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Healthy Home Economist / Archives / Oral Health / Do Whole Grains Cause Cavities?

Do Whole Grains Cause Cavities?

by Sarah Pope / Affiliate Links ✔

Table of Contents[Hide][Show]
  • Traditional Societies Did Not Typically Use the Whole Grain+−
    • Once the Bran is Removed, What's Next?
  • What Are You Going To Do about Whole Grains?

whole grain bread slicesI realize the title of this post is rather shocking. I was floored too, when I first heard this information from Rami Nagel, author of Cure Tooth Decay, in a casual hallway conversation at a nutrition conference.

How could whole grains possibly cause cavities? I mean, whole grains are hard to digest, sure, but cavities?

Isn’t white bread, after all, one of the common causes of tooth decay because it is devoid of nutrition and basically white sugar dressed up as food?  Isn’t white flour one of the “displacing foods of modern commerce” as written about by Dr. Weston A. Price in his groundbreaking work Nutrition and Physical Degeneration?

Dr. Price himself recommended consuming the entire grain (bran and germ) as have many health experts since his time.   Scientific analysis of whole grains indicates a much higher level of minerals and overall nutrition than that of refined grains.

Based on scientific analysis alone, it seems clear that white bread should be avoided in the diet of those seeking nutrient dense foods and vibrant health.   The health and condition of the teeth and mouth is a window to the body meaning that oral problems are the canary in the mine for problems brewing elsewhere. Note the strong link between periodontal disease and heart disease and stroke.

But, could there be something else going on here – something that a blind recommendation in favor of whole grains is missing?

Fact is, I know a number of folks that eat a whole foods diet including cod liver oil, never eat white bread and even go so far as to make their own whole wheat bread with fresh flour and they are still having cavity problems in the family.

Let’s dig beyond the sterile walls of a lab and see what else might be in play ….

Traditional Societies Did Not Typically Use the Whole Grain

The argument against whole grains stems from Rami’s claim that traditional societies did not usually make use of the entire grain.    Rami has studied this issue in depth and has confirmed that the practice of removing the bran occurs traditionally in the French Alps with rye, in Africa with wheat and corn, and in Tibet with barley.

Why did these cultures remove the bran?   Apparently, the practice occurs because the bran is loaded with plant toxins such as lectins that cannot easily be removed by sprouting, sour leavening, soaking or even cooking.

In the second edition of Cure Tooth Decay, Rami therefore recommends removal of the bran from wheat, spelt, rye, kamut, barley, corn, millet and oats through sifting or sieving.

Quinoa, buckwheat, and aramanth appear to be exceptions to this rule. Rice falls somewhere in between as traditional rice eating cultures typically removed some or all the rice bran before cooking.  This was accomplished by pounding the rice into what is referred to as partially milled rice. I wrote about this in a past article which discusses why white rice is healthier than brown.

Once the Bran is Removed, What’s Next?

Rami goes further suggesting that whole grains must be soured first to significantly reduce phytic acid. Phytic acid is another big reason why grains cause cavities as this powerful anti-nutrient very effectively blocks mineral absorption in the gut. Phytic acid causes severe rickets when given to dogs as discovered and studied by researcher Edward Mellanby.

Rami’s research also indicates that sprouting grains does not reduce phytic acid significantly enough to make them safe for consumption.

In addition, Rami told me that soaking whole or sprouted grains in buttermilk, clabber, yogurt or kefir does not seem to reduce phytic acid content significantly. However, he did say that soaking will reduce phytic acid content but that plain, filtered water plus liquid whey is the best method for accomplishing this (substitute fresh lemon juice or apple cider vinegar for dairy free soaking).

What Are You Going To Do about Whole Grains?

I greatly respect Rami Nagel’s work and I think what he is discovering regarding tooth decay and healing tooth and gum problems in general is truly ground breaking. Therefore, I plan to adjust the preparation of grains in my own home based on our conversation that is summarized in this post. Here’s what I plan to do:

  • Since I usually prepare my freshly ground grains by soaking in yogurt or kefir, I will immediately modify this approach to soaking in filtered water plus liquid whey instead. The rule of thumb for soaking is one cup of filtered water plus 1 TBL liquid whey per cup of flour mixed well together, covered and left overnight on the counter.
  • I will begin sifting my flour to remove most of the bran before soaking.
  • I will be sifting and then soaking my sprouted flour before baking since sprouting alone does not seem to reduce phytic acid content significantly.
  • I had already switched years ago to white basmati rice from brown rice so no change needs to be made there.

What changes to your grain preparation techniques will you implement based on this information, if any?  Please share your ideas.

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Category: Oral Health, Whole Grains and Cereals
Sarah Pope

Sarah Pope MGA has been a Health and Nutrition Educator since 2002. She is a summa cum laude graduate in Economics from Furman University and holds a Master’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania.

She is the author of three books: the bestseller Get Your Fats Straight, Traditional Remedies for Modern Families, and Living Green in an Artificial World.

Her four eBooks Good Diet…Bad Diet, Real Food Fermentation, Ketonomics, and Ancestrally Inspired Dairy-Free Recipes are available for complimentary download via Healthy Home Plus.

Her mission is dedicated to helping families effectively incorporate the principles of ancestral diets within the modern household. She is a sought after lecturer around the world for conferences, summits, and podcasts.

Sarah was awarded Activist of the Year in 2010 at the International Wise Traditions Conference, subsequently serving on the Board of Directors of the nutrition nonprofit the Weston A. Price Foundation for seven years.

Her work has been covered by numerous independent and major media including USA Today, ABC, and NBC among many others.

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Reader Interactions

Comments (146)

  1. Mary Schurr

    Apr 22, 2022 at 12:56 pm

    Hi Sarah,

    I actually have his book and have read it entirely. He does comment on things he is uncertain about, but he did so much research and all for his young daughter. I believe I remember he was a vegetarian before his daughter developed so many cavities and darken teeth. He was heartbroken and tried to find solutions.

    Do you still follow this routine with your grains?

    Thanks!

    Reply
    • Sarah Pope

      Apr 23, 2022 at 10:48 am

      Hi Mary, our family eats properly prepared grains like sourdough. No cavity issues in our family.

  2. Cynthia

    Nov 30, 2020 at 5:49 pm

    I am on this website right now because I am fairly stumped as to how to suggest we improve the grain component of school meal programs. If I understand correctly, the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) requires half of all grains be whole and the remainder be enriched. Does that requirement need to change? And until it does change, what are some examples of grain foods that meet these NSLP requirements that you might recommend? I’d like to have some suggestions to offer at our school district’s Wellness Committee meeting this week. From reading the comments above, I see there’s a lot of varying approaches as to how each family incorporates grains into the diet, but if we as a nation have to agree on a policy and implement it, what’s the best approach for the masses of children depending on school meals for daily sustenance?

    Reply
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