Monthly Archives: November 2020

Will cleaning your tongue help reduce the risk of heart disease, arthritis, and other inflammatory diseases?

Scientific literature continues to highlight the connection between the health of our mouths and the health of our bodies. For example, there has been extensive research on the profound impact that oral health can have on health risks such as heart disease.

It’s all about balance

Your mouth and the rest of your body are inextricably connected, which means what happens in the mouth can influence every other part of your body as well.  Each person is really an entire ecosystem of microbes and human cells engaged in a beautiful genetic dance. In order to thrive, we must be good stewards of the various microbes that make up our bodies, and not allow them to become out of balance.

What does this have to do with cleaning the tongue?

The mouth is home to many microbes- they live on and between our teeth, as well as on our tongue. These microbes are a healthy and normal thing. However, microbes also make up plaque, and can cause cavities and bad breath. 

If we allow plaque (biofilms of microbes) to stay on our teeth and tongue, they mature and get thicker. And that’s where the trouble starts.

While it’s normal and healthy to have small amounts of microbes living in our mouths, thick biofilms that sit on our teeth and tongue become anaerobic (low-oxygen) environments, and this change allows other, pathogenic (disease-causing) microbes to flourish. These anaerobic microbes can cause an inflammatory cascade in our immune system, affecting areas of our body far beyond our mouth.

How could tongue cleaning lower the risk of heart disease (and other inflammatory conditions)?

The tongue plays a vital role in introducing new material into our entire GI tract (our digestive system). So, maintaining a thin biofilm on the tongue is important if we want to avoid continuously harboring and swallowing inflammation-causing microbes. This means we need to regularly clean our tongue and make sure the biofilm there does not thicken and begin to cause negative effects like inflammation.

Why brushing the tongue isn’t cleaning the tongue

Brushing the tongue is somewhat helpful, but it’s just not as thorough as cleaning (scraping) the tongue. Scraping the tongue is more effective in removing the harmful bacteria from the mouth.

Causes of bad breath.

The tongue is home to the majority of microbes that cause bad breath.

So, by cleaning your tongue daily, not only will you support both your ‘in-the-mouth’ and ‘whole-body’ health, but you’ll also naturally freshen your breath. 

“Can cleaning your tongue help reduce the risk of heart disease, arthritis, and other inflammatory issues?”, Ora Wellness. https://orawellness.com/can-cleaning-your-tongue-help-reduce-heart-disease/

What You Need to Know About Fluorosis

Our mouths contain bacteria that use sugars in the foods we eat and the beverages we drink, to produce an acid that harms our teeth. 

Fluoride protects our teeth and is an important mineral, especially for children. However, too much fluoride can cause something called dental fluorosis which can harm our teeth. 

Dental fluorosis results in a slight change in the look of the teeth, usually in the form of very faint white markings. Typically, the fluorosis seen in the US is a mild form that does not cause pain and does not affect the health or function of teeth. Fluorosis only occurs when fluoride is consumed before the age of 8, while permanent teeth are still forming under the gums. 

When we help our children brush their teeth, it’s important to use toothpaste with fluoride to help protect their teeth, but it’s also important that they spit out the toothpaste, rather than swallow it. Make sure to read the directions on all children’s toothpaste products to know how much toothpaste to put on their toothbrush. A good general rule is children under three should use a thin smear, and children over 3 should use an amount the size of a pea. Young children should not use mouthwash or mouth rinse.

There are many conflicting theories around dental fluorosis and that’s why you need to turn to trusted voices to help you determine what you need to know for yourself and your family. This is where your family dentist plays an important role. Start regular dentist visits for your child by their first birthday. Children who consume a typical diet, drink fluoridated water, and use fluoridated dental products properly will get the fluoride they need for healthy teeth and are no more at risk of fluorosis now than children were 20 years ago.

“What You Need to Know About Fluorosis Today”, Campaign for Dental Health.

What You Need to Know About Fluorosis Today