14 Apr 7 Holistic Dental Hygiene Tips
Everyone knows you need to brush twice a day and floss daily to maintain healthy teeth. But there’s always room for improvement in your at-home dental care routine. Whether you need to eat healthier foods or change the products you use, there are many simple, holistic ways to improve your dental health. Here are some professional tips for improving your daily routine.
Seven Holistic Oral Hygiene Tips
1: Eat a Healthy, Balanced Diet
Holistic dentistry is about promoting overall wellness, not just your oral health. And your diet plays a significant role in both. For instance, harmful, cavity-causing bacteria feed off of sugar and starch. So a diet high in sugar or starch increases your risk of tooth decay and gum disease.
A healthy, balanced diet that’s rich in fresh fruits and vegetables, lean protein, and whole grains will help promote healthy teeth and gums.
2: Drink More Water
It’s also essential to drink plenty of water to keep your mouth healthy. Drinking water promotes saliva production so your mouth can naturally wash away food particles and bacteria. Staying hydrated prevents dry mouth, which can increase your risk of tooth decay and gum disease by decreasing saliva flow.
3: Rinse with Saltwater
Rinsing with saltwater is good way to remove more bacteria from your mouth. To make a saltwater rinse, mix one teaspoon of salt in 8 ounces of warm water, rinse, and spit. Avoid swallowing your saltwater rinse, which is dehydrating.
4: Choose Natural Oral Care Products
Some types of toothpaste and mouthwash contain ingredients that do more harm than good, like sodium lauryl sulfate, triclosan, and titanium dioxide. When shopping for toothpaste, search for products that are free of artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives.
Instead, choose a toothpaste that contains natural ingredients, such as coconut oil, xylitol, and baking soda. And if you’re concerned about fluoride toxicity, then choose a fluoride-free toothpaste and use a fluoride alternative to help strengthen your enamel.
5: Try Oil Pulling
Oil pulling is an ancient practice that helps reduce the amount of harmful bacteria in the mouth. Coconut oil is popularly used because it helps to reduce inflammation and minimize bad breath. Try swishing a tablespoon of coconut oil in your mouth for 15-20 minutes, then spit.
6: Remove Amalgam Fillings
Do you still have silver fillings in your mouth? Silver amalgam fillings contain mercury, and although they are deemed safe by the FDA, they can release toxic mercury vapor when damaged. Because silver fillings wear out over time, it’s a good idea to talk to a holistic dentist about getting your old amalgam fillings safely removed.
7: Have Your Teeth Professionally Cleaned
Twice-a-year professional teeth cleanings are crucial in preventing gum disease and tooth decay. Holistic dentists can also perform thorough teeth cleanings, just like conventional dentists do. Holistic dentists can also provide natural preventative solutions like ozone therapy and dental probiotics.
Holistic Dentistry in Prescott, Arizona
At Prescott Dentistry, your health is our top priority. We offer a wide variety of holistic, preventative services to help keep your oral health in excellent condition. If you’re due for a teeth cleaning or would like to discuss our services, please give us a call at 928-445-1660 to make an appointment.
Images used under creative commons license – commercial use (4/14/2023). Photo by Allef Vinicius on Unsplash