How do I keep my mouth FRESH AND HEALTHY?

How do I keep my mouth FRESH AND HEALTHY? – Paleo Dentist Blog #89
Dr. Spiker Davis D.D.S. 713-781-2800 Dr. Matt Guerre D.D.S. 713-781-2800
In collaboration with Dr. John Seger M.D. Cardiologist 713-791-9444 and Jenna Nixon.
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Every day in our office we are asked questions “about how do I keep my mouth FRESH AND HEALTHY?”  That is a very good question and one that has a lot of answers.  In fact, it is a combination of many things, so I thought I would list our favorite top 10 must do items for a FRESH, CLEAN AND HEALTHY MOUTH!

As you are aware, the mouth is the window to your health and plays a crucial role in your overall health.  From fresh breath and kissing all the way down to your favorite drink or meal, the mouth is integral part of so many things and these 10 tips can help you maintain your health and improve your smile.  In my opinion, if you follow these 10 tips and you will improve your health and keep your smile beautiful and healthy for a lifetime.  So, here is our top 10 MUST DO’S!!

1. REGULAR BRUSHING-We all know this one but in today’s world so many of our patients snack all day long and yet they only brush in the morning and at night. Most dentists would agree that we should brush after every meal.  We also think after every snack especially if it is a high carb (think bread and chips) or sugary snack like candy or chocolate.  We also think everyone should use a “SONIC TOOTHBRUSH”.  You can only do about 100 strokes per minute with a manual brush and the Sonic toothbrush is upwards of 32,000 strokes per minute.  This is a must!
2. DENTAL FLOSS-every time you eat (I did say EVERY) food particles get in between the teeth and under the gums. In most cases the toothbrush can not get into those places.  If you don’t floss those food particles will decompose and cause bad breath, decay and gum infections.  “YOU DON’T HAVE TO FLOSS ALL YOUR TEETH, JUST THE ONES YOU WANT TO KEEP”.  Not to mention that gum infections can spread to other parts of the body, and they are also linked to heart attacks and strokes.  YOU MUST FLOSS Daily!
3. SUGAR IS POISON-Sugar is linked to 45 different medical conditions (such as high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke, cancer, type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease and 38 more) and #1 and #2 are cavities and gum infections. Please cut back as much as possible.  The American Heart Association says you should limit SUGAR INTAKE to no more than 6 tsps (24 grams) per day!  I personally think it should be less.  If you are at a restaurant and can’t floss at the moment then please rinse your mouth out with water.
4. RINSE YOUR MOUTH-There is a huge debate about what type of mouthwash to use and how often. I personally use Listerine at least once a day.  During Covid, I rinsed 3 times a day as it kills the Covid virus and in one study reduced infection rates by 50%.  It also kills the germs in your mouth that are responsible for cavities and gum infections.  If you are opposed to an alcohol mouthwash then just rinse with water as this will remove loose debris and dilute the sugar in your mouth.
5. SCRAPE YOUR TONGUE-Many of the bacteria that are in your mouth start out on the tongue and crawl into the papilla (small vertical folds or fiber looking fingers on top of your tongue). The bacteria can hide in these folds for a long time and grow and multiple.  We recommend that you brush your tongue either with your toothbrush or with a tool called a tongue scraper.  Do not ignore this part of your mouth.
6. DO NOT SMOKE– smoking creates a great environment for bacteria to grow and multiply not to mention that it is linked to gum infections and even or cancer. Please DO NOT SMOKE.  It will also discolor your teeth and lead to bad breath!
7. DRINK LOTS OF WATER-lately, lots of our patients have developed a dry mouth and this is usually linked to lots of cavities and gum infections. Many times, it is caused by a reaction or side effect to medications such as high blood pressure medicine or statins.  So water is crucial to washing out debris and lubricating your mouth.  Most dentists and physicians recommend drinking at least 8 glasses of water per day.
8. AVOID DRINKING TOO MUCH ALCOHOL-Alcohol in many cases contains a lot of sugar. It can also dry out your mouth and often causes acid reflux both of which can lead to decay and gum disease.  My physician told me recently that I should drink one glass of water after each glass of alcohol.  This will help.
9. WEAR A MOUTH GUARD OR A NIGHT GUARD-If you participate in sports then a mouth guard is essential. I can’t tell you how many patients have had their teeth knocked out playing some type of contact sport.  I even had one patient swing so hard with his tennis racket that he came around and hit himself in the mouth and knocked out both of his front teeth.  Also, since covid we have had a massive increase in people grinding their teeth in their sleep.  It is totally out of control, and I almost think that everyone should wear a protective night guard every night.  An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
10. VISIT YOUR DENTIST AT LEAST TWICE A YEAR-regular checkups will often catch problems when they are small and cheap versus waiting till you need root canals and extractions etc. Just think, if you would spend about 10 minutes per day flossing, brushing, scraping your tongue and avoiding SUGAR, you could probably save about $10,000.  I like the sound of that investment 10 minutes for $10,000!

 SUMMARY-It is obvious to ME that your mouth is the window to your health.  In my opinion, follow these 10 tips, spend minutes on oral hygiene and save $10,000.  bottom line
LET’S THROW OUT SUGAR AND GET HEALTHY FOR 2024.  The doctors and staff are behind you and call us if we can help.  713-781-2800.  Also, please call or email JENNA NIXON if you need some detailed nutritional counseling from a true well trained professional.
 

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