Page 19 - Fall2009

Contrast these signs of optimal mental and and provides guidelines for the prevention and
physical health with today: treatment of the dental consequences of dietary
malnutrition.
1. Dental cavities are quite commonplace, and
are even considered by the general populace DENTAL MALOCCLUSIONS
to be an unpleasant but inevitable aspect of Your occlusion is the way that your upper
growing up. and lower teeth fit together. A malocclusion,
2. Similarly, extraction of the wisdom teeth often referred to as a bad bite, occurs when the
(third molars) is now a normal rite of pas- teeth do not occlude, that is, do not fit together
sage for nearly all teens and young adults, properly, upon closing. When the teeth do not
since almost no one has the craniofacial occlude properly, the jaws then begin to move
and dental bone out of alignment too,
development re- which pulls the tem-
quired to house all poromandibular joint,
thirty-two teeth. the jaw joint or TMJ,
3. Finally, the very out of its normal posi-
large percentages tion. This can create
of both children another closely related
and adults who syndrome, well known
are prescribed among holistic dentists,
SSRI drugs such called temporoman-
as Prozac, Paxil dibular dysfunction, or
and Zoloft, clearly TMD. TMD syndrome
demonstrate that can also develop from
anxiety and de- trauma, such as head
pression in this The occlusion is the way the upper and lower injuries or whiplash ac-
country have be- teeth fit together. The temporomandibular joint, cidents that overstretch
come truly epi- or TMJ, is a ball-and-socket hinge-like joint that the delicately balanced
becomes secondarily malaligned from a malocclu-
demic. Addition- sion, or bad bite. ligaments and discs in
ally, the growing the temporomandibular
number of chil- joint.
dren prescribed Adderall, Concerta and
other medications for ADD (Attention CAUSES OF MALOCCLUSIONS
Deficit Disorder), ADHD (Attention Deficit The major cause of malocclusions is in- The major
Hyperactivity Disorder), and other learning adequate nutrition in one’s formative years, cause of
and behavioral disorders, vividly illustrates as Dr. Price so incontrovertibly proved in the malocclusions
the serious challenges younger generations early twentieth century. This malnutrition and
are currently experiencing both psychologi- the ensuing dental malocclusions result from is inadequate
cally and intellectually. insufficient maternal nutrition before and dur- nutrition in
ing pregnancy, and inadequate nutrition during one’s
Fortunately, more and more people are be- breastfeeding (or toxic formula replacements)
coming aware of the crucial importance of a tra- during infancy and early growth. formative
ditional nutrient-dense diet, thanks in large part years, as
to the teachings of the Weston A. Price Founda- PRE-CONCEPTION AND PREGNANCY Dr. Price so
tion (WAPF) and the Price-Pottenger Nutritional Once again, the wisdom from our ancestors
Foundation (PPNF). However, few are aware proves true. Price found that traditional cultures incontrovertibly
of the serious ramifications of the dental arch followed special preconception diets, often one proved in the
deformities that result in dental malocclusions and even two years before birth. These diets early twentieth
(bad bites) from the modern nutrient-deficient included some combination of grass-fed meats
diets. This article explores this subject in depth, and organ meats such as liver, eggs from pastured century.

FALL 2009 Wise Traditions 19