Can You Repair Your Own Teeth At Home?
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It’s Q&A Day at 10almonds!
Have a question or a request? We love to hear from you!
In cases where we’ve already covered something, we might link to what we wrote before, but will always be happy to revisit any of our topics again in the future too—there’s always more to say!
As ever: if the question/request can be answered briefly, we’ll do it here in our Q&A Thursday edition. If not, we’ll make a main feature of it shortly afterwards!
So, no question/request too big or small 😎
❝I liked your article on tooth remineralization, I saw a “home tooth repair kit”, and wondered if it is as good as what dentists do, or at least will do the job well enough to save a dentist visit?❞
Firstly, for any wondering about the tooth remineralization, here you go:
Tooth Remineralization: How To Heal Your Teeth Naturally
Now, to answer your question, we presume you are talking about something like this kit available on Amazon. In which case, some things to bear in mind:
- This kind of thing is generally intended as a stop-gap measure until you see a dentist, because you cracked your tooth or lost a filling or something today, and will see the dentist next week, say.
- This kind of thing is not what Dr. Michelle Jorgensen was talking about in another video* that we wrote about; rather, it is using a polymer filler to rebuild what is missing. The key difference is: this is using plastic, which is not what your teeth are made of, so it will never “take” as part of the tooth, as some biomimetic dentistry options can do.
- Yes, this does also mean you are putting microplastics (because the powder is usually micronized polymer beads with zinc oxide, to which you add a liquid to create a paste that will set) in your mouth and quite possibly right next to an open blood supply depending on what’s damaged and whether capillaries were reaching it.
- Because of the different material and application method, the adhesion is nothing like professional fillings (be they metal or resin), and thus the chances of it coming out again or so high that it’s more a question of when, rather than if.
- If you have damage under there (as we presume you do in any scenario where you are using this), then if it’s not professionally cleaned before the filling goes in, then it can get infected, and (less dramatically, but still importantly) any extant decay can also get worse. We say “professionally”, because you will not be able to do an adequate job with your toothbrush, floss, etc at home, and even if you got dentist’s tools (which you can buy, by the way, but we don’t recommend), you will no more be able to do the same quality job as a dentist who has done that many times a day every day for the past 20 years, as buying expensive paintbrushes would make you able to restore a Renaissance painting without messing it up.
*See: Dangers Of Root Canals And Crowns, & What To Do Instead ← what she recommends instead is biomimetic dentistry, which is also more prosaically called “conservative restorative dentistry”, i.e. it tries to conserve as much as possible, replace lost material on a like-for-like basis, and generally end up with a result that’s as close to natural as possible.
In other words, the short answer to your question is “no, sorry, it isn’t and it won’t”
However! A just like it’s good to have a first aid kit in the house even if it won’t do the same job as an ambulance crew, it can be good to have a tooth repair kit (essentially, a tooth first-aid kit) in the house, precisely to use it just as a stop-gap measure in the event that you one day crack a tooth or lose a filling or such, and don’t want to leave it open to all things in the meantime.
(The results of this sort of kit are so not long-term in nature that it will be quick and easy for your dentist to remove it to do their own job once you get there)
If in doubt, always see your dentist as soon as possible, as many things are a lot less work to treat now, than to treat later. Just, make sure to advocate for yourself and what you actually want/need, and don’t let them upsell you on something you didn’t come in for while you’re sitting in their chair—that’s a conversation to be had in advance with a clear head and no pressure (and nobody’s hands in your mouth)!
See also: Dentists Are Pulling ‘Healthy’ and Treatable Teeth To Profit From Implants, Experts Warn
Take care!
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Cooking for Longevity – by Nisha Melvani
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Before it gets to the recipes, this book kicks off with a lot of science (much more than is usual for even healthy-eating recipe books), demystifying more nutrients than most people think of on a daily basis, what they do and where to get them, and even how to enhance nutrient absorption.
As well as an up-front ingredients list, we additionally get not just meal planning advice in the usual sense of the word, but also advice on timing various aspects of nutrition in order to enjoy the best metabolic benefits.
The recipes themselves are varied and good. It’s rare to find a recipe book that doesn’t include some redundant recipes, and this one’s no exception, but it’s better to have too much information than too little, so it’s perhaps no bad thing that all potentially necessary bases are covered.
In terms of how well it delivers on the title’s promised “cooking for longevity” and the subtitle’s promised “boosting healthspan”, the science is good; very consistent with what we write here at 10almonds, and well-referenced too.
Bottom line: if you’d like recipes to help you live longer and more healthily, then this book has exactly that.
Click here to check out Cooking For Longevity, and cook for longevity!
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What To Leave Off Your Table (To Stay Off This Surgeon’s)
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Why we eat too much (and how we can fix that)
This is Dr. Andrew Jenkinson. He’s a Consultant Surgeon specializing in the treatment of obesity, gallstones, hernias, heartburn and abdominal pain. He runs regular clinics in both London and Dubai. What he has to offer us today, though, is insight as to what’s on our table that puts us on his table, and how we can quite easily change that up.
