HAPPY Tooth Products
“Your teeth are not designed to decay! They were designed to remain strong and resilient and cavity free for your entire life.”
Tooth decay is thought of to be naturally occurring as we age. Cavities, crowns, tooth sensitivity, implants, and dentures, are accepted as normal, everyday dental procedures. However, we are now seeing tooth decay in young children. In a recent survey, it was found that 42% of children ages 2-11 and 91% of adults ages 20-64 (with 5% of adults having no teeth at all), were experiencing decay (source). Even if you follow all the rules: you eat healthy, avoid sugar, brush 2 times/day, and floss every night; you still most likely suffer from tooth decay. In his book, Cure Tooth Decay, Ramiel Nagel writes, “If dental drilling, root canals, tooth pulling, mass water fluoridation, tooth brushing, and toothpastes were the proper treatments for cavities, then we would not see this increase in tooth decay over time.”
Yet we do.
As a parent, it is frustrating to receive the news from the dentist that your child has a cavity. What if there was a way to fix tooth decay naturally? That is the question Leslie Murphy, of Natural Tooth Health, maker of HAPPY Tooth Products, asked herself upon learning that her 5-year old daughter had cavities in two of her baby teeth. The only way to “fix” the cavities, said her dentist, was to drill into the teeth and insert fillings.
Leslie took this news personally. As an acupuncturist and a follower of the Weston Price diet, she felt like her kids ate very healthy. They ate lots of grass fed meats and healthy fats, limited sugar and sweets, and was therefore surprised that her child had cavities. Being in the natural health field, Leslie was always looking to find the reason behind an illness and in turn, be preventative rather than reactive. She needed more time to figure out what to do for her daughter’s young teeth. She left the dentist’s office and turned to her father for help.
Her father, Tom Carbone, a retired ceramic engineer, was up for the challenge. Tom eagerly dove into research surrounding tooth decay – how to prevent it and how to fix it. He discovered that there is no need to drill baby teeth, unless the cavities are very large or if the child is in pain. Instead, it is possible to arrest small cavities and to re-mineralize the tooth naturally. This is precisely what Leslie wanted to hear and where the real story of “HAPPY Tooth Products” begins.
Co-owners of HAPPY Tooth Products, Lesley Murphy, and her father, Tom Carbone
INTERVIEW WITH LESLIE MURPHY:
What led to the creation of Natural Tooth Health & HAPPY Tooth Products?
Leslie: My dad read Nutrition and Physical Degeneration, by Weston A. Price and Cure Tooth Decay, by Ramiel Nagel, a few years back, so I turned to him for advice when I learned that my daughter had two cavities. These books discuss the importance of diet and its effect on teeth formation and cavities. At this point, I took lessons from these books and added in more vitamin A and D to my daughter’s diet through grass-fed butter and fermented cod liver oil. I gave her these nourishing foods for 6 months, hoping her teeth would re-mineralize, and then went back to the dentist. Sure enough, she still had the cavities, which was very discouraging. However, I continued to ask for more time from my dentist. I think this is very important because as parents, we are put under pressure to make these medical decisions quickly. My daughter was not in any pain, and I just wanted time to figure things out and do some research before I put her through this procedure.
I went back to my father for help and continued to try some “natural” teeth treatments on my own. Since coconut oil is anti-bacterial, I tried oil pulling with coconut oil, but she was only 5, and this technique was too hard for her. I also had her brush her teeth with coconut oil in addition to the popular, all-natural, fluoride-free toothpaste we had already been using.
Meanwhile, my father was doing extensive research on how and why de-mineralization occurs and what you need to do to re-mineralize your teeth. Applying his knowledge of powders from his days as a ceramic engineer, he decided to make his own non-toxic and non-fluoride tooth powder – one that would possibly re-mineralize teeth, in addition to cleaning and polishing.
My kids were our first “customers”. My daughter brushed with the powder for 3 months before returning to a new dentist for her regular cleaning. At the appointment, the hygienist didn’t have to do any scrapping; there was no plaque and NO cavities!
