If you ask most people whether or not you can heal a cavity, the answer you would get 99.9% of the time is that it is impossible.
Even conventional dentists would agree with this assessment. Ask a typical dentist at a routine cleaning whether you can heal a cavity on your own and he/she is likely to look at you like you’re crazy (I know this from experience).
In stark contrast to this current conventional “wisdom”, Dr. Weston A. Price DDS wrote of numerous situations in his dental practice back in the 1920s and 1930s where cavities healed with no need for drilling and filling. Dr. Price discovered through research that cavities are caused by nutritional deficiency and when this nutritional deficiency is corrected, the cavity heals.
Biological dentists also understand and teach their patients that teeth can remineralize naturally when the diet and microbial conditions in the mouth are conducive to the healing process.
If you think about this in an open-minded manner leaving all preconceived ideas about cavities behind, doesn’t this make sense? Shouldn’t the body be able to heal a cavity just like it heals a broken bone or a cut on your arm? Why would teeth be any different from a broken wrist after all?
Having read Dr. Price’s epic work Nutrition and Physical Degeneration some years ago, I’ve been of the school of thought that cavities can indeed be healed with proper nutrition for some time. But believing something intellectually and knowing it works from experience are two very different things, are they not?
For this reason, I am very excited to relay to you a recent story regarding one of my children. You see, my oldest child (12 years old at the time) developed a cavity in his top right lateral incisor. It was behind the tooth right on the gumline. My husband noticed it one night as he was checking his teeth to see if he was doing a good job brushing and flossing (he’s way too old for nightly brushing by Mom or Dad).
There was a definite hole in the tooth and not a small one either. My husband called me over to take a look and I was alarmed to see the hole and I used a rubber-tipped tooth probe that we have on hand to check how deep it was. The tip of the probe went way into the hole. There was no doubt that this was a cavity, and we both agreed that we needed to get it filled pronto.
Our reasoning was that the incisors are very prominent teeth and taking a chance that the nutritional approach would not work quickly enough to save the tooth was a big concern for us especially given that our soon to be teenager’s diet could likely not be controlled closely enough to ensure rapid success.
I called the dentist right away and made an appointment. In the meantime, I began insisting that my son take 3 butter oil capsules every morning along with his normal, daily teaspoon of fermented cod liver oil. I’ve always been pretty strict about the daily cod liver oil dose before school, but a bit slack about the butter oil along with it to be perfectly honest.
Not anymore. With this big hole in the back of his incisor, I knew that he needed to take both together. Dr. Price discovered that cavities healed faster when these two therapeutic and nourishing oils were taken together.
The dental appointment was a few weeks out, so I continued with the butter oil capsules every single day. I also told my son that he really needed to go back to his breakfast of two slices of toast each morning with raw butter and honey. This instead of tahini and honey which is what he had been having in recent months.
He was fine with that as he loves raw butter and had just gotten out of the routine of having it every morning. Did this simple change of breakfast have an impact on the development of his cavity?
Probably.
I didn’t change anything else. He didn’t go off grains and he still ate the occasional sugar junk that he gets at school (ugh). It was Easter time too so this type of stuff was rampant. He is almost a teenager, after all. Try to take all grains and sugars out of their diet and you are going to get a rebellion. Kids need to learn some things on their own.
I’ve found you can’t protect your kids from this stuff and raise them in a bubble. You can only teach them to be wise and they will learn moderation on their own over time.
On a side note, I was pleased to see that at a party following his class’s Poetry Day that he bypassed the big bottles of soda and Hershey bars. Amazingly, this junk was being handed out by the parents afterward (no, I’m not kidding).
I was very very proud of him. He knew that eating that stuff would give him a couple of zits for sure and make him feel lousy all afternoon and probably the next day too. We Moms have to celebrate little victories along the way, don’t we?!
Anyway, back to the cavity story.
As it turned out, the day before his dental appointment, the receptionist calls to say that the appointment needed to be rescheduled as the dentist had to unexpectedly go out of town for family reasons. This pushed out the appointment for another couple of weeks, but all the while, we continued with the 3 capsules of butter oil with a teaspoon of fermented cod liver oil after a breakfast of 2 slices of raw butter and honey toast.
