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What happens in the mouth has a significant relationship to your overall health. Actually, the mouth is a reflection of what is happening in your body. We have learned that disease often begins in the digestion, but, are finding that it actually begins in the mouth. The pathogenic bacteria on your teeth and on your gums do not remain above the neck. They travel through your bloodstream, affecting your entire body. The oral microbiome affects your gut microbiome which is linked to your brain microbiome, through the gut-brain axis. So, how is your oral hygiene? Dysbiosis in your mouth leads to an imbalance of bacteria in the body which can affect the lungs and the heart and even lead to cancer or diabetes.
In 1917, Dr. Weston Price, Dentist, researched the relationship between the diet, dental cavities, crowded teeth, and disease in the body. He found that natives, in villages throughout the world, rarely had cavities, distorted teeth, or the diseases that we consider to be normal. Their diets were high in plant minerals and processed foods were almost non-existent.
So, why does the incidence of chronic disease in North America keep rising?
Standard dental care involves home brushing and flossing, then office cleaning by a hygienist, drilling to fill cavities, root canals, bridges, implants, and, when all else fails, extractions. Unfortunately, for decades, this has led to some pretty disastrous consequences.
Let’s jump in and examine these dental techniques:
Home oral care is great, if we do it consistently and properly. If we don’t, the dental plaque, or biofilm, builds up. We all know how to brush, but there is often confusion as to which direction to employ, i.e., up and down or side to side and whether to use a soft or a hard brush or an electric toothbrush that sounds like a concrete drill. Some of us floss daily and some only for the week before our dental appointment. We only know if we are doing a good job if our dentist tells us that all is ok.
Mercury fillings have been the gold standard for decades. These fillings are actually 25-50% mercury, a much higher content than the fish we are warned not to eat. Mercury is put right next to our brains, stays in the body, and is a neurotoxin causing fatigue, neck pain, digestion issues, cognitive issues, nerve damage, and memory loss. The symptoms of mercury toxicity and Alzheimer’s Disease are identical. Many countries have banned its use, while in North America, we have been advised to avoid it for children and pregnant women. Improper removal of mercury amalgams can result in mercury poisoning to both the dentist and the patient.
Root Canals are the only procedure that leaves dead tissue tightly sealed inside your body. The nerve is removed, the tooth is cleaned up, as best as possible, but what about the remaining microbes? The surrounding area is impossible to fill in or clean completely. If there is a problem, like infection, you don’t know because the nerve is no longer there to warn you by causing pain. Each time you chew on a failed root canal, you are spreading infection throughout your body. Studies have shown a high incidence of breast cancer and heart disease caused by mouth infections.
A bridge connects two teeth, when the middle tooth has been extracted. We are pretty hard on our teeth and eventually you may lose one of those teeth that are holding the bridge or develop a cavity that can’t be seen by standard x-ray because it is beneath the bridge.
Dental implants will keep the teeth in place and make chewing comfortable but can result in infection, problems with the jaw, nerve damage, and damage to the surrounding bone. There is also a problem with the material that has been used for years. Titanium was a great solution for a very long time, but since it is now being used for hip and knee replacements, some people are becoming sensitive to it, causing many unpleasant side effects. WIFI and 5G networks can heat up as they pass through metal devices, like titanium, causing sparking and destroying the bone around the implants. Zirconia, which is not a metal, is now seen as the best alternative for dental implants.
Every tooth is related to an acupuncture meridian, therefore needed for proper energy flow throughout the body. Improper tooth extractions can result in cavitations – a hole or infection in the surrounding bone – a silent infection and a source of systemic inflammation. These need to be addressed. They can only be seen by a 3-dimensional cone x-ray that is usually found only at the office of a biological dentist. It also will show an infection or problem in an old root canal or beneath a bridge.
So how do we keep our teeth and our body healthy?
- See a biological dentist in a mercury-free office
- Biological dentists realize the important of removing the toxicity and inflammation allowing the body, in its wisdom, to heal itself
- They will support your immune system throughout your treatments and remove anything that is harming you
- They use ozone water to clean the area after extractions
- They use the SMART method when removing mercury amalgams
- Chew your food 40-60 times, where it is mixed with saliva and broken down, for proper digestion
- Brush your teeth with a soft brush, sweeping down, away from the gum using a small vibrating motion and take your time – at least 5 minutes – once or twice a day
- Use a clean non-toxic toothpaste or tooth powder or make your own
- Clean your tongue
- Avoid mouth rinses – they are full of alcohol that dry your mouth and don’t kill off the bad bacteria, using instead, a simple sea salt rinse
- Avoid antimicrobial products – they kill off the good and the bad and disturb the diversity of our microbiome
- Do not use products containing fluoride – they do nothing for your teeth but cause problems with your thyroid and make your teeth and bones brittle
- Xylitol is a poison for your microbiome yet found in many organic toothpastes
- Increase your mineral intake – strong teeth require a lot of minerals, like your bones – fat soluble vitamins, and Vitamin D3 and K1 & K2 (important for calcium metabolism)
- Drainage support, like the UNDA numbers
- Avoid sugar and ultra-processed foods, resulting in inflammation and altering the gut microbiome; but if you have a sugary treat, brush immediately afterwards
- Fermented foods, like Kimchi or Sauerkraut, to improve your microbiome’s diversity & immune function
- Diet – a plant based or Mediterranean diet, not our North American SAD diet
- Exercise
- Improved sleep
- Spend time in nature
Take care of your teeth and they will take care of you.
For more information:
Dental Health Matters Webinar https://www.nppwebinars.com/dental_health_matters.html
What Are You Putting in Your Mouth https://edisoninst.com/what-are-you-putting-in-your-mouth/
*Audio link for those in need or who prefer to listen to our blogs:
In North America, many of us are obsessed with cleanliness. Actually, we need to be exposed to bacteria, fungi, and viruses in order to have a healthy, strong immune system. By killing off our good bacteria with antibiotics, stress, cortisone, and chlorinated drinking water, we leave the field wide open to pathogenic, dangerous bacteria. Too many hand sanitizers and anti-bacterial soaps can change our PH and, in turn, mess with our immunological balance. Also, chemicals in plastics, cosmetics and clothing may negatively affect our microbiome which in turn affects the integrity of the small and large intestines.
