Root Canal Cover-Up

[Editor's Note: Dr. Meinig's Root Canal Cover-Up describes the
extensive and meticulous root canal research of Dr. Weston A. Price,
carried out over a period of 25 years. Originally published in two
massive volumes, totaling 1174 pages, Price's work remained unknown
to the world until Dr. Meinig's Root Canal Cover-Up translated Price's
scientific findings into layman's terms. The following report describes
Price's findings on root canals, and details Dr. Meinig's efforts to
make them known to the public.]

The Price Pottenger Nutrition Foundation was organized on
September 11, 1965, in order to make Dr. Weston A. Price's
monumental work Nutrition and Physical Degeneration available to
the public. This book clearly demonstrated to the world that human
physical degeneration was basically a nutritional problem. The book
made Dr. Price famous.

During the last 31 years, the Foundation has reprinted Nutrition and
Physical Degeneration eight times, in order to meet the growing
interest in his work.

The Foundation has also had custodial care of Dr. Price's vast dental
research data. Documenting his incredible accomplishments are 220
articles, which can be found in the dental and medical literature,
along with two additional books. Unfortunately, until recently, Price's
dental research remained unknown.

Much of Price's research is contained in two monumental volumes
entitled Dental Infections Oral & Systemic and Dental Infections
and the Degenerative Diseases. While these works have long been in
the PPNF library, it was only just four years ago that the Foundation
became aware of their importance. These volumes have moldered in
obscurity because Dr. Price's research was suppressed and buried
over 70 years ago by the autocratic action of a minority group of
dentists and physicians who refused to accept the focal infection
theory.

In spite of the thousands of experiments conducted on 5,000 animals,
and in spite of the thoroughness and excellence of his root canal
research, all of Price's 25 years of scientific efforts were so well
covered up that there is hardly a dentist alive today who has ever
heard about his discoveries.

When Pat Connolly, our beloved Executive Director, was alerted to the
importance of these volumes, she brought them to my attention. Pat
knew of my graduate studies with Professor Edgar Coolidge, the
foremost root canal teacher and researcher in the world. She knew
that I was one of 19 dentists that founded the Root Canal
Association, and that I had a long association with the American
Association of Endodontists. (Endodontists are specialists in root
canal therapy.) In fact, my background in nutrition and root canal
therapy led to my appointment as manager for the new dental office at
the 20th Century Fox Movie Studio.

Pat forwarded PPNF's precious copies of the two volumes to me and
suggested that I review Dr. Price's root canal studies and report back
to the PPNF Board of Directors my findings and interpretation of his
work.

I immediately realized, upon reading the volumes, that Dr. Price's
research was thorough and sound. It was easy to see why he was so
revered as a dental research specialist.

The gist of the research and of the thousands of animal studies is this:
That root-canal-filled teeth always remain infected no matter
how good they might look or how good they might feel.

Dr. Price suspected that bacterial infection accompanied many
degenerative illnesses. In the beginning, he didn't know what bacteria
were involved or just how they contributed to so many disease
conditions. But he did recall that in medical practice doctors made
cultures from the infection site, grew the organism present in a culture
medium and then injected the bacteria into an animal to see if they
could reproduce the disease and thereby prove it was the cause of the
illness.

Dr. Price suspected that these infections arose from the teeth. He
decided to implant an extracted root-filled tooth under the skin of an
animal. He felt that if bacteria were present and carrying illness, their
presence in a tooth might offer the same kind of proof physicians
found when they injected the bacterial culture to produce disease in
an animal. That is exactly what took place. He found that by implanting
the root-filled tooth, the disease of the patient was transferred to
animals. Whatever disease the patient had, the animal with the
extracted tooth under its skin developed the same disease as the
patient.

In other words, if the patient had heart disease, the animal developed
heart disease. If he had kidney trouble, disease of the kidney was
transferred to the animal. If he had a problem in his joints, the
animals' joints became similarly involved. The principle held true for
the whole spectrum of human ailments. Whatever the disease, the
animal would develop that of the patient.