My kids loved using the tooth powder. And it was working!
At this point, my father became aware of the fact that so many people were suffering from this disease, and he wanted to help more people prevent cavities. This is when we decided to launch our company, Natural Tooth Health. Currently, we sell 4 products: tooth powder with Xylitol or Erythritol, toothpaste with Erythritol, a mouth rinse with Erythritol, and bags of Erythritol powder.
Can you explain the science behind your product?
Leslie: Due to acidic levels of the foods and drinks we consume, your mouth pH will fluctuate. When your mouth pH is below 5.5 (pH of 7 is neutral), de-mineralization occurs. This environment allows the bacteria in your mouth to eat the sugars and form lactic acid. The acid then begins to attack the outside or enamel portion of the tooth. When this happens, the calcium and phosphate material in the enamel are stripped from the tooth, leaving the tooth weak, soft and porous, and therefore, vulnerable to cavities.
To re-mineralize, we need BOTH calcium and phosphate to work together within an environment that has the right pH – above 5.5. Our products have the best ingredients to help create this optimum environment for re-mineralization to occur.
The most important ingredient in our product is Hydroxyapatite (HAP for short), which is the actual material making up human bone and teeth. It is composed of calcium, phosphorus, and hydroxyl (water) atoms. We source this material from cow bones from Australia or New Zealand. The dried bone powder is then put through a special grinding process that makes it very fine - fine enough to fill exposed dentin tubule openings, holes, and cracks in our teeth (which if left exposed can cause sensitivity and be susceptible to cavity formation).
In addition to re-mineralization, your products also clean and polish?
Leslie: Yes. With toothpaste or tooth powder, it is important to have a good Cleaning Efficiency Index. We had our product tested by an independent dental product testing company. They tested the relative dentin abrasion (RDA), which measures how hard a product is on your teeth; and the pellicle cleaning ratio (PCR), which measures how efficient a product is at cleaning the tooth’s enamel. These numbers are then entered into a mathematical equation to find the Cleaning Efficiency Index.
In 2011, the testing company we used published a study on Cleaning Efficiency Index of 26 commercial toothpastes. A high index means that your toothpaste has good stain removal but doesn’t damage the dentin or enamel of your tooth. Our products tested very well and received a high index number. Our powder lands in the top 5 of toothpastes tested and our toothpaste is #2 of all 26 commercial toothpastes. We are so proud to have this research evidence to validate that our products work.
What are the primary dental issues your products help improve?
Leslie: Our products help people with re-mineralization and prevention of cavities, reduction in tooth sensitivity, polishing and cleaning, as well as brightening and whitening. It is important to note that the calcium and phosphate work together to help fill in all those holes and re-mineralize your teeth. The holes are now hard and may stay a darkened color even though it has re-mineralized. Also, although it is technically brightening and whitening, the product isn’t a bleach, therefore it doesn’t leave your teeth bright white. Instead, it will take your teeth back to your natural tooth color dependent on your genetics and diet.
We have so many positive testimonials from people who have tried our products, and we are especially proud of the testimony from an endodontist. Some older adults have reported that within a day or two, they noticed their sensitivity was completely eliminated.
“I have learned that it is ok to question and be your own health advocate. Always stop and take a breath. If something doesn’t resonate, what is the alternative?”
- Leslie Murphy
Beside the Hydroxyapatite, what other ingredients are in your products?
Leslie: This experience has opened my eyes to the fact that we not only have to look at what is NOT in a product (such as fluoride, SLS, glycerin, etc.), but also what IS in it. Ingredients matter and they should all serve a purpose. As I said, I was using a natural, non-fluoride brand toothpaste with my kids since they started brushing. Upon looking closer at its ingredients, I realized there wasn’t much in there to help protect their teeth. I had picked it because it didn’t have fluoride, but I should have also looked at what it could do for their teeth as well.
