Tooth decay is unfortunately an epidemic in our society. This is particularly true in the United States, where the average adult aged 20 to 64 has around 3 decayed or missing teeth and nearly 14 decayed and missing tooth surfaces.1 In this spotlight, we’re taking a closer look at the teeth most commonly affected by tooth decay: the molars.
Excluding the wisdom teeth, which most people have had removed, there are 8 molars in the adult human mouth. These molars at the back of the mouth make up nearly 30% of our total permanent teeth. Along with the premolars, the back molars are the most prone to tooth decay due to their many grooves and pits, which can be difficult to reach with a toothbrush.
Structure and function
The molars possessed by the majority of adults consist of second molars, which are at the back of the mouth, and the first molars in front of them. The largest of the teeth, molars have a flat, wide surface with multiple elevated projections called cusps.
The molars are primarily used for grinding down food. In fact, the name molar actually derives from the Latin molaris, which means “millstone”.2 The cusps, valleys, and ridges of molars greatly assist with the tearing and grinding of food. Another function of the molars is to maintain the height of the face.
Like all our teeth, molars are made up of pulp, cementum, dentin, and enamel. Nerve and blood vessels connect the pulp cavity to the jawbone. The cementum, which is a layer of connective tissue, anchors the roots of the tooth firmly to the jawbone and gums.
The pulp itself is made up of nerves, connective tissue, and blood vessels. The vessels in the pulp transport blood and nutrients to the tooth to keep it healthy. Pulp also helps form tooth dentin, including reparative dentin which generates in response to a trauma.3
The pulp cavity and root canal are surrounded by the dentin of the tooth, which is a bone-like structure containing microscopic tubes. As these tubes are sensitive to the outside environment, any damage to the enamel may result in a painful sensation within the tooth—especially with temperature changes or contact with sugary or acidy foods.
Surrounding the dentin is the enamel. This hard, white substance made of calcium phosphate protects the tooth’s inner structure—not to mention making your smile look more attractive. Enamel is semi-translucent, and can turn from a white to a light-yellow color.4
Energetic Relationships
The molars are energetically connected to a number of organs in the body, as well as multiple vertebrae and traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) meridians.
Starting at the back of the mouth (if you’ve had your wisdom teeth removed), the second molars on the top row of teeth (T2, T15) are most closely connected to the parathyroid gland and stomach. Like the second molars, the first molars on the top row (T3, T14) are also connected to the stomach, and add a connection to the thyroid gland as well.
In addition to these connections, the first and second molars on the top right of the mouth (T2, T3) share a relationship with the pancreas, while their counterparts on the other side (T14, T15) have an energetic relationship with the spleen.
Furthermore, all 4 of these molars are connected to 3 vertebrae in the lower back (TH11, TH12, L1) and the stomach and spleen meridians. They also have an energetic connection to a pair of emotions: anxiety and hate.
In contrast, the first and second molars on the bottom row of teeth (T18, T19, T30, T31) are most closely connected to the large intestine and lungs, as well as the large intestine and lung meridians. These 4 molars are also connected to 4 vertebrae in the upper spine (C5, C6, TH3, TH4) and 2 vertebrae in the lower spine (L4, L5). Emotionally, these molars have a relationship to both sadness and grief.
What this means is that a problem with the tooth may impact the health of an organ, vertebra, TCM meridian, or emotion it is energetically connected to. Conversely, an issue with an emotion, TCM meridian, vertebra, or organ may negatively impact the health of the tooth or teeth they are connected to.
For example, a significant thyroid issue could cause the first molars on the top row to weaken, eventually leading to decay or another tooth issue. Or a problem with one of these teeth may lead to an issue with the thyroid gland, such as hypo- or hyperthyroidism.
Diet for healthy molars
The health of your molars and your teeth as a whole depends largely on your diet. Calcium and phosphorus are particularly beneficial, as they help to protect enamel and remineralize teeth. Vitamin A, D, and K2 are also great for teeth. Foods that are high in these substances and vitamins include:
- Nuts
- Meat
- Cheese
- Green vegetables
- Fatty fish
- Fermented foods
- Egg yolks
- Carrots
- Fruit
- Butter
On the other end of the spectrum are foods that are bad for your teeth. You know how bad candy and carbonated drinks are for you, but you may not be aware that starchy foods like bread and potato chips also feed the bacteria in the mouth. Other not-so-obvious dangers include dried fruit, alcohol, and fruit juices, which are loaded with acids and sugars that can erode your teeth.5
Taking care of your molars
The consistent message we hear from dental care experts is that we need to brush our teeth twice a day and floss them once per day. This is good advice, but many people are not brushing or flossing correctly—damaging their teeth and gums in the process.
