As a young girl, I lived in the small Upstate New York city of Utica, and besides enjoying some of the best Italian food in the world as well as the bakery delights called “half-moons,” I have vivid memories of my childhood dentist whom I will just call “Dr. B.”
I’m shocked that as an adult, I don’t suffer from intense dentist phobia because Dr. B. was downright brutal even to a kid like me.
Despite my parents’ efforts to make sure I brushed my teeth every day, according to Dr. B., I had cavities literally every six months when I went to the dentist.
And you know what that meant…Novocain, the drill and amalgam fillings.
If I only knew then what I know now!
Let’s look at the importance of having healthy teeth and gums and how you can improve your oral health.
From Ur-mouth to Ur-anus
In addition to simply having a nice smile, healthy teeth and gums are crucial to the proper functioning of your entire digestive tract!
Digestion begins in your mouth—alkaline enzymes in your saliva begin breaking down carbohydrates well before your food reaches your stomach.
The process of chewing sends signals to your brain, which in turn tells your stomach that food is on the way down so it can prepare its secretions.
And how well you chew your food makes a big difference in whether or not the rest of its journey through your GI tract is smooth and comfortable or if you will suffer from heartburn, gas, bloating and/or constipation.
Something wrong in there?
There are several mouth-related problems that people experience, and here are four of the most common:
1- Bad breath (aka halitosis)
Although halitosis can be caused by poor dental hygiene, tooth infection, sinus problems, gum problems or tonsillitis, one of the common culprits behind bad breath lies in an area about 24 inches south of your mouth.
Your lower GI tract.
That’s right—bad breath can be a sign of any of the following digestive issues:
- H. Pylori infection in the stomach
- Low stomach acid production
- Imbalanced gut microbiome
- Pancreatic insufficiency
- Constipation
2- Gingivitis and periodontal disease
Gingivitis is an inflammation of your gums that if left unchecked, can progress to periodontal disease—an inflammation of the bone around your teeth which can result in tooth loss.
According to the CDC, nearly 50 percent of adults aged 30 years and older have some form of periodontal disease.
And the risk continues to increase with age—70 percent of adults 65 and older have periodontal disease.
3- Poor tooth health
Poor tooth health is frequently the result of nutrient deficiencies.
Remember your teeth are bones just like the rest of your skeleton—and since your other bones need 19 specific nutrients to remineralize, the same applies to your choppers.
I suspect this contributed to my abundance of cavities. While my mom did her best to make homemade meals for us, there was always an abundance of cookies, candy, ice cream, Pop-tarts and soda in my childhood home, and very few limits on how much we consumed.
4- Imbalanced oral microbiome
Your mouth has a microbiome just like your gut, and when harmful bacteria, viruses and fungi have the “upper hand,” that can lead to a variety of problems including:
- Plaque on the teeth
- Bleeding and receding gums
- Mouth ulcers and sores
- Oral candidiasis/thrush
- Cavities and tooth decay (caries)
- Tonsillitis
- Respiratory infections
- Even heart disease and cancer!
Considering the volume of gut-destroying sugar I consumed as a kid and the fact that the importance of the gut microbiome was virtually unheard of back then, this too led to many drill-and-fill sessions for me.
Smart steps to better oral health
If you want a healthy mouth and smile, here are some smart steps you can take that will make a dramatic difference:
Brush and floss daily
I know most people are OK with the brushing part, but many find flossing a nuisance or they “don’t have the time.”
Get over that hump. Flossing is crucial to tooth and gum health, and it doesn’t take that long. I have timed myself and it takes me about a minute and 11 seconds to do my entire mouth.
No excuses.
Also, consider using a power toothbrush—they really do make a significant difference in the level of cleaning from your brushing efforts.
See your dentist once a year
This should be obvious, but many people avoid the dentist like the plague. (They must have had a childhood dentist like my Dr. B!)
Not only is the thorough cleaning you get at the dentist’s office great for your teeth and gums, but your dentist can also detect potential issues long before they become major problems and take corrective action.
Help correct nutritional deficiencies
Concentrate on nutrient-rich real foods like meats, poultry, wild-caught fish, fresh vegetables, eggs, nuts, butter, dairy and olive oil. These are the foods that will help nourish your body from head to toe.
At the same time, avoid fast food, processed foods, sweets and soda like the plague.
And to help ensure that you have health-supporting levels of essential nutrients, our Super Core multi-vitamin and mineral formula is as good as it gets.
Super Core has been carefully designed to give you an optimized amount and ratio of vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients your body needs to function and flourish. This comprehensive formula delivers:
- Fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E and K), all B vitamins plus over 3x the RDA requirement of Vitamin C.
- Critical minerals including iodine, calcium, magnesium, zinc, selenium, copper, manganese, chromium, molybdenum, boron and vanadium.
- High antioxidant blend, which includes the antioxidant vitamins C and E plus zinc and selenium, as well as lutein, lycopene, and zeaxanthin, resveratrol and the “cream of the antioxidant crop”—alpha lipoic acid.
- Natural herbal anti-inflammatories including turmeric, Boswellia, and ginger.
Get tested
As I mentioned above, food sensitivities, H. pylori infection, low stomach acid and pancreatic insufficiency can cause bad breath and other problems.
If you suspect any of these may be an issue for you, see your doctor and get the appropriate tests.
And if you find you have low acid or pancreatic enzyme deficiencies, our Digestizol Max enzyme formula can help pinch-hit where your body may be lacking.
Help balance both microbiomes
When it comes to rebuilding and maintaining a healthy microbiome balance, supplementation with a potent, full-spectrum probiotic formula is a must! And our Super Shield multi-strain probiotic formula is up to this very important task.
Super Shield’s blend of13 potent probiotic strains can give both your microbiomes the support they desperately need.
Replace amalgam fillings
Contrary to what people believe, “silver” amalgam fillings are only silver in color—they actually contain 50 percent mercury!
Mercury is a deadly neurotoxin which not only can damage your brain but also make you more susceptible to periodontal disease and even raise your risk of autoimmunity.
And here’s an interesting tidbit: The expression “Mad as a hatter” also has its roots in mercury exposure.
In 18th and 19th century England, mercury was used in the production of felt which was commonly used in hat-making at the time. Long-term exposure to the mercury-laced felt in hat production often resulted in mercury poisoning-induced erethism in hatters (aka: milliners)—including behavioral changes such as irritability, depression, apathy and delirium, personality changes, and memory loss.
Talk to your dentist about removing your amalgams and replacing them with composite fillings. I did this several years ago and trust me, it’s worth it.
Increasing numbers of studies continue to show that when amalgam fillings are removed, oral cavity health issues are completely eliminated or vastly improved.
Rethink whitening strips
The initial concern with hydrogen peroxide-based tooth whitening strips was damage to the tooth’s outer layer—the enamel.
But recent research suggests that tooth whitening dangers also include damaging the tooth layer known as the dentin (a protein-rich area that binds the roots to the gum).
This can eventually decrease collagen levels in the teeth.
You can naturally help whiten your teeth by staying well-hydrated and breathing through your nose, as dry mouth is a common cause of discolored teeth.
Also limit coffee, tea, cola and red wine, quit smoking, and avoid antibiotics as much as possible.
Smile pretty!
Do all you can to help encourage healthy teeth and gums, and you’ll have many great reasons to “say cheese!”
To your health,
Sherry Brescia
