Brushing your teeth may address the problem of cavities, but it does nothing to solve the underlying issue that causes cavities: your diet. Scientists have been curious how certain underdeveloped countries have better dental health than the developed world, and the answer is their diet. Developed countries have diets high in sugar and processed foods, whereas other less advanced areas eat more fresh food and get more essential nutrients, specifically vitamin K2. This vitamin is critical for dental and bone health and is largely absent in our diets today.
Key Takeaways:
- Thousands of years ago, people of the Paleolithic area hunted and foraged for food. Our bodies evolved for the more significant part of human history to match these dietary patterns.
- In truth, ancient peoples had dramatically better dental health than much of the developed world has today.
- Another theory why modern diets seem to cause an increase in cavities is that the textures people eat are not varied like they once were.
“good oral hygiene and a tooth-friendly diet go hand in hand. Brushing your teeth can fill in some “gaps” created by a less-than-great diet, but brushing can’t undo all the damage of an unhealthy diet.”
Read more: https://askthedentist.com/diet-vs-tooth-brushing/