is typically deficient in all of these that doesn’t happen. Keep in mind, this research was done back in the 1930s. Although refined sugar, canned vegetables and white flour had already been introduced  just think how much worse it is now!

But wait! We’re Real Foodies. We don’t eat a SAD diet.

And if you don’t have tooth decay that may be why. However, I have unfortunately run into several real foodies whose children have similar issues to Katie. So what gives? Obviously, in Katie’s situation an undiagnosed lip tie played a huge role. But aside from that there are other practices that can interfere with tooth remineralization. Like toothpaste.

My personal experience has been that  flossing and brushing do help limit tooth decay. The act of brushing may not be harmful, but the use of certain toothpastes (especially those with flouride) could create harmful effects and even promote cavities. Glycerin is added to toothpaste to give it its “pasty” consistency. Supposedly, glycerin requires 27 rinses to remove from the teeth. And this could create a barrier on the teeth that would prevent teeth from getting harder and stronger.

Cure Tooth Decay, p. 123

According to Nagel, remineralization occurs both through direct contact with nutrients when food is chewed and also through digestion/uptake via the bloodstream. By coating our teeth we prevent one of the two ways teeth are designed to remineralize and harden.

In addition, products like tooth whitening gels strip the teeth of their enamel and make them more vulnerable. Manufacturers say whitening products don’t harm enamel, but I have used them and experienced enamel loss firsthand. My teeth did get whiter, but they also lost their sheen, which is the outermost layer of enamel.

What Now, Brush With Tree Bark?

So, if tooth brushing is beneficial but toothpaste is bad, what do we use . . . tree bark??? Yes and No. If you’re teeth are really suffering there are some very beneficial herbal blends that contain bark (White Oak, Prickly Ash, Bayberry and Slippery Elm). But I am getting ahead of myself. There are basically three options: tooth suds, baking soda or herbal tooth powders:

  • Tooth Suds – Sold as a liquid or in little flakes that dissolve in your mouth, tooth suds are a gentle cleanser made with castile soap. We make our own using this recipe.
  • Baking Soda with Ground Calcium/Magnesium – I blend calcium citrate/magnesium supplements in the coffee grinder and mix with a little natural baking soda. I like to add a drop of essential oil (licorice, peppermint or fennel) to make it more palatable. Use once or twice a week to remove stains. Note: Because baking soda is very alkaline and your mouth needs a certain level of acid to kill bacteria, it is best not to use baking soda every day. If you begin to experience gum sensitivity or bleeding it may mean your mouth is too alkaline and is not killing bacteria properly.
  • Herbal Tooth Powders and Liquids – These are especially helpful if you are already experiencing problems with your teeth or gums. They are very healing but can cause discoloration if used long term. Nagel recommends the Tooth & Gum Restore Formula by Dr. Richard Schulze and Dr. Christopher’s Herbal Tooth & Gum Powder.

For natural tooth whitening, Nagel makes this recommendation:

Dab a small amount of organic peppermint essential oil on your finger (much less than a drop), rub your finger on your toothbrush, and then brush normally.

My dentist friend and his wife are going to be horrified when they read this, but things got worse with Katie’s teeth before they got better. She got two cavities in her bottom molars. Although I am not a dentist and never had one confirm that she had cavities, I worked as a dental assistant for my friend for a brief period during college and I’m 100% sure that she had two.

When I found them I decided to hold off on an exam and order both of the herbal formulas I mentioned. Katie hates them both, but she hates Dr. Christopher’s Herbal Tooth & Gum Powder less. Since I began using it one cavity has healed completely (with new white enamel over the top) and one has gone from a scary black spot to a light brown one that looks better all the time. Overall, the quality of the enamel on her teeth has also significantly improved. They went from looking slightly translucent at the tips to being more dense looking.

We still have a ways to go, but I think that’s mostly because I can only get her cooperation part of the time when it comes to eating certain healing foods. Overall, though, I feel very strongly that because of Nagel’s book she will suffer no long term effects due to my previous ignorance. Her baby teeth may not be as perfect as some other childrens, but her bones and adult teeth will be strong and healthy.

Personally, I have seen significant remineralization with my own teeth since switching to toothsoap, but I have more stains that I’d like. I think I’ll try the peppermint oil and see how it goes.

Click here for an amazing photo update on Katie’s teeth!

Resources:

For more in-depth info visit The Weston A. Price Foundation

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Photo credit: Julia Freeman-Woolpert

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About HEATHER

Heather is a holistic health educator, herbalist, DIYer, Lyme and mold warrior. Since founding Mommypotamus.com in 2009, Heather has been taking complicated health research and making it easy to understand. She shares tested natural recipes and herbal remedies with millions of naturally minded mamas around the world. 

