Natural Solutions for Healing and Preventing Gum Disease and Cavities
Join us for upcoming presentations that will empower you to take control of your oral health
Dr. Ellie wil describe proven ways to stop, prevent, and reverse cavities and gum disease
Topics will include:
- Cavities and Dental Disease: Why they occur and how to stop them. Cavities, filings, gum recession, lost teeth, root canals, periodontal disease, and implants can all easily be prevented!
- Treatments and Preventive Strategies: Use of xylitol, diet, supplements, and methods to control, balance, and sustain oral health at all ages.
- Myths and Truths: Facts about what really causes oral health problems and what actually works to prevent and stop the disease.
- Q & A Session: Ask Dr. Ellie your specific oral health questions and concerns.
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**Seminars to be held in Austin, TX and Auburn, CA in October 2013!
See RSVP details below**
Monday, October 14th, 2013 in Auburn, CA: Learn more and RSVP HERE
Wednesday, October 23rd, 2013 in Austin, TX: Learn more and RSVP HERE
Categories: Natural Solutions, Q&A with Dr. Ellie, Uncategorized
about 1-2 years ago when i needed my lower wisdom teeth removed.the dentist recommenced i remove my upper ones. do you think he did this for the money? they were fully in and he admitted that they were no problem by themselves. only that they might cause discomfort or that they might touch the gums.but he made it like that is the normal procedure. now i am kicking myself for that.i think that they would have been great insurance if something goes wrong down the line. is it really that necessary to remove or was it foolish?
Many wisdom teeth get infected.
If people us the system of care that I recommend their wisdom teeth would not get infected.
Once a wisdom tooth is infected, this infection can spread to cause damage to the bone, adjacent teeth, and potentially other areas in the mouth.
Most dentists recommend filling a cavity.
I recommend reversing dental disease so that a cavity can repair naturally.
Most dentist want to save you from the damage that a wisdom tooth may potentially cause.
I want you to get on a program that eradicates disease in your mouth – everywhere – including around your wisdom teeth.
Dentists are trained in a particular way – which may be the best for people who don’t take care of their mouths. I present a better way – but you have to take responsibility for your own oral health and protect your teeth with xylitol and use my Complete Mouth Care System twice every day.
I questioned a dentist who wanted to fill very small cavities.I ended up afterwords asking him how much tooth is damaged by drilling small cavities. He said it basicly does no harm to the tooth except remove the eary decay he said he is carefull. Does that sound right? This guy is a family friend I dont think he would be dishonest. What do you think?
Most dentists believe they are helping you by drilling and filling. I’ve often heard them say “what’s so wrong with a filling?”
The real scoop is that dentists know fillings “grow up” to be crowns.
Ask your dentist how long your new filling will last? Will he give you a lifetime guarantee?
Once the fantastic natural structure of enamel is broken, you have taken the cornerstone out of the natural arch structure of enamel. This will weaken the tooth more than you imagine.
Fillings need constant care. Why don’t you remineralize and naturally repair your problem to avoid a filling?
Fillings do NOTHING to get rid of the disease that causes cavities. What are you planning to do about the bacterial disease?
Fillings almost always need repairs.
Have your friend check out this website and suggest he may be interested to come to the next meeting of this organization. I take issue with this group only because they don’t think teeth heal themselves – which is wrong. However, they talk at length about the damage caused by a filling and how to minimize tooth damage.http://www.academyofbiomimeticdent.org/pages/for_patients.php
would you comment on neem for gum health? also i have heard repeatedly that betaine hcl as a dietary supplent taken with meals reduces plaque on the teeth. i have tried this and it does seem to work. Also, its possible that people on the typical american diet are not getting good sources of minerals. would you consider kelp or green vegetable powders a way to ensure excellent levels of minerals in the diet? why do so many people in advanced countries still have poor teeth – it must be the diet.
There are 11 pathogens ( bad bacteria) that get into gum pockets and become the “disease” responsible for pocketing and bad gum health. These bacteria cause inflammation but can travel to other places in the body. This is why gum disease is implicated in many health problems from heart disease, dementia, arthritis, pre-term birth, possibly some cancers and digestive problems.
There is a test for these 11 pathogens – called the OralDNA test.Patients on my Complete Mouth Care System – using the system for 2 months – were tested and found to have controlled these harmful bacteria and measurements of inflammation in their body were back to normal. A preventive cardiologist who witnessed this gives the first testimonial in the latest versions of my book, Kiss Your Dentist Goodbye.
