Parents can be lazy and claim that decay is inevitable, and that as parents one
can do nothing about it. This type of excuse is subtle. It encourages parent not to be responsible for
their child's health and it relinquishes one’s decision-making power to an authority figure, such as a
dentist. Cosmetic Appearance
If your child’s teeth are decayed, even if they are functional and protected, they may not look very
pretty. Your young child, however, thinks everything is beautiful. If her teeth do not conform to the
ideal standard of beauty, it won’t concern her as long as she is innocent of those standards. Otherwise, the condition of her teeth will seem quite natural and good to her. It is the adult mind and
vision that demand a certain cosmetic appearance for our children’s teeth. From our conscious and
many times limited vision, we may want to hide that our child has tooth decay. I want to encourage
you to find beauty in your child’s teeth even with the decay. If her teeth have ceased to decay, then
they now represent a triumph. They show you what sort of healing is possible, and remind you of how
important and cherished your child’s health is. When you make the choice about the cosmetics of your
child's baby teeth, make the choice that will honor your child and her needs, not one that pays tribute
to the adult world filled with superficiality. Truth & Knowledge
Within the pages of this book I have provided you with a more accurate view of tooth decay than has
been generally presented to the public. This is based upon the physiological and biological processes
that occur in the natural world. This information has taken a significant amount of motivation and
dedication to find. I have done my best to compile it for you in an easy to understand format so that
you can examine it for yourself. I have demonstrated in my own life that through action and obtaining knowledge we do have power to
positively influence our children's health and wellbeing. You can prevent general anesthesia and
dental surgery, as well as completely avoid or greatly limit the need for any type of dental treatment
on your child’s teeth by making wise nutritional choices today. This process may not be the easiest
path, but it is definitely possible. Knowledge can also be used to combat fear. The fear says, “One day my child will have atoothache.” But knowledge tells you that today your child is happy and has no toothache. Knowledge
and awareness are a part of how I help dissolve the fear. I know that I am giving my child the best
foods possible. Her decayed teeth continually remind me of the delicate balance of the foods that are
required to keep her healthy. I remind myself that when I give her these special foods, her body builds defenses against pain,
infection, and decay. If I experience fear, when in the real world there is nothing to fear, then I have to
challenge and examine that fear. If it arises when my daughter is not experiencing pain or discomfort,
I choose to seek out its origins within me. Where did it come from? How do I justify it? What am I
afraid of, and how can I hold a compassionate and aware presence in the face of this fear? Knowledge is also obtained by examining your child’s tooth decay and closely monitoring it. Most
people are better off monitoring tooth decay with a dentist, but I understand the difficulty this poses in
some cases and people have had problems finding supportive dentists that are open to the “watch and
wait” approach. “Watch and wait” used to be the way children’s cavities were treated. If the tooth got
infected, the tooth was simply pulled out, and although that is not a pleasant procedure, it is short and
quick. There was no drama about general anesthesia surgery, no metals placed in the child’s mouth,
and plenty of patience in monitoring a little decay in a baby tooth. Children's Tooth Decay is Not an Easy Road for Most
For many parents, including myself, dealing with children's tooth decay is not an easy thing. It can
challenge you at the deepest level. Today, I still find myself occasionally overly concerned about my
daughter’s teeth. I still feel that twinge of fear within me that says, “Her teeth are not sound enough as
they are.” One day my daughter complained of a minor toothache. Because I was carefully monitoring
her diet, I knew the cause and I knew how to stop it. She had been eating too much raw honey. The
honey had caused her blood sugar to be elevated for too long, and thus her blood levels of calcium
and phosphorus became imbalanced, resulting in decay. We began to be more careful and restrictive
about the honey and other sweets in her diet. That was over a year ago and she has not had a
toothache since. Removing the honey caused her blood chemistry to remain balanced, and thus her
tooth remineralized and the pain stopped. Several years ago, my daughter apparently had a tooth infection and was restless for several nights. One day she woke up with a slightly swollen face. I thought to myself, “This is not good.” In the midst
of my nervousness and discomfort at the sight of my daughter's partially swollen face, Michelle added
her words of wisdom and said, “Don't worry about it.” I exclaimed, “What do you mean ‘Don't
worry’? !” I expressed my fear that this was the worst thing that we had come up against. Upon review
of the past several days, we together saw that our hurried ways, our laziness, and our hunger had
resulted in improper food preparation. This chain of events leading up to the infection was clearly the
cause. We had allowed our daughter to eat too many grain products of mediocre quality. The day we
saw the infection we immediately put her on a food protocol similar to the best protocol which I
describe in this book. The diet included fish (cooked and raw), oysters, eggs, some bacon,
vegetables, vegetable juice, cod liver oil and butter oil. We greatly limited sweet foods, were careful
about grain products, and we made sure to establish boundaries so that she had balanced meals. Gradually over a few days, the swelling disappeared and the abscess healed. Not all parents need towork this hard to prevent their child’s tooth decay. It really depends on how fragile their child’s body
and system are. I continue to learn lessons from these experiences. I am learning that we need to be vigilant
concerning our family’s diet. I continue to challenge myself to feel the fear, to experience that “what
if” scenario that my mind always worries about. Then I also begin to experience periods of feeling
great happiness and satisfaction. There are times when I can move beyond the emotional fear and see
my daughter's tooth decay in an honest and mature way. I trust and understand this part of life because
I have faced it emotionally, through feeling my feelings, mentally, through knowledge and research;
and I have faced it with my will, through taking positive steps to treat her condition. That is how I
have found safety and peace in the face of illness. The result is a happy and carefree child, free from
tooth pain.Treating Children's Tooth Decay Naturally
We have successfully treated severe early childhood tooth decay for five years now, without fluoride,
dentists, or dental surgery. I estimate we have achieved about a 90-98% reduction in the rate of tooth
decay. Many parents have achieved 100% or more reduction in tooth decay, by which I mean the
complete cessation of cavities, and even occasionally the disappearance of previously visible tooth
decay. How successful you will be is a factor of how committed you are to health, the quality of
foods that are available, your ability to maintain a healthy diet for your child, and how severely
deficient your child was when you begin the program of improvement. One of my daughter's baby teeth is black and worn to the gum line. Even with this, her gums are
healthy, with no sign of infection, or pain. Her adult teeth do not have any cavities.Surgery on Children for Tooth Decay? In the U.S., 27.9% of all children ages 2-5 have had some tooth decay, with a total average of about 5
out of every 100 teeth in young children exhibiting signs of some tooth decay. 1
 Young children cannot
sit still in order to undergo normal dental procedures. Until the child is somewhere around the age of
6-8 years, the child is not really capable of understanding what a dental procedure is. A mother's lap can be appropriate for certain dental treatments which are done quickly, but not for
substantial dental treatments. Many mothers will find that their toddler will protest sitting in a dental
chair. Some may not even open their mouths. Young children are fearful of the dentist putting his
hands or cold, hard metal instruments into their mouths. Young children do not have the cognitive
ability to fully comprehend what is happening. Their interpretation of the experience is that some
strange person is shining bright lights at them and forcing them to do things which are uncomfortable
and invasive. This makes it challenging to treat young children's teeth without violating their will and
without causing them pain or fear. Forcing the child to go through dental procedures before he is
ready may cause emotional trauma. Local anesthesia may not work on young children. It may or may not be effective in preventing pain
and it is difficult to tell if a young child's tooth is numbed properly prior to dental surgery. This is
because it is almost impossible to get reliable feedback from a child if they are under stress,
especially if they are younger than six. Treating children as if they are mini adults is a backwards way to go about dentistry, but this is the
common pediatric dentistry model. This means that dentists will use crowns, root canals, and fillings
in a vain attempt to try to remove the infestation of bacteria on a child’s teeth. If the child’s cavities
are extensive, dentists recommend significant surgery for decayed baby teeth. The two common
methods of pediatric dentistry for children with significant tooth decay are barbaric. One is to heavily
sedate the child with an oral sedative. The child is still awake, just immobile and groggy. It is
common for many dental offices then to strap the drugged child to the dental chair in order to restrain
the child during treatment, including drilling. The other method is administration of full general
anesthesia, in which the child is separated from the parents, put to sleep while teeth are extracted and
typically metal is placed into the child’s mouth. Some children may be able to cope with these
harrowing experiences, but for many others they may cause indelible emotional scars. I told a friend from another country that this is how they treat children with several tooth cavities in
dental offices in the U.S. She thought I was joking at first because she could not believe parents
would submit their children to such a procedure, nor that dentists would even offer it. I understand
surgery with general anesthesia if a child has a life-threatening medical condition, but for tooth