Most of the time Dr. Price found the bacteria involved were of the
streptococcus family, but he also found staphylococcus, spirochetes
and fungi. He found that if a patient had more than one root-canal
treated tooth, he could actually have a different organism infecting
each one of the treated teeth. That is the reason some people have
various ailments from their teeth, all at the same time. In addition,
infected root canals have a detrimental effect on the immune system,
causing a number of different illnesses.

For a long time, Dr. Price had trouble finding out just how the bacteria
existed in the tooth. His own experience in treating infection present
in root canals led him to believe that disinfectants controlled the
organisms. Thousands of experiments proved this assumption to be
incorrect.

Price discovered that the dentin, which makes up 95 percent of the
structure of the teeth, was not a solid stone-like mass but consisted of
very tiny tubules. Undamaged dentin tubules contain a nutrient-dense
fluid that keeps the teeth alive and healthy. These nutrients are
supplied daily to each tubule by the artery that accompanies the nerve
and vein in the root canal. The artery does this in the same way that
other arteries supply nutrients to every cell of the body.

When tooth decay spreads and attacks a tooth, it can usually be
removed by a dentist and the tooth saved with a filling. However, if
the decay is neglected or not discovered until after it spreads into the
root canal of the tooth itself, then the nerve and blood vessels become
infected from the bacteria which are part of the tooth decay process.

The bacteria easily and rapidly travel the entire root canal and of
course they easily discover those tubules and their nutrient supply.
The organisms have, in fact, found a new home, one in which they grow
and rapidly reproduce.

Dr. Price's microscope photographs, published along with his research,
show the dentin tubules with bacteria in them. Although most dentists
know about dentin tubules, it is only in the last few years that any
have ever heard of bacteria residing in them. I personally never heard
or knew about their presence until just four years ago when I saw Dr.
Price's photographs. Remember that his work containing the photos was
published way back in 1923!

You will find these pictures in my book Root Canal Cover-Up, along
with several recent electron microscope pictures. The electron
microscope photographs magnify these tubules and bacteria up to
5,000 times, making the bacteria, which are much smaller than the
period at the end of this sentence, appear as big as peas in a pod.

Most dentists are unfamiliar with the presence of bacteria in the
dentin tubules and are ignorant of the fact that these bacteria escape
and spread throughout the body, causing a vast number of
degenerative diseases.

Your dentist may think that the disinfecting treatment he uses during
root canal therapy would cause the death of these bacteria. Treatment
does kill most bacteria in the root canal, but Price found that not one
of the over 100 disinfectants he studied was capable of penetrating
the tubules. The same holds true for antibiotics today.

Some dentists argue that the bacteria die off because the root canal
filling blocks off their source of nutrients. Unfortunately, this is not
the case. In fact, the bacteria are capable of mutating and changing
their form. Price found that the challenge of a changed environment
actually caused the organisms to become more virile and their toxins
much more toxic. It will interest you to know that this discovery of Dr.
Price's was confirmed in recent times by a German oncologist named
Dr. Josef Issel. He was able to identify these toxins and found them
to be closely related to the same chemicals used by the Germans in
World War I to make mustard gas.

The bacteria which contribute to most of today's diseases no longer
can be killed by antibiotics because the same polymorphic ability of
bacteria to mutate, change and adjust that happens in root canals is
happening to these organisms in response to antibiotics. These bacteria
are involved in most illnesses.

How do bacteria -- apparently trapped in the dentin tubules -- escape
to other parts of the body? There are billions of germs in tubules of
root canal-treated teeth and those in the vicinity of any of the lateral
accessory root canals present in all teeth, can escape into them. From
there they travel into the tooth's surrounding periodontal membrane.
This is the hard, fibrous membrane that holds the tooth in its bony
socket and keeps it from falling out.

