Question about translucent teeth

[Missrawdiva]

ok.. ok.. I know we are suppose to stay positive.. but I am at my wits end and dont know what to do. My teeth, which were perfect and bright white on the sad diet, are now turning translucent. I have read numerous threads on this of people venting.. but I didn't read any thing to solve/cure it. I currently drink two banana smoothies a day consisting of one banana, an or some strawberries and raw collard greens. Then usually I have two goumet meals consisiting of more greens for lunch and dinner. So.. what am I doing wrong? I do still take a multi, b12 suppliment and spirulina.. so any suggestions would greatly be appreciated!!

[Juicyfruit]

You know, I've been thinking about this a lot, and I think it may be vitamin A&D related. Did you eat dairy when you were cooked? Dairy contains vitamins A&D. Vitamin A&D are very important for the body to assemble the nutrients for building bone. Vitamin A is fat soluble, so you need to eat some fat with vitamin A in plant foods. It helps build bone, but too much can do the opposite. Vitamin D can be obtainted by getting 10-15 minutes of sunshine a day on the arms and legs. Vitamin D helps regulate the calcium in the blood. There aren't any vitamin D foods that are vegan that I could find. What types of food are you eating? Are you eating fat with your vitamin A foods? Are you getting sunlight? Those are a few things I would look at.

[Missrawdiva]

I get alot of my greens in my twice a day banana and collard green smoothies. I get fat from my hemp seed butter that I make. It is high in fat 45%. I also eat coconut ice cream just about every night and I make sure I have a few teaspoons of coconut oil in something so I am sure I am not lacking in the "fat" department.

[vgloveforlife]

Juicyfruit-I think it is probably a vitamin deficiency too. Just to point out though when I was vegan my teeth were fine so I'm not sure it has anything to do with dairy. When I went raw my teeth became translucent.

Missraw-I'm sending you an e-mail...

[Rawkinlocs]

Missrawdiva,

Sometimes I also wonder if it's just an aesthetic we "westerners" have set for ourselves. I believe you are AA, correct? If so, know how we in this society have been conditioned to believe that a black woman/girl having ANY-thing short of bone-straight or at least wavy/LOOSELY-curled hair (translated: "good hair") is just totally unacceptable, unpresentable, unattractive, etc.? Or how we've had it ingrained in us a women that we are "supposed" to shave our underarms and our legs in order to look "decent and lady-like"?

Well, sometimes I wonder if that is also something we have had ingrained in us about how teeth are "supposed" to look...all pearly-white and shiny.

I don't know, I'm just saying...do we REALLY know what healthy teeth are supposed to look like? Do we REALLY know what a healthy human body is supposed to look like or do we just go by what we've been taught due to our society standards?

Are your teeth decayed, in pain or is it just the aesthetic? I'll have to find it, but one of our members...young Zena, was VERY worried about her teeth being translucent as well as her gums receeding. Well, she went to the dentist and he told her that her teeth were perfect! She was worried for nothing. If you, too, want to be sure, then visit your local dentists' office and get them checked out.

[Juicyfruit]

vgloveforlife,

I probally didn't make my self clear, as I'm not the best at wording sometimes! I didn't mean for it to sound like it has something to do with dairy as I'm definately not promoting it, but more like an example. I'm saying that if a person had dairy in thier previous diet, and then they start raw and they are not eating enough fat with their fat soluble vitamins, or getting enough of a substance that was included before like vitamin A and D, then it seems your teeth would change. Actually, I was just checking to see if she was getting certian nutrients in her diet. When you eat a plant diet, you have to eat a variety of fruits and such to cover our nutritional needs as well as get plenty of fresh air and sunshine. My teeth are whiter than they used to be and I have a gap between my two front teeth that is getting smaller. I went to the dentist last year for a cleaning and they told me that I had some of the healthiest teeth they had seen. The ones that haven't been messed with anyway, since I have four root canals and four crowns in all of my molars from my old diet. I'm not sure what it is exactly that is helping my teeth, but I eat olive oil on my romaine/spincah salads, which are high in vit. A, and I eat a variety of fruits with vitamin A and try to get sun every day. That is just my experience. Now I wish I could regrow my molars!

[wisslewj]

missrawdiva (and others with teeth issues),

(i havent posted in some time but as i saw this i couldnt resist helping out)

I too suffered teeth issues on this particular diet. Gums started receding and hurting and I even started getting dark spots on some teeth!! And I have only had 2 cavities my whole life! (And yes I followed this diet as is proper etc)

Being the ever science minded guy I am I decided to do some digging. Here is what I came up with and you can do with it what ya like... (by the way, my teeth are MUCH better. No more pain and the color is coming back)

For starters, the all raw diet is right on! ALL foods should be RAW! Bravo! :) Enzymes as we all know are VITAL.

