Prominent organizations such as the World Health Organization and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) have rejected low-carbohydrate diets that prevent tooth decay in favor of high-carbohydrate diets that rely on fluoride and food fortification to reduce tooth damage and nutritional deficiencies. Recommended. Washington researchers say.
In a recent article published in MDPI, nutrients According to the journal, Dr. Philippe Hujoel of the UW School of Dentistry said that these organizations, as well as other leading experts and health groups, have overturned their previous positions, recommending high-carbohydrate diets over the decades of the last century. specifically citing the American Heart Association, the American Diabetes Association, and the American Dental Association (ADA).
These groups ignored scientific evidence that undermined their claim that the only adverse health effect of high-carbohydrate diets was dental caries. It recommended increasing the use of fluoride to combat it.
On the other hand, according to Dr. Fujoel, some scientists have provided compelling evidence that low-carbohydrate diets are at least as beneficial to health as high-carbohydrate diets. , he says, while fluoride offers no specific health benefits other than preventing cavities, it makes it largely unnecessary.
Dr. Hujoel’s research traces this development towards high-carbohydrate dietary guidelines supplemented with fluoride to the mid-20th century. In 1942 he served as the first chairman of the ADA’s Dental Health Council.
Rather than sticking to existing recommendations for a low-carb diet, Morris suggested solving the tooth decay problem with fluoride. had a conflict of interest.
Moreover, in order to make its recommendations, the ADA’s council had to reverse its position on several key points, Dr. Hujoel says.
- Safety of topical fluoride application
- The role of bone health nutrient deficiencies as a cause of dental caries has changed from ‘established fact’ to clear dismissal
- Dental patients need to be taught that ‘carb intake should be reduced’, replaced by ‘balanced’ dietary recommendations, increasingly relevant to high-carbohydrate nutritional guidelines
Dr. Hujoel’s research also explores the private interests involved in the ADA’s first significant step toward approving the current Fluoridated High Carbohydrate Nutrition Guidelines.
A high-carbohydrate diet is detrimental to dental health. This is because the oral residues of these foods are broken down into sugars, which provide a source of nutrition for Streptococcus mutans. Bacteria then produce lactic acid that attacks tooth enamel, causing tooth decay. Fluorine strengthens the enamel.
Article publication date
October 12, 2022
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