So, why do we eat too much?
First things first: some metabolic calculations. No, we’re not going to require you to grab a calculator here… Your body does it for you!
Our body’s amazing homeostatic system (the system that does its best to keep us in the “Goldilocks Zone” of all our bodily systems; not too hot or too cold, not dehydrated or overhydrated, not hyperglycemic or hypoglycemic, blood pressure not too high or too low, etc, etc) keeps track of our metabolic input and output.
What this means: if we increase or decrease our caloric consumption, our body will do its best to increase or decrease our metabolism accordingly:
- If we don’t give it enough energy, it will try to conserve energy (first by slowing our activities; eventually by shutting down organs in a last-ditch attempt to save the rest of us)
- If we give it too much energy, it will try to burn it off, and what it can’t burn, it will store
In short: if we eat 10% or 20% more or less than usual, our body will try to use 10% to 20% more or less than usual, accordingly.
So… How does this get out of balance?
The problem is in how our system does that, and how we inadvertently trick it, to our detriment.
For a system to function, it needs at its most base level two things—a sensor and a switch:
- A sensor: to know what’s going on
- A switch: to change what it’s doing accordingly
Now, if we eat the way we’re evolved to—as hunter-gatherers, eating mostly fruit and vegetables, supplemented by animal products when we can get them—then our body knows exactly what it’s eating, and how to respond accordingly.
Furthermore, that kind of food takes some eating! Most fruit these days is mostly water and fiber; in those days it often had denser fiber (before agricultural science made things easier to eat), but either way, our body knows when we are eating fruit and how to handle that. Vegetables, similarly. Unprocessed animal products, again, the gut goes “we know what this is” and responds accordingly.
But modern ultra-processed foods with trans-fatty acids, processed sugar and flour?
These foods zip calories straight into our bloodstream like greased lightning. We get them so quickly so easily and in such great caloric density, that our body doesn’t have the chance to count them on the way in!
What this means is: the body has no idea what it’s just consumed or how much or what to do with it, and doesn’t adjust our metabolism accordingly.
Bottom line:
Evolutionarily speaking, your body has no idea what ultra-processed food is. If you skip it and go for whole foods, you can, within the bounds of reason, eat what you like and your body will handle it by adjusting your metabolism accordingly.
Now, advising you “avoid ultra-processed foods and eat whole foods” was probably not a revelation in and of itself.
But: sometimes knowing a little more about the “why” makes the difference when it comes to motivation.
Want to know more about Dr. Jenkinson’s expert insights on this topic?
If you like, you can check out his website here—he has a book too
Why We Eat (Too Much) – Dr. Andrew Jenkinson on the Science of Appetite
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Collard Greens vs Red Lettuce – Which is Healthier?
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Our Verdict
When comparing collard greens to red lettuce, we picked the collard greens.
Why?
In terms of macros, collard greens have nearly 4x the fiber, as well as slightly more protein and carbs, winning this round.
In the category of vitamins, collard greens have more of vitamins A, B2, B3, B6, B7, B9, and C, while red lettuce has slightly more of vitamins B1 and B5. An easy win for collard greens.
Looking at minerals, collard greens have more calcium, copper, magnesium, manganese, potassium, and zinc, while red lettuce has a tiny bit more iron. Another clear win for collard greens.
When it comes to other considerations, red lettuce does have more polyphenols (most notably a wide range of flavonoids including multiple anthocyanins, luteolin, and 6 different kinds of quercetin), so red lettuce scores a point finally here.
Adding up the sections makes for an overall win for collard greens, but by all means enjoy either or both; diversity is good!
Want to learn more?
You might like:
What Matters Most For Your Heart? Eat More (Of This) For Lower Blood Pressure
Enjoy!
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Dangers Of Root Canals And Crowns, & What To Do Instead
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Dr. Michelle Jorgensen, a dentist, tells us that it’s a lot rarer than people think to actually need a crown or a root canal; there are ways of avoiding such:
The tooth, the whole tooth, and nothing but the tooth?
First, some of the problems with the treatments that are most popular, especially in the US:
Problems with root canals:
- Involves cleaning and filling the tooth’s main canal but leaves microtubules that can harbor dead tissue and attract bacteria.
- This can lead to infections, often undetected for a long time due to the nerve removal, potentially harming overall health and weakening the tooth.
- Root canals often result in brittle teeth that can break, necessitating crowns.
And then…
Problems with crowns:
- A crown requires significant removal of tooth structure (up to 1.5 mm of enamel), making the tooth more vulnerable and sensitive.
- Crowns can also lead to new cavities underneath due to weak bonding to dentin.
- The cycle often leads from a healthy tooth to fillings, crowns, root canals, and eventual extraction (and then, perhaps, an implant in its place). That’s great for the dentist, but not so great for you.