Diet is definitely important for gum health – because cells and “nutrients” needed for gum health come from your blood ( and these enter the blood from the foods and supplements we consume). Even if you eat well, you still need to massage your gums to bring this healthy nutrient-dense blood to your gums – which is why brushing your gums is important.
As to your final question – gum disease ( these 11 germs) and cavity germs are transmissible. My belief is that there was an explosion of disease in the 1800s when a “perfect storm” occurred. This was when refined foods came into existence ( feeding bad germs), when toothbrushes were invented ( transfer and spread disease) and the early days of dentistry which may have contributed to the spread of infection from patient to patient. Old “out houses” came indoors and often next to toothbrushes. Finally, men in the trenches of World War I and II often developed trench mouth – a severe, acute, form of gum disease. Coming home to kiss and interact with families would have potentially passed these germs around. I believe our traditional method of scaling and cleaning teeth is a poor way to deal with this disease. I worry that germs from one pocket may be transferred to another on instruments. I’d only suggest a “cleaning” after two months on my program. I hope anyone who is at risk for systemic diseases or gum problems will use my system.
That’s a long answer – but I hope it gives you food for thought! Thanks for a great question!
Hello Dr. Ellie: I read your posts on remineralization and would like to know if it would work for exposed dentin and loss of enamel. I just went to the dentist yesterday and discovered I have a Class V “abfraction”. My thinking is that the loss of enamel is from overzealous brushing (sonicare, sensitive setting) and flossing (waterpik pressure; didn’t use a brush which I now know was too harsh). I noticed my gums receeding in my last dentist visit and mentioned it, but the dentist said it looked ok for someone my age (44). Anyway, he wants me to have the teeth–I think #22 and #21 filled and said I better do it now before it gets worse. I have read articles and studies in the field that are split about treatment for enamel loss. Some favoring a filling to preserve tooth structure and some “waiting and seeing”. The teeth are sensitive to touch and cold on the exterior, where the dentin is exposed. For the past 2 weeks, not knowing what else to do, I have been using a baby xylitol tooth paste(side note: I also wanted to know if xylitol is safe because I read that the way it is manufactured involves a lot of chemicals). Anyway, do you suggest remineralization here, with the sensitive dentin? Since this is a progressive issue I don’t see how I can get the enamel back and how the gum can meet the gum. Thank you!
Hi Elena,
If you took two uncooked eggs and immersed one in vinegar over-night, the next morning you could do a simple experiment to show what happened to your teeth. A toothbrush rubbed over the egg from the carton would cause no damage to the shell. The other egg (that was immersed in acidic vinegar) would be damaged, and you would quickly brush away the entire egg-shell to expose the soft membrane of egg white underneath. This is a re-creation of what happened to your teeth. It is not brushing or abfraction ( biting stress) that is the problem ( so don’t blame yourself). It’s mouth acidity that has allowed this damage to occur.
Your immediate need is to control acidity in your mouth (with Zellies). My system of care will help make your teeth stronger and the sensitivity will go away. Unless you deal with acidity, new fillings will be superficial band-aid’s that do nothing to prevent future damage to other fillings, other teeth, and all vulnerable enamel. My prediction ( if you do not address the acidity ) is that your dental future will be more fillings, crowns, implants, night guards, bite plates, and more.
Zellies control mouth acidity. Often acidity is from your own saliva or drinks (especially citrus juices and green teas) or acidic waters. Keep drinks to meals and end all meals, snacks, and drinks with Zellies mints or gum. Use the Complete Mouth Care System for about a week and your teeth should feel great. It’s important to avoid toothpastes and xylitol products that contain glycerin ( since this appears to impede healing). Also avoid whitening products, peroxide, baking soda, and even flossing (at least in the sensitive area for a week or two).
I understand you want a natural approach – and at first glance you may wonder about my system and the products I recommend. First – they work, and second- they stimulate natural healing. My system creates the circumstances that allow teeth to heal themselves( read my book Kiss Your Dentist Goodbye for the details). If you are looking for a “healthy” solution be careful of white fillings, which contain BPA. My advice is prevent future damage and try to heal these teeth as much as possible naturally. Finally, Class V fillings are not long-lasting and 60% of them fail. Here is a link to a UK study:
Dear Dr. Ellie: Thank you. Your analogy with the egg helps me understand what is going on. I am on board with your recommended program. I am not a big fan of whitening products, though I have cleansed my mouth with a diluted hydrogen peroxide. If I remember right, I recall that glycerin interferes with the absorption or the re-mineralization so I will get the appropriate toothpaste..