However, and I have done MUCH study of this, the vegan lifestyle does not work for most. Why?

Well, a few reasons.

First, too much fruit actually will leach minerals from your teeth and bones. I experienced this firsthand it wasnt pleasant. The science of this was quite sound. (Fruit is STILL good for you just not to excess)

Second, almost all vegans are radically deficient in Vitamin A (retinal) and Vitamin D. Again why? Well caratines, which we all think is sufficient is not. Caratines can ONLY be converted to retinal in the presence OF retinal. Now we can get by on this for a time as our livers hold a store of retinal, but once it is depleted, we begin suffering the effects. Vitamin D is also an issue. Vitamin D is ONLY obtainable from UB-B light. (there are 3 a, b, and c) The problem here is that B is only available between approximately 10-2 depending on youre gelogical location and only during very clear conditions. Some places recieve almost no B at all..yet life still thrives so the creator must have made other ways.

Incidently, its this lack of vitamins A and D with too much fruit that lead to the calcium being leached fom teeth and not put back properlly. I could go into the B12 falacies as well but the issue was teeth related. Much good info is the benefits and NEEDS of A and D are located at:

www.westonaprice.org

Finally, what is it then that we can do to remedy thee missing nutrients. Well if you are like me and hate the idea of killing, and if you have an autotonic nervous system (more on this in a second) that disposes you toward a high vegetarian diet then adopting a Hunza style diet is advised. Thy eat fruits, veggies, fermented grains and lots of goat/yack milk. (and live in excess of 100 often) The animal fats, proteins, Vitamin A and D and calcium is vital for health and cannot be done away with. It is interesting to note that in all the ancient cultures studied, NONE, were vegans. But there were plenty of Hunza type dietes that all were quite healthy. (Oh, and the milk MUST be raw, otherwise its quite dangerous.) The addition of raw milk and cheese and butter definitely helped my overall health. It was the missing ingrediant.

There is one other way that some of us may need to adopt to achive perfect health, and its not quite a pleasant one to us that dont like eating animals....eating raw meat and fat (muscle and organ meat and fat). Now before one cringes in fright, there is plenty of evidence for this. here is a long but EXCELLENT paper by a natural healer (cured ALOT of cancer) about why SOME of us need raw meat. It is at:

http://www.thebodytherapycenter.com/drg.htm

I strongly encourage the readong of this story. It is quite fascinating. But basically, depending on ones autonic nervous system, one is predisposd to an acid or alkaline body. Since homestatis is the prefrred route for health, one must eat based on the tendency of their body. This is fixed. In other words, you are either a largely vegetarian, carnivore or a mix. From this study it is quite obvious that being free of cancer from a natural way is only achievable when we eat according to the makeup of our bodies sytems.

In closing, I hope I did not offend anyone that chooses to eat vegan for moral or what other reasons. However, those of that are seeking optimum health from a diet would be wise to read the 2 links I posted. The weston price foundation has MANY excellent articles and one can spend a few days there reading and learning.

Missrawdiva.....my advice to you....figure out whether you are sympathetic or parasympathetic with regard to your nervous system and adapt your diet accordingly. You MAY be a carnivore at heart (even if ya dont wanna be) or you may thrive on raw milk and fruits/veggies. All I know is that like you my teeth were falling apart and now they are not and I continue to get healthier on a raw diet with the addition of some raw meat and raw dairy. If one applies just a lil logic, one must face that raw meat, raw dairy, and raw fruits and veggies have nourished societies for eons. (in fact some of the HEALTHIEST groups are 100% raw meat and fat eaters)

Anyway thats all. If I offened...sorry. If anyone has any questions or wants any help finding raw dairy or healthy meat, I will be happy to help. I will also help revise the diet if that is desired. As I said I have studied noutrition/biology/science/healing for ALONG time...years and years and years...and I picked up a few things. ;)

God Bless All
Jeff
wisslewj@yahoo.com

[Kathy Fields]

Hello Jeff, interesting information there. I have copied down your information so when I have time later I can go back and look at it.

Cheers

[Rawkinlocs]

Jeff,

With all due respect, I have soft-deleted your post. Soft-deleting basically means that it is not gone completely, but that it's kinda in moderator queue to be reviewed and possibly re-posted later.

But the issue at hand regarding your post is not that you may or may not have offended members here (though that IS a factor as well) but moreso because this particular forum does not advocate the suggestions you implied in your posting and links. If you want to give that advice to missrawdiva or anyone else, please email them privately and if their email is not available via their profile, then you can put a little note in here that they can email you because you have some information for them.

