Prefer to watch this content? Stream the Becoming Superhuman podcast on YouTube

In this episode, you'll learn why cavities and gum disease are common today compared to our ancestors, why your jaw and facial structure may be changing, and some simple practices you can do to help restore your natural dental health.

Timestamps:

[00:00] Introduction

[00:47] Hunter-gatherer diets and dental health

[01:30] Impact of modern diets on dental health

[02:00] Shift from agricultural to industrial diets

[03:12] Weston Price's research on processed foods

[03:55] Studies on Paleolithic and Neolithic populations

[04:20] Increase in cavities after agricultural shift

[05:03] Role of sugar in cavity development

[06:00] Industrial revolution and refined sugar's effect

[06:35] Agro-industrialized teeth and modern diets

[07:15] Modern populations vs. ancestral dental health

[07:45] Sudanese population and natural dental health

[08:10] Microbial balance and dental health

[09:00] Gum disease in modern societies

[09:30] Impact of softer foods on jaw development

[10:12] Jaw exercise and bone support

[11:00] Topical dental treatments vs. addressing root causes

[12:00] Facial structure and jaw development

[13:00] Study of skeletal remains and jaw alignment

[13:30] Impact of diet on jaw and facial symmetry

[14:10] Atrophy of jaw muscles in modern diets

[14:50] Shift in jaw size and wisdom teeth

[15:30] Problems with crowded teeth and misalignment

[16:00] Evolution of jaw and facial form changes

[17:00] Link between diet and TMJ disorders

[18:10] Underuse of jaws in modern society

[19:00] Modern solutions vs. root causes of dental issues

[20:00] The prevalence of dental diseases today

[21:00] Steps to improve jaw strength and health

[21:30] Importance of whole foods

[22:00] Avoiding sugar and additives

[22:35] The importance of chewing food well

[23:00] Chewing as a workout for the jaw

Resources Mentioned:

Weston A. Price Foundation | Website

Assessing sugar intake rapidly by Margraf-Stiksrud, J et al. | Article

Historical and geographical parallelism between the incidence of dental caries, Streptococcus mutans and sugar intake by Raoult, D et al. | Article

Measuring the effects of farming on human skull morphology by Noreen von Cramon-Taubadel | Article

Earliest evidence of dental caries manipulation in the Late Upper Palaeolithic by Oxilia, G et al. | Article

Are malocclusions more prevalent and severe now? A comparative study of medieval skulls from Norway by Evensen, J and Øgaard, B | Article

Evolutionary changes in the masticatory complex following the transition to farming in the southern Levant by Pinhasi, R et al. | Article

Find more from Dr. Nirvani Umadat on her Website and her YouTube Channel.