I appreciate that the fillings are not long-lasting and that they will do damage to healthy enamel. But my dentist is pushing me toward them to preserve tooth structure. If I forgo the fillings–which is what I would prefer to do–does your system work with people in my situation–Class V, dentin exposed, and rapid demineralization?. I think I read that the challenge is to remineralize at a quicker rate than the demineralization–which I now recognize is caused by acidity. Will be ordering zellies. Thank you for your thoughts. Elena
Once you stop the damage, some of these lesions may slowly remineralize. It depends on how deep they are. Many dentist believe it is best to leave Class V lesions alone – they won’t get worse providing you remove or control the problem that was causing them. You could ( at least) wait 6-12 months and review the situation with your dentist. Patients should not feel pressured to have fillings if they don’t want them. Take photos – and check each month on how they look. Keep your own record…..it may be very interesting!
Dear Dr. Ellie, I have been on your program for 2 years now and I cannot begin to tell you what a difference it has made in my mouth AND my life! I have shared this with my circle of friends and grown children and they also have chosen to follow this key to dental health.
I am 54, and at my last check up the hygenist gently prepared me for the changes in my “pocket” readings because of the hormonal shifting. Well to her shock, they had all continued to go down in number! This was a true blessing.
So my question… Last year my upper wisdom tooth began to poke thru the gum. Something that dumbfounded me as well as my dentist. It has pretty much stayed the same until recently where 2 little points seem to be thru. As you can imagine, I am not at all eager or excited to undergo the surgery to have
this tooth extracted! And conventional dentistry would tell me immediately to have it removed.
At this point it is not painful, but I feel that it is more a sensation. Probably some nerve discomfort at times.
The more I dwell on it, it seems the more I notice it.
Do you have any suggestions for me before I make a move to any action? I am not at all afraid of infection because I am convinced that the rinses and zylitol will do their amazing work. But I am also, not aware of
the chemistry and the science of the tooth just staying there. I would love to here from you and see this
consuming problem from your point of view!
Once again, thank you so much for your work!
J.A. Spokane, Wa.
Thank you for your kind and supportive message. I’m happy the information has been helpful to you and your family.
Wisdom teeth are only a problem because they are difficult to keep clean. Anyone with wisdom teeth needs to consider Closys (and ensure the rinse is bathing these teeth at the back of the mouth for exactly one minute). The oxygen released by Closys cleans around the teeth – but it takes 30 seconds to activate in your mouth and 30 seconds to work around teeth.
Try to use your toothbrush to stimulate circulation in the gums around all your teeth when you brush. I suggest using two different brushes – a rechargeable brush ( like the expensive Philips Sonicare Diamond) with its little brush to sonically vibrate around this tooth and clean away particles – maybe every morning. Aim to brush the gums to try and stimulate circulation on the outside and on the inside of teeth.
If you use a sonic in the morning – maybe use a manual brush ( we sell mouth watchers) in the evening. Use the rest of the system as normal. The Closys and good brushing will target the gums around wisdom teeth and keep them healthy. I suggest waiting until you have eradicated all periodontal problems before any decision.
I’m surprised after two years that you have ANY pockets. Think about a different kind of tooth brush and make sure you brush your gums – not just teeth. Let me know if you need more help. Here is a link to our mouth watchers brushes. Disinfect regularly even though they are antibacterial!
Dear Dr. Ellie,
My wisdom tooth are inflammation for two weeks (something like Pericoronitis, but my wisdom teeth have grown out of many years.), may I able to carry out oil pulling for reduce inflammation? or should I do it till no inflammation any more? Thanks again for your kindness and generosity!
Best Regards,
Ivan
Dear Dr. Ellie,
I have a question regarding the Act Rinse formulation. I have been on your Mouth Care System for several years and have had great results. I have spread the word and family and friends are also on the program. Lately, however, my teeth have been increasingly sensitive to cold. I was looking at the Act bottle and realized that the label says it is Act Fluoride “Mouthwash” instead of “Rinse” and the inactive ingredients though the same, are in different order on the label, with water and sorbitol beginning the list. Both have the ADA stamp and the same .05% sodium fluoride. I went back to the store and found that the only ACT “Rinse” they carry is the KIDS Anticavity Fluoride rinse, which has mostly the same ingredients with benzyl alcohol being the first ingredient before calcium disodium, and containing sucralose instead of saccharin at the end of the list. Are you aware of the different formulations? Are these important differences?