Last weekend, I decided to take a peek at the cavity to see if it was getting any worse. It had been about a month since my husband discovered it and I was a bit concerned given that it was one of his top front teeth. I took a flashlight and he tipped his head back and I looked, and looked, and LOOKED!
NO CAVITY!
That’s right. There was no hole at all. It had completely filled in and was as smooth as the tooth next to it. I told my husband and he took a look too. He was delighted to see that the hole was gone.
I took the probe and pressed around just to be sure and confirmed what my eyes were telling me – the cavity had indeed healed over.
I will still be taking him to the dentist to have a check-up but there is no doubt that there is nothing wrong with that tooth any longer.
The best news of all is that I changed very little to get this tooth to heal. He didn’t use coconut oil pulling or any special remedy. He simply continued on his normal, nourishing traditional diet at home with the lapses that typically occur at school and playdate events. We added the butter oil with his daily dose of cod liver oil, and he substituted raw butter for tahini on his toast every morning. The butter oil added critical Vitamin K2 to his diet which supercharges the absorption of the Vitamins A/D in cod liver oil.
That’s it!
I hope you find this story encouraging! Dr. Price’s research really does work in practice!
Dentist’s Conclusion After Examining My Son’s Cavity
This brief update has been added since the original posting date of this blog. I did indeed take my son to the dentist to have a full examination and there was no cavity to be found anywhere in my son’s mouth. A hole was there, the hole is gone. Nutrition can indeed heal cavities!
Diet not only heals early cavities, but it can also heal severe ones where a root canal is recommended. This article on avoiding root canals details that scenario.
Please note that a cavity in a tooth that has already been drilled and filled in the past cannot be healed. Please see a dentist right away to have that cavity filled with non-toxic materials (not mercury amalgams).
Also, a tooth that is cracked or has had part of it broken off cannot be healed with diet. Again, consult with a dentist to have that situation properly handled.
Best Cod Liver Oil and Butter Oil to Heal a Cavity
Please click here for where to buy cod liver oil and butter oil. Note that any old store brand of cod liver oil is not going to work for healing cavities. These brands contain synthetic Vitamin A and D and are heavily processed. Only use these vetted and tested brands to ensure quality results.
Click here to watch my video blog on how to make ghee if you are not able to order butter oil where you live.
Also, this article which provides photographic proof cavities heal can help you see the visual results.
Child Needs to Be on Traditional Diet
Please note that if your child is not on a healthy diet already, the addition of cod liver oil and butter oil (for Vitamin K2) alone will not be sufficient to heal a cavity. A diet consisting primarily of convenience foods that resulted in a cavity problem cannot be rectified with a couple of superfood supplements. It will definitely help and may prevent future cavities, but won’t fix existing ones.
For more information on the diet necessary to heal cavities including high vitamin cod liver oil and butter oil, read the book Cure Tooth Decay.
A Second Cavity Healed!
In May 2017, the same child mentioned in the story above healed yet another cavity. This time he did it all by himself (he is 18 years old now). He noticed a small hole in one of his front teeth. Like the last time, the early cavity was right along the gumline. It was also on the front of the tooth and easy to see in the mirror. I am kicking myself now that we didn’t take before and after pictures!
He asked me what to do about it, and I referred him to what we did 6 years earlier to heal a hole in one of his lateral incisors. He hadn’t been taking much cod liver oil for awhile. So he immediately went back on 1 tsp raw, extra virgin cod liver oil per day (which we are now using instead of fermented liver oil). To supercharge the absorption of the Vitamin A/D in cod liver oil, he also doubled his Vitamin K2 intake (180 mcg/day). Finally, he cut out the few sweets he was eating. Within 2 weeks, the hole was gone!
Please note that instead of butter oil to add K2 to the diet, this time he used a potent natto extract supplement. Both butter oil and natto extract contain the critical Vitamin K2 necessary to heal cavities. It is best used synergistically with cod liver oil for optimal and fast results. Butter oil contains MK-4 and natto extract contains MK-7. This article contains more discussion on MK-4 vs MK-7 forms of Vitamin K2.