The bacteria then spread throughout the periodontal membrane and
from there it is easy for them to escape into the surrounding bony
network. Everybody knows that cancer cells can metastasize and break
away from the main cancer and travel to another gland, organ or
tissue. Similarly, when bacteria get into the tooth's bony socket, they
also get into the blood supply of the jaw, allowing them to metastasize
and travel in the blood vessels to another gland, organ or tissue and
establish a whole new infection.

This is called focal infection -- caused when an infection in one part
of the body travels to another part and sets up a new site of infection.
The American Association of Endodontists -- which I helped
organize and which lists me as a life member -- states that they have
proven over the years that the focal infection theory is invalid. The
arguments they cite are incorrect. They are based on false
assumptions.

There are several reasons why they have been misled about this. One is
the fact that 25 to 30 percent of people seem to get along with
root-canal-filled teeth for many years without any detrimental
effects. Dr. Price studied that very problem. He found that those
people who had no history of degenerative diseases usually had strong
immune systems which were capable of engulfing any bacteria present
and prevented them from becoming sick. However, Price found that if
these same people suffered a severe accident, a bad case of the flu or
some serious stress problem, their immune systems that had been
protecting them would become so compromised that they would then
become ill with a degenerative disease.

What about the 70 percent of our people who have poorer immune
systems to start with? Price found -- and we are finding today -- that
they develop degenerative diseases much sooner, many of them right
after completion of the root canal treatment.

The endodontists' efforts to save teeth are desirable and admirable,
but in their enthusiasm for saving teeth they too often lose the patient.
They cite numbers of studies that they believe establish the efficacy
of root canal treatment but they never mention the bacteria in the
dental tubules. It they want to deny the finding of Dr. Price in this
regard, it behooves them to come up with peer review research to
prove his findings are inaccurate. Their assertion that this is "old
research that has been disproved" is only a statement -- a statement
without scientific backing.

In the April 1944 Journal of Endodontics, the message from outgoing
President Eric J. Hoveland, DDS, MEd, MBA stated that formerly,
endodontists took great pride in being scientists, but "now it is much
different." The talk is on new products and "manufacturer led"
innovations in equipment. Where is the science, the biology? It must
continue to be the basis for this specialty.

As I began to present Dr. Price's research about root canals, I had
hoped that the American Association of Endodontists would take a
serious look at his discoveries and that they would then initiate
research to discover how to kill the bacteria in the dentin tubules and
successfully treat tooth infections. At present, they have failed to
face these issues. However, numbers of independent-minded dentists
have been using new and different approaches. Ultrasound, lasers,
colloidal silver, garlic, Enderlein sanum remedies, nutrition, the French
calcium oxide treatment and prayer are among the approaches being
investigated. It is gratifying that people have at last become
concerned about the extraction of infected teeth and are impatient
for a better solution. Keep in mind, to be scientific and actually prove
the safety of any treatment procedure takes time. Such research
challenges our patience and ability to face the conditions that
currently confront us.

For those facing the dilemma of existing root canals, the status of
one's health and its maintenance is the paramount consideration. The
effect of dental infection upon one's immune system must be
considered. People with degenerative disease often live long lives, but
unfortunately such longevity is marred by suffering and disabilities.
At the same time, the resulting degenerative diseases do cause many to
die before their time. This is the main question that one must face in
considering whether or not to remove root-canal-filled teeth. The
problem is: How good is our immune system and how long will it be able
to protect us?

The spirit of "alternative" or "functional" medicine demands that each
individual assume responsibility for his own health. In order to do so,
one must learn everything he can about his problem. If you have a root
canal or periodontal disease, the best way to gain this information is
to read and study my report of Dr. Price's research, Root Canal
Cover-Up, so that you will have sufficient background to assess the
opinions of doctors and dentists with whom you consult, as they often
know nothing of research discoveries.