Thank you sharing this wonderful program and the important work you do.
WC
The manufacturers of ACT have re-named this product and also re-wrote the label ingredients in a newly organized listing. The ingredients have been verified as the same – many times – with the manufacturer. The only product that is really confusing is the larger 36 oz ACT that only has 0.02% sodium fluoride twice the liquid volume with a half dilution.
If your teeth are sensitive, I’d suggest you ensure that you are using sufficient Zellies each day. You need Zellies mints or gum after ALL meals, snacks and drinks. Also, if you are a big water drinker, ensure you give your teeth sufficient time without anything to eat or drink each day for at least a couple of hours. You need to give saliva time to remineralize your teeth. Constant sipping – even water- will dilute saliva and harm your teeth in the end, making them sensitive.
Dr. Ellie-
We discovered your system 4 years ago when our daughter developed cavities (very much related to nursing continuously at night as a toddler), and had great success with the hygiene changes. My first daughter’s “decay was arrested” and she is now cavity-free with having no invasive procedures! Thank you so much for being such an advocate for dental health, and for teaching the evidence.
We have another daughter who is now 2 1/2. She also developed cavities from night nursing (I do understand about the bacterial infection part, but I think the constant nursing during the night was a big factor). The cavities my second daughter has are worse than the ones my first daughter had. The decay is worst on the lateral incisors: one actually broke before we slowed/stopped the decay, and the other has a large cavity across the front surface. The one that broke is now a fairly hardened stub of dentin (there is no more enamel), and the back of it is an even darker color and harder. The one with the large cavity seems to be hardening. There is no decay on the central incisors or the mandibular incisors. Ironically, lateral incisor defects (missing or small) in the secondary teeth is hereditary in my family!
Where we need your advice is this:
-Our conservative pediatric dentist wasn’t concerned about the incisors, as he said the decay was arresting with the changes we’ve made (including night-weaning), but he discovered small “sticky spots” on her molars, for which he referred us to a pediatric surgeon who works on baby teeth. He said he has never seen decay arrested on molars, and they last so long they need treatment.
-The pediatric surgeon said he was very concerned the tooth that broke would abscess, and the one with the large cavity had a good chance of breaking without “repairs.” He wants to pull the stub and leave that spot open, and do a full “restoration” of the other teeth: the lateral incisor, as well as the three molars with pit/fissure decay. We strongly insisted we preferred to watch and wait, and he even said that could have been a possibility were he not worried about an abscess of the broken tooth.
The visit to the pediatric surgeon was on November 2, 2013. He said he wouldn’t wait more than a month to do the procedures. It is now almost April and we have not brought her back to the dentist. We feel as though we can’t go back to either dentist because we have not chosen to treat her. We have been doing xylitol and act, and every couple of weeks or so I gently tap with a probe to see if the dentin seems to be hardening, but I am not a dentist. I wish we felt supported by a dentist to try and heal the teeth before doing expensive, invasive treatment. I feel like both these dentist are conservative, reasonable people who don’t want to over-treat, but this was their firm advice.
We were very interested in coaching services, and possibly having you call our dentist, but received an email saying you are not currently offering that service. We have your book and have been much consoled by reading your articles about pediatric sedation and early childhood cavities, nursing and cavities, and as well as by reading the dramatic success stories.
If you have any advice about what we should do about dental care, we would be so very grateful.
This Q and A email is much longer than I usually post – but I think other parents will relate to your situation and may find help “listening” to our conversation. Mouth bacteria are important and good ones will prevent cavities.Here are three important facts:
1) Decay can only happen when harmful, cavity-forming bacteria dominate.
2) If healthy bacteria dominate ( in the mouth of an adult or child) it is impossible to have cavities.
3) Cavity bacteria are transmissible – from adults, toothbrushes, caretakers, grandparents – get the whole family on xylitol!