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103 thoughts on “I Kissed Toothpaste Goodbye”

  1. Thank you so much for posting this Heather! I have…ahem, several cavities, and just overall bad luck with my teeth. I have a cap on one of my teeth that I’ve had for about 11-12 years now bc one of my teeth came in completely decalcified. I’ve been afraid Lily would have similar issues. I will def be getting that book!

    Reply
    • Mae, the good news is you’re already doing a lot of things the book recommends so it shouldn’t be too overwhelming. I did learn several important keys though that I simply haven’t heard of anywhere else. The roles of phosphorous and “activator x” were particularly enlightening and I changed Katie’s diet based on that info. I also realized I needed to cut down on the dried fruit she consumes in favor of fresh fruits because of how they affect her blood chemistry. All in all, it is one of the most important books in my library because I have not seen this research put together in an understandable format ANYWHERE else.

      Reply
  2. great post, heather. we’ve been on the ‘natural’ toothpaste for a few years now, but am glad to find out that there are even better alternatives out there. i am definitely going to give this a try.

    for some reason, the toothsoap.com site isn’t loading for me… have you had anyone else report a similar problem?

    Reply
  3. Well, we are not at all horrifed. We are in awe of you. You have blessed our family in so many ways because of your research. I remember going through this journey with you and Katie and I admired your embrace of knowledge and not settling. Richard has not used toothpaste since dental school, hmmmm…….. You are a wonderful Mommy and I am going to order toothsoap today. Thank you for another great blog.

    Reply
      • I am curious as to the tooth brush you use for your kiddos. We are in the process of trying to heal my boys teeth and while this is a small change when it comes to the toothbrush I am literally trying to change EVERYTHING

        Reply
  4. Hey Heather, GREAT post! Thank you so much for the info 😀 The website isn’t coming up for me either, not even when I type it in directly? I’ll try again later, but I am VERY interested! I have been enjoying your blogs very much, thanks for keeping well informed!

    Reply
    • Shelly, thank you so much! I’m sorry you are having problems getting to the site. Just curious . . . you wouldn’t happen to be using the Google Chrome browser would you? Or maybe your browser doesn’t allow pop-ups or something?

      Some people have emailed with the same problem and it seems to resolve if they try to click on the link using Internet Explorer or Firefox. Worth a try at least ; – )

      Reply
  5. Another awesome post! I really believe you are right on track, Heather. Curt is almost 2.5 now and I must admit that I rarely brush his teeth (my excuse is all the issues of last year! ;-))
    Anyway, his teeth (thank you, Lord!) are immaculate. As I think back, feeding him foods rich in calcium and minerals has been a huge part of his diet. Sipping NT broth from his sippy cup was one of his first foods. I really believe it’s preventing/treating the issues from the inside out. Just like all other health issues, we can either treat symptom or get to the real source of the issue.
    The healthy teeth topic especially interesting to me. My dad is a dentist. I worked for him for 10 years and have seen every situation imaginable! very fascinating.
    Anyway, I’ve been on the hunt for a new toothpaste and can’t wait to order some Tooth Soap!

    Reply
    • Hi Shari – I tried calling the company but they are closed for the day. The email I received did not indicate when the code would expire so I will check with them on Monday to see if it has.

      Reply
  6. Thanks–I found a tiny little link on their home page that says it was valid through midnight July 6, so I missed it! 🙁

    Reply
  7. Have you tried Tropical Traditions Teeth Cleaner? We have the mint flavor and it’s great! here are the ingredients: purified water, organic Virgin Coconut Oil, baking soda, xanthum gum, wildcrafted myrrh powder, stevia, organic essential oils of peppermint, spearmint. My hubby is very picky about his toothpaste and this is the closest to all natural that he will use.
    http://www.tropicaltraditions.com/organic_teeth_cleaners.htm

    Reply
  8. Looks interesting! Very good ingredients from what I can tell, but I’m not sure about the xanthan gum. I wonder if it coats the teeth the way glycerin does.

    Reply
  9. Odd question for you… Do you know anything about pet dental health? Our vet has told us to brush our dog’s teeth, but something just seems odd about that. Dogs don’t brush their teeth in the wild right? Have you ever heard anything about this? We feed them an all natural dehydrated raw food, but they still get awful plaque build-up.

    Reply
    • This is a bit late in answer, but hopefully you will re check. We feed our dogs raw food and give them marrow bones a couple of times a week. The marrow bones are awesome in helping to “brush” your dogs teeth while they gnaw on the bone. Plus, they get lots of healthy nutrients from the marrow. Our dogs teeth are super white and the vet is always pleased.

      Reply
  10. Read this article when you first wrote it and I think it’s awesome! I have since been using Tate’s The Natural Miracle Toothpaste and absolutely love it! I’d be interested to see what you think of their ingredients. Their website is ourtatefamily.com. It tastes like that Close Up toothpaste that used to be in stores. Hope you’re doing well!

