How to boost your mouth flora.

It all starts with the gut. Keeping your bacteria happy and well fed is important when you want to maintain a strong immune system and a healthy gut. We all know that probiotic foods like sauerkraut, kefir, kimchi and kombucha are good for us. We know that antibiotics kill the good guys and that probiotic & prebiotic supplements are a good addition to our diet. But did you know that it is equally important to take care of the bacteria in your mouth? Having a thriving mouth flora can make a serious impact on the rest of your body.

If you are still using store bought toothpaste? Stop it. Most oral care products contain a bunch of harmful ingredients, fluoride being one of them. There is evidence linking fluoride to lower IQ, and the world needs to get smarter, so lets skip the fluoride shall we? Apart from natural homemade toothpaste {recipe at the end of the article}, here are some of my favorite ways to boost your mouth flora. 

1. Coconut Oil Pulling

Hands down the best things ever. Oil pulling is an Ayurvedic healing practice that has been around for thousands of years. This is traditionally done with warm sesame oil but I prefer to use coconut oil for it's antibacterial properties and because it tastes a lot better. After waking and before brushing your teeth, swish a tablespoon of coconut oil, unrefined and organic, around in your mouth for 15 to 20 minutes. If you want to get real fancy, add a drop of clove essential oil. Do not swallow the oil but spit it out in a trash bin. Then brush with you homemade toothpaste. 

2. Tongue Scraping

The fastest and easiest way to get those bad bugs out of your mouth is with a tongue scraper. A traditional technique in Ayurveda, tongue scraping cleans bacterial build-up, food debris, fungi, and dead cells from the surface of the tongue. This helps to not only clean the mouth, freshening the breath, but it also stimulates the metabolism.

3. Charcoal Tooth Mask

Once a week I cover my teeth in a black activated charcoal mask. This makes them all white and shiny again. The charcoal will also help pull the toxins from your mouth and you will look like a pirate for a few minutes. Wear an old shirt because this can get messy.

4. The Mighty Waterpik

This awesome tool is like a high pressure water gun for your mouth. It removes trapped debris from in between your teeth and help prevent the build up of plague. I have a waterpik with a separate water reservoir which allows me to add all sorts of goodies like colloidal silver or essential oils (clove and peppermint) to my water. I use mine every night after brushing.

5. Vitamine D3

The yummy sunshine that makes us feel so good is healthy for our skin, our hormones, our bones and our mood. But getting enough vitamin D3 also lowers the risk of tooth decay. If you live in the colder northern parts of the world like us, then it's a good idea to up your intake of wild caught salmon, eggs, mushrooms and some extra vitamin D supplements during the winter doesn't hurt.

6. Probiotics Are Key

Probiotics work wonders for your dental hygiene. You want the good guys to kill the bad guys, so hit them where it hurts. Apart from supplementing with probiotics, I also use probiotic rinses or I make my own mouthwash by adding the contents of one or two probiotic capsules to a little bit of water and swish that around before I go to bed. 

Extra : home made toothpaste recipe

Mix together in a glass bowl with a wooden spoon:
5 tbsp of bentonite clay
3 tbsp of coconut oil
1 tsp of sea salt
1 tbsp water
Add in 5 drops of each : Clove Oil, Oregano Oil, Cinnamon Oil and Tea tree oil.