A Comprehensive Guide to Oral Health: My Reccomendations
I’m excited to share with you my comprehensive oral health protocol. This guide is based on my personal journey and research, aiming to provide you with effective strategies to maintain optimal oral health.
Your journey to a healthier should always begin with the basics —it very easy to get caught in the weeds and begin worrying about all that you may not know. I am here to hopefully alleviate some worry with some simple tools to get you back on track – at least as far as your oral microbiome goes. The ingredients in these products play a crucial role in maintaining oral hygiene and preventing dental issues.
Pro Tip: Buy pH strips and test your saliva each morning upon waking. Target range is 7. A pH level below 7 in your mouth indicates that your mouth is acidic. The pH scale measures a substance’s acidity or alkalinity, with 7 being neutral. A lower pH level can damage your teeth and lead to cavities. After speaking with my holistic dentist – Gut dysbiosis or acid reflux while sleeping is a possible causation of a low PH oral microbiome.
Recommended Products
Toothpaste
Finding a good toothpaste is an ever-evolving journey for my oral health care. I have probably gone through 30 different toothpaste brands and products in the hope of finding a favorite. Personally, I enjoy the toothpowder from Primal Life. In general, I am moving closer toward tooth “powders” rather than “pastes”. I find they are usually filled with gentler and more nourishing ingredients.
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Floss
Boka Cinna Mint Floss. This floss is a game-changer due to its natural wax coating, which is a healthier alternative to mainstream plastic flosses.
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Why Natural Wax Coating? The natural wax coating on Boka Cinna Mint Floss provides a smooth, gentle glide between your teeth, ensuring thorough cleaning without damaging your gums. Unlike plastic-coated flosses, it is free from harmful chemicals that can be detrimental to your health.
The Downside of Plastic Floss: Plastic floss often contains chemicals like PFCs (perfluorochemicals), which are used to make the floss glide smoothly. These chemicals can cause inflammation and disrupt endocrine functions, posing long-term health risks.
Frequency: I floss every. Especially after meals
Probiotic Supplement
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Incorporating probiotics into your oral care routine is crucial for maintaining a balanced and healthy mouth. I highly recommend ProDental by Hyperbiotics, a product specifically designed to feed your oral microbiome with beneficial bacteria.
Why Probiotics Matter: Our mouths are home to a complex ecosystem of bacteria, both good and bad. Maintaining a healthy balance is key to preventing dental issues such as cavities, gum disease, and bad breath. Probiotics help by:
- Balancing Oral Bacteria: Probiotics introduce beneficial bacteria that compete with harmful microbes, reducing their numbers.
- Promoting Gum Health: These good bacteria can help reduce inflammation and support overall gum health.
- Freshening Breath: By crowding out the bacteria that cause bad breath, probiotics can leave your mouth feeling fresher for longer.
Dosage: Because they are a bit more pricey – I typically take 4/week. You can also take every day, if you desire.
Tongue Scraper (Copper)
Cleaning your tongue is important to keep that bad bacteria, as well as food debris and dead cells from causing trouble.
Copper is naturally anti-microbial and anti-bacterial, plus it provides vital enzymes that promote the survival of good bacteria and other important microbes in your mouth which is why it is the ultimate material for oral health. Here is the Copper Tongue Scraper I use.
Pearl Powder
I have tried several types of pearl powder, and my preferred choice is Crucial Fours – mBalance Pearl Powder.
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mBalance is wild harvested and uniquely vibration extracted, so no solvents are used in the process of their pearl powder. Pearls are rich in minerals, especially high-quality calcium, and incredible unique compounds called ‘signal proteins’.
The Balance:
Scientific studies show Pearl Powder to be an excellent source of bioavailable calcium and trace minerals, thus helping to support stress and promote mental and emotional well-being.
As a unique messenger substance, signal proteins from pearl powder act as messengers by emitting signals that control cellular growth and repair. Signal proteins stimulate collagen regeneration and growth of renewed tissue. These signal proteins can play a dominant role in the maintenance of youthful skin tone and the promotion of vital skeletal and bone health.
Frequency: Every evening after brushing. (Pearl has also shown positive effects against insomnia and helps to calm the mind and central nervous system – hence why it is ideal to be taken in the evening)
Coconut Oil Pulling
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Oil pulling is a teeth cleaning remedy that involves swirling around oil (coconut oil) in the mouth for 20 minutes to clean teeth and gums.
It’s an age-old Ayurvedic remedy that was developed centuries ago in India. The basic concept is that the oil cuts through bacteria and plaque in the mouth. The oil and the excess gunk adheres to each other. When you spit the oil back out, the extra bacteria goes with it. Do not swallow.
Frequency: 1x/week
Mastic Gum
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Mastic gum (Pistacia lentiscus) is a resin native to the Mediterranean region obtained from the mastic tree. Hippocrates was the first to document the use of mastic gum for digestive problems, treatment for colds, and of course, freshening the breath.
Mutans streptococci is a type of bacteria that can increase the risk of cavity development in the teeth. A small study had participants chew mastic gum three times a day for three weeks. Researchers observed the participants had lower levels of Mutans streptococci at the end of the study. Acidic or low pH of the saliva is also a risk factor for cavity formation. Mastic gum also acts as a natural teeth whitener.
Pro Tip: Chew mastic gum right after you eat a meal and benefit from assisted digestive support.
Frequency: No more than 30 minutes a day.