FROM THE ARCHIVE: Oral Care & Hygiene

From the Archive is a micro-series feat. past Journal entries we believe deserve another spot in the light.

If you haven’t noticed lately, we’ve been actively expanding our oral apothecary to include flouride-free toothpastes, biodegradable toothbrushes, charcoal mouthwash, copper tongue scrapers, non-toxic whitening pens… The whys and the whats of oral hygiene, provides a practice as important to overall wellness as any other dietary or lifestyle decision. 

In the pages of Renegade Beauty by Nadine Artemis, “the mouth is the principal portal into our bodies; it interfaces, absorbs, and assimilates our world. The endocrine, immune, and digestive systems are intimately bound to the microbiome of our mouths. By understanding the human microbiome, we understand that our health depends on a thriving microbiome; and as human hosts to this bacterial banquet, the key to vitality in our bodies and mouths is bacterial balance.”

Boketto Founder, Jelena Nikolajevic is of the same mind, and shares her own journey: “Oral care & hygiene has always been a priority in my life because of having cavities as a child and traumatic experiences at the dentist with fillings. As I got older, especially during my work in acupuncture, I began to see how that was affecting my health. I did my own research and found Dr. Weston A Price and read his book, comparing dental care around the world and saw that people that lived in the most rural areas of the world didn't have toothbrushes but had no cavities compared to those in developed countries. He came up with the component of nutrition and why that’s important to our teeth. 

When you break it down, our teeth are made of calcium, which our bones are made up of. So our teeth health is reflective of our bone health (and health in general), so if we aren't assimilating calcium, it will show up in our teeth as fast tooth decay, etc. Doing further research, Nadine’s dental protocol tied it into create my daily practices. Admittedly, it’s a very involved nightly routine but it’s necessary (especially for someone like myself that's been prone to cavities).”

From an internal nutritional standpoint, Jelena emphasizes essential fatty acids (Vitamins A, D, K2, which are found in the below sources) as fundamental components to oral and overall body care. 

• COD LIVER OIL is the perfect source for Vitamins A & D, which together, better assimilate calcium and calcium absorption. We carry Rosita Brand in capsules and liquid because they don’t heat-process— which negates the nutritional benefits.
• VITAMIN K2 helps to re-establish the enamel in the teeth. We carry K2 in combination with D3, in liquid and capsules, as D works in harmony with K2 to extend it's benefits.
• PREBIOTICS & PROBIOTICS assist with keeping good bacteria in check and healthy flora in the oral cavity of the mouth, in addition to supporting overall gut health. Dr. Ohirra's Professional Grade Probiotic uses a unique 5 year, long term fermentation process to produce a superior biogenically-active probiotic supplement.

In addition to ensuring you’re getting optimal nutrients internally to support oral hygiene, following Nadine's Holistic Dental Care protocol supports the oral care we think of first, tending to our teeth, gums and tongue.

As a preface to this routine and in the words of Nadine herself, “commercial toothpaste gives an illusion of a fresh and clean mouth, yet it is the art of oral care, diet and diligent brushing that actually removes the plaque. It is best to be a purist about oral health and diligently care with a toothbrush and a dab of salt or baking soda and a pure botanical serum. These simple, time-tested ingredients help prevent dental caries due to their buffering capacity and alkalinity promoters that inhibit plaque formation and balance the mouth's microbiome. They also increase calcium uptake to the enamel, neutralize the pH in the mouth and reduce the effect of harmful metabolic acids...and they are quite safe to swallow.”

Nadine (& Jelena) recommend this basic protocol:

1. Saltwater rinse with colloidal silver
2. Floss teeth with CocoFloss
3. Gum Massage using One Good Toothbrush
4. Oil Pulling with Keeko Morning Mint Sachets 1-2x a week
5. Tooth polishing, with David's Toothpaste (especially the backs of the molars where cavities and plaque can build up
6. Oral irrigation with a solution of salt water, 1-2x a week

“Even if there has been massive damage, the teeth can be repaired. In fact, research tells us that teeth with early cavity damage can heal themselves once disease is eliminated from the oral environment.” - Dr. Robert O. Nara

 

Image: Peggy Sirota for Motorola HK