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Health & Food

Why is Oil Pulling a Waste of Time?

It simply astounds me how blindly people accept "natural" remedies without any proof except personal testimonials, all while they proclaim that "real science" has been co-opted by greedy individuals and companies. The current fad of "Oil Pulling" is certainly one of the biggest examples of snake oil holistic mumbo-jumbo quackery to grace the surface of our planet.  Why?  Because it's JUNK, people!  And if there's one thing that really ticks me off, it's JUNK MEDICINE and JUNK SCIENCE. Coconut Oil is Just Fat, People! That's it.  Right there.  That's the reason that oil pulling can not "heal" or reverse cavities, why it can't whiten your teeth, and why it can't cure gum disease.  Because IT'S JUST FAT! When analysed, here's what's in coconut oil: Got that?  It's mostly saturated fats with a little bit of unsaturated fats and a little bit of other stuff.  If you look at the link above, there's also a comparison with other types of oils, and the only one with a higher saturated fat content is cottonseed oil. Now, would someone who believes that coconut oil is a miracle solution for the mouth tell me how all that miracle stuff is done by FAT?  Because fat does not kill bacteria.  It doesn't harden enamel.  It doesn't get down under the gums and get rid of tartar (calculus).  So please...explain how it "cures" cavities or gum disease.  I'm waiting, but I won't hold my breath. Claims of "Toxins" Being "Pulled Out" There is no known process by which fats "pull" so-called toxins out of your body, but that's the claim that gets made.  So why can't people explain how that's supposed to happen?  I mean, if you're going to make that [...]

By | 2017-09-21T11:40:36-04:00 July 25th, 2017|Health & Food, Skeptical Thinking, Taking Care of Your Teeth|0 Comments
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2015: A Review of this Charlotte Dentist’s Blogs

Back in 2014, I was kind of a blogging machine, with 29 total blog articles published that year.  In 2015, partially due to some neck/shoulder problems, I wasn't able to write nearly as much, as I had to stay away from the keyboard for several months, but I still did publish 15 total articles.  Five of those were minor office announcements, but 10 of them were quite in-depth and took a heck of a lot of work. That's the other reason I didn't write as prolifically, because each article took much longer to research, fact-check, and verify. Thanks to some networking and connecting with people in the science, nutrition, farming, medicine, and skeptical communities, my posts in 2015 were read by a tremendously larger audience, and I'm very grateful to all the people who helped spread the word. Best Dental Blog Posts of 2015 ➣ Fluoride is Safe and Effective: after reading way too many BS articles about the alleged dangers of fluoride, I knew it was time to write an in-depth article on just how safe and effective it is at preventing cavities.  All that crap thrown around by anti-fluoridationists is just that - crap.  Every single claim they've ever made has been thoroughly debunked and shown to be false.  I do review changed AAP Guidelines, too. ➣ Water Fluoridation Does NOT Increase ADHD: this was in response to a BS article in Newsweek by an anti-fluoride journalist (Newsweek should be ashamed) about a totally crappy study that absolutely didn't prove any connection between ADHD and water fluoridation. I took this one personally, since I'm also ADD.  And while I'm at it, I should mention that French kids DO have ADHD - I'm French.  That editorial [...]

By | 2017-06-09T20:29:05-04:00 January 18th, 2016|Cosmetic dentistry, Health & Food, Skeptical Thinking, Taking Care of Your Teeth|0 Comments
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I Love Sugar & Bacon

In the last month there have been articles running wild in the news and on social media on 2 subjects that are driving me nuts with how the journalism is misrepresenting or badly overblowing the results.  And I just can't let it go because - well, danggit, they're going after 2 of my favorite things!  And yes, we're talking about sugar and bacon.  Seriously, y'all.......do not mess with sugar and bacon unless you've got really AMAZING evidence.  Which these studies don't.  So if you are like me and you enjoy sugar in your coffee or tea and you enjoy some bacon, deli meats, and steak, it's ok - keep enjoying them!  But if you're having to argue with your husband or wife about why you still eat bacon and use sugar in your coffee, here's the ammo you need.  (Please thank me with market style bacon from Fresh Market, ok?  :-) I've written about how bad science journalism can be in some previous articles that you can read here: 10 Simple Truths about Food Bad Reporting on Fluoride by Newsweek Fluoride does NOT increase ADHD Why I Don't Buy Organic Food Anymore Bad Science Reporting #1: Sugar, Kids, and Health Improvements First of all, let me be clear that, as a dentist, I am firmly of the opinion that it's a good idea to limit your sugar intake because excess sugar is bad for your teeth and your overall health.  Glucose, fructose, sucrose, it doesn't matter.  Too much of it is bad for you.  Even if it's in "healthy juices!"  I don't think that any reasonable person would disagree with that.  Where I DO have a problem, though, is when people exaggerate the effects of sugar, [...]

