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| Image via MindBodyGreen |
Dental health affects 90% of overall health. In fact, the mouth acts as a barometer, picking up diseases and
problems before you see them in the rest of the body. This characteristic is important to holistic dentists because we not only care about the health of your teeth, but of your whole being. Therefore, if issues can be identified in the mouth first, further problems and diseases can be prevented down the road, including cardiovascular, immune, inflammatory, and neurodegenerative diseases.
By taking small, but significant, steps to care for the health of your teeth now, you can also prevent the price of costly doctor bills later.
Here are five steps you can take to keep the health of your mouth and body in check, without breaking the bank:
1. Avoid sugary foods and drinks.
It’s well known that sugar causes cavities and plaque. But what might not be as obvious is that no matter how thoroughly one brushes, it is difficult to remove all sweeteners from the teeth. This is because most sugary foods and drinks contain corn syrup – a sweetener that coats the teeth and hides in cracks and crevices, giving it time to fester and decay your teeth.
2. Brush for two to three minutes per brushing.
The time you put into brushing makes a difference. Even if you stopped eating sweets and brushed your teeth twice daily, but only for 30 seconds, you would miss out on the benefits of brushing.
3. Hydro floss daily.
Flossing removes little bits of food, but it does not kill bacteria. In fact, it can actually spread bacteria, and it's bacteria that causes diseases in your mouth and body. Floss instead with an oral irrigator (we like Hydro Floss), which can get into those hard to reach places and actually remove bacteria, germs, and food debris.
Also, make sure you drink plenty of water. Water will help flush out the toxins in your body and hopefully will replace some of the sugary drinks you may be consuming.
4. Maintain a balanced pH.
A low pH in your mouth is an acidic environment, which is a breeding ground for unwanted bacteria and leaves you more susceptible to cavities and gum disease. Keep your pH at an optimal level by eating a diet rich in whole foods, including plenty of fruits and vegetables.
5. Avoid fluoride.
It may seem like fluoride is good for us, because it's in everything: our water, toothpaste, and mouth rinses. However, just because fluoride is widely used does not mean that it's good for you. Consider that pesticides are used on fruits and vegetables — but are pesticides good for you? Too much fluoride in your body can cause a number of terrible side effects, including nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, upset stomach, headaches, tremors, seizures, muscular weakness, cancer, arthritis, white spots on the teeth, and death.
So put away your pocket book, pucker up and smile! Give your mouth, and your health the attention it deserves, and treat it to a little loving prevention.
Source: MindBodyGreen
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