Dear Dr. Ellie,
Thank you for all of your suggestions. Can you tell me is flax seed oil an alternative to cod liver oil?
I have a question about the ACT. Is it acidic? It is the last step in the program and will that have an effect staying on the teeth at night? Is it a good idea to dissolve a xylitol mint in the mouth before sleeping (and 30 minutes after the ACT)?
Marie
Hi M,
Flax seed oil may indeed be a benefit and may do the same things that cod liver oil does, but I don’t know for sure. Our family use both!
We grind up flax seeds and add the “meal” to our cereal or yogurt. We also take cod liver oil my husband likes the liquid kind and I take the capsules.
The benefits of ACT comes from the dilute sodium fluoride solution while it is in contact with your teeth. This solution strengthens teeth only as long as it is in contact with the outer enamel. This is why it seems to work really well when used last thing at night it has the chance to soak into the pits and fissures of the surface of the teeth and not be washed away (since our mouths are drier at night while sleeping). The benefits of fluoride are not related to acidity or alkalinity it is a “catalyst” ( a kind of “gatekeeper” ) that has the ability to encourage minerals from your mouth, present in saliva, to enter the teeth and become nice strong crystals of enamel.
I don’t know if eating a Zellie mint after ending the “routine” would enhance this system or not!
I know that research has been done to show that using a dilute fluoride rinse and eating some xylitol each day are more effective than just using fluoride alone. But they ate the xylitol during the day and rinsed at night.
However, I know other people who, like you, dissolve a xylitol mint in their mouths about a half hour after rinsing with fluoride, before going to bed at night. Their teeth look fine51 but I do not know if they are in better shape than if they left the fluoride on their teeth. The ones I know do not like the taste of the fluoride!
I am sorry that I don’t have your answer: in fact, the only way to compare the results of each technique would be to do a clinical trial.
Maybe a budding dentist could do this!
Thanks for your questions and please feel free to keep in contact.
I am here to help as much as I can.
Ellie Phillips, DDS
Categories: Uncategorized, Xylitol