By | 2018-02-15T20:56:12-05:00 November 12th, 2015|Health & Food, Taking Care of Your Teeth|0 Comments
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Food Myths Abound – Ignore Them & Just Enjoy Eating

Before diving in, please understand that this is a very incomplete review of a truly superb book about the realities of health and nutrition.  I could write so much more but ultimately stopped so as to not write a book of my own.  However, I HIGHLY recommend this book!  Dr. Payet MSG. Salt. Fat. Adkins. Sugar. Paleo. Organic. Gluten. Juicing. Cleanses. Detoxes. GMOs. Meat. Vegetarian. Vegan. Superfoods. High fat/low carb. Low fat/high carb. How many of these food fads have you lived through?  Since my own birth in 1971 (where the heck did those years go???), I’ve seen all of them to varying degrees.  And the common theme behind all of them is that there is some ingredient, or combination of ingredients, that possess either demonic or miraculous powers that either are the cause of every known illness or will cure every known modern illness, make you lose weight without effort, prolong your life, and more.   […]

By | 2017-06-09T20:29:27-04:00 June 20th, 2015|Health & Food, Skeptical Thinking, Taking Care of Your Teeth|0 Comments
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Juicing, Fruit Juices, & Energy Drinks: Worse than Soda?

Back on December 1st 2014, Forbes.com published an article on a study with the headline: Pure Juice Won’t Rot Your Kids’ Teeth. It didn’t get a lot of attention, thank goodness, because while the article was factual, it significantly overstated the conclusion, much like the 2015 Newsweek article claiming a non-existent link between fluoride and ADHD, which I recently debunked.  Since I’ve been reading a lot of claims on social media that fruit juices, juicing, and energy drinks are healthier for you and your teeth than sodas, this seemed a good time to continue my series on science in medicine and dentistry.  It also follows nicely on my recent article Why I Don’t Buy Organic because it emphasizes why I’m skeptical about all kinds of fads.   To be clear – I have nothing against juicing, 100% juice, organic juice, whatever kind of juice if you like it.  You just need to be aware of potential risks associated with juicing, 100% juice, or energy drinks.  As reassurance, at the end of this article, I provide recommendations on how to best avoid cavities and acid erosion of your teeth if you like juicing. […]

By | 2017-06-09T20:29:30-04:00 May 8th, 2015|Cavities, Health & Food, Skeptical Thinking, Taking Care of Your Teeth|0 Comments
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Why I Don’t Buy Organic Food

You might be wondering why I'm writing about where I go grocery shopping, right? Good question! The reason is simple: as part of my blogging, I see myself as an educator about science and medicine. As they become increasingly complex, it's harder for the public to understand what's important, what's real, what's junk, etc. Also, as a passionate believer in the value of science and the scientific method, I am saddened and worried by the misinformation and myths that abound, especially on social media. That's why I write occasional articles current topics in science, medicine, and how they apply in our daily lives, just like I do about dentistry. Science vs. Pseudoscience I've already written several times about the difference between "real" medicine and "alternative" medicine, if you'd like to catch up a bit: Fluoride is Safe & Effective Water Fluoridation Does NOT Increase ADHD Holistic, Alternative Medicine is Usually Wrong Can Cavities be Cured? Do Silver Fillings Poison You?  Heck No, Dr. Oz! The most important point that I try to make in all of these articles is that real science has to follow strict rules, whereas pseudoscience and alternative medicine can pretty much make up anything they like.  Sadly, we're seeing a lot of the latter in current discussions about organic and GMO foods. Food Choice is Great Let's get some important points out of the way up front: I have nothing against organic foods, and if that's what you choose for you, that's great; As a dentist, I can obviously afford the higher prices of organic food - I choose not to do so. I have no tolerance for conspiracy theories.  If your primary argument against GMO foods is "Monsanto is evil," you've already [...]

By | 2017-06-09T20:29:32-04:00 April 12th, 2015|ANNOUNCEMENTS, Health & Food, Taking Care of Your Teeth|0 Comments
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