What do you think of this paper? Re: dietary carbs causing decay and then disease

[organicmidwestmama]

http://jdr.sagepub.com/content/88/6/490.full.pdf

In short, the article states that indigenous/ hunter-gatherer diets that were low in carbs produced perfect dental health and health throughout the body. The author states inspiration from Gary taubes.

Many conventionally minded articles and journal reviews ive read do state that all fermentable carbs can cause cavities, but they generally are explaining this action via plaque and bacteria theorem, not as systemically altering the body from the inside out and causing defects. Also, interesting the above referenced article states that many studies have failed to show that it is a specific set of missing nutrients that causes dental decay.

Thoughts?

Edited: also, to just throw a wrench here is an article citing studies which found no causation for sugar in the diet and caries

http://junkfoodscience.blogspot.com/2008/04/cavities-and-kids.html

[Koalamom]

Thanks for sharing!  I am seeing changes in my sons palet drasticly from going grain free so why wouldn't it help with cavities.

[organicmidwestmama]

I get that a diet low in phytates from grains can help absorb minerals better, but what I question is how the author asserts it therefore must be a low carb diet. Mellanbys diets were effective in the literature I read but did include desserts, fruits and potatoes. And there are other cultures around the globe who ate/ eat grains and carbs and have good teeth.

What do you think about the second article? I know, it's just a science blog commenting on literature, but still, the study she refers to found no betterment in kids teeth whether they brushed or not, or by how much or little sugar they consumed, and she concludes that the main difference between kids with and without caries was whether they were not poor and their parents could afford sealants?!

[rubidoux]

I'm wondering about the sealant thing bc I know so many kids who have had extensive problems before they were old enough to get sealants, and so many of them have trouble with the top front teeth, which I don't think get sealed anyway.  I think they only seal molars, right? My seven year old had a ton of work done at 3 1/2, but no cavities since.  I think the dentist wants to do the sealants on our next visit.  

[organicmidwestmama]

Sealants as the one major reason for no caries doesn't make much sense to me either. My son had multiple cavities at age 1.5, before flouride would even have been safe to use, before he really ate food other then breast milk. Clearly, sealants weren't even an option at that age.

[Koalamom]

So I took the time to read the second article and I am not too crazy about it.  More speculation on the sealant part especially.

I cannot get the first article to load though- perhaps it is my dial up internet.