Did you know that many of our diseases start in the mouth? The state of our so-called 'oral microbiome' tells us a lot about our health. In this blog, we will explain why good oral hygiene is of great importance and share tips to optimize your oral health. Keep your mouth healthy! How? You can read all about it in this blog!
Keep your mouth healthy, why is good oral hygiene so important?
More than 700 different types of microorganisms, such as bacteria, viruses, and fungi, live in your mouth. You can think of it as a mini-ecosystem, a tropical rainforest.
A portion of these bacteria, viruses, and fungi are harmful; they cause wounds or inflammation in the mouth. If they enter the bloodstream through these openings, they can cause (severe) infections. Poor oral health can lead to headaches, fatigue, eczema, insomnia, and allergies. In severe cases, it can even cause infections such as pneumonia and cardiovascular diseases.
Your body is one whole!
As you probably already know, your entire body is closely connected. Your oral health affects your body's health, but this also works the other way around. So, if you suffer from (unconsciously) low-grade inflammation, wounds in your mouth will form more easily, allowing even more 'gunk' to pass through.
Your mouth is one of the barriers that must ensure that bad bacteria cannot penetrate. If this barrier is, as it were, open, then your immune system has to work even harder.
How to take good care of your mouth
In short; your oral health is incredibly important for your overall health. Factors that negatively affect the oral microbiome include stress, sugar, antibiotics, and poor oral care.
Most microorganisms in the mouth are single-celled, covered with a fatty, supple outer layer. You can't remove these by brushing your teeth. Water does not dissolve fat, and a toothbrush cannot reach everywhere easily.
Fat does dissolve with fat, which is why we are big fans of oil pulling! You take oil into your mouth and rinse the harmful microorganisms out of your mouth with it. This Ayurvedic ritual has been used in various cultures for more than 2000 years.
Oil pulling
Take one tablespoon of organic sesame or coconut oil into your mouth and vigorously rinse it around your mouth for about 15 to 20 minutes. After a while, the oil will turn milky white, and you spit it into the trash. Preferably do this daily in the morning, and you can gradually build up the time.