Diet is Always First to Heal a Cavity Followed by Cod Liver Oil/K2
My son felt very empowered by the experience. Please note that other than lagging on his cod liver oil/K2 supplement regimen, he was eating an excellent Traditional Diet. Certainly no fast food (ever), candy or soda. Junk to him is a piece of pizza at a party and sweets are a couple of organic cookies after a quality whole foods dinner.
As a Mother, there is nothing better than knowing your children have learned from your efforts raising them and are able to successfully put traditional health into practice for themselves as young adults.
Where to Find a Biological Dentist
I get many requests about who I recommend as a truly holistic dentist. If you are looking for one, I recommend Dr. Carlo Litano of Natural-Smiles.com – (727) 300-0044. Be sure to tell Dr. Litano that the Healthy Home Economist sent you and get 10% off your first visit!
He sees children and does phone consults too!
More Information
Child’s Severe Tooth Decay Healed with Diet
Whiten Your Teeth Without Dangerous Chemicals (that will eventually destroy the enamel)
Healing Periodontal Problems with Bone Broth
Natural Alternative to Baby Teething Gels
Coconut Oil Stops Oral Strep Bacteria from Damaging Tooth Enamel
Cause of Crooked Teeth
10 Signs Your Dentist is Truly Holistic
Could the Cause of Your Illness Be Right Under Your Nose?
Wisdom Tooth Extractions
Hi! I’m wondering if the fermented cod liver oil would create a problem if someone were highly yeast sensitive. So many people have yeast problems (I was reading that people were having gas and bloating, plus having the problem myself,I personally know many others who do) that I’m wondering if I were to take it, would it really hinder and not help. With my yeast problem, I have been told to stay away from all things fermented. While I’m sure that these products and Weston Price are a miracle for many, I’m just wondering if anyone can tell me more if one is yeast sensitive. Thanks very much!
Hi Jenny, it would help much more than it would do any harm. You can always eat other superfoods such as liver and fish eggs instead, but I find people find taking the fermented cod liver oil much more convenient. You can’t do without these vitamin A/D/K superfoods. You will degenerate quickly without them.
Hi Jenny,
Dr. Norman Shealy explored supplemental magnesium absorbed through the skin (transdermal) and more recently Dr. Mark Sircus has taken up the cause. They write about soaking in a magnesium chloride bath and list the many ways it helps health. Search for “transdermal magnesium” and you’ll find many other source articles. The reason I’m bringing it up here is because I began using Epsom salt baths after reading about transdermal magnesium (Epsom salt is magnesium sulfate). Both sulfur and magnesium promote good health.
My son has always had problems with yeast, since birth. He had recurring thrush problems as an exclusively breast-fed infant, and has always been sensitive to sugar intake touching off another candida overgrowth. After learning about transdermal magnesium, I had my son soak in an Epsom salt bath, and – voila! – the candida vanished from his mouth. Now he can indulge himself at birthday parties and trick-or-treating, because he has no more issues with sugar/yeast. In my reading about magnesium, I read that it helps with sugar metabolism, actually getting the glucose into where it can be used by cells. I can attest that it dramatically improved my son’s sugar metabolism with regard to candida overgrowth.
Perhaps you could try transdermal megnesium with your son, to get past the yeast issues which seem to be holding you back from tooth health. By the way, magnesium and sulfur (Epsom salt) also contribute to good dental health.
Yes SE and the best Magnesium for blood glucose is Magnesium Glycol in liquid form.That’s the one in the medical paper:)
Thanks so much for this information. We have been eating a WAPF diet for over 6 years now, but have only been taking 2 fermented CLO pills per person. I’m a little disappointed in the Blue Ice packaging as it recommends 2 as a daily dose and says that you don’t have to refrigerate until after opening. It sounds like these things may not be true?
Also, have you done a post on glycerin-free toothpaste options or how to make your own?
Thanks again!
Hi Melanie, Green Pasture Products is only allowed to recommend a certain dosage due to the FDA. You don’t have to refrigerate the FCLO if you don’t want to. It says to refrigerate again due to labeling regulations.
Liver or fish eggs would contain comparable levels of the fat soluble activators. You might want to try the butter oil though as all the allergenic aspects of it (milk solids) have been removed. Many allergic to dairy can use butter oil (ghee) with no problem.
