Alternative Ways To Promote Healthy Gums And Teeth

The vital importance of regular flossing and brushing has become common knowledge to many people. Likewise, more and more people are aware of the dental benefits of reducing sugar consumption. Yet those aren't the only strategies for promoting good oral health. If you would like to learn a couple of equally effective methods, here are two naturalistic ways to keep your mouth happy.

Increase your consumption of probiotic foods.

Probiotic foods, though they may vary in most every other way, are all distinguished by the fact that fermentation plays a key role in their production. In other words, beneficial bacteria and other selective microorganisms are used to create changes in the molecular composition of the food. While this may sound off-putting at first, if you have ever enjoyed eating a bowl of yogurt then you are already well acquainted with the world of probiotic foods. Other common probiotic items include:

• sauerkraut
• dark chocolate
• kefir
• miso soup
• kimchi
• tempeh
• kombucha

Yet the link between probiotics and oral health remains a mystery--oftentimes even for those who are knowledgeable about the other benefits of fermented foods. Probiotics can act to benefit your teeth both indirectly and directly. For one thing, they act to boost your overall immune system. In addition to helping you in myriad other ways, a strong immune system allows your body to better withstand oral diseases such as gingivitis.

Probiotics can also play a more direct part in boosting oral health--especially when they happen to contain what are known as lactic acid bacteria. It has been demonstrated by numerous studies that foods containing this class of bacteria markedly reduce the instances of oral problems such as cavities, gingivitis, and periodontitis.

Swish oil.

If you are like most people, chances are you have not yet become acquainted with the ancient practice of oil pulling. This technique, which in India dates back as far as 700 B.C., is fairly simple: you simply put approximately one tablespoon of oil in your mouth and swish it vigorously. The key here is that, unlike mouthwash, you continue swishing not just for thirty seconds, but for more like twenty minutes.

Oil pulling works by creating anaerobic conditions in your mouth--conditions in which a large majority of bacteria cannot survive. It also acts to draw out toxins from the tissue of your gums. Contemporary science has shown that oil pulling is indeed a safe and effective way to lower the levels of dental plaque.

For more information, talk to a professional like Family & Cosmetic Dentistry.