Hydroxyapatite: The Secret Weapon Against Cavities?

What is hydroxyapatite — and what does it have to do with cavities?

Let’s go back to how a tooth is built.

The outer shell is called enamel. Fun fact: it’s the strongest part of your body. Enamel is made up of 97% hydroxyapatite (aka HA). Just under that is the dentin, which has about 45% HA. And deep inside is the pulp, where the blood and nerve supply lives.

Lately, there’s been a lot of buzz about micro or nano hydroxyapatite. It’s part of a field called biomimetics — basically, using science to mimic nature. That’s why we can now use it in dentistry to remineralize teeth.

For years, fluoride was the standard for remineralization. But here’s the truth:
Cavities are not caused by a fluoride deficiency.

Yes — it’s important to support your teeth from the outside. But what’s even more important is remineralizing them from the inside out.

So… how do you do that?

Nutrition.
But I get it — that word means a lot of things, especially today.

I can’t tell you how many patients tell me:
👉 “Dr. Cortez, I eat healthy and I still get cavities.”

So let’s break down what eating healthy actually means in terms of cavity prevention.

What is an anti-cavity diet?

In simple words?
An ancestral diet.

Still too broad? Okay — let me explain.

Before industrialized food took over, people around the world:

• Ate local, seasonal food

• Honored the whole animal (nothing went to waste)

• Took care of their soil

• Knew how to prepare grains, nuts, and seeds for better digestibility and nutrition

Back in the 1930s, Dr. Weston A. Price, a pioneering dentist, became concerned about how his patients were getting more cavities and chronic disease. He documented his findings in the book “Nutrition and Physical Degeneration”. To better understand what was going on, he traveled the world studying Indigenous communities who were still eating their traditional diets, untouched by processed food.

What he found was eye-opening:
They had no cavities.
Their jaws were broad.
They weren’t getting sick.

But here’s the wild part:
Their diets were completely different.

• People in Peru ate grains.

• In Switzerland, they ate raw milk and butter.

• In Africa, they ate local meat and plants.

The one thing they all had in common?
High amounts of fat-soluble vitamins — like A, D3, and K2 — which are critical for preventing decay.

So, what should I eat to prevent cavities?

There’s no single “perfect” diet.

But here’s what I recommend:

✅ Eat real food
✅ Ditch the ultra-processed stuff
✅ Choose local when you can

If you do that, you’ve already won 70% of the battle.

With healthy smiles,
Dr. Cortez
The Biological Airway Dentist