    Reply
  11. Do you mind sharing the dentist name that you use for your kids and do they support breastfeeding? I am in desperate need!

    Reply
      • I know this is super old, lol, but I just found your site. I use Christopher’s Tooth & Gum Powder, and I add 1/2 tsp. of ground cinnamon in each container…I was told at our local health food store to do it, as ground cinnamon is used to whiten teeth in India. So far, so good 🙂

        Reply
  12. How is your daughters teeth now and what are you using when you brush her teeth? I just found out my 6 year old has bad decay in one baby tooth and slight decay in 5 others. I refused the xrays at past cleanings but when he started having pain I let them do it at this last check up. He is actually complaining about his permanent molar cutting in the back. I can only see one brown spot on the one that has the most decay and said he needs a stainless steel crown. I do have toothsoap already for me and started it on him that night. He already has a great diet but wondering if we are missing any calcium or other minerals. So disappointing now what to do!?! Do you think that book is a good buy? Do you know of any holistic dentists that see children in Dallas?

    Reply
  13. Ashley – The only holistic dentist I know of is Dr. Cole in Fort Worth. To answer your other questions: We recently learned that her front tooth decay is due to a maxillary tie that prevented milk from clearing off her teeth after she nursed. One tooth still has significant demineralization and the others have slight demineralization. Her molars are doing very well and appear to have sealed, so yay for that! I found the book to be very enlightening and I highly recommend it.

    Reply
  14. I just found your site from Cara at Health, Home & Happiness. I wanted to order some of the toothsoap but the coupon code does not work. Could you give us another coupon code especially if this is our first time to buy the toothsoap? I have been wanting the Cure Tooth Decay for over a year now and I think I will get it soon because everyone raves how good it is. Thanks for the advice!

    Reply
    • Hi Karen! This post was actually written over a year ago, so unfortunately that coupon is WAY EXPIRED! To be honest, we ran out awhile back and I forgot to reorder, so we’ve just been using peppermint flavored castille soap. It’s not too bad if you add a touch of honey! And since you mentioned Cure Tooth Decay, I am curious if you saw this post I wrote just a few weeks ago on healing my daughter’s teeth. It was such an awesome moment for us! https://mommypotamus.com/can-a-weston-a-price-diet-reverse-tooth-decay/

      Reply
  15. Hi thanks for the update on Katie’s teeth. AWESOME job. How long did you use the herbal tooth powder? Just wondering about staining of the teeth.

    Reply
  16. Hi Heather,

    Thank you for your awesome research and willingness to share your experiences with us all. We offer another toxin free option for folks looking for an ‘in the mouth’ support as well. Our products are 100% (yep, 100%) organic and wild crafted ingredients. They are very effective to help support someone on the nutrient dense path create greater oral health.

    If you would like more information on our company, please email us or find us on Facebook.

    Keep up the awesome work!

    Reply
  17. Hi Heather,

    I was wondering what would be your best recommendation on natural toothpastes, I have always had problems with my teeth and as a kid Iwas diagnosed with decalcification and they said my mouth turned everything into an acid after I put something into my mouth. By the time I was in Kindergarden I had my whole mouth but the front bottom four capped with silver caps. I am 18 now and about to get braces, I have already had to get porcealin veniers on my top front 4 teeth. I was also wondering about when you started using the tooth soap and stuff with your daughter did it help your teeth at all because I have all of my permanent teeth and I have already have had alot of work on them.

    Thanks a Bunch for all of your help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Reply
    • Hi Paxton,

      I hear your distress and concern with your oral health. We help folks take control of their oral health. The breakdown in oral health can be amended very easily with helpful information and the right tools and techniques.

      We approach creating greater oral health from both a system wide approach as well as from ‘within the mouth’ so to speak. Sites like Mommypotamus do a great job to share their insights with eating a nutrient dense diet, which is foundational to creating greater oral health as well as whole system well being. Addressing the creation of greater oral health from within the mouth is fairly easy. One must reduce the presence of disease causing microbes in the mouth without stressing the immune system by introducing any poisons (that are in many oral ‘health’ products). After all, introducing poisons (which weaken the immunity) while trying to create greater oral health is like taking one step forward and two steps back.

      I encourage you to check out our site as well as find us on Facebook by searching OraWellness. We have several free instructional videos covering a wide range of strategies and techniques to help create greater oral health.

      I hope this helps you along your path.

      To your health!

      Reply
  18. Hello,
    I just bought Dr Bronner;s 18-in-1 Hemp Baby Mild to make this. Is this correct? So much writing on the bottle I got a little confused. Also, the ingredients don’t say glycerin, but there is a line on there that says after sapnofying into soap and glycerine (it is referring to some ingredients not being in the final product). I just got confused b/c I thought there was not glycerin?

