The Weekly Thread: leveling up your brushing, essential oils for better oral microbial health, and how oil pulling could help prevent disease.

First and foremost, there’s nothing noteworthy to report on the base level of traditional recommendations of brushing and flossing regularly. 

It’s recommended that you brush more than once per day, however, if you do brush only once per day, and as mentioned when discussing demineralization, it’s actually best to brush and floss before bed, as you produce less saliva at night while you sleep, and are thus more likely to enter states of demineralization, as your natural saliva production balances the pH of your mouth. 

If you go to sleep with food and debris in your mouth as a result of not brushing and flossing, that pathogenic bacteria Strep. mutans can feed on it, and will make it even more likely that you enter prolonged states of demineralization while sleeping, which of course leads to tooth decay and can lead to gum disease. 

But we’re discussing oral health here and its impact on overall health, which differs from basic oral care. Depending on the oral care products one uses, you can actually disrupt the markers of true oral health. 

Xylitol

Okay, I might just blow your mind with this plant-based compound if you’re not familiar, and even if you are, what I’m about to discuss may still blow your mind, as you may not know the true entirety of just how amazing of a compound xylitol is. 

For starters, xylitol is a low-calorie, natural sweetener found in fruits and vegetables. So at minimum, it serves as a good alternative as a sweetener to sugar, much like stevia and monk fruit. 

However, that’s just the beginning…

Remember from all the way back to the very first segment on oral health where I discussed Strep. mutans, that nasty pathogenic bacteria that causes tooth decay?

To quickly recall, S. mutans loves sugar! When it consumes sugar, it emits byproducts that increase the acidity of your mouth, which then puts it into a state of demineralization (de-min), and it’s in this state of de-min where tooth decay, and over time, cavities can occur. 

Interestingly enough, S. mutans really, really loves xylitol. 

So much so, that in the presence of xylitol, it will consume nothing other than xylitol.

But S. mutans emits an acidic byproduct when it consumes anything right? So why is this a big deal?

When S. mutans consumes xylitol, it does not emit its typical acidic byproduct or gas that makes the environment of the mouth more acidic. 

Furthermore, (and here is where it gets really rich) when S. mutans consumes xylitol, which is all it will do when xylitol is present in the mouth, the xylitol actually inhibits S. mutans from proliferating and producing more, nasty, pathogenic S. mutans. 

Whoa, so let me get this straight, as xylitol almost seems too good to be true. 

Xylitol:

✔️ Is a natural, low calorie sweetener, and great alternative to sugar.

✔️ Is the most choice food source for S. mutans, however, when consumed by S. mutans, it does not emit the same acidic gas that typically puts your mouth into a state of demineralization.

✔️ Inhibits the proliferation and reproduction of more S. mutans, thus, helping to keep a more healthy microbial balance in your mouth, which helps prevent dysbiosis (an unhealthy balance of pathogenic bacteria to beneficial bacteria). 

✔️ Some promising research even shows that xylitol acts as a prebiotic for your healthy gut microbes as well. 

So, at this point you’re probably wondering how you can get more xylitol into your life.

I know I was as I started learning more about all of its benefits. 

I find the easiest and most refreshing way is to chew xylitol gum a few times per day. Remember, xylitol is also a natural sweetener, so when chewing xylitol gum, you can’t even tell the difference between gum with artificial sweeteners or sugar in it. 

If you drink any acidic drink that can put your teeth into a state of demineralization like coffee, tea, or wine, especially if you sip for longer periods, it’s best to give your mouth a really good, and true rinse with water, and then chew some xylitol gum to instantly reset the homeostasis in your mouth. 

I will also chew xylitol gum after meals as of course you are most likely not just feeding yourself, but also feeding the S. mutans in your mouth, and chewing xylitol gum after a meal will again, make the xylitol the primary food source of the S. mutans. 

Xylitol gum is a true win/win, as you’re able to chew on some gum that freshens your breath, AND provides all of the above outlined benefits. 

I also use a toothpaste that contains xylitol, however, I’ll touch on that a bit more later. 


A Next-level Approach to Brushing

As mentioned above, it’s no real surprise that regular brushing is core to maintaining proper oral health. 

But this newsletter blog is about optimizing for better health, and brushing is definitely an area where one can optimize for better health, and it requires no extra time. 

The way I see it, is you’re spending the time to brush regularly regardless, so why not optimize your brushing to get the most out of the time you’re already spending brushing. 

Most commercial brand toothpastes contain fluoride and synthetic ingredients, and even have warnings on them to call poison control if ingested. 

My personal philosophy is to not put anything in my mouth that requires a call from poison control if ingested, so I opt for a natural toothpaste that contains hydroxyapatite instead of fluoride. 

Last week I did a deep dive on fluoride, and merely tried to arm you with more information to empower you to make a more informed decision on what you think is best for you and your family on fluoride consumption, and/or determining how much fluoride is a safe and healthy amount for you and your family. 

That said, one area where I did take a personal stance on was using oral care products that contain hydroxyapatite instead of fluoride. 

It does seem that it’s not debated that fluoride does in fact strengthen the bonds of our teeth, however, it is not a true nutrient, and is not the natural compound that the body uses to strengthen the bonds in both our teeth and bones. 

That actual nutrient compound is hydroxyapatite. 

To me then, it seems clear that when accessible, to use oral care products that contain the actual natural compound that strengthens the bonds in our teeth, and that is hydroxyapatite. 

I use an all natural toothpaste that contains both hydroxyapatite AND xylitol.

I actually use a unique toothpaste called Bite that comes in chewable “bits” almost like a mint. Each bit is a single serving for an individual brushing, and it comes in a small container that you can travel with (no need for travel sizes), and comes in a recyclable glass bottle so the packaging is sustainably sourced. 
Just chew the minty bit and start brushing!

But this is next level brushing right? The idea is to take your standard oral care, and dial it in more strategically, much as one would do with their exercise, nutrition, and supplementation over time if looking to optimize those other areas of health. 

I only actually brush with the toothpaste bits at night, which is really the one time I think your teeth need a true brushing. In the AM when you wake, you haven't been eating overnight, or consuming anything at night (at least you shouldn’t be), so your teeth don’t necessarily need what I would consider a true brushing to break up food and debris. (This is not advice, just my personal approach and routine)

Instead, in the AM, I opt for more of a polishing, and I also introduce some essential oils designed to help promote proper microbial balance in your mouth. 

So I do technically brush in the AM, however, I use a remineralizing tooth powder, which introduces hydroxyapatite into your teeth to start the day and also helps to polish your teeth for a natural whitening effect. I also drop about 5 drops of a healthy mouth essential oil blend into my mouth just before brushing/polishing with the remineralizing tooth powder. 

Do rinse your tongue scraper off with water after each use. 


Could Oil Pulling Save Your Life?

And the final, and probably most difficult practice to introduce into your oral health care routine, but one that is extremely beneficial, is oil pulling. 

Oil pulling is an ancient oral care practice that involves swishing an oil. I use a coconut/MCT based oil made for oil pulling, around in your mouth for 5-15 minutes.