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Tooth Decay Warm Greetings, Hope that you all had a good and healthy week! Last week we where discussing how to sink our teeth into good health... let's carry on. Although the medical establishment's standard position is that tooth decay is caused by food particles stuck to the outside of the teeth, even the journal of the American Medical Association recognised that tooth decay dropped when a more natural diet is followed. In an issue of this magazine, Dr James H. Shaw reported on the improvement in dental health that occurred when certain countries during World War II had to revert back to a traditional, unrefined diet. "Careful study of these countries indicates that the nutritional influences imposed on the teeth during development and calcification through the consumption of coarse, unrefined diets of natural foodstuffs resulted in teeth that were more decay-resistant than those teeth formed during the pre-war years. Notice that emphasis is placed on the formation of the teeth and a good diet. Your mother's diet during pregnancy and lactation provided the foundation of your dental health. Even if you now eat an excellent diet, your teeth may be suffering from poor eating habits of your younger years, or from your mother's prenatal diet. Besides diet, what else can prevent tooth decay? Exercise! Most people would laugh if you suggest that they exercise their teeth. After all, with all the overweight people in this country, you might think that people need to keep their mouths shut more and exercise their teeth less. Like any other healthy part of your body, however, the teeth require regular exercise. It is a fact: if any part of the body is not exercised or used properly, it will deteriorate. The teeth are no different. So, how do you exercise your teeth - by flapping your gums? No, the best exercise for your teeth is to use them for the exact purpose that you have them: chewing food. Look at the typical western meal: white bread, mashed potatoes, gravy, meatloaf, mushy peas and a cup of tea. You don't need teeth to eat that kind of food. You could almost swallow the slop in a few gulps with one or two chews. You need a meal you can sink your teeth into. You need to eat food that requires chewing and using your teeth. Which foods exercise the teeth best? Raw, fibrous, wholesome fruits, vegetables and nuts. Cooked foods are poorly chewed; raw foods must be though roughly masticated. The chewing of the firm raw fruits and vegetables give the teeth exactly the kind of exercise they need. Not only are raw fruits and vegetables beneficial in exercising the teeth, they may be your best toothbrush! Consider this report made by 2 British researchers in the Medical Press. 2 groups of children were chosen at random. One group ate a raw apple after their regular meal; the other group did not. It was found that chewing an apple stimulated the gum tissues, increased the saliva flow to cleanse the teeth, and provided optimum exercise for the jaw muscles. The researchers discovered that the children who ate apples (or any raw, fibrous fruit or vegetable) with their meals had significantly better gum health and fewer cavities than those children who simply followed a regular program of brushing and conventional diet. Raw fruit particles do not produce decay or stench in the mouth, as does food, which has been processed, cooked, or refined. Once a food's composition is altered by cooking or refining, the food particles decay rapidly when left in the mouth and between the teeth. By eating raw fruits and vegetables, your teeth will stay naturally clean and healthy without abrasive toothpaste or excessive brushing. Next week we will conclude this subject and then concentrate on the eyes. The Crazy Nut team wishes you a fabulous week.