decay? No way. Since young children's bodies are immature and delicate, the administration of general anesthesia
comes with the risk of death. This risk of death seems to be quite low for young children although it
does happen. I could not find a reliable and conclusive statistic on what the percentage is. With adults
the risk of death during dental surgery using anesthetics is extremely small. 2
 There is an approximate
35% risk of an adverse event (other than death) from general anesthesia on young children, which isabout twice the risk for adults. 3
 Furthermore, recent experiments on lab rats have shown that
anesthesia, when used while the brain is developing, causes neurodegeneration;
4
 that is, a degradation
of the nerves that can lead to subtle but prolonged changes in behavior, including memory and
learning impairments. I did read one case study of a child who died after dental surgery with general
anesthesia, probably because his body had an allergic reaction to the numerous metal crowns placed
in his mouth. The horrors of neurodegeneration are above and beyond the emotional shock and pain of the
disassociated feelings caused by the anesthetic. Furthermore, as a result of being so young and
vulnerable, along with the added intoxication from the drugs, children will not understand what is
happening to them. As the young child is being put under anesthesia, they may experience traumatic
separation from their parents. Other emotional traumas may occur during this time when they are
helpless and drugged. As with the rest of conventional dentistry, the profit motive is a significant factor in diagnosing and
performing surgery with general anesthesia on children. With a fee of $2,000 - $6,000 US dollars per
surgery, pediatric dental surgery is a lucrative business. As a result I recommend people look for
dentists for their children who do not perform full anesthesia surgery. Surgery with General Anesthesia is not an Effective Treatment
After dental surgery with general anesthesia:
 
23% of all children require further extractions and restorations. 52% of children have a relapse within 4-6 months. 57% have new cavities in 6-24 months (different study). 5
The statistics show us that surgery under general anesthesia is largely ineffective in curing tooth
decay. This is because it does not address the real cause, the nutrient imbalance in the child’s diet. Surgery vs. Nutritional HealingAbove: A typical young child's mouth after dental surgery for severe decay. The front four teeth have
been pulled, composite fillings have been placed where decay is less severe, and steel crowns where
decay is more severe. Below: When tooth decay is arrested the secondary dentin hardens and can turn black. This option is
more humane than surgery. Toxic Dentistry in Children’s Mouths
Stainless steel jackets placed in children’s mouths contain nickel. Nickel creates a negative electrical
current in the mouth
6
 and is highly toxic to the nervous system. Nickel may be related to arthritis, and
some types of cancer such as lung and breast. 7
 In fact, nickel is used to induce cancer in laboratory
animals. 8Everything you learned from the dentistry chapter applies doubly to children. Children’s developing
immune and detoxification systems have fewer defenses against toxic assaults. Most dental
procedures are toxic to children because of the materials used. Conversely there is no evidence of the
safety of these materials for use in children. Just because a dentist uses certain materials regularly
does not mean that they have been proven to be safe. There are also other dental treatments on children that you should not allow. Any type of metal
restorations, such as stainless steel crowns or mercury-laden amalgams, has a chance of causing
significant problems to your child’s health. An example of one such case involved a child whom
doctors believed was ill with leukemia but in reality was suffering from heavy metal poisoning due to
the nickel in her stainless steel crowns. 9
 Do not ever put an amalgam or stainless steel in your child’s
mouth. England’s Dentists say, “No Benefits, no Proof, and no Evidence” to support
ANY dental Treatment on Painless Baby Teeth
The overarching goal for any type of treatment, surgical or nutritional, for your child's cavities is to
keep your child healthy and pain free. But there is no scientific evidence that any drilling, filling,
crown, or root canals performed on a painless baby tooth has any impact on the longevity of the tooth,
or whether the child experiences future pain. Yes, you heard me correctly; as a preventative measure
there is no documented evidence to show any benefits for any dental treatments on baby teeth for tooth
decay. 10
 This finding is only logical since I have shown you how tooth decay is not cured by
dentistry, and that many times dentistry itself renders our teeth in worse shape by the loss of healthy
tooth tissue to the aggressive dental drill. A meeting of over 50 practicing dentists at the University of Manchester in England in 2009 found that
treating baby teeth with cavities that do not cause pain achieved nothing other than exposing the child
to the drill, and to discomfort. 11
 Further, there was no difference between the amount of pain or
extractions in teeth with or without dental treatments. 12
 This certainly proves that performing dental
treatments on children to prevent tooth pain or infection is an exercise in futility. Such an approach is
not in concert with the intention of keeping your child’s teeth healthy or pain free. This is because the
real cause of cavities is never addressed, and the dental treatment simply hides the problem without
providing protection against cavities. In a study of 481 children, ages 1-12, it was found that after taking certain factors into consideration,
82% of decayed baby teeth fell out without pain. 18% of children experienced pain in their untreated
teeth. The teeth most likely to cause pain were molars of children showing decay before the age of
three years. 13
 Children who were older and developed cavities in their baby teeth were less likely to
experience pain from the carious teeth. In a 2003 study of children's tooth decay, published in the 
British Dental Journal
, the authors write:
More disturbing perhaps, was the discovery that increased levels of restorative care in children were
not associated with fewer episodes of pain or the need for extraction. 14The authors of this article bring up the essential question:
Do we actually know the best way to care for children with decay in the primary dentition? 15
The purpose of this article was to point out that, in relation to tooth decay, we do not utilize the best
methods for the care of our children. As a result of our cultural ignorance, laziness, and hidden
cruelty, our children have suffered needlessly. The authors continue, regarding children's restorations:
We have no scientifically rigorous comparative data on the prevalence of pain and discomfort and
longer term outcome measures associated with teeth restored with stainless steel crowns and
amalgam. 16
To put it plainly, we have not performed the scientific case studies to prove dental procedures
actually reduce or prevent pain in our children’s baby teeth. A tooth treated with dental fillings may
continue to cause a child mild discomfort or cause even more discomfort than an untreated decayed
tooth.Healing Early Childhood Tooth Decay Naturally
The reason dental surgery does not usually cure dental problems is because modern dental treatments
treat the symptoms of the problem (rotting teeth) but do not treat the root of the problem (diet). Many
dentists offer the preventative treatment of fluoride, but fluoride is a deadly poison and when fluoride
is being placed in our water, our toothpastes, and on our teeth it adds a toxic burden to the body. Because of their less developed immune systems, children are more susceptible to chemical exposure
than adults. It is risky and unwise to expose your child to fluoride at a young age. Dental Treatments for Infants’, Toddlers’ and Young Children’s Teeth
Using the dental scientific research from England which has found that dental treatments offer no
preventative help for tooth pain or infections we can develop a good outline on how to deal with
cavities in young children’s teeth. These suggestions are not meant to replace your own personal
desires for your child’s teeth; they are meant to help you find how you really want to take care of your
child’s teeth. For a child who is too young to sit comfortably still to receive a dental treatment, the
treatment paradigm is simple. Consider the very protocol that old school dentists, those who have
been in practice 30 years or longer, have learned to rely upon. Keep a close eye on the decayed baby
teeth with your dentist. If there is an infection, or tooth pain that does not clear up, then consider
pulling the tooth as a last resort treatment. If the tooth is causing pain and can be repaired with a
filling rather than an extraction then a biocompatible filling might be useful in that circumstance if the
child will cooperate with the treatment. Otherwise, consider leaving the teeth as they are, and use
nutrition to prevent tooth pain, cavities, and infections. If you leave decayed teeth as they are, they
will need to be closely monitored. Dental Treatments on Older Children’s Teeth
With older children who can sit still in a dental chair, you have more treatment options to consider. Once they are past the age of five or six, the odds of them experiencing tooth pain from tooth decay is
decreased. In this age group, there are some teeth, especially those causing pain, which will benefit
from a biocompatible filling to stop tooth pain. Again your treatment choices are your decision; you
must weigh your specific needs and circumstances and use your own best judgment on how to
proceed. Why Do Children Have Cavities? Several months before the conception of your child, the stage for his or her health was set. The diet
and overall health of both the father and the mother-to-be, before conception, was a primary
determinant for the physical health of your child. With our modern deficient diet, the mother's body
and the father’s seed often lack the resources of vitamins and nutrients to create a strong and robust
child. After the child is born, during his or her first few years of life, he or she goes through very
rapid stages of growth. This growth occurs in spurts and during these growth spurts there is an
additional need for vitamins and minerals. The body stores nutrients for these growth spurts, and then
grows quickly as it uses nutrient stores. During these rapid growth spurts, if nutrients are missing in
body, the needed minerals and building blocks are pulled from the teeth. Another cause of tooth decayis when children are fed too many sweet foods and their body chemistry falls out of balance, resulting
in tooth destruction. Weak Teeth from Birth
Dr. Mellanby’s experiments on canine teeth reveal the effect of a pregnancy diet on children’s teeth..