    Reply
    • Yes, they are a little strange with the writing all over the package 🙂 To answer your question yes that is what I use, but I’ve never noticed that part about glycerin so I’m confused too! I wonder if the are using the same label template as other bottles (that do contain glycerin)? I will email them to find out!

      Reply
    • Hi Jess! I emailed and got this response back.

      “Thanks for writing. The retained glycerin comes off of the olive and coconut oils when they are saponified (turned into soap). Castile soap is made by reacting a vegetable oil with an alkali. An oil is a “triglyceride,” which means that three fatty acids are attached to a glycerin molecule. The alkali is either sodium (for bars) or potassium (for liquids) hydroxide, made by running electricity through salt water. The saponification process is a simple one-step reaction with no waste generated: the glycerin is split off from the fatty acids, and the fatty acids combine with the sodium or potassium to form soap, while the hydroxide forms water. The result is soap, glycerin and water (no alkali remains in our soaps).

      Some soapmakers choose to drain off the glycerin to use or sell elsewhere, but we leave it in for added smoothness, since our soap is primarily a body soap.

      Please let me know if you have any further questions.”

      Will be looking into a castille soap without glycerin soon

      Reply
  19. Thanks so much. I was also thinking about ordering the Dr. Christopher’s tooth powder-how often do you use this compared to the home made one? Also, we are vegetarians by religion. Hindus from India have been so for over 2,000 years. There are many food prep. practices that involve fermenting and soaking, but I am wondering what other veg. ideas there may be to promote oral health. Thanks again!

    Reply
    • We’re just using this recipe now (We ran out of the tooth powder long ago and I didn’t reaorder because our daughter’s teeth had already healed). Unfortunately, I am not knowledgeable about veg. ideas for oral health, though if you do dairy I would recommend lots of pastured butter 🙂

      Reply
    • Hi Jess,

      We have some expressed Hindus who love our product, made from 100% organic and wild crafted ingredients, no toxins, no artificial anything. By the way, they moved to the US several years ago. They both have gorgeous teeth, still enjoying what is called ‘genetic momentum’. I know they drink a lot of raw milk to support their dietary needs, given their religious choice.

      I hope this helps. If you have questions, feel free to reach out to us. We are here to help.

      To your health!

      Reply
  20. I use organic toothpaste from pureandgreenorganics.com.au/teeth.html I posted the recipe on curetoothdecay.com and they said that all of the ingredients were safe to use if anyone wants to try it also bentonite oral balm was another thing that they approved of.

    Reply
    • Hi Paxton,

      Thanks for posting this link. We have also researched the idea of using aloe vera juice as the base for a toothpaste product. My only question about the ingredients is what process they use to saponify the coconut and olive oils. The process of saponification, making soap from fats, creates glycerin. Some soap makers wash out the glycerin from the soap, others choose to leave it in (as the glycerin makes the soap softer).

      Therefore, I encourage you to check out whether this company leaves the glycerin in their saponified oils or removes it. Avoiding the use of glycerin in oral care products is a prudent action given the information about glycerin creating a wax like coating on the teeth which would inhibit remineralization.

      Reply
  21. Thanks, just got the same note as you today from Dr. B’s. What are your thoughts on their description of how the glycerine rinses clean?

    Reply
  22. Where do you get the colloidal silver Heather did you buy it somewhere or did you make it and if you did what is the recipe.

    Reply
    • Hi Paxton! I bought it at my local health food store, but honestly I don’t think it made much a difference for my daughter in this instance. Though it’s definitely a potent anti-microbial it just didn’t stay on the surface of her tooth for very long. That’s why looking back I think the other things I did had a much greater impact in healing her teeth. Hope that helps 🙂

      Reply
  23. Great Post! Now I’m worried because I take a magnesium supplement as well. I’ve been using Spry toothpaste with xylitol but want to switch over to something natural for my daughter (14 months) any suggestions of what she can use sine she’s not really spitting yet? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Hi Jacqueline! I’m rethinking my statements on magnesium right now . . . historically it was such an abundant mineral but we don’t get very much these days. I’m thinking it may be okay to supplement even if the ratio to calcium is more than 2:1. Still researching, but that’s where I’m leaning. Regarding a tooth cleanser for your 14 month old, I usually just use a wet cloth to clean their teeth at that age. They usually like chewing on the rag.

      Reply
  24. I was wondering on your view on xylitol because I emailed the closest holistic dentist and asked her about anything that could help with my teeth and she sent me CariFree HA NANO GEl and CariFree Boost Mouth Spray and both of these products contain xylitol she also sent me xylitol gum so I was wondering if these products are safe to use.

