If you have dental health problems, a visit to the dentist is a good idea. But you can also take action to prevent tooth decay and re-mineralize your teeth.
Looking after your teeth will support your oral health, helping to heal dental issues and stop others from occurring.
The ability to heal your teeth naturally depends on several factors, including the health of your salivary glands. Your diet plays a part too. Junk food and soda create bacteria that ramp up acids in your mouth. The acids attack tooth enamel and demineralize your teeth, but the process is reversible. These tips can boost your dental health and revoke problems.
1. Why saliva matters
Healthy saliva protects teeth against demineralization and strengthens them by cleaning them. Saliva can also reduce acidity in your mouth and create a somewhat alkaline environment that helps you avoid cavities.
Healthy mouths have a pH of 8.5 to 7.5, the ideal level for remineralization. A lower pH increases the risk of mineral loss. Some medications, a dry mouth, and autoimmune diseases influence salivary flow in the negative. Ask your doctor or dentist to make recommendations to combat this.
2. Breathe through your nose
Acid-producing bacteria multiply when you breathe through your mouth because there’s no saliva to keep them at bay. You might adopt mouth breathing at night if you have nasal congestion and sleep on your back.
Sleep on your side and take measures to make breathing simple if it’s a problem. Steam inhalation or a nasal rinse may help. If you have a cold, prop yourself up with pillows to increase sinus drainage when you go to bed.
Practice breathing through your nose in the day, too, if you are a chronic mouth breather by habit. Choose a specific time to practice mindfully and team it with an action you already do. You might nose breathe while you walk the dog, for instance, or when you take coffee breaks. Healthy breathing will get easier after several practice sessions, and you’ll soon extend it to the rest of your day.
3. Alter your diet
Reduce cavity-causing foods like refined sugars, phytates, carbohydrates, processed vegetable oils, artificial sweeteners, processed foods, coffee, sodas, and alcohol.
White sugar and flour are devoid of fiber, minerals, and vitamins and weaken oral health. Starches and grains impact mineral absorption, and artificial sweeteners damage tooth enamel. Processed vegetable oils, once heated, are also harmful to teeth. Replace them with hemp, coconut, olive, or flax oils. Healthy, re-mineralizing foods include leafy green vegetables, calcium-rich foods, raw milk, grass-fed meat, and seaweed.
4. Consume foods with Vitamin D — and get some sun!
Vitamin D aids healthy teeth. It can help prevent gingivitis and periodontal disease and heal cavities, and it is a natural anti-inflammatory. It also aids the absorption of calcium into your teeth.
Vitamin D-rich foods include sardines, salmon, tuna, mackerel, cod, haddock, beef liver, chicken, milk, white mushrooms, eggs, yogurt, and cheese.
Your body will also generate vitamin D from sunlight, so spend time outdoors daily.
5. Re-mineralize your water
Re-mineralizing water boosts the pH and makes it alkaline. You can buy a reverse osmosis system or add mineral drops to your water. A pinch of Himalayan salt increases trace minerals in water, too, or you can use pascalite clay.
6.Increase Vitamin K
Vitamin K helps minerals reach the bones and teeth. You can find it in spinach, kale, collard greens, beet greens, mustard greens, turnip greens, broccoli, chard, parsley, and sprouts. Fermented vegetables, dairy products, fish, and some meats also contain vitamin K.
7.Try oil pulling
Oil pulling, an Ayurvedic practice, is good for teeth and your general health. It detoxifies the mouth, reducing toxins and creating a sterile environment that aids saliva flow.
This procedure is used to stop tooth decay, strengthen the jaw and gums, reduce inflammation, and heal bleeding gums. Use coconut or sesame seed oil, swishing it in your mouth and between teeth for 15 minutes. Next, spit, rinse, and brush your teeth with re-mineralizing toothpaste or activated charcoal.
Re-mineralize for a healthier mouth!
You can prevent dental visits or support dental treatment by re-mineralizing your teeth, avoiding acidic foods, and reducing the odds of cavities and other tooth problems. As a bonus, the practices that help you look after your teeth will also support your overall health.
References:
Medicaldaily.com/tooth-decay-mouth-breathing-brushing-teeth-help-372566.
Webmd.com/cold-and-flu/features/cold-relief-6-sleep-tips-to-help-you-breathe-easier. Holisticdentalinstitute.com/possible-remineralize-teeth/.
Medalerthelp.org/blog/vitamin-d-foods/.