Weak, or hypoplastic, teeth in young children is a common problem which is related to the diet of the
mother during pregnancy. Female dogs that were fed a good diet during pregnancy had puppies that
even when given a poor diet, were highly immune to cavities because they had been born with well-
built teeth. When female dogs were fed a poor diet during pregnancy, and their puppies were given a
poor diet, the puppies usually formed cavities because the teeth were weak since birth. 17
 This
demonstrates that the conditions before and during pregnancy can substantially affect how susceptible
your child is to tooth decay now. The good news is that even weak teeth can be made strong, but the
diet of a child with weak teeth will need to be more closely monitored than that of a child born with
strong teeth.Dietary Keys for Remineralizing Tooth Decay in Young Children
Healing children’s cavities is essentially the same as healing adult cavities. Add fat-soluble vitamins into the diet, particularly vitamins A, D and Activator X. Increase dietary minerals particularly calcium and phosphorous. Balance blood sugar with low sugar meals and adequate levels of protein throughout the day. Avoid toxic and denatured foods; avoid whole grain foods with bran. One nutritional requirement for infant health is iron. Many times mothers who are vegan, vegetarian,
or eat little meat, are the mothers of children who have severe childhood tooth decay. In considering
the cause of my daughter's tooth decay, I point to the mostly vegetarian diet followed by Michelle and
myself, before and during pregnancy. Thankfully, we occasionally ate fish. Breast milk does not have
any viable amount of iron and after six months of age the infant has exhausted her body’s iron stores. Not by coincidence, this is the age when infants can eat their first foods. Most likely, feeding infants
and toddlers mashed vegetables and fruit does not provide adequate absorbable iron. As a result,
their blood does not remain strong and they lose their ability to grow healthy teeth. Feeding young children pre-chewed or blended grass-fed liver, grass-fed lamb, grass-fed beef, or
fresh clams from clean waters will help provide them with adequate amounts of utilizable iron. How
you prepare the food for your child is your choice. A majority of people will want to offer their
children cooked vegetables and cooked proteins. This is fine, especially in the form of soups and
stews with bone broth. Just as with adults you will want to avoid feeding your child too many raw,
cellulose-rich vegetables. You can do this by cooking vegetables or juicing them (provided you
understand which vegetables are low in anti-nutrients when raw like celery, cucumber, parsley and
cilantro). A few parents like to go the raw or rare route for dairy and animal proteins; this is also
fine. Use your best judgment and the feeding principles that you feel comfortable with. As long as
your child can digest the food properly, it will add to his health. A Food guide for Halting Childhood Tooth Decay
Young children can be finicky eaters. I follow the principle of never forcing children to eat anything. However sometimes they need strong encouragement to eat certain foods we know are good for them
to help shift their metabolism and body chemistry in a new direction. Encouraging children to drink
milk for strong bones and good health used to be a habit in the United States when the milk was farm
fresh and usually raw. That habit died as the quality of milk deteriorated. Fat-Soluble Vitamins Every Day
You will want to ensure that your child receives the important fat-soluble vitamins for teeth every day
as discussed in chapter three on fat-soluble vitamins. I recommend the Blue Ice™ Royal Blend
because it is so easy to give the fat-soluble vitamins they need. The amount of Blue Ice™ Royal
Blend from Green Pasture (can be purchased at 
codliveroilshop.com
) you give to your child depends
on the health, nutrient deficiency, and weight of your child. You will need to use your best judgment
based upon the dosage of a teenager. For severe cavities a teenager or adult dosage is ½ of ateaspoon of a mixture of cod liver oil and butter oil 2-3 times per day to comprise a total of 1 to 1½
teaspoons per day. You will need to adjust these daily doses based on your intuition or with the guidance of a health
practitioner. These are based upon weight of your child. Estimated daily dosages of the butter and fermented cod liver oil mixture:
 
25 pounds: ¼ teaspoon per day
35 pounds: 1/3 teaspoon per day
45 pounds: ½ teaspoon per day
55 pounds: 2/3 teaspoon per day
If you want or need to use other sources of fat-soluble vitamins then you will want to give your child
as much as they like to eat of vitamin A-rich foods like liver, vitamin D-rich foods like egg yolks and
lots of oily fish, and Activator X-rich foods like yellow butter. Bone marrow and fish eggs also are
excellent sources of fat-soluble vitamins for healing children’s cavities. For added fat-soluble
nutrient support my family uses fermented skate liver oil. Skate liver oil offers some unique vitamins
that seem to strengthen the overall health of many children. Excellent Foods
 
Feed these foods to your children in proportion to their appetite for them. You can also take
advice from the tooth decay healing food suggestions in chapter five. Below is a summary of
some foods that can be especially helpful to have in your diet. Bone broths or homemade soups and gravies made with them are excellent for children. Raw grass-fed whole fat milk, butter, cream and cheese. Cheese is particularly dense in calcium
and phosphorous. Soft-boiled pastured eggs or yolks, or raw eggs in a smoothie. Cooked or raw fish is especially potent in reducing tooth decay. Include oysters and clams. Delicately cooked grass-fed beef and/or lamb. Tallow, duck fat, or lard from grass-fed animals. Wild-caught fish eggs. Balancing Foods
 
Feed your child fermented foods such as fermented sweet potatoes, sauerkraut, yogurt and kefir
to help balance digestion. Cooked vegetables, such as zucchini, string beans, kale, and chard. Add plenty of butter and/or
cream. Seaweeds of every sort; they are high in macro and trace minerals. Vegetable juice if you know which vegetables do not contain anti-nutrients or the Ayurvedic
green cooked vegetable soup or smoothie.Foods to Avoid
 
Avoid all packaged food and processed baby and children’s food. Make all of your baby food at
home. Do not serve any processed foods on the “avoid list” in chapter 6. Avoid infant formula. Use raw milk or bone broth formula instead. Whole grains, oatmeal, breakfast cereals and granola. Refined sweeteners containing fructose. Vaccines and pharmaceuticals. Foods to Limit and Be Aware Of
How strict you need to be with your child’s diet really has to do with how severe their cavities are. For children with active and severe decay, limit sweet foods to one meal per day or omit altogether. Make sure the sweet food is natural…like fruit. When they are healthy, more fruits are acceptable, but
you must pay close attention to how fruit consumption affects their health. Do not give your child
sweetened foods and fruits throughout the day, as this will cause excess blood sugar fluctuations. You
will notice that many store-bought baby foods are made with fruits that are very sweet. Natural sweets that can promote tooth decay. Any natural sweetener such as cane sugar, stevia,
maple syrup, unheated honey, bananas, sweet apples, oranges, grapes, peaches, pineapples, cherries,
dates, raisins, dried fruit, and other very sweet fruits that are not listed here. Potatoes. Potatoes that are not fermented may contribute to tooth decay. Beans. It is unclear whether beans in the diet of young children supports their health. Safer sweet fruits. Cooked fruit seems to be better than raw fruit in terms of sugar content. We use
fruits like berries, pears, kiwis, and apples sparingly. If you have been feeding your child sweet
foods frequently, such as maple syrup at breakfast, honey at lunch, and fruit and ice-cream at dinner,
then your child might have a detoxification response to having the sugar removed. As with quitting a
powerful drug, he will have to experience some discomfort and may protest as his body adjusts to a
healthier diet. Vegetables. While vegetables are a balancing food, never force your child to eat vegetables. Cooked