    Reply
  25. I just started using toothsoap thanks to you and I’m still trying to get used to the flavor but I love it! I hate to admit it but I haven’t been to the dentist in a looong time, mainly because they seem to always want to pull my wisdom teeth even though I don’t have any problems with them at all. I do have problematic gums though which run in my family and I am desperate for a natural cure for my gums so that when I do get around to finally going I won’t need an under the gum cleaning. Do you know anything I can do? or of any books that have a protocol for gums? any dentists in the dfw you can suggest? thanks a million!!

    Reply
    • Hi Jacqueline,
      Isn’t it funny how so many of us don’t want to admit that we haven’t been to the dentist in so long? 🙂 I wanted to shout out to you given that you mention gum issues. We help folks navigate to greater oral health. Our primary focus is on tools and techniques to create positive change from gum disease. Unfortunately, most people don’t realize how common gum disease really is. The sad stat is that if a person is over 30, they have a 9 out of 10 chance of having active gum disease.

      We offer lots of free video tutorials and downloads to help folks navigate to greater oral health (from the comfort of home). We encourage you to come take a look. Here is a link to our testimonial page… http://www.orawellness.com/Testimonials/

      To your health!

      Will and Susan

      Reply
  26. 1/2 cup baking soda
    1/2 cup sea salt
    1 teaspoon or more of cinnamon

    This makes a great tooth powder.
    The soda & salt scrub & clean and the cinnamon has antibacterial and antimicrobial properities.
    My family has been using this for almost 3 years.
    After you become accustomed to the texture, so different than toothpaste, you’ll realize that your teeth have never been so clean! It feels great and you’ll never want to use nasty store bought toothpaste again!

    Reply
  27. Hi Heather,

    I recently came back to this post because my 15-month-old daughter has what looks like “bottle rot” on the back of one of her lower front teeth and plaque/stains on her upper teeth that I can’t remove with brushing. I had been pre-chewing a lot of her solid food that wasn’t easy to mash up…she still nurses a lot and doesn’t eat much at a time so I wasn’t going through the trouble of mashing or blending up hard-to-chew food that would go to waste, but now in hindsight I guess that would have been a safer option. I’ve been careful to brush her teeth with water twice a day, but she also still falls asleep nursing and still wakes up to nurse pretty frequently I hate to disturb her by shoving a cold, wet washcloth in her mouth to wipe her teeth off when I’m trying to get her down to sleep for the night or back to sleep in the middle of the night. I did buy the Cure Tooth Decay book on Amazon today but if you have any quick suggestions on night nursing I’d appreciate it.

    Reply
    • Yes. I am interested in what you did or think about continuing to night nurse. My dentist said it has to stop but I don’t think my son(16 months old) in ready to night wean. I also don’t want to make this problem (cavities in top four front teeth…had tongue tie fixed when he was a week old but might still have something to do with it) worse.

      Please. Help.

      Reply
  28. I came across the before and after photos shortly right after our 20 month old son was diagnosed with many cavities, but I didn’t see this post until tonight. We were a new WAPF family at the time of diagnosis, but he definitely didn’t receive processed food, sugar, or juice before our nutritional conversion. We’ve seen some great improvement in the bottom molars ( healed ) and the two front teeth. The upper molars are very badly decayed, but slowing…not fast enough. Our protocol has been a natural one and advocated by our dentist, but while researching different toothpastes tonight, I learned his Squiggle Toothpaste ( xylitol paste ) has hydrated silica in it and it’s very abrasive to sensitive enamel and I now wonder if this is why we’re not seeing more remineralization in some areas despite also using MI Paste? So, I just ordered Christopher’s powder and also Dr. Schulze’s tooth and gum treatment. Fingers crossed that it helps. We’ve seen improvement, but your daughter’s beautiful photos give me hope that we may see more.

    Reply
    • Wow, what an amazing dentist you have! So glad you have already seen results with your son’s lower molars – hope the tooth powder and gum tincture helps!

      Reply
  29. Hey Mommypotamus, I was at the dentist today and he found a cavity (super bummer!). He offered to fill it on the spot, but I politely declined because I remember seeing this article in the past and wanted to read it again. I plan to try out the things you mention above. I am wondering how long did it take for your daughters cavities to heal? I am supposed to go back for a filling (which I don’t plan on getting done), but I hope to instead show him improvement. If it’s going to take a while, I will just have to postpone my my next visit. Thanks in advance!

    Reply
  30. Hey Heather,

    I just stumbled upon and immediately love your blog SO much! I will be coming back everyday to read all of your posts. Thank you so much for sharing your life and experiences with all of us. Happy holidays!!!!

