Nine out of ten adults and two-thirds of 15 year-old children have active gum disease! Although there are more products today for brushing, flossing and applying fluoride, we collectively have some of the worst dental health in human history. Most people don’t know they have the beginning signs of gum disease and issues that indicate poor oral health, such a bad breath and plaque build-up, have become so common-place they are considered “normal”. Some common symptoms of poor dental health include red, puffy and swollen gums, bleeding gums with flossing or brushing, crooked teeth, bad breath that remains after brushing, pain when exposed to hot/cold/sweet foods or drinks and chronic canker sores. Poor oral health can be a sign of poor overall health and one should check with their local Naturopathic doctor and dentist if there are continuous issues. The good news is that there are many easy things you can begin incorporating into your daily routine to improve dental health. Below are seven of my favorites.
1. Treat the Tongue
Tongues are ideal places for tooth-decaying bacteria to establish a home. The bacteria that lead to bad breath and tooth decay have the ability to put down a biofilm that allows them to stubbornly attach to surfaces like the tongue and teeth. Therefore an important aspect to any oral health regime is to scrape and brush the tongue, ideally first thing in the morning. I have found this to be the best method to eliminating bad morning breath. Additionally, swishing with a diluted hydrogen peroxide based mouthwash after the tongue is scraped will assist in those more stubborn cases and provide some brightening to the teeth.
2. Increase Dietary Minerals
Bones and teeth have an amazing ability to build and break down or remodel themselves based on the mineral health of our body and our activity. Bones also store minerals and when needed release those minerals for the body to use. Cavities are holes in the teeth, where bacteria have broken down the outer layers of our teeth, leaching minerals. So, an important aspect to maintaining the integrity or our teeth and preventing or reversing cavities is to have sufficient dietary minerals, such as phosphorous, magnesium and calcium. The most ideal source of these minerals is through our diets but supplementation is often necessary given today’s soils. Avocados and sweet potatoes are sources of potassium. Green leafy vegetables and almonds are both great sources for calcium and magnesium. There are also many companies out there making tooth re-mineralization powders that can be used while brushing to get minerals directly to the surface of the teeth (my favorite is Ora Wellness, no affiliation).
3. Oil Pulling
This is a practice that has been used in India for thousands of years. You take a spoonful of healthy oil (coconut, cold pressed sesame or olive oil) on an empty stomach and swish in your mouth for twenty minutes. After this time, spit out the oil in the trash; you may notice the oil has turned into a white, foggy and thick substance, that’s good! Either brush your teeth or swish with water to get the remaining oil out of your mouth. Done! Some research shows that oil pulling reduces bacterial colonies in the mouth and others theorize that the oil can pull out hydrophilic/fat-loving toxins. There’s not a lot of prominent research, but I have found that regular oil pulling helps to regrow cavities, decrease plaque, whiten teeth, reduce tooth pain and freshen breath.
4. Re-learn to Brush
Have you ever watched a small child learn to brush her teeth? What you’ll learn is that brushing is not a naturally intuitive process, but rather something we have to learn to do well and we must pay attention when we do it. The first way to improve your brushing is to SLOW DOWN! Slow down and pay attention to how you are brushing. Next, pay attention to the angle of your toothbrush. Most of us only brush at a ninety degree angle to our teeth, scrubbing the outer white enamel, but most bacteria live in the pockets where our gum lines meet out teeth. Next time you brush, hold your toothbrush at a 45 degree angle, aiming to get the soft bristles under the gum line and brush GENTLY. Brushing the traditional way at the ninety degree angle does not get into those pockets and mouthwash only gets 1 mm into those pockets. Brushing slowly with the intent to clean on the tooth under the gums gets 2 mm in and flossing gets 4 mm in.
5. Spice Up Your Toothpaste
Now that we’ve reexamined our brushing technique, let’s look at what we’re using to brush with. Most toothpastes have chemicals and additives in them. Given the history of human existence, toothpaste is a relatively new product, and humans have lived with strong beautiful teeth for most of human existence. Consider trying an alternative to traditional toothpaste, such as an essential oil-based liquid blend. Essential oils in a base of carrier oil are anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and antimicrobial; they do the job of killing the bacterial colonies that cause tooth decay and gum disease. Some examples of essential oils that are effective in improving oral health include cinnamon, peppermint, spearmint, clove, myrrh and manuka. There are many companies out there that make these blends (again my favorite is Ora Wellness) or make your own.
6. Repopulate Oral Flora
The human body has more “other” cells than human cells, and many of these “others” are friendly bacteria that assist us in functioning optimally. However, when our oral flora is predominantly made up of harmful bacteria, the protective bacteria are outnumbered and not as effective in protecting our health. You can help support a healthy flora by taking probiotic capsules or eating probiotic foods such as sauerkraut or kefir. The mouth is apart of the gastrointestinal tract, and it is postulated that the flora in one area of the GI communicates with flora at the other end, so taking probiotics can be beneficial to the entire GI tract, including your mouth.
7. Chew on a Stick
Chewing activated some of the strongest muscles in our bodies, the muscles of mastication, which in turn increases blood flow to those areas improving the availability of nutrients and removing unwanted waste products. Chewing increases salivation and the increased circulation will nourish the teeth, gums and beneficial flora of the mouth. An old Native American method was to chew on a stick of dogwood (Cornus spp.), although there are other species that have benefits as well. Today there are commercial chewing stick products, usually infused with mint.
There are many more lifestyle factors, supplements, homeopathic remedies and botanical medicines that can be employed to help you optimize your oral health and to vitalize your wellness. If you are looking to improve your health or are dealing with a chronic issue, schedule a visit with Dr McBride, your experts in natural medicine, to come up with a wellness strategy catered to your constitution, lifestyle and needs.
Disclaimer: The information provided on this website is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as personal medical advice.