Dental Health

Dental health is fundamentally a systemic, energetic phenomenon, not a localized bacterial infection. Ray Peat argued that the quality of the saliva, regulated mainly by thyroid hormone, is the primary factor governing what happens to the teeth on the outside, while stress hormones determine the tooth's internal integrity. 3 The conventional acid theory of decay, which blames bacteria producing acid, has "tremendous weakness" because it neglects the chemical and immunological functions of saliva and the systemic mobilization of minerals. 2 Peat observed that during periods when cavity rates decreased, the consumption of sugar, candy, and soft drinks actually increased, a paradox mainstream dentistry could not explain. 6

The internal resistance of a tooth to decay is an active, energy-dependent process. The dentine is the part that can regenerate, constantly renewing the cytoplasm in its channels to close off the advance of a cavity, provided a stable hormonal balance of vitamin D and calcium exists. 2 Stress, however, weakens teeth from the inside by mobilizing calcium from the dentine, often creating spots of discoloration that develop into cavities. 11 This process is hormonally mediated: animal studies showed that treating rats with estrogen increased their incidence of tooth decay, while supplementing them with thyroid hormone decreased it. 2 Peat identified serotonin as a major calcium disruptor in bones and teeth, and noted that intestinal inflammation and endotoxin are often behind recurrent tooth infections, recommending a daily raw carrot to suppress bacterial overgrowth. 3

Once decay has penetrated the enamel and entered the dentine, Peat stated that remineralizing a full cavity from the inside is essentially impossible, though the tooth can internally close off the progress of the decay. 1 For an obvious cavity, he recommended it be cleaned out and filled, favoring composite fillings over amalgam and considering Sorel cements (oxy chloride) ideal, though unpopular. 5 For wisdom teeth or deciduous teeth in children, he strongly advocated for conservative management using a zinc oxide and eugenol temporary filling, which is antiseptic, mildly anesthetic, and easy to apply without aggressive drilling or X-rays. 3 He considered dentists too aggressive in treating baby teeth, emphasizing that improving the child's digestion and hormones as permanent teeth develop is the crucial intervention. 9

Peat was unequivocally opposed to dental X-rays, stating that safer technologies like ultrasound have existed for years to image cavities but remain unused due to institutional investment in existing X-ray machines. 2 He extended this caution to root canals and the "cavitation" diagnoses promoted by some biological dentists, viewing the latter as an extension of the old "focal infection" scam that opens new profit opportunities while causing prolonged pain and slow bone healing. 7 A personal experience with a low-milk diet causing his teeth to become sensitive and crumble led him to recognize the critical importance of a generous intake of calcium and vitamin D, with milk being superior to supplements because its sugars, fats, and balanced minerals assist proper assimilation. 4