When Dr. Weston A. Price traveled the world in the early 20th century, he noticed something extraordinary. Traditional cultures, from Swiss alpine villages to Inuit communities in the Arctic, had broad smiles, straight teeth, and almost no cavities. And they achieved this without toothbrushes, fluoride, or modern dentistry.
At West Lake Hills Dental in Austin, TX, we often remind patients that the secret to healthy teeth is not just daily brushing and flossing, it’s the nutrition that builds teeth from within. Dr. Price and the Mellanby’s comprehensive research shows us exactly what that means.
Nutrient-Dense Ancestral Diets
Though traditional diets varied, they all shared one thing in common: they were rich in fat-soluble vitamins.
- Swiss children thrived on raw milk, butter, and cheese from grass-fed cows.
- Inuit ate oily fish, seal blubber, and organ meats.
- The Masai of East Africa lived on fresh milk, blood, and meat.
In every case, these foods provided high levels of vitamins A, D, K2, and sometimes E, nutrients that science now confirms are essential for cavity resistance, strong enamel, and wide, well-formed jaws.
These cultures even had “sacred foods” reserved for children and mothers-to-be, such as fish eggs, liver, and butter from spring grass. They instinctively knew these foods built strong, healthy generations.
What Happened When Diets Changed
When these same groups adopted modern foods, white flour, sugar, canned goods, and margarine, their dental health collapsed within a single generation. Cavities became rampant, jaws narrowed, teeth crowded, and gum disease spread.
Dr. Price documented the same pattern everywhere: traditional foods created strong teeth, while modern processed foods led to decay.
The Role of Food Preparation
Dr. May Mellanby’s research added another layer: some foods, like grains, contain “anti-nutrients” (phytic acid) that block calcium absorption. Children eating improperly prepared grains had more cavities unless they also received vitamin D.
Traditional cultures already knew how to solve this, they fermented, sprouted, or soaked grains to neutralize phytic acid, and always paired grains with nutrient-rich foods like cheese, liver, or fish.
Can Nutrition Really Offset Sugar?
One of the most surprising findings from Price’s work was that well-nourished children could enjoy natural sweets like honey without developing cavities. Their strong enamel and mineral-rich saliva protected them. In clinical trials, even undernourished children who began receiving cod liver oil and nutrient-rich meals saw their cavities halt, and in some cases, heal naturally.
The Takeaway
Strong, cavity-resistant teeth don’t come from fluoride alone, they come from nutrient-rich diets full of fat-soluble vitamins A, D, K2, and E. Modern processed foods strip these nutrients away, leaving teeth vulnerable.
At West Lake Hills Dental, we help families rediscover this ancestral wisdom. We encourage patients to bring back foods like eggs, butter, seafood, and liver to support oral health naturally. For those who find it difficult to include these foods consistently, we carry KareFor’s ToothKare, a whole-food supplement that provides these essential nutrients in a convenient form.