and raw vegetables may have nutrients that are difficult for some children to utilize. Whole Grains and Childhood Tooth Decay
In reviewing my older daughter’s own case of severe cavities, I found several photos of her
consuming whole grain products we made at home. The grain foods were usually from freshly ground
organic grains which were soaked overnight prior to cooking. The whole grains were even consumed
in the context of a nutrient-rich diet high in fat-soluble vitamins. Toxins in grains, whether it is phytic acid, lectins or other compounds, can cause severe cavitiesquite rapidly. A severe case of cavities in a five-and-a-half-year-old girl was related to me from a
Canadian correspondent which illustrates the point. The mother took the child to her dentist regularly
every 6 months for the child’s entire life. She submitted the child to dental surgery under general
anesthesia and spent thousands of dollars on her dental treatments. Yet even after all of this, the child
needed four more root canals, three more crowns and five new fillings. A severe case like this is not
the result of a high sugar diet, but the result of a potent toxin in grains. When questioned about the
girl’s diet, the mother told me that the girl received, along with nut butters, seeds, and sweet fruits, a
daily supplement of wheat bran and wheat germ in her morning smoothies. I have studied the diets of several cases of children and adults with rampant cavities. Severe cavities
behave like an unending torrent of decay which seems impossible to stem as new cavities rapidly
form. One tooth may have multiple cavities, and nearly every tooth is infected with tooth decay. Under most circumstances, it is quite difficult to cause this sort of rampant severe tooth decay in such
a brief period of time. For example, in adults, drinking multiple cans of decay-causing soft drinks
every day over a period of several years will produce severe cavities. A diet consisting of a large
percentage of fruit over a period of many years in one case produced ten cavities. Yet in a relatively
short period of time, whole grains can cause severe cavities in children with hypoplastic (weak) teeth
from birth. Young children cannot digest modern grains well. A good suggestion is to wait until they are one or
two years old to feed them any grains at all. Always avoid white flour, crackers and store-bought
breakfast cereals. Avoid any grains containing bran. The exception may be pseudo-cereals like
buckwheat and quinoa. If your child has significant cavities I would not recommend feeding any
grains to your child until the severe tooth decay has stopped. If a child has minor tooth decay, then
you can feed the safe grains as discussed in chapter four, such as sourdough bread from unbleached
flour, or correctly prepared rice. Sprouted grain breads are not helpful for any child with cavities
because of their bran content. Severe Tooth Decay and Children
Children with a weak constitution or ones who develop cavities easily many times have been exposed
to toxins from the bran and germ in grains, or to an extremely inferior diet such as a vegan diet filled
with lots of sweet foods. Because these children face a large nutritional deficiency, you will need to
be extremely vigilant to heal these types of cavities. If whole grain consumption (no matter how you
prepared it) is the cause, then your child will be hypersensitive to most grains. I recommend at least
avoiding all grains for 3 weeks for a child with pain or severe tooth decay. You will want to focus on
increasing calcium in the diet such as from cheese, and vitamin D such as from fermented cod liver
oil, and vitamin C from vegetable or berry sources. These children will do better on a lower grain
and lower carbohydrate diet. Their diet will therefore focus primarily on vegetables, with animal
proteins and fats. You can use sweet potatoes, other root vegetables, or dairy products to provide
them with carbohydrates. Tooth Infections and Tooth Pain
A young child with severe decay can develop infections in the gum as a result of compromised teeth. The infections come and go and are usually a result of poor food choices by the parents. The whitepus is a sign that the rest of the body will be protected. With improved diet, tooth infections normally
heal. Echinacea with goldenseal tincture diluted in water can help heal tooth and gum infections
. This is to be taken internally by both the child and breastfeeding mother. I have seen echinacea
perform wondrous healing of infections. Goldenseal powder or plantain powder can be placed on the
infected gum itself. Again use herbs with care. Try a very small dose at first to make sure your child
doesn’t react adversely to it, and make sure not to use these herbs with prescription medications or
other strong herbs unless advised to do so by a practitioner. You can learn more about tooth infections in the dentistry section. The same general principles apply
to children. Make sure to closely monitor teeth that can become infected. Infected teeth that do not
heal properly can result in bone loss, or the child getting sick from a focal infection. Infected teeth
that do not heal or improve in a short period of time usually need to be extracted. If the pain and
infection do not go away and stay away then this is a sign that the body is not able to heal the damaged
tooth. Remember there could be years of deficiency that have caused the tooth to break down. While I
would not recommend pulling teeth as a preventative measure since there is no evidence to support
this, pulling out painful teeth or ones where the infection does not heal quickly can be a good idea. This is your decision to make along with your dentist. You know what is right to do, so trust your own
feelings on the matter. Moderate Tooth Decay in Children
Not all children require heroic measures to restore their dental health. It really depends on how
strong they are, and how many cavities they have. Children with a few small cavities will respond
very well to a moderate amount of dietary modifications. In particular, adding fat-soluble vitamins
into the diet, and getting good quality raw milk or cheese is usually sufficient to remineralize small
cavities in children’s teeth. This along with avoiding too many sweets is a good place to begin if you
feel unable or unwilling to completely clean up your child’s diet. Junk Foods in Schools, at Parties and Gatherings
There are two types of sweet foods. There are sweets that in moderation do not harm healthy children
who have no tooth decay, and then there are just plain harmful sweets. Occasionally having sweet
fruit or natural sugar in a dessert does not harm a healthy child. But many children are exposed to high
intensity sweeteners with high fructose corn syrup (corn sugar). When children eat these foods at
parties, such as ice cream, or cake, it throws their body chemistry into a tail spin. Children with tooth
decay can be adversely affected by these sweets for weeks and months. When well-meaning adults at
schools, community gatherings or birthday parties feed children high intensity sweeteners, they are
poisoning them with highly toxic artificial food. This is not acceptable behavior from organizations
that are supposed to support and safeguard children’s health and safety. Be vigilant about keeping
these sweets away from your child especially if he has tooth decay. Grains You Can Feed Your Children
If your child’s cavities have remineralized and you believe the original cavities were not caused by
too many whole grains, then you can safely feed your child grains as discussed in the previous
chapters. Likewise if your child has a strong and robust constitution and the tooth decay is not toobad, you can follow the grain guidelines for adults. If your child has more severe cavities or other
damage from grains, you will need to be very careful with any grains you feed your child for many
years, and in this case, grains should be used minimally. Vegetarian Children
Vegetarian children should follow a diet similar to the diet in the vegetarian section. I would
encourage a parent whose child is vegetarian and has severe cavities to consider some sea food or
cod liver oil. Green Pasture’s™ butter oil is a must for vegetarian children because they will
otherwise be lacking in fat-soluble vitamin D.
