Healthy teeth on a budget

[tnmom66]

I found some Kerrygold butter at harris teeter yesterday. I was used to paying about $2.50 or so a pound for butter (I don't use margarine), but the Kerrygold was $6.99 for a half-pound!! What is the real difference between this and Kroger brand butter? Aren't most dairy cows largely grass fed?

Also, there is a long list of suggested supplements. As a single mother of 3 kids on a very limited income, I want to know where to best save money. My baby's Dad has a Costco membership, I have a Sams's membership. I can manage pretty well eating basic, healthy foods. But the "extras" seem to get pricey.

We are doing xylitol (cheapest way seems to be putting it in water and drinking it throughout the day, but I just ordered some Dr. John's candy for the kids), MI paste ($15 a tube, but a tiny bit goes a long way for the baby, and ACT floride rinse (which I'm brushing the baby's teeth with), as per Dr. Ellie's suggestions. The kids have dental insurance so can get cleaning and fluoride treatments at the dentist 2X yearly.

I think maybe the single most important thing I have done is religiously started brushing the baby's teeth before bed and first thing in the morning so there is a minimum of bacteria to feed on lactose at night. I was brushing 1-2 times a day before, but just whenever I thought of it. Maybe after breakfast and after lunch. Never right before bed--things were getting hectic. I have not weaned her and don't think I will, but I'd like it if she'd let me rinse her mouth with xylitol water or brush her mouth out after nighttime feedings.

Pascalite clay and cell salts seem interesting/promising.

Lydia

[Bri'sgirl]

Hi, I'll try to answer as much as I can. Most dairy cows are not fed grass, nor do they ever set foot in a field. They are crammed together in feed lots and are exclusively fed grain. Taste the Kroger butter, then the Kerrygold, in one sitting. You'll notice a huge difference. Look around and you should be able to find a less pricey butter that is pastured. Maybe from a local source?

Bone broths are cheap to make and can be used in lots of things. IMO, very important for dental health.

I think that brushing teeth is important, however, we do not use fluoride toothpaste or rinses with our kids. They do get the fluoride brushed on at the dentist, but we do not use it regularly.

I am also interested in the pascalite clay and cell salts.

[tnmom66]

I have just seen dairy farmers around middle tennessee and have seen lots of holsteins in the fields. My ex-husband's cousins have a dairy farm.

I'm definitely going to do the bone broth. Sounds great.

I also haven't checked Costco (my boyfriend has a membership) or Trader Joe's.

How are your kids' teeth?

Lydia

[LDSmomma]

I only read the OP, so I may be repeating, but I would not put fluoride on baby's teeth. DS, 14 mo, has never used fluoride toothpaste, nor any other fluoride dental products, and has only drank fluoridated water, and tonight I noticed dental fluorosis on his teeth. I'm just starting my reasearch, but even the AAP says no fluoridated water for making formula, so they realize it's not good for babies' developing teeth.

[organicmidwestmama]

kerry gold is 2.69 per 8oz at trader joes.

unless milk specifically says it is from grass fed cows, it almost certainly isnt and is probably from confined, feedlot cows, even if its supposedly certified organic, sadly.

not to knock brushing, but i think its overrated at preventing cavs, my son had cavs by the time he was 1 year old, had major dental surgery at 3 due to a lot of cavities, and i brushed his teeth regularly. i now believe it was a number of nutritional factors in my diet, as a breastfeeding mom, and his diet, that caused the cavities.

[Fuamami]

No, actually dairy cows are almost exclusively fed alfalfa.

[Bri'sgirl]

Originally Posted by tnmom66

I have just seen dairy farmers around middle tennessee and have seen lots of holsteins in the fields. My ex-husband's cousins have a dairy farm.

I'm definitely going to do the bone broth. Sounds great.

I also haven't checked Costco (my boyfriend has a membership) or Trader Joe's.

How are your kids' teeth?

Lydia

My kids teeth are great. They are 7, almost 6 and 4, and so far, no cavities. My oldest DS does look like he is getting some fluorosis on two of his adult teeth, which is weird, because we do not use fluoride toothpaste. Since they have come in after his last dentist appointment, I plan on talking to the dentist about it to see if there is something we can do. I do know our city water is fluoridated, so that could be the main problem there.

By their age, I already had cavities...lots of cavities in my life. But, I feed them differently than I ate when I was that age. No soda, little juice, lots of bone broth, good pastured, organic milk (not raw, but also not homogenized), lots of probiotics (milk and water kefir, yogurt) grassfed/pastured meats and eggs, etc. They also take CLO, which I never did. I don't know which, if any, is the reason, but I can say that it is not genetics. Both my parents, and my husband's parents, plus both of us, have (had) bad teeth.

HTH.

[MoonStarFalling]

I paid about $4-5 for a half pound of grass fed butter the other day. DH said we need to get into the grass fed butter business lol. It is expensive but not as expensive as the butter oil I bought before. We keep things on a tight budget doing the bone broths, lots of dark green veggies, cell salts, homemade kefir, local eggs.

I've toured the dairy farms here in IL and they live on concrete slabs. They do not go out to pasture. The milk goes to Prairie Farms. You might find a local provider who does grass fed through localharvet or realmilk.