The END of cavities! A natural oral health approach 🌿🦷✨
Gardening on a micro-scale, my routine, oral health research, & a DIY mouthwash recipe
I detest dental appointments!
I was five the first time I visited a dentist (if memory serves). He took one look at me and frowned. “I see the problem”, he sneered, his gaze resting sourly on the unopened cherry lollipop in my shirt pocket.
We had just come from the bank where ‘nice lady at the counter’ rewarded my good manners with the sweet. For a farm kid, candy was a rare treat. But the dentist didn’t know that, or of my sensitive nature and grim family oral health history, his haughtiness reaching a peak when he found a cavity during my examination. The shame of that first experience felt big in my small body.
“Your teeth are the wrong shape”
“You just need to floss more”
“Avoid citrus fruits”
“Don’t eat carbs”
I’ve heard it all.
Over the course of my 20’s I (unnecessarily) spent a small fortune trying to ensure my oral health, leaving me with a long list of disappointing encounters, confusing rules, and twist of emotions ranging from fear to contempt. Also, I know I shouldn’t get hung up on aesthetics BUT… the florescent lighting, that antiseptic smell and equally sterile set of wall décor and furnishings, the receptionist who seems to have zero interest in my existence, might all be forgivable if the doctor had real interest to discuss WHY, despite having excellent gums and habits, are my teeth are cavity prone?!
I apologize to all the big-hearted, open-minded dentists out there, striving to give their patients the best experience and, I acknowledge that there are good and bad apples in every barrel. I did eventually find one worth smiling about - and it changed everything.
Dr. O’s waiting room was only slightly less antiseptic than average although in place of sticky magazines there were real plants and a treasure trove of natural health books with titles like, Wheat Belly, The Anti-Inflammatory Diet, and When The Body Says No: Exploring the Stress Disease Connection. He was a kind elderly Swedish man, quick to listen and slow to speak, with blue eyes that sparkled beneath his cartoonish magnifying dental loupes. When I asked him why my teeth were cavity prone, his answer irrevocably changed the way I view my mouth:
“We receive much of our oral environment through kisses from our mothers and fathers.”
His words brought to mind sweet imagery of childhood quickly followed by my realisation that he was talking about the Oral Microbiome!
Fun Facts:
Tooth enamel is about as hard as steel; both rank about 5 on a Mohs scale.
The average person produces enough saliva per year to fill a hot tub.
700+ kinds of bacteria live in the mouth (Deo, P. N., & Deshmukh, R., 2019).
Tooth enamel patterns are similar to fingerprints; they are unique to each individual.
A Natural Approach
Meeting Dr. O took place at a key moment in my life, right as I was beginning my formal studies in the world natural medicine. Taking the long route (as usual), after a lot of trial and error and a couple of fancy certificates securely hung on the wall, I’ve arrived at a solution to my dental problems… and, maybe yours too!
I came to understand that the organisms which live in the mouth (and are the driving force behind oral health or decay) are not a random collection but a living community largely determined by lifestyle factors.
If you’re not familiar, the microbiome is community of organisms that live in and on us and perform a number of vital functions. I tend to talk about it often because: 1) It’s my jam, academically speaking and, 2) It is connected to almost every aspect of health.
While it’s true that the microbiome begins development very early in our life (in the womb even), it is constantly subject to change and therefore can be moulded. Viewing the mouth as a living ecosystem helped me to start thinking of my oral care routine like the tending of a garden; an organic process involving more than just planting and weeding. One needs good soil, sun, water, fertiliser, pollinators, time, and consistent tending.
Imagine if you poured alcohol on your garden… it would kill everything including the soil. Much of what is on the market for dental care is like weed killer – it may get rid of the noxious stuff, but it will wipe out the flowers and bees too. This is why the latest in toothpaste, mouthwashes, and “treatments” didn’t work for me and actually gave me mouth sores. A natural approach to dental health is one that supports the oral “garden” and essentially boosts the body’s natural efforts to maintain health.
Things to consider which can support or hinder your oral microbiome:
exercise
sleep
stress
hormones
medication
illness
diet
hygiene practices
🌸 Today we are going to focus on the last two: diet & hygiene.
My EXACT routine & A DIY mouthwash recipe
This is what I do to keep my mouth healthy and my dentist wondering why I’ve barely needed an annual cleaning in recent years. Of course, I cannot guarantee results, but it’s certainly worth trying and seeing how it works for you.