I’m a “vegetarian”. what can i use as substitutes of cod live r oil? i also have a cavity(a rather big one). I’m going to see dentist after four weeks.
I am highly allergic to dairy and need to stay off it for a while. Is there an alternative to the butter oil? This news is incredible!
It seems the ‘strictness’ of the routine required to heal the cavity is based on the person’s past health/diet. Unfortunately, I grew up on the “low fat, high carb (a.k.a. enriched flour)” regime. I think Rami Nagel talks about “damage from grains” in his book Cure Tooth Decay. Some of us are going to require more strict measures to make up for old damage. However, this is a blessing because we can help others and, most importantly, our children.
Yes … some folks require extreme measures (no grains, no sugars, no starches) to stop tooth decay while others require mild tweaks. My son has been on the FCLO and eating traditionally his entire life so the cavity was a shock to say the least but the great news is that it didn’t require much to fix it quickly. I know many readers of this post feed their families nourishing meals as well so will be encouraged by this.
This is very encouraging! I recently got diagnosed with a cavity about a month ago and have been doing a nutritional protocol in line with that suggested by Nagel in his Cure Tooth Decay book for almost a month now. Compared to your situation, it seems my cavity is less severe and the protocol I am adhering too much stricter so it gives me good hope especially considering that my father recently went to a periodontist who says he has a lot of cavities and needs to have some tooth implants done. However, my father has no tooth pain so I am going to see if I can help him heal his cavities before he submits to $7000 surgery he can’t afford.
And to think that the dentist I went to (several months ago) laughed in amusement when I asked if my cavity can heal on its own! I actually refused the filling and the antibiotic, and the pain went away by itself after a few days. The cavity is still there, but this testimonial gave me hope that I’m not crazy – and that added nutrition can heal a cavity. Worth trying especially if I don’t care for a filling …
Amazing!!! I just shared this on Facebook.
If we’re only taking it once per day, is there a benefit to doing it in the morning rather than at night?
This is from the WAPF website – recommended doses for fermented cod liver oil. it doesn’t have capsules listed for those under 12 but based on the other dosages, it would be 5 capsules for that age group.
Children age 3 months to 12 years: 1/2 teaspoon or 2.5 mL, providing 4650 IU vitamin A and 975 IU vitamin D.
Children over 12 years and adults: 1 teaspoon or 10 capsules, providing 9500 IU vitamin A and 1950 IU vitamin D.
Pregnant and nursing women: 2 teaspoon or 20 capsules, providing 19,000 IU vitamin A and 3900 IU vitamin D.
thank you, carolyn. for some reason i thought the dosages on the site were for the non-fermented CLO-it’s a “tired mom of little ones” brain thing. i appreciate the posting of dosages.
Carolyn…I have read that vit A at such high levels is toxic is this true? As apposed to Beta Carotene which I take daily….Anyone?
GREAT and TRUE! Last year, my four year old’s dentist said, “Uh oh, he has a ‘stain’ which can become a cavity. Keep it really well brushed.” After much reading of Weston Price I realized that a stain is a soft spot which indicates he needed more fat soluble vitamins (not necessarily more brushing). We found an amazing raw milk source, added cod liver oil (from quantum at that time) and didn’t cut out grains as we had not read Rami’s book yet. The next visit, 6 months later, the dentist said the enamel was hard as a rock. My 6 year old daughter has a ‘watch spot’ on her tooth now. We’ve cut out most grains (esp oatmeal!) and switched from regular CLO to FCLO. We’ll see how the next visit goes.
Sarah-I’ve been giving her 1/2 tsp. I wonder if she needs 1 tsp? Also, can the 2 1/2 yr old twin boys take more than 1/4tsp? We live in VERY sunny NM, but I realize the dietary need for vitamin D is critical. Also, do you think giving them a spoonful of Kerrygold or raw butter with the FCLO is powerful or does it need to be the butter oil from Green Patures? Finally, do you also give your family skate liver oil periodically like Rami suggests in his book? I understand it has some healthy different nutrients than the FCLO. THANKS! It’s so important to encourage one another on along this journey.