“Biting Pleasure” – Teeth and Gum Measures for Better Health
Longevity of life is linked to strong teeth and healthy gums. The health of gums and teeth depend on proper nutrition and good oral hygiene. Here are some tips using supplements, herbs, and energy practices to promote healthier gums and teeth.
Getting plenty of exercise and practicing good nutrition are key to oral health. Reducing or abstaining from sugar also promotes healthier gums and teeth. And good oral hygiene with proper brushing and flossing should go without mentioning.
In Bottom Line Health magazine dated March 2011, Victor Zeines, DDS (a holistic dentist with practices in New York City and Woodstock, New York) suggests brushing and flossing may not be enough. In his article he suggest natural treatments to add to your regimen.
Dr. Zeines suggests Coenzyme Q10 (Co Q10). Already linked to reducing risk of heart disease, Co Q10 strengthens gum tissue and promotes faster healing and tissue repair. Available as a supplement, he suggests a typical dose for oral health as 200 mg. daily. Warning: if on a blood thinning drug such as coumadin (warfarin), consult your physician prior to taking Co Q10 as it can reduce the drug’s blood thinning effect.
He goes on to suggest calcium for its bone building properties. Bone can be destroyed by gum disease. For those age 19 to 50 he suggests 1000 mg. daily. Those 51-plus require 1,200 mg daily. Best sources are calcium rich foods such as green leafy vegetables and canned sardines with the bones. Not eating enough of these? You may wish to use a supplement. A formula with vitamin D added aids in calcium absorption.
Goldenseal, myrrh and calendula work together to inhibit bacteria, stimulate the immune system, and reduce inflammation. He suggests combining equal amounts of each herb in tincture form. Having brushed your teeth, rinse your mouth with one teaspoon of the liquid and spit it out. Store the mixture in a brown bottle in a dark place. I suggest Cheryl’s Herbs for good quality tinctures. They also do custom tinctures and would be happy to mix the three tinctures together for you.
Dr. Zeines also suggests massaging your gums to increase blood supply, bring more oxygen and nutrients to the area including infection fighting white blood cells. Gently rub your gums several times a day using a clean finger.
He goes on to discuss tooth decay and how acid is the culprit. He suggests reducing your acid producing foods which are often excess sweets, dairy, and most fats.
Natural toothpastes are his preference. And he offers a formula to help mineral absorption of the teeth to make them stronger and thus more decay resistant. Alfalfa, dandelion and horsetail: “open 200 mg. capsules of each herb and mix the contents with water, making a sludgy paste. Place a small amount of the paste at the gum line and rub it around your teeth. Repeat after brushing, twice daily. You can make a few days supply and refrigerate.” He states that all these natural remedies can be located at a health food store and to consult your doctor prior to adding any supplements.
While rubbing your gums with your finger several times a day, breathe deeply into your Tan den (area two fingers below the navel) and focus on gratitude for healthy gums and teeth. Dr. Masaru Emoto has been studying frozen water crystals that have been exposed to positive and negative intent via words taped to the containers. The positive words form beautiful crystals. The negative words have difficulty forming a complete crystal. His experimentation suggests to me to use positive intent in my daily routines. People are made up of water primarily. As an energy practitioner, I know that energy should be allowed to move freely. My sense of the improperly formed crystals that I have seen of Dr. Emoto’s experiments is that they are stagnated patterns. Stagnation breeds pestilence. The gum tissue is of the “U” dimension primarily (Stomach and Spleen energy) and the teeth are of the “O” dimension primarily (Kidney and Bladder energy). The taste of sweet is the “U” dimensions taste. When overused, it contributes to stagnation. The “O” dimension is the “mother” or supporting energy to “U” dimension. So when the gums begin to suffer it pulls energy from the teeth. In Asian energetic medicine, the teeth are considered organs and are storage vessels for the related viscera. Keeping your gums healthy is important to the whole system.
Two more natural suggestions for healthy gums and teeth that I can offer are:
Dentie tooth powder – made of sea salt and carbonized eggplant, Dentie, gently applied to the gum line with a finger or a cotton swab, cuts down on plaque producing bacteria. It aids in the healing of bleeding and receding gums.
Traumeel Drops, added to a mouth rinse, cut down on inflammation.
Take care of your teeth. They fill out your face and allow you the pleasure of biting into nourishing food. The act of chewing is the first act of digestion. As your mother said, “don’t talk with your mouth full and chew food completely” for healthy digestion. Asian energetic medicine calls the life pulse “the stomach” pulse. Thus, keeping digestion healthy starting with your mouth seems prudent.
