The Link Between the Environment, Nutrition, and Oral Health

Udumbara Udumbara
Jan 25, 2024 - 04:13 Updated: Jan 24, 2024 - 15:08
0
The Link Between the Environment, Nutrition, and Oral Health

.

As our environment, behaviors, and food have changed over thousands of years, our bodies have had to adapt and reflect a notable decline in health.

How we live, what we eat, and our surrounding environment have led to significant structural changes in our bodies over thousands of years, contributing to the illnesses we have become more susceptible to.

Dr. Alex Bronson is a dentist at Bronson Family Dentistry—a family practice offering a whole-body approach to dentistry with two locations in Virginia. Dr. Bronson’s passion and focus are on diet, nutrition, anthropology, anti-aging, and integrative dental care. He recently gave a lecture at the Documenting Hope Conference in Orlando, Florida, titled “The Environment, Nutrition, Airway, and Dentistry.”

Dr. Bronson began by explaining what life was like for our ancient ancestors.

For our ancestors, movement was an integral part of life, and people walked an average of 4–12 miles daily in search of food. Ancient peoples regularly exerted themselves by lifting and moving heavy objects, their foods were nutrient-dense foods that required harder and more chewing to break them down, they breathed through their noses, had almost no cavities, and did not suffer from modern-day diseases like sleep apnea, diabetes, and heart disease.

Their air was free of synthetic chemical pollutants, water was full of natural minerals and without additives, and the foods hunted and gathered were nutrient-dense and chemical-free. Our ancient ancestors slept when tired—often outdoors with good air ventilation and no artificial light.

Our current lifestyle—although typical—should not be considered normal.

Instead of being active and outside every day—which hunting and gathering required—many of us sit in front of computers, under fluorescent lights, breathing recycled air for more than eight hours a day. Many commute to and from their jobs, then sit in front of television sets, computers, or tablets to relax. Research has shown that sitting too much is detrimental to health and that screen time has consequences—from disrupting sleep patterns to contributing to anxiety and depression.

Dr. Bronson explained that our foundations for optimum health can be taken from our ancestors—wisdom that kept them alive for millennia. He says that the three pillars of health are movement, nutrition, and sleep—all of which have changed dramatically since our ancient ancestors lived and thrived.

.

Movement and Structure

Sedentary lifestyles have replaced the intense physical activity our ancestors engaged in daily. According to Dr. Bronson, movement helps move the lymph through our bodies, keeps our hearts healthy, supports mental health, and preserves strong bones, muscles, and nerve integration. Because our underlying structure allows us to move freely, any structural issues can lead to problems with movement and ultimately to diminished lymphatic drainage, strain on the cardiovascular system, sleep apnea, back pain, flat feet, and more.
.
(Real Sports Photos/Shutterstock)
(Real Sports Photos/Shutterstock)

.

Today, the physical structure of our bodies has changed, which Dr. Bronson illustrated with images of prehistoric jaw bones, which were wide and full of straight teeth, compared to pictures of modern jaws, which are narrow, misshapen, and crowded with crooked teeth.

Dr. Bronson explains that our skulls are shrinking, and our jaws and airways are getting smaller, causing our faces to be narrower. He says we chew with only 3 to 5 percent of the strength that we used to.

Andrew Huberman, a neuroscientist, tenured professor of neurobiology at Stanford School of Medicine, and creator and host of the Huberman Lab Podcast, which presently has 4.77 million subscribers, explains the importance of jaw and facial structure in an interview. He explains that our jaws have become smaller and our facial structure has changed, and as a result, many people breathe through their mouths which has health implications that can lead to poor sleep and anxiety. These changes also affect our appearance. He states, however, that our jaw structure can be changed by certain behaviors, exercises, and appliances. He recommends anyone interested in the subject read “Jaws: The Story of a Hidden Epidemic”—a book written by his colleagues at Stanford, Sandra Kahn, and Paul R. Ehrlich. The book discusses our shrinking jaws, crowded and crooked teeth, and the “biological, dietary, and cultural changes that have driven us toward this major health challenge.”
.