Dairy-Free Diets for Children
Since children with tooth decay may be lacking calcium, having dairy foods in the diet is extremely
helpful in healing tooth cavities. If your child is sensitive to dairy foods, see if kefir, goat milk, or
some type of grass-fed cheese is comfortable for them to eat. If your child absolutely cannot tolerate
dairy products, then you will need to get calcium from sea foods and vegetables. In this case you will
need to prepare vegetable soups and stews, preferably with a meat or fish stock base to provide
adequate calcium. The calcium guidelines in chapter four will help you with more suggestions for
calcium-rich foods. Feeding Children Who Won’t Eat Good Food
Children mirror and mimic their parents’ food habits. Pay attention to the foods you eat and you might
find that even though you may eat meat or eggs, you could be a finicky eater and consume too many
foods that are not in balance with your needs. While these habits may not affect you overtly, they
affect your child to a greater degree. Sometimes children won’t eat meat if they have a chronic feeling
of pain and emotional upset. If a parent smiles and enjoys a particular food, then the child will usually
follow. Sometimes you will need to be positively assertive to persuade your child to eat certain
foods. A small struggle may ensue while you help your child switch from addictive, less healthy
foods, and you may need many days to completely make the change. Children who do not digest foods
high in phytic acid such as grains, beans, nuts, and seeds often have an aversion to eating proteins and
fats. You will have to eliminate the foods that are not being digested well in order for them to eat
meat. Herbs or homeopathy can also be used to help rebalance a child’s constitution.Vaccines Promote Tooth Decay
There is evidence in studies performed on dogs that implicates vaccines in the formation of tooth
decay. I know of one case of significant tooth decay in a young girl that was traced to a DPT vaccine. Vaccines contain many neurological poisons. Vaccine ingredients include ethylene glycol
(antifreeze), formaldehyde, aluminum, thimerosal (mercury), neomycin (anti-biotic),
streptomycin(anti-bacterial), squalene (fish, or plant oil), gelatin, MSG, phenol(a caustic, poisonous
acidic compound present in coal tar and wood tar). When the body faces an onslaught of injected carcinogens, vital organs can lose some of their
functional ability. The modified proteins and DNA strands may bind to or clog the villi in the
intestine, restricting food absorption. Vaccination makes children weaker and more prone to tooth
decay because vaccines mostly consist of poisons and toxic material. While this is not a full
discussion of vaccinations, there are no reputable double blind studies to show that they work or that
they are safe. In other words there is no evidence of their success. Vaccines can promote tooth decay
by unbalancing the body chemistry as the body tries to cope with this toxic burden. Seek natural
replacements and alternatives. Learn more about vaccines at:
www.healingourchildren.net/vaccine_side_effects.htm
Other drugs may also cause or promote tooth decay including antibiotics. How to Prevent Cavities in Babies
What conventional dentists do not know is that the key to preventing cavities in children is not found
in genetics, but in the parents’ diet prior to conception. Prior to conception, the mother and father
need to avoid the industrialized foods that make us sick and depleted. At the same time, they need to
regularly consume plenty of fat-soluble vitamins and avoid the bran and germ of most grains. During
pregnancy the mother needs to have the same fat-soluble-rich food and limit her exposure to grain
anti-nutrients and sweets. During breastfeeding and the early years of the child, a diet of nutrient-rich whole foods that contain
fat-soluble vitamins should continue. I have created a free website that presents in more detail some factors to consider for preconception
health. www.preconceptionhealth.org
What You Can Expect from Nutritional Treatments
Treating tooth decay with nutrition means that children will not suffer from pain or dental infections. The teeth will become hard and resilient, as they are meant to be. In some cases of severe cavities the
rapid and severe tooth decay can be slowed down, but not totally stopped in the short term. Even
when the decay is not entirely halted and seems to slightly progress, new tooth dentin can still form
and your child's teeth can be protected from breaking and from infection of the tooth root.The teeth rarely if ever fill in; they can only remineralize over the surface of the decayed area. The
tooth may have a hole, but the tooth root and pulp will be protected by the hard dentin, the middle
tooth layer. My daughter has two primary teeth worn to the gum line. They are little more than black
spots. The black color and hard texture indicates arrested tooth decay. Her teeth are hard to the touch,
even the black ones. Monitoring Your Child’s Tooth Decay
The best way to monitor tooth decay in a child is with the help of a good dentist. If you look at an x-
ray or diagram of a tooth, you will see that at least 50% of the tooth structure is below the gum line. That means that even badly decayed teeth may have significant and even healthy tooth structure below
the gum line. The health of the gums around the decayed tooth is one indication of whether or not the
tooth is healthy below the gum line. Pink, firm gums are healthy; bleeding or inflamed gums would
indicate less health. To monitor healing of tooth decay at home, use an explorer, a tool with a pointed end that is not sharp,
but strong enough so that you can probe the decayed area and see if it is soft, or hard and glassy. You also can learn whether or not dietary intervention is working if your child seems happier and is
vibrant with plenty of energy. Whining, constant complaining and lethargy are all signs your child is
still deficient in nutrients. Take digital pictures of your child’s teeth so that you have a visual chart for
reference. Children's Dentists
Many parents have a difficult time finding a dentist they can trust for their children. Parents are better
off working with a good dentist. However I understand that you may not find one who works well
with your child and desires. I suggest that you take care of yourself and your child in a way that
allows you to feel comfortable. Put the best effort towards paying attention to your child’s tooth
decay. If you have a dentist with whom you already have a relationship, then in the case of an
emergency or urgent need, you will at least not have the added stress of finding a dentist. There are
some dentists who are self-confident. They trust themselves and as a result they do not pressure the
parents to perform needless dental surgery. They do not rush you into decisions or manipulate you to
submit to drastic dental procedures. Dentists can help support the monitoring of tooth decay to make
sure it does not progress. This will help some parents feel better. I urge you to be cautious here, as
many dentists offer harmful advice and treatments. First, I want to acknowledge what a stressful and terrible situation many parents face with their
dentist. Many mothers have contacted me, upset by the violent and aggressive attitudes that dentists
have concerning treatment for children. Not all dentists are like this, but it seems very common. In a majority of cases dentists whose focus is not on giving complete dental surgery for children will
give you much better treatment than those whose income is based on performing surgery under general
anesthesia. Generally these are dentists who do not specialize in children’s dentistry. Topical Care for Infants’ and Children’s TeethToothbrushes, tooth pastes, sealants, and other facsimiles do little to prevent or cure tooth decay in
children. You will want to use natural tooth cleaning as discussed in chapter eight about dentistry. Since the brushing movements of children can be inaccurate, they are likely to brush into their gums,
and jam plaque up into the gum line. A soft bristle brush or a cloth and teaching your child how to
gently clean the gums and soft tissues of the mouth with a brush seem to be the best ideas for cleaning
children’s mouths. A Little More about Early Childhood Tooth Decay
White spot lesions
 are the white areas which are not always tooth decay, but are usually the first
visually detectable signs of it. They are smooth patches or markings that usually form along the gum
line. Children who experience successful treatment through nutrition have no tooth pain and no tooth or
gum infections. The child also has no sensitivity to hot or cold foods nor a fear of biting into things. The white spots may fade away and the decayed tooth material in the cavities turns from sticky or
