Teeth, we have seen all kinds! Some people are just genetically blessed with those beautiful pearly whites, while others endure assorted procedures to attempt to achieve our ideal of perfection. Poor dental health can create a number of health problems, including general inflammation that can cause fatigue, damage to the immune system, compromised nutrition, as well as assaults on mood, confidence, and other emotional consequences. There is even a link between dental health and heart health. As a healthcare practitioner, my goal is to help ensure complete health, teeth included.
In any case, we have to give our chompers daily TLC. If we fall off the wagon and neglect proper dental care, we are bound to travel a bumpy path. Cavities, cracks, crowns, root canals, and tooth extractions all involve some variant of emotional, mental, and physical trauma for many of us. So, let’s try to love our teeth, love our smiles, and take excellent care of our mouths, so we can avoid those extra dental visits. I do love my dentist, but I’d rather have healthy teeth and see her no more than two times a year.
Fear can keep many of us out of that dental chair. But maintenance is key in avoiding the path of no dental return. Our teeth need yearly maintenance (recommended twice a year) to keep them functional and in good shape.
Incorporating good habits into our daily regime can help ensure proper dental health. With a good dental routine at home, we can reduce anxiety-filled trips to the dentist.
1. Floss. Flossing is just as important, if not more so, than brushing to reach those cracks and crevices that harbor bacteria that can cause decay, inflammation and disease. It took me years to learn how to properly floss. The key is good friction and really wrapping the floss around, up and over the tooth and into the gum.
2. Invest in an Electric Toothbrush. Growing up, I could not have imagined that someday I’d be asking Santa for a toothbrush (even if it does vibrate). But an electric toothbrush is a great way to vibrate tooth grime out of the all the crannies and it also provides stimulation to the gums, which increases the blood flow and circulation. I personally like the Philips Sonicare DiamondClean. It’s a luxury toothbrush, well worth the money… in diamonds.
3. Healthy Food Choices. The most basic is to avoid sugar. Sugary foods and sugary drinks feed plaque. Eat crunchy foods like apples, carrots and celery sticks. These “crunchy” and healthy food options help clean the teeth. A diet including calcium, vitamin D and vitamin C-rich foods such as sardines, salmon, dairy, eggs, leafy greens, bell peppers, oranges, strawberries and papaya is important for bone and gum care.
Chew your food to really get the most of the enzymes found in saliva, which help digestion. The mouth is where the initial stage of digestion begins. Healthy teeth and healthy gums lead to good mouth flora, which help break food down and prepare it for its journey onward. Chewing also increases the surface area that foods reach in the mouth, making absorption of vitamins and nutrients easier. A healthy mouth can help aid healthy digestion, which greatly impacts our overall health and wellness.
4. Oil pulling. Oil pulling is an ancient practice used for detoxification and for oral hygiene. Sesame oil, coconut oil or olive oil is swished in the mouth for 10-20 minutes (yes, minutes) and then spit out. After, the mouth is rinsed with either salt or regular water. Oil pulling can help eliminate harmful bacteria. Plus our very vascular gums are quick to absorb the many nutrients found in these oils. So, enjoy your breakfast swishing.
5. A natural toothpaste. I recommend a natural, fluoride-free toothpaste such as Tom’s of Maine. Jason, Weleda, Kiss My Face, and Auromere also offer plant-derived toothpastes. These toothpastes do not contain dyes or artificial flavors. Since our water already contains fluoride, it is not necessary to ingest it in our toothpaste… Many additives in toothpaste are not only toxic but simply unnecessary. Sodium lauryl sulfate is only added to toothpaste to make the froth (yup, that same froth we end up dripping all over our clothes). We can also skip the added sweeteners and abrasives. The cleaner the toothpaste, the cleaner the mouth!