Everyone knows that we have bacteria in our mouths, but does that mean we should try to disinfect and bleach them like a toilet bowl or a kitchen sink so they are 99.9% germ free?
Not so. The mouth contains its own unique microbiome of bacteria that needs to be supported with the right nutrients to keep the teeth and gums in top shape. The solution to oral health is not sterilizing our mouths with antiseptic washes and antibacterial toothpastes (not to mention bleaching agents like whiteners) that are toxic if swallowed! More on this later.
The Human Microbiome Project at the National Institute of Health has found that the various microbiomes in the human body directly support our systemic physical health and mental wellbeing. When in proper balance, they also modulate and even reduce a wide range of specific diseases.
So why is oral care of particular importance?
A study released in January 2019 in the journal Science Advances made another link between oral health and brain health that should grab everyone’s attention. It found that there is a direct link between bacteria in the mouth that cause gum diseases, like gingivitis, and brain degeneration.
That’s right. The health of your mouth directly impacts the health of your brain!
Specifically, the harmful bacteria that grow in an imbalanced mouth microbiome contribute to the buildup of tau and amyloid plaques in the brain, which are associated with Alzheimer’s Disease.
Like every other system in our bodies, the key to health is balance. When we try to eradicate bacteria in our mouths in the name of health and beauty, we kill both the good and the bad indiscriminately. The disease-causing bacteria also love things like sugar and refined flour, and so our poor diets, coupled with antibacterial toothpastes and rinses, further set the stage for these bad bacteria to thrive and suppress the healthy functions of the good ones.
New Probiotic Toothpastes Offer A Solution
Fortunately, there are now probiotic toothpastes available, designed by dentists, that literally feed our mouth’s microbiome with its needed vitamins, minerals, and enzyme co-factors instead of trying to eradicate it. In so doing, probiotic toothpastes not only promote healthy bacterial levels and gleaming white teeth, but they also minimize the negative effects of bad bacteria on out brains.
If that weren’t amazing enough, our healthy and balanced mouth microbiome also sets the stage for our entire digestive process, which begins—you guessed it!—in the mouth.
We have been using probiotic toothpaste for years and will never go back to sterilizing conventional toothpastes—not even to so-called natural toothpastes or even essential oils that do the same thing using non-toxic ingredients.
If you would like to learn more about probiotic toothpaste or place an order, CONTACT US!
Sources:
http://advances.sciencemag.org/content/5/1/eaau3333
https://www.hmpdacc.org/hmp/publications.php