    -Lauren

    Reply
  31. I found your blog several months ago, and I love it! I have a little six month old son, and my husband and I are doing our best on a limited budget to follow the WAPF dietal standards. This article was really interesting. What my husband and I do for oral care (besides diet, obviously) is we oil pull with coconut oil (per Dr. Bruce Fife’s book) every morning, and brush with a Bentonite clay toothpaste recipe, which we found at our favorite family owned herbal supplier, the Bulk Herb Store: http://www.bulkherbstore.com/articles/bentonite-clay-toothpaste?id=S8Ss6thC&mv_pc=10110“. We buy the bulk herbs, but a kit can be purchased. There is healing power in bentonite clay and cloves!

    Reply
  32. Did you use both the Tooth & Gum Restore Formula by Dr. Richard Schulze and Dr. Christopher’s Herbal Tooth & Gum Powder to heal her teeth or would just one or the other work to heal teeth as a single?

    Reply
  33. I am trying to find a link I am almost 100% confident I found through your blog for some tooth drops that you used and there were a lot of flavors, but I cannot find it…can you please help me!!

    Reply
  34. Hi Heather, I came across your website in search for a way to reverse cavities in children. My precious 3 year old daughter has a black spot on the top of her back molar. I haven’t taken her to the dentist yet but I am certain it is a cavity as her breath has started smelling too. 🙁 I have been diligent about brushing, she doesn’t get candy and she was exclusively breastfeed and still breastfeeding now. I am devastated by the appearance of this cavity. I bought the book Cure Tooth Decay and I have been reading it all morning. I have a question for you. To heal Katie’s teeth did you give her the cod liver oil/butter oil mixture? And if so how much did you give her? Did you start giving her the foods suggested in the book? I have ordered the linked cod liver/butter oil that is listed in the book sold by Green Pastures and I have also order some tooth soap from your link. I am hoping to reverse this cavity and avoid painful dental work for her. Thanks for you help and a great blog post!
    Stephanie (in Japan)

    Reply
    • Hi Stephanie! We have access to grassfed butter and ghee so I don’t buy the mixture, but I do feed both my kids lots of butter and they get cod liver oil every day. The Weston A. Price Foundation recommends 1/2 teaspoon for children over 8 months and 2 teaspoons for nursing mothers. Those are the dosages I use 🙂

      Reply
      • Hi Heather, Thanks so much for the reply! I have been taking cod liver oil since I was pregnant and have been giving to her daily since she was 1 year old. She has been taking the Nordic Naturals DHA (which is made from cod liver oil. In the book he suggests fermented cod liver oil which is why I bought the Green Pastures brand. Also I don’t have access to Grass Fed butter. I did by some regular very high quality butter and have started giving her that with her breakfast and dinner. I am really hoping this all works. We have also started letting her do a salt water mouth rinse before bed. I am not sure if that is a good idea or not but my husband thought we should try it. Thanks again for the great post and information! I will post back if we get results!

        Reply
  35. Sorry if this is a repeat question. Is the glycerin by-product of Castile soap okay for teeth? It think toothsoap must have some glycerin as by-product of sapnofied oils too.

    Reply
    • I would say it’s not ideal, but I’ve used it and don’t worry about it too much. From what I understand there’s far less in castile soap than what you find in most toothpastes. Personally, though, I prefer the tooth powder in DIY Organic Beauty. It tastes better and leaves my mouth feeling the cleanest it ever has.

      Reply
      • I’ve been trying to piece this together from your blog posts — sounds like you are saying:

        –Either use toothsoap or tooth powder, preferably tooth powder to avoid the glycerin in soap
        –If there are cavities present, also use one of the two herbal powders (before or after the tooth powder?)
        –Use a baking soda/calcium citrate powder mix 1-2x/week for stains
        –Use turmeric/coconut oil treatment occasionally for whitening
        –For a non-spitting child, just use water and wash-cloth
        –Change your diet as recommended by the Cure Tooth Decay book

        Is all this right?
        Thanks so much.

        Reply
  36. I know this is a LOT late, but I’m going to comment anyway. I read your article to see what you said about tooth health as I have my own philosophies on the issues and wanted your see your opinion, too. We agree on most everything. However, I don’t think it’s fair to for you, or anyone else, who says glycerin in toothpaste is bad. First, I have not seen a single research study to prove that glycerin coats the teeth, although this statement is reported as if it’s a fact. And second, you recommend using tooth soap. There’s nothing wrong with tooth soap — we make our own, too! There IS something wrong with saying that glycerin is bad in toothpaste, then ignoring the fact that glycerin is a byproduct of soap making. Therefore, that tooth soap you just recommended is full of glycerin just like the commercial toothpaste. Theoretically, that would make tooth soap equally bad. It’s hypocritical, but you may not have known that.

    Reply
    • Aloha Becky,
      We agree with your points made here. I would like to share our perspective on glycerin as well as the other point you bring up regarding soap based products as I have had a similar concern. Incidentally, in defense of Heather, I think you will see that Heather quite possibly may be correct with her basis of understanding (she has done A LOT of research and extensive experience on the subject).