soft, with a light brown color, to dark and hard. The edges of the cavities will stop spreading or the
spread will be minimal. The child's gum tissue will be firm and pink. The remineralized dentin (the
healthy middle layer of the tooth below the enamel) on any decayed teeth will have a yellow or white
tinge, and the appearance can be glassy. Knocked-out baby tooth. Do not perform a root canal on the tooth. Re-implant it as soon as possible
and use homeopathic remedies like arnica and hypericum. 18
Chipped teeth. A small chip probably does not need to be repaired. A more severe chip can be
repaired with bonding materials. If the nerve is exposed, do not give your child a root canal. Use
homeopathic calendula and have a good dentist use a dental base and composite materials to seal it. 19Homeopathic Cell Salts
Homeopathic cell salts, or tissue salts help improve absorption and utilization of minerals at the
cellular level. They can help balance digestion and remove toxins from the body. Working with a
practitioner who can help you use homeopathic cell salts can be a beneficial way to help heal your
child’s cavities by improving nutrient absorption. Likewise, finding support using food-based dietary
supplements like Standard Process™ can also aid in healing children’s cavities by correcting nutrient
deficiencies.Pregnancy and Cavities
During pregnancy and breastfeeding, the nutritional burden on the mother's body is much higher than
usual because she is eating for two people. While the diet of a mother before pregnancy may have
been adequate, with the higher nutritional demands of pregnancy and lactation the former diet may not
provide enough nutrients, and tooth decay can be the result. Pregnancy is also a time when extra
hormones (such as estrogen) are being released. At this time of increased physical demands, minerals
can easily be pulled from the bones and previous imbalances can become exaggerated. This can also
contribute to tooth decay. A diet which includes fat-soluble vitamins will help to balance this
condition. Healing cavities with nutrition during pregnancy or lactation provides an added health
benefit: your child will be more robust and healthy from the extra nutrients you provide. Your birth
recovery will also be enhanced because your body will have a greater storage of nutrients to utilize
during and after the birth. Your life as a new mother will—one hopes—proceed more smoothly,
because you will have more energy to care for the new baby. Soups are particularly nourishing for
pregnancy and after birth. Tooth decay often occurs during pregnancy because the mother’s body is engaged in the borrowing
process. The borrowing process is illustrated in next photo. You can compare two mothers, one with
widespread tooth decay and the other with none. The difference is that the mother with extensive tooth
decay consumed a modern diet, and the mother without tooth decay ate her native diet which in this
case was rich in sea food. Tuscarora Native American mother from New York who ate a modernized diet. Copyright © Price-Pottenger Nutrition Foundation, www.ppnf.orgA typical mother was studied at her home. She had four children. Her teeth were ravaged by dental
caries. She was strictly modern, for she had gold inlays in some of her teeth. The roots of the missing
teeth had not been extracted. Twenty of her teeth had active dental caries. Her little girl, aged four,
already had twelve badly decayed teeth. 20
Mother on native diet of seafood with no tooth decay. Copyright © Price-Pottenger Nutrition Foundation, www.ppnf.org
These pictures tell an interesting story. The grandmother shown in the lower right knew the
importance of seafood for her children and grandchildren and did the fishing herself. Note the
beautiful teeth and well formed faces of her daughters. 21
The young mother above is free from tooth decay.When your body does not receive enough nutrients during pregnancy, it will borrow minerals from
your teeth. It is important to emphasize that this problem is usually dietary and there is nothing
inherently wrong with the woman herself. Her body is simply responding to a set of particular
circumstances.Breastfeeding and Cavities
Breast milk provides protection from cavities, so night-time nursing does not cause or promote tooth
decay. The claim that night-time nursing causes tooth decay is simply anti-breastfeeding propaganda
and is not scientifically based. The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) presents contradictory positions on
breastfeeding. They support both day and night breastfeeding in their official policy, stating that
“breast-feeding ensures the best possible health as well as the best development and psychosocial
outcomes for the infant.”
22
 Their recommendation formerly advised avoidance of on-cue night time
breastfeeding after the first teeth erupt, but that no longer is the official policy. The AAPD policy
suggests
 that mothers not breastfeed a child on cue after the first teeth erupt to reduce cavities,
morning and night for all children. 23
 I disagree with this idea. This concept is also not supported by
studies provided on their own website. In fact, AAPD published a press release about a study which
states, “breast milk prohibits acid and bacterial growth in the mouth.”
24
 This would imply that you
would want to breastfeed your child to prevent cavities. An interesting note on this report is that
breast milk by itself was not shown to contribute to cavities, but when breastfeeding was alternated
with sweet foods it did promote cavities. This sounds a lot like what W.D. Miller reported in 1883
when he stated that a healthy tooth resists acid or other substances, but that a weak tooth succumbs
quickly to tooth decay. In the case of a child with very weak teeth from too much sugar or grain bran
and germ, it might appear that breast milk promoted cavities since anything with any sweetness at all
would promote cavities at that point. Night-time nursing helps protect against tooth decay. Children under the age of three who grow during
the night need breast milk on cue to provide their bodies with the nutrients they need for health. Children over the age of three may need less breastfeeding at night, but still some to help them sleep
well. Many children breastfeed at night and do not have cavities. Studies do not show a link between
long-term breastfeeding and a higher number of cavities. 25
 It is important to be clear about this. Commercial formulas usually have sugar added. The use of these formulas or the use of fruit juices,
for nighttime bottle feeding, will increase the likelihood of tooth decay. Breast milk is the best food
there is for your baby. If your child is experiencing decay, then one must examine what other foods in
the diet may be causing this decay, and not condemn breast milk or avoid breastfeeding. Many breastfed children have tooth decay even though breast milk protects against bacteria in the
mouth. 26
 How, then, can we say that tooth decay is caused by bacteria, when children constantly have
naturally antibacterial milk in their mouths to retard the decay? Recently I've learned of an important and overlooked factor regarding breastfeeding and cavities. Some young children who have cavities are being breastfed regularly over an extended period of
time. We know that cavities occur when the body chemistry is out of balance. How could it be that
breast milk would seem to unbalance a child's body chemistry, considering it is the ideal food? As the
child feeds for an extended period on the same breast, the milk becomes thicker, and the fat content
increases. If the mother mistakenly and consistently feeds her child too much of the foremilk, which is
sweet and lower in fat, then this could hypothetically create a body chemistry imbalance over time. Other factors, such as the mother not drinking enough fluids, or the intake of other inharmonioussubstances, can also cause imbalances in the breast milk. A nourished child drinks plenty of hind
milk, which is higher in fat. The baby will digest this milk more slowly, due to its higher fat content. If there is stress associated with breastfeeding, or the mother doesn't allow full breast feeding
sessions, then again the child may be receiving excessive amounts of the sweeter fore milk, which
may contribute to the formation of cavities. Attentive breastfeeding techniques will give your child
the best potential to be free of cavities. I know breastfeeding is a delicate subject. I support breastfeeding children on cue for long extended
periods, even for 4-7 years. I discuss this in greater detail in my book on early childhood and health,
Healing Our Children
, 
www.healingourchildren.org
 If a parent is not careful then breast milk can
become an incomplete food for her child. As a child ages she needs more and more nutrients from
