How to Prevent Tooth Decay and Avoid Braces

Drs. Mellanby and Dr. Price found to prevent and reverse tooth and bone problems are:

1. The presence of enough minerals in the diet.
2. The presence of enough fat soluble vitamins (A, D, E and K) in the diet.
3. How bio-available these nutrients are and how well the body is absorbing them.

They found that this is largely influenced by the presence of Phytic Acid in the diet.

What Does This Mean Practically In The Diet?

It is not possible or necessary to eliminate Phytic acid from the diet. What should be considered is taking care to minimize the foods that contain the highest amounts.

Some preparations like soaking and fermenting can reduce the phytic acid content and should be practiced if the foods are going to be consumed, but in many cases, it is better to avoid these foods completely.

Nuts, for instance, have a high phytic acid content which can be greatly reduced by soaking the nuts in salt or lemon water overnight and then rinsing and dehydrating in the oven (the same can be done with beans). While this step is time consuming, it is feasible with things like nuts or beans, but much more intensive with wheat (which contains more phytic acid!) Grains especially are better soaked, sprouted and fermented,  if consumed at all, but this process does not completely eliminate the other harmful properties of grains.

You might notice that meats, eggs, vegetables, and healthy fats are not on this list of high phytic acid foods. As I’ve mentioned before, these foods contain higher levels of vitamins and minerals are more nutrient dense anyway. If foods high in phytic acid are going to be eaten, check out this article from the Weston A. Price Foundation on how to sprout, ferment, and soak them to make them less harmful.

Especially for the sake of your children, who are developing their tooth and bone structure, consider reducing your consumption of phytic acid containing foods. A diet based on the guidelines suggested by the doctors above will also help achieve optimal weight, improve concentration, and increase energy levels.

There is also a great book called Cure Tooth Decay: Heal and Prevent Cavities with Nutrition that explains in great detail the connection between phytic acid and tooth/bone health and practical steps to reverse it