“You cannot be healthy without oral health.” – David Satcher (Surgeon General 1998—2000)
Quick link to the Iodine products I use
An individual’s oral health is both directly and indirectly linked to overall health in the body. More and more research is coming out to support this. The teeth are connected to nerves, and the nerves are connected to blood vessels which are therefore joined to the circulatory and nervous systems. http://lifeyears.net/2018/03/30/overview-of-the-nervous-system-and-how-it-relates-to-our-health/
Infections of the teeth and gums have been shown to cause an increase in inflammation throughout the body. Gingivitis is a type of mild to moderate infection many are familiar with. Symptoms include red, puffy, and bleeding gums. Plaque and bacteria left on the teeth near the gum line builds up triggering an immune response which results in inflammation. If this condition goes unchecked long enough, one my find their condition progresses to a more serious condition know as Periodontitis or Periodontal disease. The symptoms of this disease include receding gums, tender gums, loose teeth, loss of teeth, and even damage to the jawbone. Individuals at greater risk include those with poor oral hygiene and poor nutrition, diabetics, smokers, individuals taking medications, those who are chronically dehydrated, and people with Parkinson’s. The link with many of these at risk individuals is dry-mouth or xerostomia. Saliva contains enzymes which help to reduce acidity in the mouth and neutralize harmful bacteria. In its absence these harmful intruders move in and begin to wreak havoc on the mouth. Soon what began as tender gums is now setting one up for more serious problems such as heart disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and dementia. Cardiovascular surgeons are taking this connection quite seriously, especially in the case of individuals with valvular heart disease; in this case doctors recommend regular oral examination to keep periodontal disease at bay as inflammatory links associated with this disorder are known to worsen this already problematic heart condition. Its also been shown to cause further hardening of the arteries. According to the CDC (Center for Disease Control) 630,000 Americans die every year from heart disease; that’s 1 in 4 deaths in America. It’s the number one killer of both men and women. Maintaining good oral health can greatly reduce one’s risk. In the case of rheumatoid arthritis 1.3 million Americans are affected. This is an auto immune problem in which alien proteins gather in the joints alerting the immune system to attack. The immune system uses inflammation to isolate foreign invaders in an attempt to keep them from spreading. Often the source of these alien proteins is unknown, but research is now finding that at least one source is coming directly from infections in the mouth. Hidden bacteria could be lurking under a crown, or in the aftermath of a root canal. Similar lines are now being drawn to other conditions such as Alzheimer’s, Multiple sclerosis, and Lupus. http://lifeyears.net/2018/03/31/an-overview-of-the-lymphatic-and-immune-systems/This same inflammatory response has been shown to quicken the effects of dementia and increase one’s risk of stroke.
It has also been found that Infections of the mouth such as periodontal disease can increase the incidence of bacterial pneumonia. Porphromonas gingivalisis a pathogenic bacterium which forms colonies on blood agar. When present in the mouth due to infection, it not only enters the blood stream directly (in a similar way as nicotine from chewing tobacco; giving a quick buzz) but is also available to be inhaled into the lungs where is can explode into a whole host of other problems, including pneumonia.
The good news is, there are a multitude of ways to prevent and eradicate oral infections. Cutting back on sugars and processed foods is a good start, as these things feed the bad bacteria in the body, thereby strengthening their numbers. Brushing twice a day for at least two full minutes, and paying special attention to the gum-line is especially helpful when done regularly. I know we hear this one a lot, but you need to be flossing at least once a day. I like to recommend floss sticks which make the job much easier. There are also water flushing systems one could buy to help get around braces and retainers. There are many other techniques for cleaning between teeth such as oil pulling and swishing water after meals. Oil pulling is generally done with coconut oil these days, as it is both antibacterial, and antimicrobial, but was traditionally done with sesame oil in Ayurvedic medicine. A spoon full of coconut oil in the mouth and swished for 10 to 20 minutes creates a detergent effect, cleaning teeth and killing bacteria. I would recommend doing some research before trying this technique as people with fillings and crowns could find that oil pulling loosens them over time. Other oils beneficial for cleaning and killing bad bacteria include neem, tea tree, oregano, and many others. Drinking green tea has been shown to help reduce the occurrence of mouth infections due to its high and specially tailored antioxidant content; howeverthose with dry-mouth should avoid caffeinated beverages and alcohol as these are diuretics and can cause further dehydration, exacerbating the issue. Xylitol is an artificial sweetener that has been used to treat mouth infections with great success, though I’m not a huge fan of artificial sweeteners it may have its place in serious cases. It should be noted that this sweetener is fatal to dogs, and is often found in sugar free gums. Incidentally chewing sugar free gum can help to keep the mouth clean as well. Ways to fight dry-mouth include sucking on sugar free lozenges to induce saliva, keeping hydrated, aloe vera juice, ginger, stop smoking, and trying not to be a mouth breather, which nobody likes anyway!! But seriously, putting some or all of these things into practice could truly increase your quality of life on so many levels. I also highly recommend putting a couple drops of iodine into about 2 tablespoons of filtered water and swishing for at least 30 seconds (a minute is even better). Make sure to spit it out!
You may have noticed I didn’t mention anything about the use of Fluoride; here’s why http://lifeyears.net/2018/04/01/fluoride-in-the-drinking-water/
