Keeping your oral health in its best condition is a goal many people have because it can have an effect on the rest of your body, such as inflammation around your heart lining and bone loss in your jaw bone. Here are some methods you can take to keep your teeth and gums in better condition and make your next dental check-up a more positive one.
Follow a Teeth-Healthy Diet
There are certain foods, minerals, and nutrients that affect the health and strength of your teeth to either promote oral cavities or stop them and help your teeth heal where any damage has occurred. Foods that contain phytic acid can promote oral cavities and includes grains, nuts, seeds, and legumes. A study completed by Drs. Mellanby and published in the British Medical Journal found that children who were fed a diet of foods low in phytic acid and given a Vitamin D supplement had very few new cavities and even had existing cavities begin to heal.
Because of the way many crops are grown using phosphorous fertilizers, the phytic acid is even higher today in many foods, versus years ago, further accelerating the rate your teeth are depleted of their healing and strength-forming nutrients. These foods containing higher amounts of phytic acid include bran, oatmeal, soybeans, seeds and nuts, and they can block your body's absorption of calcium and even take calcium from your teeth. Then, the phytic acid is converted into phytates, which lower the absorption of teeth-strengthening minerals and nutrients, such as phosphorous, magnesium, zinc, and iron.
Once you have had a tooth develop a cavity and begin to decay, eating the right foods and avoiding the ones containing phytic acid can stop the decay and even help the tooth to heal over in that area of damage. Increase your intake of healthy meats and fats, such as coconut oil and cultured butter, and take a daily supplement of calcium, Vitamin A, iron, and Vitamin D, then reduce your intake of sugary foods and starches.
Practice Oil Pulling
Oil pulling is a practice that has been around for centuries and has recently begun to become popular in the U.S. It is a good way to increase the health of your teeth and gums. Oil pulling, especially with coconut oil, absorbs and removes the harmful bacteria Streptococcus mutans from your mouth that is responsible for the formation of cavities. During the oil pulling process, the oil also removes plaque from your teeth and reduces inflammation in your gums, strengthening them and also promoting healing when you practice it regularly.
If you are looking for a natural way to help you whiten your teeth, oil pulling with coconut oil also whitens the surface enamel of your teeth for a brighter appearance.
You can begin your oil pulling habit each morning as you are getting ready for the day. When you wake up and before you eat or drink anything or brush your teeth, take one to two teaspoons of coconut oil into your mouth. When it melts, begin to swish it around inside your mouth to cover the teeth, gums, and even under your tongue.
Continue swishing the oil around for 20 minutes but no longer. It has been found that 20 minutes is the amount of time before your body begins to reabsorb some of the toxins the oil pulling process traps from inside your mouth. Spit the oil into the trash and rinse with warm water, then brush your teeth as usual for the day.
Follow these two tips along with regular brushing and flossing, and visiting your dentist regularly, to promote your optimal oral health. Click here to continue reading about oral health care practices.
Share19 May 2017
Halloween is a holiday that my children love, and telling them they can't go door-to-door collecting candy would break their hearts. This led me to allowing them to collect candy on the holiday, then rationing it out to them every day instead of letting them gobble it up in just a few days. I always thought this was better for them, but my dentist told me this could be the reason why their February dental check-ups were always their worst ones. Daily candy consumption was taking a toll on their teeth. I started a new tradition of letting them indulge for two days, then giving them the option to swap the rest with me in exchange for a new toy. They never pass on the opportunity for a new toy. I created this blog to encourage other parents find similar tactics to keep their children's teeth healthy after Halloween.