Interesting—I've actually had the opposite experience. Cutting back on dairy made my teeth a little more sensitive, even though I kept up with brushing and flossing. For me, adding yogurt back in (plain, not sweetened) seemed to help with sensitivity. I get that oil pulling works for some folks, but I’m always a little skeptical about anything that isn’t backed by solid evidence. Still, you’re right about genetics... sometimes it feels like no matter what I do, my enamel just isn't as strong as I'd like.
That’s wild, because I’m kind of in the same boat as you but flipped. I went through a phase where I was all “dairy is the enemy” and cut it out, but my teeth actually felt better for a while—less sensitive, even. I figured I was just winning the genetic lottery or something, until I started snacking on more acidic stuff (thanks, tech conference coffee bars) and boom, sensitivity came back. I tried oil pulling once, but honestly, swishing coconut oil for 20 minutes just made me want to order takeout.
I hear you about genetics, though. My dad never flossed a day in his life and has like one cavity, while I’m over here with my electric toothbrush, mouthwash, and still get the “you need to watch your enamel” talk every checkup. Makes me wonder if there’s some secret enamel-boosting code in our DNA that science hasn’t hacked yet... Or maybe I just need a yogurt subscription.
I get what you’re saying about dairy not being the magic bullet. I actually stopped drinking milk in my twenties (lactose intolerance, thanks genetics), and honestly, my teeth didn’t fall out or anything dramatic. Calcium is important, but you can get it from so many other foods—leafy greens, almonds, even tofu if you’re into that. The whole “milk = strong teeth” thing feels like marketing leftover from those ‘Got Milk?’ ads.
On the sensitivity front, I swear acid is sneakier than sugar when it comes to wrecking enamel. I went through a phase of sipping lemon water all day (thought I was being healthy), and suddenly cold air felt like knives on my teeth. Dentist just shook his head at me. Apparently, brushing too soon after acidic stuff is a no-go too… who knew?
Genetics are such a wild card though. My brother barely brushes and still has perfect checkups, while I’m flossing like it’s an Olympic sport and still get the “watch your gums” lecture every time. I’m convinced some people are just born with superhero spit or something.
Never tried oil pulling—20 minutes is way too much commitment for me. Props to anyone who can stick with that without getting bored or hungry halfway through.
Honestly, I think there’s more to enamel health than just dairy or genetics. Stress, diet, even how hard you brush… it all adds up. Yogurt subscription sounds fun though—at least your gut bacteria will be happy if nothing else.
