Do dental health issues affect other parts of the body?

This is a very important question.  More and more research has been completed that tells us the mouth is extremely important to the overall health of the body. 

• First, the mouth is the entry point for all foods.  The secretion of healthy saliva begins in the mouth.  Saliva is the beginning of the digestion process (after the nose of course which directs us to salivate even before the food enters the mouth by the aromas being sensed).   Saliva should be secreted into a healthy mouth that is clean, vibrant, infection free, and free from harmful bacteria. 
• Secondly, the mouth is the mortar and pestle for the food.  Here all the foods are combined with saliva and ground into a paste sometimes referred to as chi. Chewing has become a hurried and lazy chore for most humans.  Each bite should chewed at least 40 times for the chi to be ready to be sent to the stomach.  It is this chewing action that directs the digestive organs start their part of the digestive process (this includes bile productions, enzyme production, and hydrochloric acid production). 

Over and above the actual functions of eating, the mouth plays a very important role in health.  If the teeth and gums harbor harmful bacteria it can be absorbed throughout the body.   The body calls upon its response mechanism, which is inflammation.  Gum disease, bleeding and inflammation cause a liver response known as C-reactive protein (CRP).  Some dentists are now looking at blood testing – especially with patients with periodontal disease.  If CRP does not return to normal after the dental issues are cleared, then the patient is returned to his physician to find the cause of the symptoms remaining.  Most patients show improvement in their blood work after completion of their dental programs and good dental health protocols.

Dental problems like Periodontal Disease, Gingivitis, and Pyorrhea can mean nutrient deficiencies of Vitamins A, C, D, and Calcium.  Take caution with your fluoride and fluoridated water supplies also. Fluoridated water is linked to cancer, neurological issues, bone disease, and even more cavities (studies done by the University of Arizona).  Fluoride has long been believed to be the magic bullet against tooth decay; however; fluoride has changed over the years and today our water supply is 70% Hydrofluosilicic- acid which is much more concerning that the sodium fluorides from years ago.  Hydrofluosilicic acid is only 40 –50 % Fluoride – the rest being heavy metals like aluminum, lead and arsenic which are all pollutants for the body.

A good dental protocol will include:

• Proper brushing using a soft tooth brush at a 45 degree angle to the gums for at least 30 seconds per quadrant using a good natural product (some listed below)
• Daily flossing
• Daily mouth rinsing with a rotation of Celtic Sea Salt in spring water,
  Vita-Myr Mouthwash, Tom’s of Maine cleansing mouthwash,
  DeSouza liquid chlorophyll or even carefully chosen products from your dentist. 

We now know that it is not the depth of the pocket around the tooth, but depth of the point at which bleeding occurs (as bleeding indicates inflammation and bacteria).  Using a good cleaning protocol and getting your gums so that they do not bleed easily means an improvement in your total body health.

Some products and sites you will want to investigate are:

www.ToothSoap.com 

www.VitaMyr.com

www.holisticdental.org

— Joan    © 2007  Joan Goodman

Joan Goodman, CTN, MH
1950 Eldridge Parkway, Suite #5101
Houston, TX  77077

281-493-9473 

All articles are copyrighted by Joan Goodman. They may only be reprinted with her express permission.

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