Today we are looking at health from a different perspective. From inside our mouths to be specific. Yup that’s right. Our mouths can harbour all kinds of bacteria if not looked after properly and this can lead to problems to our health generally. Luckily we have Grace Clark (who works in the dental field) to tell us all about it and to show us how to make sure we are all sparkly and clean.
Did you know that poor oral health not only results in cavities and painful fillings but can also result in more serious health problems? Think about it – not maintaining good oral health will enable the sustenance of unhealthy bacteria in your mouth, which will not only impact the condition of your teeth but will also be able to travel to other parts of your body easily.
A Holistic Approach to Maintain Your Overall Health through General Dentistry
Many holistic doctors and dentists think of oral health as a window into the overall wellness of the whole person. Dentists believe your mouth also serves as an indication of your overall health. And dentists are usually the first in line when it comes to identifying the oral symptoms of potentially harmful diseases. For instance, periodontal disease is an indicator for diabetes. Therefore, it is extremely important to ensure good oral health to really embrace a holistic approach to maintaining your overall health and the best place to start is your mouth. Here are a few things you can do to ensure good oral health and subsequently improve your overall health:
Clean Your Mouth with a Tongue Cleaner
You already know of the importance of regularly brushing and flossing to ensure your teeth are in top shape. But you cannot protect your oral health from bacteria damage by simply brushing and flossing. To fully eliminate the bacteria from your mouth, you should also clean your tongue. Tongue cleaners are basically u-shaped wires with rubber grips that allow you to scrape the surface of your tongue and remove any harmful residue lingering in your mouth.
Monitor Your Diet
Your diet obviously plays a very important role when it comes to your oral health as everything you consume comes in contact with your teeth and gums. So, controlling and monitoring your diet is also a great way to protect your teeth and gums. Apart from avoiding unhealthy elements like sugar and starch, you must also try to cut out foods that contain high amounts of phytic acid and include healthier fats such as coconut oil, flax seed, and avocados in your diet.
Identify Damage Caused due to Stress
Stress can also cause significant damage to your gums and teeth. It could be something as unnoticeable as unconscious gritting or grinding of teeth or clenching of the jaws when you are stressed. This directly impacts the alignment of your teeth and can also cause difficulties in chewing which in turn can impact your digestion system. So, it is important to identify such tell-tale signs of stress and consciously make an effort to avoid it.
Change Oral Health Products
Sometimes years go by before people realize how their toothpaste really affects their teeth. Many commercial types of toothpaste include a number of harmful chemicals which could be doing more harm than good. So always check the ingredients that go into your toothpaste and avoid products with substances like artificial colouring and sweetening agents.
Apart from monitoring your daily habits, here are some age-old natural home remedies that you can use to maintain good oral health:
Oil Pulling
Simply rinse your mouth with a tablespoon of 100% pure coconut oil/clove oil for about 10 minutes and then spit the oil out. In this method, the oil is used as an anti-bacterial cleaning agent that “pulls” out any unhealthy components on and around your teeth.
Salt-Water Rinse
If oil-pulling is not for you, you can also try a combination of water and salt as it has an alkalizing effect and maintains the pH balance of your mouth, thus keeping the harmful bacteria at bay. It is also known to lower inflammation and is often recommended by dentists after dental procedures to help soothe irritation.
Apart from following the methods mentioned above to maintain good oral health, you must always schedule regular dental examinations to allow your dentist to keep a check on your oral health!
About the Author
A dental marketer at Michael G. Long DDS, Fresno, CA and a believer in holistic health, Grace lives by the rule that health and happiness go hand in hand. She writes on various dental topics focusing on healthy living and holistic health. When she’s not working or blogging, she enjoys spending her time with her family and volunteering at the local youth centres where she educates children about the importance of health and fitness.