To clean effectively and avoid stripping the enamel from your teeth over time, Ask the Dentist recommends gently wiggling your toothbrush back and forth over the same section of teeth rather than roughly sweeping back and forth over several teeth at a time.6 And when flossing, it’s important to get into both sides of the tooth and below the gumline where 80 to 90% of the bacteria live.7
When it comes to your toothbrush, you should choose one that has soft, rounded bristles. Also make sure that the head of the toothbrush can reach all surfaces of each tooth, especially the back molars.
As with toothbrushes, all toothpastes are not created equal. Most traditional toothpastes contain toxic ingredients, including:
- Triclosan
- Propylene glycol
- Diethanolamine (DEA)
- Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS)
- Glycerin
- Fluoride
Instead of a toothpaste with harmful chemicals that can enter your bloodstream, you may want to opt for a natural toothpaste. These toothpastes often contain herbs and essential oils, as well as things like activated charcoal, coconut oil, and bentonite clay. You can also try oil pulling, which offers a number of benefits including helping reduce plaque and gingivitis.8
Lastly, keep in mind that regular exercise correlates with healthy teeth and gums. In addition, managing stress effectively helps keep your mouth healthy, while an excess amount of stress can weaken the teeth and gums, leading to tooth problems.
Molar stressor Virtual Items
The second molars, which are the backmost molars if you don’t have your wisdom teeth, are the T2, T15, T18, and T31 teeth. In front of these, the first molars are identified as T3, T14, T19, and T30. Digital signatures representing these teeth can be considered stressors to the body, and are available to scan in the Select and Elite software. They are also automatically scanned as key biomarker stressors along with the other teeth in the Balance 5.0+ biosurvey.
The molars and any other digital signatures are scanned after a baseline is established, similar to a lie detector test. You are then able to see whether a specific tooth is in range or out of range, as well as the degree to which it is out of range represented by a number. An out-of-range response will help you ask better questions regarding that tooth, including considering the organs, emotions, and systems that are connected to the tooth.
Molar balancer Virtual Items
A balancer scan is typically run after the molars and other stressor digital signatures are scanned in the ZYTO software. This scan determines the most preferable, or biologically coherent, wellness products and services from among all the balancers scanned.
Along with showing your top products and the out-of-range stressors those items brought back into range, the Biomarker Progress Chart shows which balancers brought which stressors back into range. Thus, you can see which products to potentially give more consideration for the teeth, as well as your top products to consider for overall wellness.
As mentioned, the molars also have an energetic relationship to the emotions of sadness, grief, anxiety, and hate. The ZYTO EVOX provides an opportunity to work through these emotions by reframing your perceptions. Expanding your perceptions in this way may assist you in letting go of these emotions that are tied to the health of your molars and your overall wellness.
About Dr. Vaughn Cook
Dr. Vaughn R Cook is the Founder & CEO of ZYTO. An Oriental Medical Doctor (OMD) and licensed acupuncturist, he has worked in the complementary and alternative medical field for more than 30 years, specializing in applications that integrate Western and Eastern medicine.
Sources:
1. “Dental Caries (Tooth Decay) in Adults (Age 20 to 64).” National Institutes of Health. Nidcr.nih.gov.
2. “Molar.” Merriam-Webster. Merriam-webster.com.
3. Watson, Shawn. “Tooth Pulp Function and Inflammation.” Verywell Health. Verywellhealth.com.
4. Callison, Tina. “What Is Tooth Enamel?” Colgate. Colgate.com.
5. “The Top 5 Worst Foods for Your Teeth.” Plancich Dental. Plancichdental.com.
6. Burhenne, Mark. “How to brush your teeth the right way.” Ask the dentist. Askthedentist.com.
7. Burhenne, Mark. “How to floss the right way.” Ask the dentist. Askthedentist.com.
8. Hv, A., A.V. Ankola, & N. Lakshminarayan. “Effect of Oil Pulling on Plaque and Gingivitis.” ResearchGate. Researchgate.net.