Dental, Tongue, and Gum Care
Taking good care of our teeth and gums has been shown to benefit cardiac health, digestion, relationships, self-esteem, and maybe even creativity!
- Cardiac health and gum health have been closely linked –
- any infection on the body can weigh on the immune system and circulation. Generally, infections are fought off with fevers, antibiotics, herbs, and other anti-bacterial support but the gums can maintain a low-grade infection that can be present for extended periods of time. This can introduce a host of bacterias from the outside world into the bloodstream on a regular basis and in time can be taxing on the heart itself.
- Digestion
- The purpose of this challenge is to chew more. Sometimes life presents surprises and expected events that prevent chewing such as oral surgeries, loss of teeth, dental infections that have yet to be attended to, and so on.
- Taking advantage of food processors and blenders can be one way to help ease the process. For those unable to chew, salivate before putting small portions of puree into your mouth and hold it there for a few moments before gently swallowing.
- Relationships
- In communicating with others bad breath from gingivitis (or other sources such as tonsil stones) can affect the delivery of our message. Good oral hygiene is the practice of communal respect.
- Self-esteem
- A smile is a beautiful show of confidence and connection. Clean teeth is a sign of self-care.
- Creativity
- Do you enjoy cooking and creating your own culinary delights? Did you know you can also craft your own toothpastes, mouthwashes, and herbal or probiotic drinks for a healthy mouth?
- See my photo below for some great ideas!
- General good care for your teeth, gums, and tongue.
- Floss and brush regularly. Consider using an electric toothbrush.
- Replace worn out toothbrushes (at least every 3 months).
- Try different kinds of toothpaste and brushes (more environmentally friendly brushes have handles made from bamboo – others have charcoal incorporated into the brush itself, which may be interesting but is more costly).
- Pro-tip: Add a drop of tea-tree oil on your fingertips and pull the floss through your fingers, coating it with the oil.
- For tongue, uvula, mouth, and lip piercings, make sure they are kept clean and do not grate or apply pressure on the teeth or gums.
- Scrape your tongue to remove the coating of bacteria. You can buy and use a tongue scraper or a wide soup spoon.
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