Oral health is important too!

So many people forget about their oral health, and it seriously grosses me out sometimes. But as a former Dental Assistant and Admin assistant in a Dental Lab, I've seen a lot  of people loose their teeth as a form of neglect. Sometimes we forget what we can't always see, or what we don't know how to take care of properly. I don't want you to have to loose your teeth, or be in pain for the rest of your life. I want to share my oral hygiene routine along with some tips for when you get into a sticky situation. 

Most days I start off with oil pulling for 15-20 minutes. Oil pulling will help release toxins from your body, whiten your teeth, help bad breath and improve gum health.  You can learn about oil pulling on my blog! (To the left, is my oil pulling tabs that I've made)

After I oil pull I floss and then brush with my Sonicare tooth brush. I like the Sonicare a lot, I've had one for about 4 years now. It's definitely a great investment for your health. I use my own toothpaste with 2 teaspoons of coconut oil, 2 teaspoons of baking soda and 10 drops of peppermint oil. Mix the coconut oil and baking soda first and then add the peppermint oil once it becomes a paste. I love the grit with this toothpaste, feels like it's really getting me clean. A lot of people don't know the correct amount of time to brush their teeth either, dentist's agree that 2 minutes is the best amount of time to brush your teeth. Brushing 30 seconds per quadrant is an easier way too look at it, (top right, top left, bottom right and bottom left)  I hope to get a water flosser this upcoming year, because that will help gum health too.  But in the mean time, flossing is very important, A lot of people I know, do not floss! That's where a majority of the cavities come from, because food stays between the teeth. So get that food out every single day! 

After I brush and floss, I use my homemade mouth wash. Which is 1/2 cup of distilled water,  2 teaspoons of baking soda and 2 drops of tea tree oil. I thought it would taste gross and I wouldn't be able to keep it in my mouth. But it's not bad, and I don't mind the taste at all. It breaks down sugar and protein from sticking to the gums, teeth and tongue. It is also a great way to reduce bad breath. And the tea tree oil helps with, inflammation and is a great antiseptic and reduces plaque!  Lastly I like to use my tongue scrapper, to get out any additional bacteria  
 and plaque.  I also bet you didn't know that tongue scraping will help clean your taste buds by getting the plaque off. So you will taste things more vividly! 

I usually try to brush mid-day as well, just so that I feel my best. Because sometimes I have coffee with my lunch and I don't like when my coffee stains my teeth or leaves me with coffee breath! I always have a to-go toothbrush, toothpaste and floss with me!

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At night I do most of what I do in my morning routine. I usually don't oil pull at night but if I'm not feeling well, I will oil pull again. Then I brush, floss, mouthwash and tongue scrape! If you're not into DIY toothpaste, and floss you can still use store bought ones and you'll still have an incredibly healthy oral hygiene routine. 

But why do we need to take care of our teeth and gums?  Because the healthier our mouths are the healthier our bodies will become. According to Colgate.com,  heart disease is a something associated with oral hygiene when gum disease makes it's way through the blood stream eventually reaching the heart. It is known to cause infections, strokes or even heart attacks as well.  Some other health conditions are, dementia, respiratory infections and can cause complications maintaining blood sugar levels for diabetes patients.   

So there is my little lesson on oral hygiene and how I keep my mouth, gums and tongue clean as well as the rest of my body. 

There are are many other things you can do on a daily basis to ensure you're best health. First one being, having a low sugar intake. The less sugar you ingest the less sugars that will attach to your teeth and potentially cause decay.  

Go see your dentist, your orthodontist or your hygienist. They are professionals and want to get you out of any pain that you're in. If there is something you're especially concerned about, then it's best to seek a professional opinion sooner rather then later, because the sooner you go in the better chance you will have at being able to protect more of your gums and teeth. They are also able to get plaque and tar-tar build up removed a lot easier then we are able to. Go to your follow up appointments and learn how to properly keep your mouth clean. 

Another major negative factor to oral hygiene in both men and women is the use of tobacco products. Cigarettes alone have over 4,500 chemicals, that you are inhaling into your mouth ever time you smoke. Tobacco use sometimes lead to oral lesions, cancer or death. 

Eat healthy, drink water, brush, floss, mouthwash, oil pull and tongue scrape every day. Oral health is often forgotten and neglected, and I'm trying to help people realize how easy and important it is to keep up with. There are so many recipes for mouthwash and toothpaste that I hope to try as I cycle through my current supply. After I try some new ones out, I will for sure post so you all can enjoy as well! 

I hope I've brought some insight into your world  on how important oral health really is for our entire health and well-being. 

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