How Oral Health Impacts Your Overall Health

As a kid, I reluctantly brushed my teeth. I can remember giving my mother a super hard time about having to brush. I admit that there were occasions when I would put some toothpaste in my mouth, swirl it around, spit it out, and call it a night. It wasn't until my first cavity that I decided that the discomfort of having my mouth pried open for 45 minutes with the needle piercing my gums, the drilling of my tooth, and the hours of facial and lip paralysis from novocaine, were hands down less desirous than my daily teeth hygiene exercises.

Yes, it is important to brush your teeth. However, oral hygiene should go beyond just brushing twice per day. Many of us harbor dangerous microbes, such as spirochetes, in our mouths and under the gums. Specifically, pockets can develop where the gum meets the teeth that can harbor bacteria and other microbes, which can be released into the bloodstream and travel to other parts of the body. It is well documented that gum disease is linked to Diabetes, Heart issues, Arthritis, certain cancers, and many chronic inflammatory conditions. Gum disease indicates that you have bad microbes in your mouth. The same plaque that develops on the teeth is the same plaque that develops in the arteries.

Systemically, when bacteria that cause tooth decay and gum disease get into your bloodstream, the liver releases C reactive proteins. The C reactive protein marker in bloodwork is an indicator of chronic inflammation in the body. Certain bacteria like Streptococcus mutans are linked to cavities, and an increase in the population of Porphyromonas gingivalis, which shuts down the immune response, is linked to periodontal disease.

Here are some oral health tips that will keep your chompers healthy and help your overall health:

1 - Brush Your Teeth with an Electric Toothbrush for 2 to 3 minutes.

Tilt your toothbrush on an angle starting where the gum meets the teeth. For the upper teeth, the toothbrush should be slightly angled up and gently go down the tooth. Don't push too hard because this could contribute to the recession of your gums.  Allow the vibration of the electric toothbrush to do the work. Do not use toothpaste with fluoride or chemicals. My favorites are Weleda Salt Toothpaste and Oralive Unsweetened Clay. The Oralive clay is pricey, but I've had patients say that it has helped to reverse gum disease.

2 - Use an Essential Oil Blend to Kill the Bad Guys Before and After You Brush.

Oral Supreme is a great product. You put one drop where your gums meet your teeth and follow it around your entire mouth from the inside gum to the outside gum. For the first two weeks do this every day before and after you brush. After two weeks, do it every other day or three times per week. I switch off between this and another product by Dr. Schulze.

3 - Do Not Use Mouthwash Unless it is Completely Natural. 

Most mouthwash is full of chemicals, sugar, and alcohol.

4 - Give Up Flossing and Switch to a Waterpik, Unless You Have Something Stuck in Your Teeth and Need to Remove It.

Take two capfuls of hydrogen peroxide and put it in the reservoir with filtered water. Make sure you angle the direction of the water upwards into the gumline for the upper teeth and downwards into the gumline for the lower teeth. Flossing moves the bacteria around the mouth, but using a Waterpik dislodges the bacteria, and the hydrogen peroxide kills them.

5 - Brush with Activated Coconut Charcoal Once or Twice a Week.

If you are looking to whiten your teeth, you can brush your teeth with activated coconut charcoal every day. This is a fantastic tooth whitener, reduces plaque and is antibacterial. The other chemical products out there break down your enamel and weaken your teeth.

6 - Oil Pulling Can Help with Gum Problems and Keep Your Teeth Healthy.

Oil pulling is an ancient practice that involves swishing oil in your mouth to remove bacteria and promote oral hygiene. It also may provide some systemic detoxification effects. You can use coconut oil or another oil. Take about a tablespoon and swish in and out of your teeth for five to ten minutes. Doing it for 20 minutes will more likely give you systemic detoxification benefits. Make sure you spit it out down the toilet and do not swallow the fluid in your mouth.

7  - To All You Lemon Water Drinkers.

If you drink lemon water, you should rinse your mouth out with regular water afterward. Lemon is high in acidity and will break down the enamel of your teeth if you don't rinse.

8  - Don't Brush Your Teeth Right After Eating. 

It is better to wait about 30 minutes after eating to brush because brushing right after eating can weaken your tooth enamel.

9  - If Your Partner has Good Oral Hygiene, Than You Will Have Less of a Chance of Oral Health Issues.

We share our bugs with our partners.  I don't mean to promote a nag fest with your significant other, but they should be aware that their oral health impacts yours.

About the Author

Dr. Louis Granirer is a leading NY Holistic Chiropractor who specializes in Nutritional Response Testing to find natural remedies for severe and chronic health conditions. Learn more by visiting his website at HolisticChiropracticCenter.com.