But I cannot allow a post advocating what you are suggesting because it is not inline with the Mission statement and purpose of Raw Food Talk as outlined by Alissa.

Thanks and hope you understand the decision I had to make regarding your post.

[wisslewj]

Raw,

Ok I understand. I apologize if my post was out of line. I knew tha thtis was mainly a vegan site, but I was hoping that it would be at least allowable to suggest an alternative to someone not thriving on only vegan fare. One thing I find important is that we dont hold on to one thing so tight we miss valuable info that could help us if we added it to our knowledge base.

But i apologize again.
Gid Bless
Jeff

PS--i already posted some other replies you may need to double check before i saw this...sorry again...oh and can u email me the post i sent missdiva so i dont have to retype it to send it to her please. my email is

wisslewj@yahoo.com

thanks so much

[Rawkinlocs]

Hi Jeff and thank you so much for your understanding and compliance. I will email you the contents of your post in a bit.

I understand you wanting to help and I understanding your feelings, but just out of respect for the forum and the intent of the forum...I feel that people will do what they feel is right for them...if they sense that vegan is not working for whatever reason, after they get tired of tweaking it, they will begin researching things and alternatives just as you did.

But again, thank you for your thoughtfullness. I thought you and I would have to come to blows! :) (just kidding)

[wisslewj]

Raw,

No way I would fight you!! I can see your pic and with them biceps you might hurt me!

As I refuse to hit woman that might make my life in even more danger! lol

So, I concede. I will offer any advice via emails if its not appropriate here. I do think it is good to hear other alternatives rather then suffer through something not working because it is working for others. As my post (the now invisible one pointed out ) our autotonic nervous system plays a HUGE role in what diet we thrive on. I assume I can at least post that link about cancer and the nervous system right? Its good info. Here is the link to that for those that are interested:

http://www.thebodytherapycenter.com/drg.htm

Sorry again Raw...please dont beat me up!!
Bless yer socks off
Jeff

[learningrawways]

The tips of my teeth are translucent also since I changed to raw foods. I have read here how your teeth will turn translucent from other posts and it seems to be a good thing to me, I see no reason to worry about it. First of all, if I wasn't getting enough calcium & vitamin C, my teeth sort of move in my gums when I push against them.....that hasn't happened to me since I started raw...they are in there firmly. I am watching my teeth closely.

Alanna

[VeryBerry]

Hi Jeff,

I am interested in what you have to say. It is too bad that the post was deleted could you please cc me on your e-mail.

nicole.ackerman@gmail.com

Thanks
Nicole.

[wisslewj]

Hey Learningarwways,

Just a quick point. Translucent teethare NOT normal. That is a sign that the calcium is being leached from them. It is the start of tooth decay. Trust me, as your teeth begin to wear further cavities will begin. There are some good photos (as well as excellent info all should read) on the www.wesonaprice.org site. The site dispels many myths and untruths about diet. The founder was a dentist so he does know teeth after all. He studied traditional cultures like eskimos, hunza, etc. After all, the perfect diet is one that has been tried and tested successful for thousands of years right?

Also, Columbus notes, in his journals, that the native americans that "swam out to the boat to me him"(!) were of good physical build with broad faces and white teeth. Dr Price noted the same thing when he visited and started studing traditional cultures. All had broad faces, well formed pallates, with muscular and healthy bodies. (in fact in traditional societies that had access to their traditional foods, cavities were almost totally unheard of!)

So while you may be getting enough calcium, it is my thought (without knowing your exact diet) that you are eating too much fruit, which will leach out minerals from bones and teeth, not supplying the proper saturated fats to transport the minerals to where they need be in your body (cocnut oil and greens are a great combo), or radically deficient in Vitamins A and D. (Vit A retinal has been proven to be unobtainable from beta caratene UNLESS in the presence of REAL vitamin A retinal. As I stated somewhere else on this site, ones liver has a store of Retinol that is used for theis process...but once used up, vitamin a rapidly is depleted. And Vitamin D is only obtainable from the sun in the UV-B spectrum, which MANY places recieve almost none of and some places small amounts ONLY in clear conditions and at the right time of day based on the angle of the sun. Hence trying to get Vitamin D this way is VERY difficult. Inadequete A and D lead to teeth issues (as well as MANY other problems) in the body.

There ARE other very easy ways to meet these needs but they are not vegan and hence I cannot state them here. (they are raw! :) ) Traditional societies have been using these methods for eons.

God Bless
Jeff