Any sugars or carbohydrates ( even from wholegrain cereals, breads, juices, fruits etc.) fuel the growth of harmful bacteria. Xylitol stops this happening – especially when xylitol is eaten at the end of meals. If you keep sugars, juices, carbohydrates etc to mealtimes, and end with a ZellieBear, five times a day, you can expect 98% of harmful germs to have gone in 6 months. As xylitol weeds out the bad bacteria, it also feeds healthy ones. If your child eats fermented foods like kafir, yogurts etc he or she will quickly achieve a healthy “garden of bacteria” to protect their teeth from damage ( even in the grooves of those molar teeth).
As bad bacteria are controlled you will be able to rebuild tooth strength. Crest Cavity Protection toothpaste is your ally. You only need a pea- or rice-grain amount. I’d suggest that you smear a tiny amount of paste on the cavities in these teeth, then brush the paste around and help the child spit out if possible afterwards. A ZellieBear may be a great “after-brushing” treat if the paste is not a good taste for your child.
Your child is too young for a mouth wash – but I would recommend an older child rinse at the end with ACT bubblegum mouth wash and then spit out three or four times ( which is fun for kids). Any dentist would be delighted to work with a parent who cares so much about oral health – especially if you can get these cavities to disappear. I think you should go back to the dentist you like best – but give these teeth a few months to harden first using xylitol and Crest toothpaste every night before bed.
Please let us know the outcome – and if you are able to avoid fillings. Good luck and I wish your family success.
Hello Dr. Ellie,
I am not sure if this thread is still active but I hope you will get a chance and read this.
All my life I have had pretty good teeth. I grew up in Germany where dental care is much more affordable so until I moved here in 2012 I had at least one annual check up with no cavities, braces for 4 years, and overall good teeth. About a week ago I finally went to see a dentist here in the US after not having been to a dentist in about 2 years because of financial reasons. They took X-rays and told me I had 6 !! cavities, when would I like to come in for the treatment. I was thoroughly shocked, went home, cried, and went online to do some research. I found somebody recommending your system (I also started oil pulling right away as I had that ingredient accessible) and I am currently in the process of gathering all the products while starting with some of them already. I know you keep saying that no alternative products should be used, I have bought only the recommended ones except for the xylitol.
Please let me know what you think so that I can get started on your system as soon as possible.
Thank you so much,
Sonja
Hi Sonja – you should definitely work to reverse these cavities. A cavity usually takes between one and two years to form and about 6 months of concentrated effort to reverse. Be concerned about keeping all drinks (except water) to meal times and end every meal with some xylitol ( my suggestion is Zellies because they are made in the U.S.and this is the xylitol I confidently giving my kids and grandkids!). You should strive to give your teeth time in direct contact with undiluted saliva in the early afternoon – when saliva is most mineral-dense. Here is a link to our shopping cart for some discounted gum and mints – including bulk bags: LINK
Dr. Ellie,
Thank you so much for your reply, I greatly appreciate that you take the time to answer questions even when being so busy.
I was wondering, I know you’ve written before that you don’t give specific “tooth advice” but out of the six cavities that the dentist I went to, found, I believe I can see one of them, between my teeth, as a darker spot and it has hurt before. How bad can a cavity be and still be reversed? Should I have a filling put into that specific bad one and try to reverse the others? I really dislike the thought of drilling and filling as you say once that happened, the tooth is much more weakened. Or should I try and reverse it and check with the dentist again in about half a year? I don’t want it to get worse.
Thank you so much once more, also for the Link to the Zellies, I hope there will be a bulk bag for the Peppermint gums sometimes soon.
Sonja
Dear Dr Ellie,
I have read your book (which is great!) and am trying your system, with good results. But I have one or two questions about the 3 mouthwashes which I can’t find the answer to in your book or the blog/Q&A:
1. I understand the use of Ultradex (I am in the UK) as a pre-rinse, and the need for post rinses to kill harmful bacteria and to provide fluoride for the teeth. But since Ultradex claims to kill bacteria and also contains fluoride, why not use that for the post rinse as well?
Listerine and most if not all commercial mouthwashes are acidic – I have tested them myself – whereas Ultradex is alkaline. So I am reluctant to use an acidic mouthwash, especially for the final rinse both morning and (particularly) at night. While I understand that the Listerine Original rinse is removed by the immediately following fluoride rinse, the fluoride rinses generally available are also acidic.
What do Listerine and the fluoride rinse do that Ultradex could not do, if also used as a final rinse after brushing?
