Imagine sitting in the waiting hall of a dentist’s office, waiting for your name to be called. Excruciatingly painful isn’t it? Now imagine you’re a 12-year-old kid. You would reek of fear and pain.
Anxiety boiling inside you to the brim. A kid hating a dentist is an understatement however, it is a necessary evil. Missing on those appointments can lead to irreversible damage to your teeth.
Google rampant caries and click on the images (You are being warned that’s some terrifying images).
Patients suffering from rampant caries have a real hard time, not only is their oral cavity taking a toss, even their social life and other aspects of life are affected.
As per the survey conducted by the National Institute Of Dental and Craniofacial Research, 42% of the kids ranging between 2- 11 years of age develop rampant caries and have a difficult time coping with it.
It’s very obvious why rampant(1) caries affects kids and of this particular age range. Their diet that primarily consists of candies, chocolates, sugary bonbons, and everything that has a high amount of sugar residing in it.
Although this is a condition that is predominantly noticed in children, adults are not exempted out of it. There are chances that you or your kid (if you have one) may be the next target
Signs of rampant tooth decay
- White spots on the enamel of the tooth that is affected, it is one of the earliest signs of rampant caries.
- Persistent Bad breath/ Halitosis
- Swollen and red gums
- Black or brown spots on the teeth can be seen after caries have progressed to the other tooth
- Multiple teeth are affected
Children, aren’t they? They have an undying love for chocolates and this love won’t be gone soon.
However, it is in the best interest of the child to regulate this love, to reduce the consumption of these sugary treats to have a healthy oral cavity.
Effective Home Remedies that will help you control rampant dental caries
- Avoiding Flouride
- Cutting Down Sugar
- Cod Liver Oil
- Salt-Water Gargle
- Oil Pulling
- Cloves
- Cinnamon Oil
- Turmeric
- Dietary Changes
- Right Toothpaste
- Healthy Digestion
- Don’t Snack
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Avoiding Flouride
Most kinds of toothpaste in the market are laced with fluoride and fluoride derivatives, despite everything you have been told or heard, FLOURIDE IS BAD FOR YOU and your kid.
It has depreciative qualities when used in this condition in your mouth. Flouride being a well-known neuro-toxin affects your corroded enamel and degrades it even more.
This element certainly doesn’t belong in your kids’ toothpaste.
According to studies conducted in the USA, countries with fluoridated water DON’T REDUCE the probability of you having tooth decay.
It may also come as a shock but fluoride is not recommended by the FDA as well and they are several studies linking it with LOW IQ in children.
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Cutting Down Sugar
The biggest culprit for most kids to fall prey to rampant caries. Sugar is the root cause of all evil.
The first and most important step is to control the amount of sugar your kid is consuming and keep it in check.
Your kid might look at you like a ‘villain’ figure, in his/her life but you will be doing a big favor for your kid.
Sugar very literally has the power to decalcify and demineralize your kid’s tooth structure (2). No kidding!
One of the easiest ways to get into your kid’s good books and maintain a healthy oral cavity to be substitute sugar with maple syrup and raw honey or any other natural sweeteners.
This diet will not only help your kid prevent caries but will also help with not putting on weight.
[ Read: How Much of Sugar Intake Is Actually Healthy for You?]
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Cod Liver Oil
Cod liver oil is a very effective remedy to control and cure rampant caries in kids. They are rich in vitamins A & D.
However, don’t presume that implementing this with your kid would be an easy process.
The unpleasant taste of the pill and the periodic intervals to consume it could distance it from your kid.
There is a cheat code you could use anyways, to mask the taste of the pill, you could give it along with milk.
Alternatively, you could also switch to high vitamin butter oil (loaded with vitamin K).
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Salt-Water Gargle
A tried and tested method to get those sickly cavities to vanish into thin air.
Not only does it scare the germs away thereby preventing further damage it also helps your kids mouth smell fresh and very beach like!
For this to a completely effective procedure make sure you nudge your kid to do it twice a day.
You could always treat him to a bar of chocolate at the end of the week. After all, we all have our cheat days!
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Oil Pulling
This may be a harder thing to implement in your child’s morning chores, yet it would bear a paramount change in the oral health of your child.
Oil pulling is the process of swishing oil such as coconut oil in your mouth for regular periods of time(3).
What benefits does it bear? Oil pulling is an ancient technique used to keep bacteria from growing in the oral cavity and the oil also acts as a bactericidal agent, killing all the bacteria that are causing rampant caries.
Get your kid to follow this by asking them to swish a tablespoon of oil for 7-10 minutes and making their caries a thing of the past.
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Cloves
Cloves are the most integral element in most kinds of toothpaste and powders, it is a highly medicinal bud that can cure a lot of dental problems.
