Oral Health Equals Body Health

The solution to these painful and expensive problems is twofold: we must (1) stimulate natural tooth repair and (2) protect teeth from dryness and mouth acidity.

Following is a calendar of expected events when you eat xylitol regularly. In four weeks,

Possibly the easiest way to promote natural tooth repair and protect teeth is to eat a few xylitol mints or gum after every meal, snack, or drink.



Studies show that over one third of working Americans having long-term relationships with their dentists, yet the surgeon generals report of 2001 indicates that almost all American adults have dental disease. Despite insurance coverage and regular visits, one out of five people rate their oral health as fair or poor.

I recommend a sequence of three rinses, used in this specific order:

* most harmful bacteria will have vanished from your saliva and mouth

* people may notice that your teeth are shinier

* your dentist may congratulate you on your oral health.

In one year,

Dr. Ellie has worked in the United Kingdom, Switzerland, and the United States. Dr. Ellie lectures to the public and has helped mothers, schoolchildren, and health professionals see dentistry in a new light and tooth decay as a preventable disease. Dr. Ellie has been an outspoken advocate for xylitol in an otherwise quiet dental community. Her book The Power of Xylitol and her childrens book My Friend Zellie are some of the first written on the subject of xylitol for dental prevention. Online or telephone consultations Rose Street Dental dental prevention may be scheduled through her Web site http://www.CleanWhiteTeeth.com. For more information about xylitol, please visit http://www.Zellies.com.

Oral Care Products

Regular consumption of about six grams of xylitol a day gives dental benefits. Xylitol mints and gum are available on Rose Street Dental Internet visit rosestreetdental.com in health stores. Unfortunately, some commercial gums, such as Trident, advertise xylitol on the package but contain such small amounts they would be inadequate for tooth healing. Look for xylitol as a main ingredient, and ideally choose 100 percent xylitol products.

* your teeth will feel smoother

* less plaque will build on and around your teeth

* your teeth will feel more comfortable and less sensitive.

In six months,



Stimulating Natural Tooth Repair

Dental Disease: A Progressive, Destructive Disease

** This article is one of 101 great articles that were published in 101 Great Ways to Improve Your Health. To get complete details on 101 Great Ways to Improve Your Health, visit http://selfgrowth.com/healthbook3.html

Author's Bio:

Ellie Phillips, DDS, is a member of the American Dental Association, American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry and Honorary Member of the Eastman Institute London, England. She has graduate specialties in General and Pediatric Dentistry from Eastman Dental Center, Rochester New York. She has been in Private Practice and a Faculty member of the University of Rochester and Outpatient Clinic Director of the Eastman Dental Center.

This balanced oral care program will allow natural protection and repair to give you the oral health you have dreamed of. No matter what your age or your past experiences with dental disease, try this easy system and enjoy clean, bright, and healthy teeth.

Complete Oral Health

Xylitol

Bibliography

I suggest finishing meals and snacks with an alkaline or mineral-rich food such as celery, fresh apples, nuts, or dairy products. Evian and Fiji mineral waters create healthy alkaline conditions for tooth repair, as do dairy products and carrot or vegetable juices.



Women in their forties frequently experience hormonal changes that make their mouths drier and more acidic. A dry mouth is like an engine motor without oil, and in an acidic mouth, teeth become vulnerable to wear and breakage. Without the cleansing action of healthy saliva, food and drinks can create conditions that encourage harmful bacteria to flourish.

Unfortunately, many oral care products contain harsh chemicals that damage teeth, even though they may claim to help you. Plaque control or whitening ingredients often make teeth porous and sensitive. Sorbitol, an artificial sweetener in many sugar-free products, may actually thicken plaque bacteria. A recent study shows that almost a quarter of young people aged eighteen to thirty-four have gum disease and say that their teeth hurt when they drink hot or cold beverages.



In a moist and healthy mouth, natural tooth repair and healing occur rapidly. Minerals deposit into teeth to keep them strong, supple, and resilient. Even damaged teeth and early cavities can repair themselves if they are bathed in alkaline and mineral-rich saliva.

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Milgrom, P., K. A. Ly, M. C. Roberts, M. Rothern, G. Mueller, and D. K. Yamaguchi, Mutans Streptococci Dose Response to Xylitol Chewing Gum. Journal of Dental Research 85 (2006): 17781.

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* you may need fewer dental cleanings.

Men with dry or acidic mouths will find that their teeth become brittle and start to wear away. Even after complicated repairs, their gum disease, tartar buildup, and bad breath will continue, and no amount of flossing or dental cleanings will prevent it.

Mouth acidity dissolves minerals from tooth enamel, making it more porous, more likely to stain, and sensitive to hot and cold. Weak enamel easily flakes away, forming a groove at the gum line or around the edges of fillings. Damaged enamel allows liquids to leak underneath fillings, irritating the nerves inside teeth and setting up infection. Sensitivity, broken fillings, and bad breath are the symptoms of these problems that can lead to root canals, crowns, and gum surgery.

This three-rinse system should be used every night before sleeping and again during the day, if possible. It should be combined with xylitol after all meals and snacks.



Bacteria in plaque around teeth are related to the plaque in blood vessels that can cause high blood pressure, heart disease, and risk for stroke. Pregnant women with gum infections may be seven times more likely to have a baby born prematurely, and there is a well-recognized link between diabetes and gum disease. Every dentist knows the association of chronic ear infections with gastric reflux and how stomach acids will destroy teeth, both young and old.

Patients are blamed for poor flossing or missed dental visits and mistakenly assume that teeth automatically become sensitive, that fillings need repair, or that problems are inherited. None of these are true facts. Sensitivity and soft or weak teeth are always associated with either or both of the following factors: a dry or acidic mouth.

Xylitol has been recognized for decades as a safe, delicious, diabetic-friendly sweetener and sugar substitute. Xylitol is found naturally in fruits and vegetables and notably the woody fibers of birch trees. The dental benefit of xylitol is that it stimulates a flow of healthy alkaline saliva into the mouth and also progressively eliminates harmful bacteria to prevent the formation of plaque.

Oral Health Impacts General Health

* a pH-balanced prerinse called Closys, which prepares teeth for brushing

* a simple toothpaste used with a clean, well-designed tooth brush

* an effective antiseptic formulated with essential oils such as Listerine, which prevents early gum disease

* a protective finishing rinse such as ACT fluoride, which gives teeth strength and shine.For those who refuse all fluoride products, I would substitute a xylitol rinse for ACT.

Besides eating xylitol, it is important to select your oral care products carefully and ensure that their chemistry is in harmony with natural healing. Remember that acidic foods and drinks soften teeth, especially if consumed before tooth brushing. An alkaline or balanced prerinse removes mouth acidity to help protect teeth from toothbrush wear or abrasion.