Getting plenty of exercise and practicing good nutrition are key to oral health. Reducing or abstaining from sugar also promotes healthier gums and teeth. And good oral hygiene with proper brushing and flossing should go without mentioning.
In Bottom Line Health magazine dated March 2011, Victor Zeines, DDS (a holistic dentist with practices in New York City and Woodstock, New York) suggests brushing and flossing may not be enough. In his article he suggest natural treatments to add to your regimen.
Dr. Zeines suggests Coenzyme Q10 (Co Q10). Already linked to reducing risk of heart disease, Co Q10 strengthens gum tissue and promotes faster healing and tissue repair. Available as a supplement, he suggests a typical dose for oral health as 200 mg. daily. Warning: if on a blood thinning drug such as coumadin (warfarin), consult your physician prior to taking Co Q10 as it can reduce the drug’s blood thinning effect.
He goes on to suggest calcium for its bone building properties. Bone can be destroyed by gum disease. For those age 19 to 50 he suggests 1000 mg. daily. Those 51-plus require 1,200 mg daily. Best sources are calcium rich foods such as green leafy vegetables and canned sardines with the bones. Not eating enough of these? You may wish to use a supplement. A formula with vitamin D added aids in calcium absorption.
Goldenseal, myrrh and calendula work together to inhibit bacteria, stimulate the immune system, and reduce inflammation. He suggests combining equal amounts of each herb in tincture form. Having brushed your teeth, rinse your mouth with one teaspoon of the liquid and spit it out. Store the mixture in a brown bottle in a dark place. I suggest Cheryl’s Herbs for good quality tinctures. They also do custom tinctures and would be happy to mix the three tinctures together for you.
Dr. Zeines also suggests massaging your gums to increase blood supply, bring more oxygen and nutrients to the area including infection fighting white blood cells. Gently rub your gums several times a day using a clean finger.
He goes on to discuss tooth decay and how acid is the culprit. He suggests reducing your acid producing foods which are often excess sweets, dairy, and most fats.
Natural toothpastes are his preference. And he offers a formula to help mineral absorption of the teeth to make them stronger and thus more decay resistant. Alfalfa, dandelion and horsetail: “open 200 mg. capsules of each herb and mix the contents with water, making a sludgy paste. Place a small amount of the paste at the gum line and rub it around your teeth. Repeat after brushing, twice daily. You can make a few days supply and refrigerate.” He states that all these natural remedies can be located at a health food store and to consult your doctor prior to adding any supplements.
While rubbing your gums with your finger several times a day, breathe deeply into your Tan den (area two fingers below the navel) and focus on gratitude for healthy gums and teeth. Dr. Masaru Emoto has been studying frozen water crystals that have been exposed to positive and negative intent via words taped to the containers. The positive words form beautiful crystals. The negative words have difficulty forming a complete crystal. His experimentation suggests to me to use positive intent in my daily routines. People are made up of water primarily. As an energy practitioner, I know that energy should be allowed to move freely. My sense of the improperly formed crystals that I have seen of Dr. Emoto’s experiments is that they are stagnated patterns. Stagnation breeds pestilence. The gum tissue is of the “U” dimension primarily (Stomach and Spleen energy) and the teeth are of the “O” dimension primarily (Kidney and Bladder energy). The taste of sweet is the “U” dimensions taste. When overused, it contributes to stagnation. The “O” dimension is the “mother” or supporting energy to “U” dimension. So when the gums begin to suffer it pulls energy from the teeth. In Asian energetic medicine, the teeth are considered organs and are storage vessels for the related viscera. Keeping your gums healthy is important to the whole system.
Two more natural suggestions for healthy gums and teeth that I can offer are:
Dentie tooth powder – made of sea salt and carbonized eggplant, Dentie, gently applied to the gum line with a finger or a cotton swab, cuts down on plaque producing bacteria. It aids in the healing of bleeding and receding gums.
Traumeel Drops, added to a mouth rinse, cut down on inflammation.
Take care of your teeth. They fill out your face and allow you the pleasure of biting into nourishing food. The act of chewing is the first act of digestion. As your mother said, “don’t talk with your mouth full and chew food completely” for healthy digestion. Asian energetic medicine calls the life pulse “the stomach” pulse. Thus, keeping digestion healthy starting with your mouth seems prudent.