It is anti-inflammatory, bactericidal in nature, an analgesic. It helps in controlling your rampant caries and with ample use of it will help you cure your caries.
To use this remedy, mix 2-3 drops of clove oil in a 1/4th solution of sesame seed oil. Take a cotton ball and on it drop 2-3 drops of the mixed solution and gently apply on the affected areas. You could have your kid do this 3-4 times a week for the best results.
Note: Don’t use clove oil, directly. It should always be diluted.
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Cinnamon Oil
Similar to clove oil, cinnamon is proven to be a very effective agent to cure and alleviate a lot of the tooth problems.
This oil is known to kill all the cavity-causing bacteria and help maintain a healthy oral cavity.
Cinnamon oil can be procured very easily, it is very strongly advised that you dilute the oil with water and use it is a natural mouth rinse, ask your child to religiously follow this daily before sleeping and after waking up.
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Turmeric
An ayurvedic jewel, this traditional root is proven to be an anti-inflammatory and anti-fungal agent. These qualities make it a perfect remedy for caries.
It is advised that turmeric powder, a small pinch of it is applied to the affected tooth.
Your kid may not like this, however, persuade him/her to keep it on his tooth for at least 15 minutes for the best results. Follow this health protocol for a week or two until the caries is cured.
[ Read: Best Solution to Reduce Inflammation (+DIYs) ]
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Monumental Dietary Changes
You may not believe this but proper nutrition and a balanced diet can reverse tooth decay.
Eating food with high minerals especially calcium and phosphorous can spell HEALTHY for your kid’s teeth.
According to studies even one proper and balanced meal laced with mineral-rich foods can reverse the decay of your teeth.
Having all the three meals that are fortified and laced with a mineral-rich diet would make your oral cavity happy and free of caries.
Dairy products, potatoes, almonds, and meat are some of the foods that are rich in calcium and phosphorous.
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Choosing the right Toothpaste
This might seem like a very trivial but the right toothpaste will do wonders for the oral cavity, while also promoting healthy teeth and maintaining healthy gums.
They are an infinite list of ingredients that you find on the label of the toothpaste, making it a hassle to know which one to avoid and which one to use.
Here are the five listed dangerous ingredients; that if you read on the label, can skip buying.
Flouride – Like it was mentioned earlier, this element shouldn’t even be close to your body let alone in your mouth
Triclosan – This is classified as a pesticide, not something you’d use in your mouth.
Propylene Glycol – This compound has been used as a wetting agent and something that creates foam. It has been linked to brain, liver, and kidney illnesses.
Diethanolamine – A very commonly used foaming agent which according to a lot of studies has been linked to cancer and hormonal imbalance.
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate – This is often found in toothpaste for its cleaning and detergent like qualities however it is a known skin-irritant and carcinogenic.
Using an all natural and healthy toothpaste with organic elements could go a far way in promoting better health of the mouth.
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Healthy Digestion – The Key To Healthy Teeth
How many of us have heard “ You are what you eat” however that is not the case anymore. “You are what you absorb” this is the new saying in the field of nutrition.
According to recent studies, it has shown that 90%, yes that a high amount of Americans suffering from compromised digestion, it may be impaired stomach functions, poor diet choices, or medication.
It is affecting the ability of the stomach to absorb essential minerals such as calcium and phosphorous. These minerals are crucial to maintaining a healthy oral cavity.
[ Read: How to Get Rid of White Spots on Teeth with 6 Remedies?]
What could you do?
Have your kid drink raw apple cider vinegar or after consultation with your pediatrician you could also supplement their diet with HCL and Pepsin supplements to promote better absorption.
Alternatively, you could also choose the kid-friendly option of using flavored probiotic drinks, that will repopulate the gut with healthy bacteria required for absorption.
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Don’t Snack
Every kid has an innate need to keep his jaw working, either talking or snacking.
Snacking regularly throughout the day would not only deteriorate your teeth but it also wouldn’t give it time to be remineralized exposing your kid’s teeth to bacteria from the lodged food particles.
The major problem with snacking is that it provides a constant supply of carbohydrates to the bacteria present in the mouth which in turn causes the bacteria to produce phytic acid which hinders the saliva’s function of remineralizing the teeth.
These remedies are all well and good however they need to be implemented by your child on a long term basis.
As a parent, you should take your time to educate your child about the ill effects of sugar and the downfalls of its overconsumption. It goes a long way in maintaining the teeth pearly whites.
While you are at it, you could also make your child aware of the benefits of eating a balanced diet, rich with minerals as it not only promotes good oral health it also forms a robust foundation for a healthier lifestyle from their young age.
There is no denying the fact that these home remedies are the best cure for your caries and will have your kid avoid the dental visit anymore.
So the next time you see your kid have a fizzy drink or chocolate don’t worry! Have them follow these remedies.