Nutrition—More Than Just Food

Nutrition encompasses all that we take into our bodies—air, water, and food—which have also drastically changed. Today, there are so many pollutants in our air that in 2016, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimated 600,000 children died from lower respiratory infections caused by dirty air.
Dr. Bronson shares another statistic saying that nearly 2 billion children breathe toxic air above levels recommended by the WHO.

Clean water, too, is vital to optimum health and essential for growing and developing children. Artificial chemicals like PFAS (per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances)—the “forever chemicals” that do not break down in our bodies or the environment, such as plastics, fire retardants, and chemicals used in agriculture like glyphosate—are widespread in our soil and water supply.

Dr. Bronson listed a dizzying array of chemicals and the variety of ways we are exposed through our clothing, furniture, toys, dental work, and medicine—all contributing to our declining health. And then there is the declining quality of our food—the antibiotics and hormones that are added to our meat and dairy, the destructive nature of sugar and seed oils, the pesticides and insecticides sprayed on our foods, and how monoculture destroys diversity.

.

Sleep

Our sleep has also been dramatically affected by the structural changes in our skulls. Most people don’t get enough sleep or sleep deeply enough to feel rested upon waking. Dr. Bronson shared that 25 percent of adults have sleep apnea and that 15 percent of children have some form of sleep-breathing disorder.
Sleep apnea is when your breathing repeatedly starts and stops while you are asleep, and is a potentially serious sleep disorder according to The Mayo Clinic. You may have sleep apnea if you snore and wake up feeling tired even after a full night’s sleep.
Our modern lifestyles contribute to numerous sleep disruptions and include blue light, eating late, alcohol, and other stimulants, to name a few.
.

Dental Issues and Overall Health

Dr. Bronson stated that cavities are now one of the most significant unmet health treatment needs, affecting an estimated 2.4 billion people worldwide, as well as an estimated 60–90 percent of school-aged children around the globe. Among children aged 6–8 years, 52 percent have had a cavity in their first set of (baby) teeth, and 57 percent of adolescents 12–19, have had a cavity in their permanent teeth, according to CDC statistics.
The numbers aren’t any better for adults, as approximately 90 percent have had at least one cavity according to the same statistics. If left untreated, cavities can lead to abscesses, a severe infection under the gums that can spread to other parts of the body and sometimes be fatal. All these cavities are a relatively new phenomenon. Dr. Bronson stated that the fossil records of our ancient ancestors (20,000 years ago) show that the prevalence of cavities was less than 2 percent.
.

What We Can Do

Thankfully, there is much we can all do to improve our health with the awareness of where the problems lie. Dr. Bronson lists multiple recommendations to reduce our exposure and improve our health and well-being, which include:
  • Get outside and move–get up, stretch, and move for 5 minutes every hour.
  • Ground—take your shoes and socks off and put your feet directly on the earth.
  • Breathe through your nose and breathe fresh air whenever possible.
  • Have indoor plants as they can remove toxic chemicals in the air.
  • Drink good quality water and shower with clean water, as the skin is the body’s largest organ.
  • Chew your food well!
  • Eat whole, local, non-genetically modified foods free of pesticides and antibiotics.
  • Engage in intermittent fasting or regular calorie restriction.
  • Sleep in a cool, dark, well-ventilated room free of electronics.
  • Use a good quality mattress and pillow.
  • Choose clothing/furniture/toys made of natural materials.
  • Use natural cleaning products such as vinegar, baking soda, and lemon.

.

Your body is designed to breathe through your nose. There are many benefits to those who do, and consequences for those who don't. (TheZAStudio/Shutterstock)
Your body is designed to breathe through your nose. There are many benefits to those who do, and consequences for those who don't. (TheZAStudio/Shutterstock)

.

Final Thoughts

There are numerous ways that our changing bodies (morphology) impact our health—from the prevalence of cavities due to the narrowing of our jaws and the processed foods we eat—to the way our narrowing airways affect the quality of our sleep and how well our brains function. These are issues and connections many of us may not have thought about. They can be corrected, however, with proper habits, assessments, and the help of practitioners. Keeping our bodies moving, eating foods that nourish us, being outside regularly, and getting good sleep creates an excellent foundation we can build upon as we move through life.
.
Read More