food. The amount of nutrients from food and from breast milk need to be balanced based upon the age
and physical development of the child. Weaning is not the answer, but rather simply finding the
balance of enough breastfeeding and enough supplemental solid foods. Finally, having the highest amount of vitamins and minerals possible in the breast milk will help your
young child grow strong and prosper. The breastfeeding mother of a child with significant tooth decay
should supplement her diet with many of the special foods described in this book, including high
vitamin butter and liver or cod liver oil, along with food-source vitamin C and adequate calcium. Close Your Baby’s Mouth at Night
When I first read about this principle it sounded peculiar to me. Of course our bodies are designed to
primarily breathe through our noses. Otherwise why do we have noses? Yet some children and adults
are primarily mouth breathers. The syndrome of breathing through the mouth when asleep is
associated with a smaller jaw size, bed wetting, ear infections, heart disease, hypertension, and
snoring. 27
 How your child’s jaw grows and develops may even be connected to how he breathes at
night. George Catlin’s book, 
Shut Your Mouth and Save Your Life
, describes practices of Native
Americans with whom Mr. Catlin lived during the mid 1800s. Mothers always made sure that from
birth, their children slept with their mouths closed. An open mouth at night can, among other things,
affect the substance P level in the body and affect the trigeminal nerve which could possibly have
adverse repercussions on the child’s growth and physical development. After you breastfeed at night,
make sure your baby’s mouth is removed from the nipple and closed so that she is breathing through
her nose. Fathers and Tooth Decay
I have talked with many mothers who are struggling with their child’s tooth decay. The problem
seems to be related to the relationship between the father and the mother, or between the father and
the child. Single moms can easily feel particularly stressed because they do not have the support that
they need to take care of their child. Many mothers also have to deal with fathers who do not care as
much as is necessary to provide their child with healthy food. There appears to be a connection
between the lack of nourishment in a child, and the absence—either physically or emotionally—of the
father, since part of the father’s primal role is to provide nourishment for the family. For couples who
are together, fathers of children with cavities need to play an active role in supporting the mother. Forsingle mothers, notice how the absence of the father is affecting you.Final Thoughts on Remineralizing Your Child’s Tooth Decay
Dental treatments only address the symptoms of tooth decay. They were not designed for children, nor
are these treatments proven to work for them. Because tooth decay is not caused by bacteria, dental
treatments cannot prevent tooth decay. Children grow rapidly in their early years and, with these high
demands for nutrients, their bodies can easily become depleted. We need to feed them well so they
are strong and feel happy. We do not have to be victims of tooth decay. The dietary guidelines I have suggested, when closely
followed, are a powerful tool for preventing and halting tooth decay. In the wake of these
dysfunctional treatments for tooth decay, there lies a simple and profound method to dramatically
improve the health of your children: good nutrition. Since about 82% of children’s decayed primary teeth fall out without them experiencing any
symptoms and without any sort of nutritional treatment, imagine what the results would be with
specially reinforced nutrition to prevent against infection and remineralize the tooth. Even with
successful nutritional treatments, the teeth might still decay a bit for a while, and some may not look
very attractive. Even if one or two baby teeth do not make it to their full life, changing your child’s
diet will make a lasting impact on his health for the rest of his life and help form healthy adult teeth. Your child’s dental health is in your hands. Reclaim responsibility for your children's dental health!About the Author
Ramiel Nagel is a father who resides in Los Gatos, California. Ramiel became interested in natural
health when he discovered that his daughter was suffering from tooth decay. His background of study
includes emotional health care, hatha yoga and bhakti yoga of devotion. Ramiel earned a B.A. in Legal Studies from the University of California at Santa Cruz. He feels
compelled to bring the knowledge contained in this book to the world so that other people can be
healthier and happier. The work is done in the spirit of service to all. His health websites include:
www.yourreturn.org
www.curetoothdecay.com
www.healingourchildren. org
www.preconceptionhealth.orgHow to Order Additional Copies 
of Cure Tooth Decay
Visit my website for easy online ordering:
www.curetoothdecay.com
Chapter 11 / Bonus Chapter References
1
 Beltrán-Aguilar, Eugenio D. and Other Authors: Surveillance for Dental Caries, Dental Sealants, Tooth Retention, Edentulism, and
Enamel Fluorosis --- United States, 1988--1994 and 1999--2002. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Atlanta, 2005. 1-44. 14
Aug. 2007 <http://www.cdc.gov/MMWR/preview/mmwrhtml/ss5403a1.htm>. 2
 Anesthesia Morbidity and Mortality, 1988-1999 
Anesth Prog
 48:89-92 2001. 3
 Cohen MM, Cameron CB, Duncan PG. "Pediatric Anesthesia Morbidity and Mortality in the Perioperative Period." Anesthesia &
Analgesia
 70 (1990): 160-167. 14 Aug. 2007 <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez? cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=2301747&dopt=AbstractPlus>. (Original Article Removed from Anesthesia & Analgesia
website.) 4
 Mellon RD, Simone AF, Rappaport BA. "Use of Anesthetic Agents in Neonates and Young Children." Anethsia 104 (2007): 509-520. 5
 Berkowitz, Robert J. "Causes, Treatment and Prevention of Early." Journal of the Canadian Dental Association
 69 (2003): 304-
307b. 14 Aug. 2007 <http://www.cda-adc.ca/jcda/vol-69/issue-5/304.pdf>. 6
 Huggins, Hal A.. It's All in Your Head: The Link Between Mercury Amalgams and Illness
. 1 ed. New York: Avery Publishing,
1993:80. Print. 7
 Brown, E.H & Hansen, R.T The Key to Ultimate Health. Fullerton: Advanced Health Research Publishing; 1998:78-79. 8
 Ibid. 9
 Breiner, M. 
Whole Body Dentistry
, Quantum Health Press: 1999:137-138. 10
 Roberts, Michelle. " 'No proof' for filling baby teeth." BBC News. N.p., n.d. Web. 4 Oct. 2010. <http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/8112603.stm>. 11
 Ibid. 12
 Ibid. 13
 Levine, R.S., Pitts, N.B., Nugent, Z.J. "The Fate of 1,587 Unrestored Carious Deciduous Teeth: a Retrospective General Dental
Practice Based Study From Northern England." British Dental Journal
 193 (2002): 99-303. 14 Aug. 2007
<http://www.nature.com/bdj/journal/v193/n2/full/4801495a.html>. 14
 Milsom, K. M., M. Tickle, and D. King. "Does the Dental Profession Know How to Care for the Primary Dentition?" British Dental
Journal
 195 (2003): 301-303. 14 Aug. 2007 <http://www.nature.com/bdj/journal/v195/n6/full/4810525a.html>. Reprinted by permission
from Macmillian Publishers LT [
BRITISH DENTAL JOURNAL
] 195 (2003): 301-303. 15
 Ibid. 16
 Roberts, J.F., Attari, N., Milsom, K. M., M. Tickle, and D. King. “Primary Dentition" 
British Dental Journal
 196 (2004): 64-65. 14
Aug. 2007 <http://www.nature.com/bdj/journal/v196/n2/full/4810920a.html>. 17
 MELLANBY, EDWARD. NUTRITION AND DISEASE - THE INTERACTION OF CLINICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL WORK
. London: Oliver And Boyd, 1934. Chapter 11. Print. 18
 Breiner, M. 
Whole Body Dentistry
 Quantum Health Press: 1999:212-213. 19
 Ibid., 213
20
 Ibid., 86. 21
 Ibid., 192. 22
 AAP. Breast-feeding and the use of human milk. Pediatrics. 1997;100:1035-1039. <http://www.aapd.org/members/referencemanual/pdfs/02-03/Breast Feeding.pdf>. 23
 Policy on Early Childhood Caries (ECC): Classifications, Consequences, and Preventive Strategies REFERENCE MANUAL V 31 /
NO 6 09 / 10 <http://www.aapd.org/media/Policies_Guidelines/P_ECCClassifications.pdf>
24
 " American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry - Media Information." PRESS RELEASE: Breastfeeding and Infant Tooth Decay. Apr. 1999. Web. 06 Oct. 2010. <http://www.aapd.org/media/pressreleases/breastfeeding-99.asp>. 25
The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding. La Leche League International; 2003: 246. 26
 Palmer, Brian. "Breastfeeding and Infant Caries." Brian Palmer, DDS. 14 Aug. 2007 <http://www.brianpalmerdds.com/caries.htm>. 27
 "Mouth Breathing - The Root Cause?." Nose Breathe Mouthpiece: Health Benefits of Nasal Breathing
. N.p., n.d. Web. 6 Oct.
2010.
