[.ca] My Health: Tooth Decay and Cavities (ISBN 0531164128)

Great:
This is an excellent choice for young readers. It is very comprehensive, interesting, and has excellent photographs. It is the most well-written book on this subject, and I have read them all! This is my number one choice for a children's book about dental health.

Fails to Break Free of ADA Dogma:
I bought this book recently hoping to share it with my children. I will not do so because the book suggests some practices that are not healthy. For example the book recommends brushing with a flouride toothepaste. The "fluoride" used in toothepastes is virtually always calcium fluoride obtained as a by-product of the fertilizer and aluminum industries. This fluoride has not been demonstrated to help prevent cavities in any way. The ADA has suggested that "fluoride" prevents cavities. There is no science to back up this statement. I personally have done my best to avoid fluoride for the past two years, and I feel that my teeth are healthier than ever. The book also fails to warn readers of the dangers of amalgam fillings. It claims that amalgam fillings are made from "silver and other metals." Ha. Dental amalgam actually has little to no silver in it. The amalgams are usually about 50% mercury, and other metals such as nickel and copper. The book is beneficial only in that it recommends caring for your teeth by brushing and visiting a dentist. Much better information will be found in such sources as Breiner's "Whole Body Dentistry", Morton's "Elements of Danger", Huggins' "Uninformed Consent", and Jerome's "Tooth Truth".