Five Simple Steps to Maintain Healthy Gums and Teeth

Why is it that with all the technically advanced toothbrushes, toothpastes and mouthwashes available today, the incidence of gum disease and tooth decay is higher than ever before?

WHY???

There are three main reasons

1. The food we eat today is so lacking in nutrients that we derive far less benefit from it then our ancestors. Carbonated drinks, juices (apple juice as a pH of only 2), sugary food, processed food and artificial sweeteners all add to this burden.

2. The daily cleaning habits are often insufficient in removing harmful bacteria from teeth, gums and tongue and do not reflect the need for a healthy mouth.

Toothpastes and mouthwashes  are not necessarily the most appropriate option for promoting oral health.

The modern methods ingrained into us through persistent marketing clearly haven’t been as effective as we are led to believe, especially with the overuse of chemicals.

3. Both 1 and 2 lead to an environment in your mouth that is more likely to be acidic then alkaline. And it´s only in an acidic mouth that harmful bacteria, that feed on sugars and carbohydrates, can thrive and infection starts.

Gum disease and Tooth decay are Infections!      

Mouth breathing, sinus problems, braces, acid reflux, bulimia and prescription drugs can increase acidity.

Bad breath might be a first sign the mouth gets too acidic. Other symptoms can be erosion of tooth enamel, discolouring of teeth and tooth sensitivity to cold and hot.

If someone in your family is suffering from gum disease or reoccurring tooth decay it is quite likely other family members have the same bacteria in their mouth as we pass them around.

Traditional cultures, the ones that haven´t converted to our so called civilised Western diet, hardly ever suffer from gum disease or tooth decay.

           The new era of prevention

To really keep your children´s and your own teeth sparkly white and healthy it is important to move beyond brushing, flossing and rinsing to a new standard of prevention.

Today prevention should first focus on changing the oral environment. The pH (acidic / alkaline level) of the mouth should be around 7 which mean it is alkaline.

This is achieved by using a totally different approach to oral health.

Your Whole Mouth Cleaning Programme

1. Saliva check with pH testing paper
2. Rinse with baking soda  for an alkaline mouth
3. Clean your teeth, gums and tongue with your Blotting Brush
4. Desinfect and store your Blotting Brush safely
5. Add Xylitol and Probiotics to your diet

First the saliva pH needs to be tested and monitored over a period of at least five weeks and periodically afterwards. This is easily done with pH strips. To measure the pH of saliva fill a teaspoon with saliva and place a strip of the measuring paper in the liquid. After a few seconds remove the paper and read the pH by comparing the colour of the paper with the test strip provided. Always test at the same time of the day. I recommend straight after getting out of bed. Do not drink or eat for two hours before testing.

If the pH is below 7 it is even more important to follow the next steps to regain healthy alkaline saliva.

Second use an alkaline mouth rinse before start cleaning teeth. The most affordable way is using baking soda in a mix with luke warm water. Swished around your teeth for a minute will provide a highly alkaline environment.

Third is cleaning your teeth, gums and tongue.

According to research people in the U.S. spend an average of only 37 seconds brushing their teeth. You and your child can do better!

As long as your teeth and gums are healthy use any tooth brush you like but make sure it has a small head to reach every area. Electric tooth brushes especially the ultra-sonic ones are very effective.

Brushing without toothpaste allows your child to feel the bacterial biofilm before and after brushing, which is not possible when using toothpaste due to the flavour and wetting agents. Toothpaste makes the mouth feel clean even when it’s not. Dry brush first until the teeth feel clean and taste clean, then add toothpaste. Choose a toothpaste with as little as possible chemicals. Make sure it is flouride and sodium laureth sulphat free.

If your child already suffers from gum problems and / or tooth decay I recommend using  the Blotting Brush and Dr. Phillips Blotting Technique (for details see www.toothwizards.com). Blotting Brushes are used without toothpaste.

Now floss your teeth. The Blotting Brush can do this for you as well. Watch the video here

Flossing is followed by tongue scraping. The process of tongue cleaning removes millions of bacteria, decaying food debris, fungi, yeast (e.g. candida), and dead cells. This process is vital as 80-95% of bad breath originates from material at the back of the tongue. For best results gently scrape the surface of the tongue from the back to the front. Run the scraper under the tap after every scrape.

Watch www.youtube.com/watch?v=nFeb6YBftHE  for a funny and educational video clip.

Fourth. You need to clean your toothbrush after every use for at least 30 seconds with an antibacterial rinse such as Listerine original. Then rinse the bristles with water and store it head up allowing to dry. Keep your toothbrushes away from each other and never share toothbrushes! Change your toothbrushes regularly.

    Fifth. Introducing  Xylitol and Probiotics into your daily diet. Xylitol is a tooth friendly sugar, which         kills harmful bacteria in the mouth and has amazing benefits for teeth and general health. Xylitol comes in many different forms such as mints, gums, tooth paste, powder, granules or nasal spray. Look for products like those from Spry that are 100 percent xylitol-sweetened and available in health food stores or online.

Aim for five exposures of xylitol each day.

Most important to have Xylitol after each meal.

Oral probiotics (e.g EvoraKids) deliver millions of friendly bacteria to change the balance of bacteria in your mouth. Use them twice daily.

This  protocol is inexpensive, easy to follow, and, more importantly, you’ll notice a difference within a few days.

Also Check out www.toothwizards.com

Yours in healthy gums & teeth

Dr. Elmar Jung