      You are correct that there are no major clinical studies to prove that glycerin creates a film, a wax like coating on the tooth enamel which inhibits the activity of remineralizing the exterior surface of the teeth. As far as we have found, the theory originated from Dr Gerard Judd, a PhD in chemistry, who proposed that using glycerin in the mouth repetitively (as in 2x a day) over time coats the teeth and would inhibit remineralization. Whether this is true or not, time will tell. The way we like to approach subjects like this is called the ‘precautionary principle’. Applying the precautionary principle for us in this instance means that until we know, why roll the dice and use glycerin based products in the mouth?

      Incidentally, it’s also crucial to note that while the saliva does play a foundational role in remineralizing the exterior surface of the tooth enamel which is damaged by acidic foods and drinks, provided our bodies have sufficient minerals and fat soluble activators in them, our bodies will also create what is called ‘secondary dentin’ which is remineralizing the teeth from the ‘inside out’. 🙂

      Regarding products that are soap based and their relative risks of containing glycerin… I also had (have) this concern as you are correct that glycerin is a by product from the process of soap making. However, some soaps are ‘washed’ of their glycerin while others keep the glycerin as part of the soap itself (thus ‘glycerin soaps’). So, it really depends on the actual manufacturing process of the individual soap maker whether they choose to keep the glycerin or remove it from the final soap product.

      We hope this helps bring more light and information to this often confusing subject! Heather, please keep up doing your awesome work! 🙂

      Thanks for reading and Aloha!

      Reply
  37. In your paragraph…
    “When I found them I decided to hold off on an exam and order both of the herbal formulas I mentioned. Katie hates them both, but she hates Dr. Christopher’s Herbal Tooth & Gum Powder less. Since I began using it one cavity has healed completely (with new white enamel over the top) and one has gone from a scary black spot to a light brown one that looks better all the time. Overall, the quality of the enamel on her teeth has also significantly improved. They went from looking slightly translucent at the tips to being more dense looking.”

    How long did you use the two items before you noticed changes in the cavaties? Thanks!

    Reply
  38. Hi Heather! I’ve come back to your site often to read about your articles on tooth care and your experiences healing your daughter’s teeth. If I recall, Katie was 30 months old when you started using Dr. Christopher’s tooth and gum powder on her teeth. Is it safe to use for a 2 year old? Does the product have any usage restrictions? I want to try this and also Earthpaste to see what works best for us. Have you tried Earthpaste?

    Reply
    • Hi RJ, I suggest you get in touch with Dr. Christopher’s manufacturer regarding age recommendations – I honestly don’t remember. I haven’t tried Earthpaste. They look like a pretty decent company overall, but I’m not a fan of xylitol.

      Reply
      • Thanks, Heather. Just got Earthpaste and Dr. Christopher in the mail. Haven’t tried Dr. Christopher but the Earthpaste is good. I think research on xylitol is inconclusive (too early to tell) but the dentist wants a dozen crowns put on our 2 kids together and I want to try other means. We’re giving our kids Green Pasture cod liver oil & high vitamin butter oil blend. Earthpaste seems OK for kids who know NOT to swallow toothpaste. I don’t give it to our younger child and am looking for a safe, natural toothpaste recipe that’s safe for 2 year olds.

        Reply
        • Just want to add an update here for anyone who reads it and might be curious about Earthpaste. We’ve pretty much stopped using it. My DH says his teeth are bleeding again after trying it for several weeks. He is now back to Jason Tea Tree toothpaste. I am going to use up the rest of our Earthpaste, but mostly I’m using Dr. Christopher Tooth & Herbal Gum Powder. It’s awesome. I had bleeding gums for years, and after taking it for 3 days it stopped! I rinse in the morning and there’s no bleeding. What I do is I rub it on my gums and teeth twice a day after brushing, leaving it on overnight. Then I rinse in the morning. It’s wonderful. I also use it on my kids. Since I’m not confident that the kids are getting all the vitamins from the FCLO/HVBO blend through the skin, I’m hoping Dr. Christopher will at least set off any infection or wearing off of the teeth. Hope this helps someone.

          Reply
          • Aloha RJ,

            I’m sorry to hear about the challenge your family has faced with oral health. I invite you to give our products a try. I’m going to share with you here a couple of the literally thousands of customer testimonials we have received.

            “Dear Will and Susan,
            I have spent large sums in the past trying to take care of my aging, receding gums. Your Healthy Mouth Blend and valuable tutorials have given me back what years of traditional care have left wanting! After just a few months my gums are beautifully pink and pockets/gaps are closed. I tell all who will listen about your products. Thank you for the valuable service you provide.