If you are a professional or are capable of digesting technical data,
you can contact the PPNF office for copies of Dr. Price's original two
volumes.

Having performed root canal therapy for many years, I read Dr.
Price's two volumes of documentation with utter shock. I became very
concerned about the millions of people who are suffering illness from
the infection still present in their root canal-filled teeth.

I worried about how PPNF would ever find someone with sufficient
background to adequately bring the subject to the public and to health
professionals. It would have been easy enough to make copies of Dr.
Price's two volumes available to health professionals alone, but such
an approach would have ensured that Dr. Price's research remained
obscure. The public had to be told.

Because of my 30-year service with PPNF, as well as my extensive
professional background, it seemed that I was the logical person to
take on the task of informing the public and medical profession about
Dr. Price's root canal research discoveries. It wasn't an easy decision
as it was obvious that anyone doing so would risk alienating many
colleagues and friends, and would certainly invite resentment and
anger. On the other hand, I knew that many were ill because of these
dental and oral infections. In dwelling on their plight, I began to
realize that I was being given an opportunity, a calling, and a privilege
to inform people everywhere of the relevance of Dr. Price's work to
the state of their personal health.

On June 25, 1993, the first edition came off the press. It sold out in
seven months. During that time, I learned much more about the problem
of jawbone cavitation infections that often occur where infected
teeth have been previously extracted. Therefore, I rewrote Chapter
24 for the second edition, and made some other minor changes. The
title was shortened and the cover changed. This somewhat larger
printing sold out in one year. In April of 1996, our fourth printing
came off the press.

Book publishers and authors tell us that this is a very good record for
a self-published book. In 1996, 1 gave lectures to 21 organizations
(mostly medical, dental and other health professionals) and was
interviewed on 28 radio and two television stations. These
appearances have been a great boost to book sales.

The word about the serious side effects of root canal therapy is
getting out. Those who have been suffering from these infections are
talking. Three years ago, the Root Canal Association stated that there
are 20 million root canals being treated each year. The logical
conclusion is that a high percentage of our current degenerative
disease epidemic can be laid at the door of the cover-up of Dr. Price's
research over 70 years ago.

You are all aware that many of the great medical discoveries
sometimes take years and years of research to locate the organism
causing the disease. In almost all cases it is one organism causing one
disease.

Dr. Price found that at least 20 organisms were responsible for
infections in the teeth. These 20 organisms caused not one disease but
numbers of oral and dental illnesses. But more importantly these germs
are responsible for an enormous number of medical diseases
manifesting in other parts of the body. These discoveries of Dr. Price
greatly overshadow any single medical disease discovered by other
physicians. Dr. Price should have received the Nobel Price for all his
discoveries, but that eluded him when his work was covered up.

In the hours and hours of time I have spent with the studies of the
work of that genius, I have concluded that Dr. Weston Price's
25-year root canal research ranks as one of the greatest
discoveries in the history of medicine.

Read the eye-opening Interview with Dr. Meinig and Dr. Michael LaMarch from
the Laura Lee Show, 'Dangerous Microbes': Part One | Part Two

Click here to obtain Dr. Meinig's book, Root Canal Cover-Up. Click
here to purchase Dr. Price's book Nutrition and Physical
Degeneration is available for $19.95.

Two of Dr. Nara's books, "Money by the Mouthful - what you should know about the health of your mouth and body... that no doctor is going to tell you!" and "How to Become Dentally Self Sufficient" are also available from the OraMedia site.

Both books are available via email as a package and should be read together to get a good understanding of how to save 'dental dollars' as well as how to save your teeth and gums from 'inevitable' decay and loss.

The OraMedia site also offers hard-to-locate products for use in your new oral health program from home. It is suggested, however, that the reader study the material from Dr. Nara's books and the material published at the OraMedia site (and other preventive dentistry sites) to get a better understanding of the purpose and use of these products in order to make an intelligent and informed purchase.