2. ACT fluoride rinse is difficult to find in the UK and very expensive. Is it really a lot better than other fluoride rinses, and if so, why/in what way? I have been using Colgate Plax, which seems OK, but is mildly acidic (pH = 6.0, compared to Listerine which is 5.0, whereas Ultradex is 7.5-8.0). I have seen Fluorigard mentioned – is that significantly better than Plax or other cheaper fluoride rinses? In what way? Is it more alkaline? Plax does contain sorbitol and saccharine, among other things. It has 0.05% sodium fluoride.
3. Fluoride rinses such as Plax and Flourigard also claim to “kill 99% of harmful bacteria” left in mouth after washing, as does Listerine. So aren’t we duplicating this function by doing two post-brushing rinses? Why not have one rinse after brushing that both gets rid of the bacteria AND provides fluoride to remineralise the teeth? I am not clear why we need to have TWO rinses after brushing. Does Listerine really do things that other rinses do not do?
4. Finally, I am concerned that Listerine and other “anti-bacterial” rinses (e.g. the fluoride ones) may also destroy the “good” bacteria in the mouth, along with the bad ones. They seem very harsh and aggressive in their action in the mouth (judging by how they feel), compared to Ultradex for example. Can you reassure me that such rinses don’t eliminate the good bacteria and the bio-film that we want to keep on the feeth as a protective coating?
Thank you very much for your help,
Tom Freeman
I’m hoping to publish another book – and I wish it was finished – because it addresses exactly these concerns.
I agree that it’s vital to consider probiotic (good) oral bacteria.
I believe this so much I suggest patients should avoid professional cleanings if they have sustainable oral health, since there is no reason for a cleaning and a possibility to upset the healthy bacteria. In the mouth healthy bacteria, embedded and woven between a protein mesh, form a healthy biofilm to offer protection for gums and teeth. This protection is from thermal, chemical, mechanical and bacterial damage. None of the rinses I suggest damage this healthy biofilm – and the Closys and Listerine rinses work on unhealthy bacteria in different ways.
Ultradex is a chlorine dioxide which reacts with saliva to form oxygen in the mouth. This oxygen disrupts anaerobic or oxygen-hating (unhealthy) bacteria – but does no harm to healthy bacteria and biofilm. In fact this rinse is beneficial for teeth and gum healing.
Listerine targets immature plaque bacteria and as it is composed of essential oils, these oils “pop” the casing of these spore-like bacteria. These oils have no effect on more mature and sticky bacteria of plaque that is older than 12 hours.
It is xylitol that has the ability to target more mature plaque bacteria and help us clean it off teeth. This happens progressively over time, as xylitol feeds the probiotic bacteria in the mouth and makes the harmful ones slippery.
(I cannot comment about Plax – it used to be a pre-rinse that was colored water in the U.S and of no benefit at all)
I don’t think you can have the correct Fluoride rinse, and I suspect yours have alcohol in it, if it says it kills bacteria.
A 0.05% dilute fluoride rinse would have no effect on bacteria – it is simply suggested to strengthen and improve the texture and look of teeth – making them healthy, whiter and shiny (so plaque is less able to stick to the tooth surfaces).
When a fluoride rinse creates an acidic pH it causes the surface of tooth enamel to recrystallize in such a way that the tooth becomes MORE acid-resistant and stronger. This would not happen if fluoride is in an alkaline solution.
This is a lot of detail – small science stuff which may or may not be interesting to some people.
I feel lucky to have discovered this system as I watched and listened to my patients over many years in a busy practice with high decay rates. I was always thinking why some people had good teeth and others bad teeth. I noticed results long before I had any idea of why they happened. Tying to understand the science came later, but I’m glad I have been able to help so many people overcome poor oral health and enjoy sustainable oral health for years and years! I hope this will also help you.
Dear Dr Ellie,
Thank you so much for your very quick reply (which I was not expecting!)
That clarifies most of my questions very well.
Listerine Original is not too hard to find in the UK, also Ultradex.
ACT Fluoride rinse is not sold here though and is prohibitively expensive because imported.
So I am getting Colgate Fluorigard as a replacement for that – is that OK do you think? I think that is what you recommended for the UK. I’ve listed the ingredients of the fluoride rinses below – if you have any comments, they would be very welcome!