All HAPPY Tooth Product ingredients do their job of cleaning and polishing better than your average commercial toothpaste, plus they are re-mineralizing at the same time. There is a reason each ingredient is used in our products, which we clearly spell out and explain on our web site; there are no “fillers” or chemicals. In addition, we source our ingredients from the best suppliers we can find using all GMO-free products. It is important for us to let people know that we don’t have any toxic chemicals in our products.
Our products contain either Xylitol or Erythritol. Xylitol is better known with extensive research showing that it helps reduce plaque and inhibit bacteria growth in the mouth, all while raising the pH in your mouth. However, more recently, Erythritol has been shown to be just as effective, with non-oral care benefits such as having almost no calories and a zero glycemic index, it does not increase blood sugar, and it is easier on the stomach than Xylitol. In addition, it is safe for animals; where Xylitol can be toxic dogs.
A few other ingredients of note are baking soda and calcium silicate, which help raise the pH of your mouth; calcium carbonate, for cleaning and polishing; calcium lactate, a fine white crystal salt to help prevent cavities; 100% organic, extra-virgin coconut oil and aloe vera, which are both anti-bacterial agents; and some flavorings, like 100% pure organic peppermint or spearmint essential oils.
There are many DIY toothpastes and powders on the internet right now, but they don’t necessarily have important ingredients like BOTH calcium and phosphate needed for re-mineralization. They also do not help raise the pH of your mouth like ours. Also, it’s important to note that over 90% of all commercial mouth rinses have an acidic pH which is the opposite of what you need.
Can you tell us more about the quality of your ingredients?
Leslie: As we were developing this product, we felt that the most important thing, in addition to its healing and cleaning properties, was that it was non-toxic. We knew we needed the Environmental Working Group’s (EWG) stamp of approval. Who has time to research and evaluate product after product to find the best one? The EWG is a nonprofit organization that rates health and beauty products based on their ingredients and lists them in their Skin Deep database. They also launched their own EWG Verification process. Displaying the EWG Verification logo and stamp of approval means that our product avoids EWG’s ingredients of concern, is committed to full transparency, and operates under good manufacturing practices.
We wanted that non-toxic verification from EWG and we got it. Right now, Happy Tooth Powder is the only powder on the market to become an EWG verified product and our toothpaste and mouth rinse are also verified to be non-toxic from the EWG.
What diet recommendations do you have for preventing or re-mineralizing teeth?
Leslie: Re-mineralization occurs internally within the tooth through blood vessel transport as well. Vitamins A, D, and K2 are vital in this process so I recommend lots of grass-fed butter and pasture-raised eggs. It’s easy to add extra butter and eggs to everything. For example, you can cook your pancakes and French toast in extra butter; add butter to your maple syrup and on all your veggies. I add extra eggs to my pancake mix too!
Raw milk is good but if you can’t get that, raw cheeses (gouda and brie are high in vitamin K2), or making your own raw yogurt is also helpful. Eat sourdough bread and soak your oatmeal overnight so there is no phytic acid. Eat grass-fed meats whenever possible. All these little things help.
Then, of course, rinse with our mouth rinse - my kids love it!
Any ending thoughts or advice?
Leslie: This has been an empowering experience for me. I have learned that it is ok to question and be your own health advocate. Always stop and take a breath. If something doesn’t resonate, what is the alternative? In my situation, I didn’t want to ignore the problem, drill the teeth, and then move on – I wanted to learn more. I learned that all you need to do is get the right environment in the mouth and the body will heal itself. I always want to work with the body – the body is an amazing system.
Thank you, Leslie for taking the time to share your amazing product with us! If you are interested in learning more, or would like to purchase HAPPY Tooth products, go to www.naturaltoothhealth.com.
Currently you can earn 30% off your first order by signing up for their newsletter, which you can do by visiting their web site or clicking this direct link: https://www.naturaltoothhealth.com/newletter-signup
Other helpful links:
To learn more about oil pulling: https://draxe.com/oil-pulling-coconut-oil/
For more information on how diet effects our teeth: https://www.westonaprice.org/health-topics/dentistry/diet-in-relation-to-dental-caries/