I’ve generally avoided politics on our website, but on Friday, December 15, the Washington Post reported one of the most horrifying & terrifying items to yet emerge from the Trump Administration, and I can no longer be silent. I believe that the very foundation of our nation is under deliberate attack, and every opportunity must be taken to save it. […]
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 [...]
If you've been reading this blog over the last few years, you'll certainly have noticed a pattern: a reliance on established, peer-reviewed science and critical thinking. Whether the topic is GMO vs. organic vs. conventional food, cavity prevention, cancer, juicing, or flossing, I always rely on expertise, accumulated and tested knowledge, and consensus over anecdotes, one-off studies, or fringe "experts" outside the scientific consensus. On the other hand, if you read a lot of news and social media, you know that many people actively deny, ignore, or attempt to refute experts as "elites" or part of one or more vast conspiracies covering up things like "natural cures for cancer," etc. This trend seems to have significantly increased in recent months and years, too. But why? Are experts no longer needed? Do they matter any more, or is Google all that anyone needs? Can, and should, we still trust them? Who is a real expert, and how do we know which are frauds? Not easy questions, but they're important ones. Yes, Experts are Still Important Tom Nichols, the author of "The Death of Expertise: the Campaign against Established Knowledge and Why it Matters," is a Professor of National Security Affairs at the US Naval War College. I first became aware of him when I read his article in The Federalist in Jan. 2014 by the same title, and I rediscovered him recently on Twitter in some political discussions. While we have rather differing political views (he's conservative and I'm liberal), I respect him and even agree with him on a number of issues. And on the issue of "do experts and expertise matter," I am 100% in agreement with him: YES, THEY MATTER. But why do so many [...]
I've previously discussed why you can't cure cavities, but recent research sounds promising, so it's a good time to review. In addition, there were some good points raised in the comments of the previous article that deserve more attention. Be warned: lots of bullet lists ahead as I break it down. :-D Recap: Why We Currently Can't Grow Dentin or Enamel A small-looking cavity that was actually quite big, cleaned out with a laser and filled with composite resin. You can't cure cavities like this. Let's briefly summarise the difficulties that must be overcome in order to cure cavities, whether naturally or artificially: Once the cells that form dentin (odontoblasts) and enamel (ameloblasts) finish forming teeth, they die. Some odontoblasts remain in the tooth pulp, but they are stuck inside and can't get out. We currently have no way to grow and transfer dentin- or enamel-forming cells into a tooth with a cavity and survive, much less grow new tooth structure. The dentin-forming cells in the pulp can't grow outwards, just inwards, which shrinks the pulp chamber. This is a normal response to stress from cavities, bruxism, trauma, and aging. If you already have a cavity, we still have to get rid of the bacteria, which usually means drilling out the infected tooth structure. If we don't want to drill, but just put a miracle gel on the tooth, it has to do 3 things: Stay in place for a long enough time to strengthen the enamel and soak way in for deep cavities It has to kill the bacteria inside the cavity It can't negatively affect the rest of your mouth. If we have to drill out the cavity, then place the miracle gel, we still [...]
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 [...]
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. […]
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. […]
