Need help tweaking my raw food diet again

[Mary Anne]

Hey,

I've been raw for over a year now and am thriving on it for the most part.

The bad news is I've always had sensitive teeth. And I've been overdoing it with the dried fruits, tamarind and acidic fruits. Also continued to use raw apple cider vinegar. My teeth have been hurting a lot after I had too much tamarind a few weeks ago. They are okay now and the dentist said my teeth are fine, just sensitive.

So now I've stopped using dried fruits (they will be for emergency, like a trip) and stopped using raw apple cider vinegar and increased my greens instead (for the past two days). Today for lunch I had dandelion greens and brocolli using raw tahini as a dressing instead of lemon juice or raw apple cider vinegar.

I feel so much better, actually.

I've cut done on my fruit, but don't think this is too good of an idea.

I guess my question is, I need to find some balance. How many pieces of fresh fruit (non-acidic) can I eat without worrying about my teeth hurting. They've been fine for a few days now and I want to keep it that way.

Suggestions anyone?

Thanks!

Love,
Mary Anne

[yeahbethany]

Hi Mary Anne,
Sorry to hear your teeth hurt! I don't really have any suggestions...just wanted to say it makes me feel better to know that I'm not the only "experienced" raw fooder having some problems tweaking my diet lately...
-Bethany =)

[Rawkinlocs]

Question: Do you happen to drink water, swish water around in your mouth, or brush right after eating these things that make your teeth sensitive?

If not, maybe that would help! I notice my teeth get sensitive sometimes when I eat oranges, but when I rinse or brush right after, I'm fine.

[Alissa]

Hi Mary Anne,
After eating oranges for years every morning (id slice them into the smiley faces so id eat about 7-8 or so) my teeth started to get really sensitive. Id have to brush my teeth right after. Finally i found it really painful and had to stop. I don’t really have a problem anymore, unless i drink a lot of sweet juice or a lot of dates and dried fruit or even really supers sweet desserts. I just felt that it was my bodies way of telling me i was eating too much of that. I don’t think cutting down on your fruit intake is bad. You may just need more greens at this time. Remember also that at different points our body shifts and changes and your diet wont always be the same. There are times for a year or two i ate mostly fruit, felt great and then needed to switch because on the same food that was making me feel great i started to feel 'off'. So i went towards more greens, and then more fats and some dehydrated, going back once again to fruit...
i think the problem with the diet and people who do it at times is this notion that we should figure out the perfect diet and stay with it. No such thing, the perfect diet! We are ever changing human beings and i really believe our diets need to reflect that. Due to different environments, situations in our life -stress, etc... Hormonal activity, exercise level and emotional stuff...
xo A

[Mary Anne]

Thanks so much for the advice ladies. I was using Tom's of Maine for sensitive teeth the past few days and I'm almost 100 percent better. (I know some of you don't brush your teeth, but I'm not at that stage yet).

I totally agree with Alissa about body shifts.

It's nice to know that our body talks to us giving us little signs like sensitive teeth, or a little bellyache, or not having as much energy when it's time to make a change.

I guess I'm like a little kid sometimes, familiarity is comforting to me (the young coconut at 2 p.m. every day; the blended bananas when I wake up in the morning) ... gotta work on breaking out of that mold. :)

Love,
Mary Anne

[Alissa]

yes, i still like brushing my teeth also! and i forgot i was going to mention sesitive toothpaste. it seems to go away but i do notice it comes back to me when i eat too much fruit.
xo A

[Sharon in Colorado]

I like Jason's Oral comfort toothpaste.

[greengirl]

Okay, call me dumb, but what's wrong with brushing your teeth? :confused:

[qetta]

I'm not sure, but I think that some raw food people have found that the don't need to (like to?) brush their teeth after being raw for awhile...not sure why...

[Wrecked Spark]

I could be mistaken, but I think the thought process is that since they aren't consuming processed sugar, flour, crap (!) then there isn't anything in the mouth to decay the tooth enamel. They also have less of a problem with less than steller breath since there isn't anything that's fermenting and/or going rancid in the stomach or intestines to cause odour travelling upwards. Nice thought, eh?!

I think, however, that no matter how many years I had achieved raw, I'd still brush my teeth. Call me old-fashioned. :)

Cheers,
Wrecked Spark

[greengirl]

I'm with you, Wrecked Spark!