Virtually every man, woman, and child in the United States is exposed to GMOs (Genetically Modified Organisms). They are in the food we eat and the beverages we drink, they are even in the food we make food from, but they are not supposed to be there.
Around 80% of the food, the average person eats are genetically modified or engineered. Some people are label checkers, but if you are not, you are probably eating GMOs. There has been a lot of debate over the possible side effects caused by eating GMOs.
One side says they are unnatural, kill bees and bad for your health. The other side says that GMOs are designed to enhance yields, give food desirable qualities, and provide more food at a cheaper price. This is a debate I will leave to the experts, but I will say that there are many things people have used over the years only to find out later it was dangerous, deadly, or toxic.
As a general rule, the further food is away from the source, the worse it is for you. Think about it, which seems healthier: a salad with fresh greens or a snack cake with unidentifiable ingredients? These are two extremes, but you could compare a veggie platter to a cake and get the same results.
When you are more conscious about what you put in your body, you tend to pay closer attention to how much of something you are getting (sugars, fats, vitamins, etc…). If you are getting enough calcium, vitamin C, iron, etc…then your teeth are getting what they need to stay strong. For answers to commonly asked questions, please visit http://www.northmiamibeachdentist.com/faqs/.
While the idea behind GMOs might be to provide more calcium to the person eating them, there is no such chart or labelling to indicate how it was changed. This means that the genetically modified product you are eating could be modified in ANY way, in many ways, and you would never know if the modifications were to provide something beneficial or to make you more docile by increasing a chemical.
We also don’t know what the food we are eating has been crossed with. Sometimes genes from fungi, virus’, and germs are used to provide “favorable traits” to your food. All of our food enters our bodies by first going past our teeth. So, when you are chewing, residue from the food you eat gets on your teeth. If this residue is acidic or caustic, it will cause enamel damage.
The FDA requires no regular safety testing on these GMO crops, they just check them as safe and move on. Once your enamel is gone, it can only be fixed with dental treatments such as crowns, implants, and veneers. See http://www.northmiamibeachdentist.com/cerec/ for more information.
I do want to note that GMOs are found in “healthy” foods such as bread, grains, and fruit too, but consider that they are also found in some of the worst food like products you could eat. When buying a snack cake, you can almost guarantee that there are no natural ingredients in it. These imitation foods, comprised mostly of sugar, are equivalent to fertilizer for the bacteria in your mouth.
There has been little research discussing if GMOs weaken enamel or cause other dental problems directly. But, it seems logical to consider that an all-natural diet is better for our all-natural bodies. If you want to live on a diet of fast food and poor quality sustenance, it is your right to do so. Just remember that a healthy body usually equals a healthier mouth. If you don’t see yourself going organic any time soon, remember the importance of brush. You can brush to little, you can’t brush too much.
Before treating gum, tooth, or other oral problems consult with Dr. JJ Edderai. A dental check-up every three to four months will allow Dr. Edderai to keep a watchful eye on your oral health and prevent cavities before they start. For answers to some of the most commonly asked questions, visit my FAQ page at http://www.northmiamibeachdentist.com/faqs/.
Copyright Dr. Jean-Jacques Edderai -2015