Biomimetic dentistry the exciting name currently being used for what has been more prosaically called “conservative restorative dentistry”, which in turn has also been known by other names in recent decades, and its goal is to strengthen and preserve natural teeth as much as possible.
Methods it uses:
- Treats affected but still living teeth with non-invasive procedures.
- Uses ozone treatment to kill bacteria in deep cavities, avoiding direct nerve exposure.
- Applies conservative partial restorations like onlays instead of full crowns.
Benefits of this approach:
- Preserves enamel, minimizes trauma, and reduces the risk of tooth death.
- Maintains long-term tooth structure and health.
- 95% success rate in saving affected teeth without resorting to root canals.
In short, Dr. Jorgensen says that 60–80% of traditional crowns and root canals can be avoided. Which is surely a good thing.
For more on all of this, enjoy:
Click Here If The Embedded Video Doesn’t Load Automatically!
Want to learn more?
You might also like:
Tooth Remineralization: How To Heal Your Teeth Naturally
Take care!
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Why You Feel Like You Have To Pee Again Right After You Just Went
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Dr. Amy Konvalin talks us through breaking the pattern:
When nature calls… Repeatedly
Fun fact: feeling like you need to pee again right after standing up is often more a matter of bladder sensation, pelvic floor tension, positioning, and learned bathroom habits, rather than necessarily incomplete emptying.
Notably, repeatedly sitting back down “just in case” can accidentally train your brain and bladder into expecting a second round, reinforcing the pattern over time.
So, what to do instead?
- Before: sit down, take three slow deep belly breaths in through your nose, then exhale fully, to help relax your nervous system and pelvic floor before starting.
- During: consciously relax your pelvic floor instead of rushing or straining.
- After: once you feel done, take one more deep breath, exhale, and check once, dry and stand up, resisting any urge to return.
- After after: distract yourself and move on with your day to help break the automatic “go twice” pattern.
Safety note, though: persistent urinary urgency, frequent urination, pain, burning, blood in your urine, prolapse symptoms, recurrent infections, or trouble emptying should all be checked out by an medical professional, as many causes—including UTIs, overactive bladder, pelvic floor dysfunction, or prostate/bladder issues and even cancer—can overlap.
For more on all of this and for some mysterious reason absolutely no visual demonstrations for this one, enjoy:
Click Here If The Embedded Video Doesn’t Load Automatically!
Want to learn more?
You might also like:
Take care!
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What Melatonin Does To Your DNA
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Spoiler: it’s good
What dreams may come, when we have shuffled off this deoxyribonucleic coil,
…must indeed give us pause!
Researchers (Dr. Umaimah Zanif et al.) did a randomized, placebo-controlled trial of 40 night-shift workers tested whether taking 3mg of melatonin daily for 4 weeks before daytime sleep (because: night-shift workers) could improve the body’s ability to repair oxidative DNA damage.
Why Dr. Zanif and her team investigated melatonin: melatonin normally rises at night and helps regulate sleep and circadian rhythms, but overnight work suppresses melatonin production, which can reduce the body’s capacity to repair oxidative DNA damage, and could be one mechanism linking long-term night-shift work to a higher cancer risk.
Quick note about the participants: all workers had performed at least two consecutive night shifts per week for at least 6 months, with shifts lasting at least 7 hours, and none had sleep disorders or major chronic illnesses.
Of course, that’s not to say it’s only night workers who are affected—it’s relevant for anyone with disrupted sleep. But night workers make for a clear, consistent demographic in which to study these matters.
You may be wondering how DNA repair was measured: the team measured urinary 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-OH-dG), a marker of oxidative DNA damage repair capacity, with higher levels interpreted as greater DNA repair activity.
The results, in numbers:
- Main finding: during daytime sleep after night-shift work, the melatonin group showed approximately 1.8 times higher urinary 8-OH-dG levels than the placebo group, suggesting improved oxidative DNA repair capacity.
- Statistical analysis: the increase was described as borderline statistically significant, with a 95% confidence interval of 1.0 to 3.2 and a p-value of 0.06.
- One more thing: no significant difference between groups was observed during the subsequent overnight work period, suggesting the benefit occurred specifically during sleep rather than throughout the entire day.
In other words, restoring melatonin signaling can counter some of the biological stress caused by circadian disruption in general and night work as a top-tier example of that.
You can read the paper in full, here: Melatonin supplementation and oxidative DNA damage repair capacity among night shift workers: a randomised placebo-controlled trial
We’ve also written a bit about melatonin before, including:
Want more options?
Some sleep aids can help, but many are harmful and/or do not really work as such; here’s a rundown of examples of those: Safe Effective Sleep Aids For Seniors?
Want to learn more?
For a much more in-depth treatment of the topic of sleep in general, you might like this book that we reviewed a while back:
Why We Sleep – by Dr Matthew Walker
Basically, if you will read only one book on sleep, that’s the book.
Sweet dreams!
Don’t Forget…
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