CureToothDecay.txt
Summarize the following text section accurately and concisely. Maintain specific details and numerical information, and use anti-repetition mechanisms:

        Parents can be lazy and claim that decay is inevitable, and that as parents one
can do nothing about it. This type of excuse is subtle. It encourages parent not to be responsible for
their child's health and it relinquishes one’s decision-making power to an authority figure, such as a
dentist. Cosmetic Appearance
If your child’s teeth are decayed, even if they are functional and protected, they may not look very
pretty. Your young child, however, thinks everything is beautiful. If her teeth do not conform to the
ideal standard of beauty, it won’t concern her as long as she is innocent of those standards. Otherwise, the condition of her teeth will seem quite natural and good to her. It is the adult mind and
vision that demand a certain cosmetic appearance for our children’s teeth. From our conscious and
many times limited vision, we may want to hide that our child has tooth decay. I want to encourage
you to find beauty in your child’s teeth even with the decay. If her teeth have ceased to decay, then
they now represent a triumph. They show you what sort of healing is possible, and remind you of how
important and cherished your child’s health is. When you make the choice about the cosmetics of your
child's baby teeth, make the choice that will honor your child and her needs, not one that pays tribute
to the adult world filled with superficiality. Truth & Knowledge
Within the pages of this book I have provided you with a more accurate view of tooth decay than has
been generally presented to the public. This is based upon the physiological and biological processes
that occur in the natural world. This information has taken a significant amount of motivation and
dedication to find. I have done my best to compile it for you in an easy to understand format so that
you can examine it for yourself. I have demonstrated in my own life that through action and obtaining knowledge we do have power to
positively influence our children's health and wellbeing. You can prevent general anesthesia and
dental surgery, as well as completely avoid or greatly limit the need for any type of dental treatment
on your child’s teeth by making wise nutritional choices today. This process may not be the easiest
path, but it is definitely possible. Knowledge can also be used to combat fear. The fear says, “One day my child will have atoothache. ” But knowledge tells you that today your child is happy and has no toothache. Knowledge
and awareness are a part of how I help dissolve the fear. I know that I am giving my child the best
foods possible. Her decayed teeth continually remind me of the delicate balance of the foods that are
required to keep her healthy. I remind myself that when I give her these special foods, her body builds defenses against pain,
infection, and decay. If I experience fear, when in the real world there is nothing to fear, then I have to
challenge and examine that fear. If it arises when my daughter is not experiencing pain or discomfort,
I choose to seek out its origins within me. Where did it come from. How do I justify it. What am I
afraid of, and how can I hold a compassionate and aware presence in the face of this fear. Knowledge is also obtained by examining your child’s tooth decay and closely monitoring it. Most
people are better off monitoring tooth decay with a dentist, but I understand the difficulty this poses in
some cases and people have had problems finding supportive dentists that are open to the “watch and
wait” approach. “Watch and wait” used to be the way children’s cavities were treated. If the tooth got
infected, the tooth was simply pulled out, and although that is not a pleasant procedure, it is short and
quick. There was no drama about general anesthesia surgery, no metals placed in the child’s mouth,
and plenty of patience in monitoring a little decay in a baby tooth. Children's Tooth Decay is Not an Easy Road for Most
For many parents, including myself, dealing with children's tooth decay is not an easy thing. It can
challenge you at the deepest level. Today, I still find myself occasionally overly concerned about my
daughter’s teeth. I still feel that twinge of fear within me that says, “Her teeth are not sound enough as
they are. ” One day my daughter complained of a minor toothache. Because I was carefully monitoring
her diet, I knew the cause and I knew how to stop it. She had been eating too much raw honey. The
honey had caused her blood sugar to be elevated for too long, and thus her blood levels of calcium
and phosphorus became imbalanced, resulting in decay. We began to be more careful and restrictive
about the honey and other sweets in her diet. That was over a year ago and she has not had a
toothache since. Removing the honey caused her blood chemistry to remain balanced, and thus her
tooth remineralized and the pain stopped. Several years ago, my daughter apparently had a tooth infection and was restless for several nights. One day she woke up with a slightly swollen face. I thought to myself, “This is not good. ” In the midst
of my nervousness and discomfort at the sight of my daughter's partially swollen face, Michelle added
her words of wisdom and said, “Don't worry about it. ” I exclaimed, “What do you mean ‘Don't
worry’. ” I expressed my fear that this was the worst thing that we had come up against. Upon review
of the past several days, we together saw that our hurried ways, our laziness, and our hunger had
resulted in improper food preparation. This chain of events leading up to the infection was clearly the
cause. We had allowed our daughter to eat too many grain products of mediocre quality. The day we
saw the infection we immediately put her on a food protocol similar to the best protocol which I
describe in this book. The diet included fish (cooked and raw), oysters, eggs, some bacon,
vegetables, vegetable juice, cod liver oil and butter oil. We greatly limited sweet foods, were careful
about grain products, and we made sure to establish boundaries so that she had balanced meals. Gradually over a few days, the swelling disappeared and the abscess healed. Not all parents need towork this hard to prevent their child’s tooth decay. It really depends on how fragile their child’s body
and system are. I continue to learn lessons from these experiences. I am learning that we need to be vigilant
concerning our family’s diet. I continue to challenge myself to feel the fear, to experience that “what
if” scenario that my mind always worries about. Then I also begin to experience periods of feeling
great happiness and satisfaction. There are times when I can move beyond the emotional fear and see
my daughter's tooth decay in an honest and mature way. I trust and understand this part of life because
I have faced it emotionally, through feeling my feelings, mentally, through knowledge and research;
and I have faced it with my will, through taking positive steps to treat her condition. That is how I
have found safety and peace in the face of illness. The result is a happy and carefree child, free from
tooth pain. Treating Children's Tooth Decay Naturally
We have successfully treated severe early childhood tooth decay for five years now, without fluoride,
dentists, or dental surgery. I estimate we have achieved about a 90-98% reduction in the rate of tooth
decay. Many parents have achieved 100% or more reduction in tooth decay, by which I mean the
complete cessation of cavities, and even occasionally the disappearance of previously visible tooth
decay. How successful you will be is a factor of how committed you are to health, the quality of
foods that are available, your ability to maintain a healthy diet for your child, and how severely
deficient your child was when you begin the program of improvement. One of my daughter's baby teeth is black and worn to the gum line. Even with this, her gums are
healthy, with no sign of infection, or pain. Her adult teeth do not have any cavities. Surgery on Children for Tooth Decay. In the U. S. , 27. 9% of all children ages 2-5 have had some tooth decay, with a total average of about 5
out of every 100 teeth in young children exhibiting signs of some tooth decay. 1
 Young children cannot
sit still in order to undergo normal dental procedures. Until the child is somewhere around the age of
6-8 years, the child is not really capable of understanding what a dental procedure is. A mother's lap can be appropriate for certain dental treatments which are done quickly, but not for
substantial dental treatments. Many mothers will find that their toddler will protest sitting in a dental
chair. Some may not even open their mouths. Young children are fearful of the dentist putting his
hands or cold, hard metal instruments into their mouths. Young children do not have the cognitive
ability to fully comprehend what is happening. Their interpretation of the experience is that some
strange person is shining bright lights at them and forcing them to do things which are uncomfortable
and invasive. This makes it challenging to treat young children's teeth without violating their will and
without causing them pain or fear. Forcing the child to go through dental procedures before he is
ready may cause emotional trauma. Local anesthesia may not work on young children. It may or may not be effective in preventing pain
and it is difficult to tell if a young child's tooth is numbed properly prior to dental surgery. This is
because it is almost impossible to get reliable feedback from a child if they are under stress,
especially if they are younger than six. Treating children as if they are mini adults is a backwards way to go about dentistry, but this is the
common pediatric dentistry model. This means that dentists will use crowns, root canals, and fillings
in a vain attempt to try to remove the infestation of bacteria on a child’s teeth. If the child’s cavities
are extensive, dentists recommend significant surgery for decayed baby teeth. The two common
methods of pediatric dentistry for children with significant tooth decay are barbaric. One is to heavily
sedate the child with an oral sedative. The child is still awake, just immobile and groggy. It is
common for many dental offices then to strap the drugged child to the dental chair in order to restrain
the child during treatment, including drilling. The other method is administration of full general
anesthesia, in which the child is separated from the parents, put to sleep while teeth are extracted and
typically metal is placed into the child’s mouth. Some children may be able to cope with these
harrowing experiences, but for many others they may cause indelible emotional scars. I told a friend from another country that this is how they treat children with several tooth cavities in
dental offices in the U.
The author disagrees with the idea that tooth decay is inevitable and that parents cannot do anything about it. Instead, they emphasize the importance of taking responsibility for one's child's health and making informed decisions about their diet and nutrition.
What is the author's opinion on the idea that tooth decay is inevitable and parents cannot do anything about it?
The author is critical of the use of fluoride, stating that it is a deadly poison and that it adds a toxic burden to the body.
What is the author's stance on the use of fluoride?
The author recommends a holistic approach, emphasizing the importance of nutrition and dietary changes to treat tooth decay in children.
What is the recommended approach to treating children's tooth decay?
The author is strongly against the use of anesthesia in dental surgery on children, citing the risks and potential harm it may cause.
What is the author's opinion on the use of anesthesia in dental surgery on children?
The author supports breastfeeding and emphasizes that it does not promote tooth decay, but rather helps to protect against it.
What is the author's stance on breastfeeding and tooth decay?