What about the mouth?

What about the mouth?

Good oral care is imperative to prevent diseases later in life. How much attention are you giving to your oral health?

There are many elements to dental health that we can do simply with natural methods. Chemical antibacterial mouthwashes and toothpastes do more harm than good. The environment of the mouth contains both beneficial and harmful bacteria. It is the saliva that keeps everything in balance. It prevents tartar and plaque build-up as well as prevents tooth decay and gum disease.

The key is allowing the natural saliva in the mouth to be sufficient to protect the teeth and gums and using natural methods to keep the mouth clean without damaging the natural good bacteria that is present.

Benefits of Saliva

  • Protects teeth and limits bad bacteria
  • Contains antimicrobial substances that can help prevent bad bacteria build-up in plaque
  • Contains hormones leptin and ghrelin that help regulate appetite
  • Helps support beneficial bacteria in the mouth

How to Increase Saliva Production

  • Chew Food: The more that food is chewed, the more saliva is produced.
  • Stay hydrated: Dehydration of the body by just 8% lowers salivary flow to zero.
  • Make the Chew Motion: Even when not eating food, making the chew motion in the mouth will produce saliva in the mouth.

Oral Dental Care

  • Natural toothpaste: These are good to use and usually contain baking soda and essential oils. They may also include hydrogen peroxide. Make your own. See recipe below.
  • Essential oil blends just for teeth: Body Food Dental, doTerra OnGuard.
  • Best essential oils: Peppermint, cloves, cinnamon, spearmint, eucalyptus, rosemary – Make sure food grade if not buying a formula. Use a few drops on a toothbrush.
  • Restoring oral microbiome: Probiotics for the mouth – AOR Breath Biotics Lozenges, Culture Care Probiotic Gum
  • Professional teeth cleaning: This is also very important.
  • Tooth whitening: Activated charcoal may help. It’s best used in combination with other ingredients. There are several toothpastes with activated charcoal added and this is best. Straight activated charcoal may be too gritty for the enamel surface.

Oil Pulling

What is the purpose of oil pulling? Don’t believe the hype you may read on the internet. Its purpose is to protect the mouth and teeth from bad bacteria and yeast, and it can help prevent plaque buildup as a result. There is research that indicates that plaque buildup and bad bacteria can be a factor in developing other conditions in the body but that is an indirect relationship. The main reason to oil pull is to have healthy gums and teeth by using a natural preventative method.

Coconut oil is best as it contains two beneficial fatty acids: lauric acid, which is antibacterial and caprylic acid which is antifungal. Put up to a tablespoon of coconut oil in the mouth for 20 minutes as soon as awake in the morning, swishing it around the mouth during this time. There is no need to melt it as it will melt in the mouth. Spit it out into the garbage and not into the sink. Rinse with water and spit into the garbage as well. Otherwise, the coconut oil will clog the drain over time. Brush teeth with a natural toothpaste.

Making Your Own Toothpaste

  • 3 tbsp raw coconut oil
  • 1 tbsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp activated charcoal
  • 10 drops peppermint or clove essential oil

Melt the coconut oil in a small pot. Pour into a bowl and add the other ingredients. Stir. Pour into a small container and store in the refrigerator. This will keep for several months.

What is your favorite oral care product?

To your radiant health, with love

5 Surprising Beauty Foods

5 Surprising Beauty Foods

All fresh fruits and vegetables contain magical powers when it comes to shiny hair, clear skin, and strong nails. However, the ones I’ve chosen below are perhaps not as well known for their powerful beauty benefits. Try and include these foods into your diet if you want to look your best without the need for botox or other unnatural remedies.

  1. Red Peppers. All red and orange colored foods contain beta-carotene, a powerful antioxidant. Red peppers are particularly beautifying due to the minerals A, C, and K. Vitamins A and C can help prevent cell damage that leads to premature ageing, and they can also reduce inflammation, which can cause a puffy-looking face. Pepper also has Vitamin K, which is an excellent property for protecting our cells from damage.
  2. Spinach. All leafy greens are actually very powerful in terms of being a beauty food because of the chlorophyll they contain. There are also loads of other phytochemicals and fiber in spinach that help build blood that is super clean and which will show through in your skin.
  3. Turmeric. This yellow-colored, Indian spice has a load of powerful antioxidant qualities. Turmeric assists in protecting our cells from free radical damage and also contributes towards cleaning up metabolic waste in our systems. It is also great as a liver flusher to get rid of any poisons and chemicals which are stored there.
  4. Pumpkin Seeds. Wow, these really are powerful. What don’t pumpkin seeds have in them?! The humble pumpkin seed contains high levels of zinc, calcium, potassium, magnesium, and vitamins B, C, and E. Pumpkin seeds are also a great source of amino acids and omega-3 fatty acids, all essential for healthy cell maintenance. Make a handful of pumpkin seeds a regular part of your diet, and you will definitely notice a change in your appearance.
  5. Parsley. Next time your plate is garnished with parsley, don’t push it aside. This is a pretty powerful herb when it comes to anti-aging, as well as purifying and cleansing the body. It contains vitamins A and C as well as anti-oxidizing flavonoids that protect our cells from free radical damage. Parsley also helps to purify the blood, kill bacteria, aid digestion, and cleanse toxins from the liver.

The best thing is that all these foods are easy to incorporate into your diet. Add turmeric to juice and combine the other foods with some other fixings to make a great, beautifying salad. Who said that beauty was hard to keep?

 

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