            Sincerely,
            Helen Johnson
            Abilene, TX”

            “Within days of starting to use your products, the bleeding gums stopped, as well as the bad breath. This already is a 5 star benefit!

            Anna B, Maryland”

            Bottom line RJ, we are here to help. Our products help customers all around the world navigate to greater oral health. We stand behind our products with a no questions 365 day guarantee. (yes, that’s how confident we are that you will benefit from using our products 🙂

            Feel free to reach out to us with any questions, we’re here to help.

            Also, you may benefit from watching our free video series, the 5 Steps to a Healthy Mouth. Here’s the link. http://orawellness.com/answers/5steps/

            Thank you and Aloha,

            Will and Susan

          • Hello, I’ve been reading comments here, trying to get answers… My son is 20 months old now, and he has tooth decay, but not necessarily gum/tooth bleeding. I am using a clay mix to remineralize the tooth. I was wondering if you apply the tooth n gum formula to your child (who is under 2 I guess?) and if so, how do you do that? I’m confused… and also does your little one swallow the tooth n gum powder? Because mine will .. and I dont know if it’s safe.
            Thanks.

  39. Hello.

    I have learned a lot from reading your posts and comments. Thank you. Can you please share anything you know about breastfeeding at night after the dentist finding four cavities in the top four teeth? I have started reading the recommended book and plan to use the tooth powder as well as the other recommendations for diet and supplements in the book. I just want to know if I can nurse my baby (16 months) back down at night without brushing his teeth after and essentially waking him up:(

    Can you also shed some more light on the tooth powder discoloring the teeth? How much are we talking here?

    Again thank you soo much for paving the way. You have given me hope.
    Bree

    Reply
  40. I hope someone can answer me..

    How do you use the tooth & gum powder on a 20 month old? No idea…. and I thought that tea tree oil was toxic when taken orally.

    Reply
    • Hi Ariane, I suggest you get in touch with Dr. Christopher’s and see what they say about using their formula with toddlers. 🙂

      Reply
  41. What do you recommend for a toddler/ young child who doesn’t yet spit toothpaste? Are the ingredients in the diy ones ok to swallow?

    Reply
  42. Hello! I know this is a little late to the game! But, I am healing a cavity right now using Dr Christophets tooth powder and his calcium supplement. How long before you started to see results with your daughter? I use the powder once a day and oil pull. So far I haven’t seen any staining, which is a plus! I know everyone is different but just wondering what the timeline was for your daughter!

    Reply
  43. Hello there? my dayghter has a really tough problem with her 4 front teeth (15months). I am interested if you cut the lip tie? In out country (europe, romania) it is so commom to cut it if you’re in problem with children front teeth. We are in the same situation and i want to know if it is necessary to cut in before starting the diet. Thank you!

    Reply
  44. Have you heard of anyone experiencing increased tooth sensitivity after using Dr. Christopher’s Tooth Powder. We have been using it at our house, and my teeth are killing me!

    Reply
  45. I’ve got receding gums (ugh, enthusiastic brushing!) causing sensitive teeth to exposed parts of the teeth.. does anyone know if Dr Bronners toothpaste (Peppermint) will help? I’m currently using OTC big brand name toothpaste that apparently has some ‘approved’ numbing agents to help with the sensitivity but I’m guessing that’s not a great option… please help!

    Reply
  46. I have been brushing with baking soda and peppermint EO for about 2 months now. I just read you didnt recommend it everday. You said your daughter had significant remineralization with the herbal stuff but you use the homemade tooth soap. Do u see much difference in remineralization in one over the other?

    Reply
  47. I just finished reading a bunch of reviews of Dr. Christopher’s Herbal Tooth & Gum Powder, which you used for your daughter, and many folks say it colored their teeth brown. My teeth are already pretty discolored, I’m guessing from my 20s when I lived in NYC, smoked, drank lots of red wine and coffee. The last thing I want to do is make my teeth more brown… what was your experience with that?

    Reply
  48. I just had temporary filling on a first molar upper teeth. Actually it had a very small cavity. I I had toothache no in that tooth. And moreover my teeth are affected by fluoride and have yellow spots all over. Now the pain is gone after doing oil pulling for 2 days . Now I am thinking b of removing this temporary filling since it is not deep. So will it be a good idea??

    Reply
  49. Hi, for toddlers, how can I properly use the homemade tooth powder? is it okay if she swallows some of the powder she is 24 months old and doesn’t seem to know the concept of spitting it out? Also does the homemade tooth powder also cause discoloration? or is that just Christopher’s tooth powder that does that? I have not bought Christopher’s tooth powder and my 2 yr old is experiencing demineralization and tooth decay; should I buy Christopher’s tooth powder or would your homemade tooth powder be good enough? I do want to switch to tooth suds after the healing begins so that I can avoid tooth discoloration.

    Thanks in advance!

    Reply