and I don't know how having them not mashing down on things could damage them Stephan Guyenet had a series of rather interesting blog posts on malocclusion. On

and I don't know how having them not mashing down on things could damage them Stephan Guyenet had a series of rather interesting blog posts on malocclusion. One of the factors he mentioned in conclusion was the toughness of food. http://wholehealthsource.blogspot.dk/2009/12/malocclusion-disease-of-civilization.html http://wholehealthsource.blogspot.dk/2009/12/malocclusion-di... There are three main factors that I believe contribute to malocclusion in modern societies: 1. Maternal nutrition during the first trimester of pregnancy. Vitamin K2, found in organs, pastured dairy and eggs, is particularly important. We may also make small amounts from the K1 found in green vegetables. 2. Sucking habits from birth to age four. Breast feeding protects against malocclusion. Bottle feeding, pacifiers and finger sucking probably increase the risk of malocclusion. Cup feeding and orthodontic pacifiers are probably acceptable alternatives. 3. Food toughness. The jaws probably require stress from tough food to develop correctly. This can contribute to the widening of the dental arch until roughly age 17. Beef jerky, raw vegetables, raw fruit, tough cuts of meat and nuts are all good ways to exercise the jaws. However, this covers development up to age 17. What would happen to the teeth of a grown up man if he stops using them, I'd also be interested to know (from sheer curiosity)