Researchers have concluded that the condition of your teeth and gums impacts your whole body. The mouth is a major route of introducing either nutritious and beneficial or toxic substances into the body. 

We know health begins in the gut, but the health of our gut actually begins in our mouth! According to research, oral bacteria can spread through the body and affect the gut microbiome. Several studies support the connection between oral health and inflammatory diseases. For example: periodontal disease or gum infection is correlated with conditions such as diabetes, insulin resistance, rheumatoid arthritis, cardiovascular disease, stroke, adverse pregnancy outcomes, erectile dysfunction, and even Alzheimer’s disease.

The mouth is the gatekeeper to your entire digestive tract, which in turn is part of your immune system. The mouth, apart from being the place where digestion begins, has its own unique microbiome. When the mouth microbiome is balanced, the good bacteria protect you from pathogens and support healthy digestion. When dysbiosis or microbial imbalances occur, the mouth can seed pathogens to other areas of our body, compromising your entire immune system.

Many factors can impact the health of the gums, teeth and thus your entire body:

• poor oral hygiene (wrong brushing technique, lack of flossing, wrong toothpaste, irregular dental hygienist visits)
• high intake of sugary foods, drinks and too many fruit
• poor choice of foods (processed, junk, etc.) 
• too little saliva / stress
• anaemia / poor blood supply to the gums / lack of oxygen
• systemic acidosis / low pH
• mercury fillings (linked to several degenerative diseases)
• high use of fluoride toothpaste, oral rinses, medications
• chlorinated water / tap water 
• gut dysbiosis (a two-way impact) 
• poor digestion and absorption
• high toxic burden of the whole body

Bearing in mind the importance of oral health, it is worth looking out for the warning signs of troubles ahead. Here are some of those to consider.

Signs of gingivitis (reversible gum inflammation):

• Swollen, red puffy, bleeding gums
• Bad breath (halitosis)
• Receding gums
• Tender gums

Sign of periodontitis (irreversible damage to soft tissue & bone, a sign of chronic inflammation):

• Swollen, red, puffy, bleeding gums
• Receding gums
• Pockets between teeth and gums
• Bad breath
• Moving or loose teeth / tooth loss
• Tartar or plaque build up
• Intermittent changes in position of teeth 

Not only the gums and teeth are worth remembering about, but so is the tongue: Chinese doctors have known it for millennia! Tongue diagnosis has long been a useful adjunct to a comprehensive health assessment so it is helpful to notice a few warning signs. A healthy tongue has a pink colour with or without a thin whitish coating and the papillae, the nodules on the tongues’ surface should be small. 

When the following changes can be observed on the tongue, it may be a good time to examine the whole digestive system as well as the rest of the body:

• pale: body lacking vits, minerals, protein or may be anaemic?
• red tip: stress, insomnia?
• red tongue: vitamin B deficiency, scarlet fever?
• purple: poor circulation?
• thick white coating: virus or fatigue, Candida, lichen or oral thrush?
• thick coating at back: poor digestion or dysbiosis (low good bacteria)?
• yellow coating: irritable, angry or stressed?
• brown coating: constipation, smoking, too much coffee?
• peeling: feverish illness, too much spicy food, poor absorption, vit B deficiency? 
• swollen &/or scalloped: hypothyroid?
• tip of the tongue going up: excess heat in the heart?
• black tongue: excessive use of coffee, tea, tobacco, antibiotics, chemotherapy, radiation to head or neck area, or diabetes?

To help you avoid the consequences of poor oral health and bearing in mind that your needs and preferences are unique from functional nutrition perspective, in the context of optimal oral care some general points need to be remembered.

Foods to limit:

• Processed foods
• Sugars
• Inflammatory foods such as gluten, dairy, corn 
• Artificial sweeteners
• MSG
• Refined vegetable oils
• Processed meats
• Alcohol
• High sugar fruits

Foods to eat for better oral health:

• eat organic produce as much as possible 
• vegetables, especially greens (kale, spinach and broccoli)
• omega-3s rich foods (wild salmon and tuna)
• healthy fats (avocado, coconut oil, olive oil, ghee, soaked nuts and seeds)
• natural spices high in anti-microbial compounds and antioxidants (thyme, oregano, rosemary, basil, turmeric, etc.)

Additionally, some key steps need to be included in your daily oral care routine:

• Brushing twice daily with a SOFT toothbrush, avoiding aggressive brushing. Countless studies proclaim electric toothbrushes disrupt more plaque and food debris on and between teeth than manual brushes.  

• Using non-fluoridated toothpaste is best – since it is a well-known neurotoxin. A small pea size amount of coconut oil and baking soda or natural fluoride-free toothpaste can be used as an alternative. Wetting the bristles of the brush with just water is also sufficient to remove plaque.  Avoiding other toothpaste ingredients such as sodium lauryl sulfate, glycerin, triclosan, blue & red dyes, artificial sweeteners, etc. is also advisable (each of these is harmful to your health).

• Flossing and/or brushing with special small brushes, especially if you have noticeable spaces between teeth or food traps. 

• Scraping and/or brushing your tongue morning and evening, especially if thick coating is an issue.

• Avoiding harsh antimicrobial rinses, especially fluoride-containing ones (they can actually kill ALL the bacteria in our mouth, including the desirable flora, causing health problems). Use coconut oil pulling (swishing between teeth) as a natural antimicrobial, antiviral, antifungal mouth rinse, always spitting it out at the end (not into the sink as it can clog up the pipes). 

Once you have taken care of your oral health properly, watch your general health improve. Happy flossing!