**3. Evaluation of "the" hypothesis**

#### **3.1. The support of a systemic theory of dental caries and K2 as a critical component**

The "old" theory of dental health, called the 'acid theory,' has been linked to the oral environment as an isolated and unique process, involving the bacteria-acid axis, as it is the only cause-effect relationship.

The systemic version or theory of dental caries acknowledges the effect of refined carbohydrates on oral cavity through the impact of the hypothalamus and the endocrine system. Earlier, free radicals like ROS, typically having been construed as "exhaust energy" from mitochondria. *However, they are now thought of as "critical signals," conveyed to the hypothalamus in order to influence the secretion of hormones, like parotid hormone and insulin. The major task to be undertaken now is: find which nutrients optimally affect the hypothalamus and which would maintain the centrifugal fluid flow through the teeth*. Antioxidants such as EGCG of green tea have proven effective. Vitamin K2, however, may serve as a more potent nutrient.

#### **3.2. What we hope to learn from Dr. Price's discovery**

The exocrine functions of the salivary glands, i.e., the composition of the saliva, are nutritionally related. As for the prevention of dental caries, optimum nutrition with fat soluble vitamins like K2 may serve as much more significant factor, than the role of traditional dental recommendations which goes like this: *Eat less sugar to minimize the production of bacterial acids*  *in the oral cavity*. Dental disease will be construed and recognized as an inflammation related degenerative lifestyle disease in line with cardiovascular incidents, as well as with bone brittleness (osteoporosis) and diabetes mellitus.