I decided to go with Oral B 123 toothpaste, since it seems to match what you say about toothpastes quite well, i.e. it is a basic, uncomplicated toothpaste with Sodium Fluoride and Silica, and no harsh abrasives that I can see (ingredients listed below). It costs £0.97 a tube at Asda! (so I bought 4 tubes)
For any UK people reading this: I found Fluorigard being sold at Asda for £1.98, which is VERY cheap (normally it costs around £4.50, on Amazon currently £5.43, Boots sell it for £3.00 right now, special offer). I bought six bottles at Asda 🙂
Also you can get Ultradex at RosemountPharmacy.co.uk for £5.79 a bottle, when it is £8.00+ elsewhere. Delivery is free on orders over £35, so if you get 7 bottles, then no delivery charge.
Thanks again Dr Ellie! I look forward to reading your new book when it comes out.
Best wishes,
Tom
Ingredients lists – would love to hear any comments you have:-
Colgate Plax (soft mint) in the UK has these ingredients: Aqua, Glycerine, Propylene Glycol, Sorbitol, Poloxamer 407, Aroma, Cetylpyridinium Chloride, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Fluoride, Sodium Saccharin, Menthol, CI 42051, CI 19140. This version is alcohol-free. It claims to kill “up to 99.9% of germs”. Which ingredients in that would kill bacteria, I wonder?
Colgate Fluorigard has these ingredients: Sodium fluoride BP 0.05% w/w (225ppm F). Other Ingredients. Aqua, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Sorbitol, Sodium Phosphate, Poloxamer 407, Sodium Benzoate, Disodium Phosphate, Aroma, Cetylpyridinium Chloride, Sodium Saccharin, Cinnamal, CI 19140, CI 42053.
The ingredients look quite similar to my non-scientifically trained eye.
ACT Anti Cavity fluoride rinse has these ingredients (according to a US website):
Active Ingredients: Sodium Fluoride (0.05%) (0.02% w/v fluoride ion)
Inactive Ingredients: Calcium Disodium EDTA, Cetyl Pyridinium Chloride, Disodium Phosphate, Flavor, FD&C Green 3 CI 42053, Menthol, Methyl Salicylate, Poloxamer 407, Polysorbate 20, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Phosphate, Sodium Saccharin, Sorbitol, Water, FD&C Yellow 5 Aluminum Lake
These do look significantly different. Do you have any comments?
Ingredients of Oral B 1-2-3 toothpaste: Aqua, Sorbitol, Hydrated Silica, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Cellulose Gum, Aroma, Sodium Fluoride (1450ppm), Carbomer, Sodium Saccharine, Cl 77891, Trisodium Phosphate, Limonene.
Hello Dr. Ellie!
I just found out about you and your fabulous book but in the interview I watched with you and Will at OraWellness, you said your book is outdated and I read on your site & blog you are still talking about a new version, so I’d really like to know when that’s going to be available please! I am 62 and just got my first small cavity and I am prepared to follow your Complete Mouth Care System precisely. My concern is the list of ingredients on the Crest toothpaste: http://www.crest.com. Active Ingredients: Sodium Fluoride (0.243%) (0.15% W/V Fluoride Ion). Purpose: Anticavity Toothpaste. Inactive Ingredients: Sorbitol, Water, Hydrated Silica, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Trisodium Phosphate, Flavor, Sodium Phosphate, Cellulose Gum, Carbomer 956, Sodium Saccharin, Titanium Dioxide, Blue 1. I never would have purchased this with this label were it not for your recommendations to be strict about using exactly as you have listed, but I just want to make sure you are still recommending this product. I have purchased everything else and want to get started asap as you are amazing and I’m so excited to have this option instead of the normal dental reactions! Please advise if this is still the best toothpaste to use with your Complete Mouth Care System. Also, do you know of any dentist in the Los Angeles area who shares your philosophy?
Thank you so very much!
Susan
Nothing I recommend has changed over the past 30 years. My book Kiss Your Dentist Goodbye was written many years ago – but it is still in print and still delivers new information for many.
The main focus is to explain how cavities and gum disease can be reversed – and why this system can do that. I encourage you to go ahead and read the book – but start using the system ASAP too!
My next book will be more about diet and nutrition and how to ensure that you are getting the best from the food you eat. I encourage people to extend the intervals between cleanings, and avoid all fillings and sealants when possible. The information in this next book will be new and different – and it is the sequel to the first.
I encourage you to have faith in these products and monitor your progress. The small booklet on this blog home page is current and useful. Please let us know your progress!