Articles

Mouthrinse, Toothpaste, Toothbrush And Dental Floss
Is It Enough?
By: Jerry A. Douglas, B.S., DMD

As our society becomes more aware of the bacteria our body deals with on a constant daily basis, we are becoming more cognizant of the importance of good oral health and its significance toward good general health. Science, through ongoing research, demonstrates the value of probiotics (beneficial bacteria) and their role in maintaining good health. In our society, over one hundred million people have increased risk for serious health consequences due to the bacterial population in the oral cavity. Current research is showing the strong link between diet, oral hygiene, and several systemic diseases. Therefore, there is am imminent need for a reevaluation of some oral hygiene products and evaluation of your diet. The progression of science has led to the development of numerous oral hygiene products which claim to totally control the bacteria responsible for the transfiguration of plaque from a benign condition to a disease initiating phase ultimately causing tooth decay and gingivitis. There are excellent products that, if used properly, make a significant difference in the oral hygiene of a large portion of our population. By using high alcohol mouthrinses, toothpaste with a high abrasive factor and whitening agents excessively, we may be disturbing the oral probiotics and their naturally balanced microenvironment. An unbalanced microenvironment in the oral cavity may compromise the body's first line of defense essential for good oral health. Please consult a dental health professional for guidance of a prevention program and the use of products that may help you keep the oral bacteria balanced. If you use the recommended products daily and continue to experience dental problems, this may indicate a nutritional or systemic condition (affecting the body as a whole). Some Periodontists claim 15% to 20% of people they treat will not respond to treatment. This usually can be traced to a diet or systemic imbalance. Don't accept failure. Your oral tissues will respond if you maintain balance in your diet and life.

The mouth is the body's silent alarm system. It can tell you a lot if you observe and listen to its signals. If you have your teeth cleaned on a regular schedule and your gums bleed easily from any type of stimulation, and you practice good oral hygiene routinely, this is usually a signal of a nutritional deficiency (vitamins and minerals), hormonal or chemical imbalance, or a systemic disorder. Your body is trying to talk to you – listen. The body's imbalance can be the result of stress, lack of exercise, mate, diet, insufficient daily water intake or medication. All of these factors have an effect on the bacteria in the mouth. Current research is linking pathogens (bad bacteria) in the mouth to heart disease, diabetes, pulmonary infections, some urinary tract infections, lymphatic imbalance, low birth weight at term and some intestinal disorders. Seventy per cent of all secondary infections of non-ambulatory patients is being linked to the bacteria in the mouth. If you experience bleeding gums when you brush and floss, sensitive teeth when you eat or drink, loose teeth, chronic oral ulcers, or chronic pain, and practice good daily oral hygiene, you may have a bacterial or nutritional imbalance that requires professional help. If these symptoms persist over a period of time or come and go frequently, seek professional help as soon as possible. If a condition appears over long periods of time, look to nutritional deficiencies as a contributing factor, if not the primary cause. Be certain your oral condition isn't the source for pathogens (bad bacteria), which can affect other systemic conditions and compromise your general health.

During World War II, 9 million men were rejected based on their physical fitness (40% of our nation's manpower). This was attributed to poor nutrition, daily vitamin and mineral intake, and lack of exercise. These same factors apply to today's society. The quality of our food source has continued to decline over the past decades. It is impossible to get sufficient vitamin and mineral daily requirements from the food we consume today. Several decades past we bought greater quantities of food that required peeling, washing, trimming and home cooking. Today we receive our food from multiple fast-food sources, pre-packaged instant foods, irradiated foods, dehydrated soups, and frozen microwave dinners. These foods weigh less per calorie supplied, and in most items contain chemical preservatives that may enhance chemical imbalances, which helps deplete the vitamin and mineral levels our body needs to maintain balance essential for good oral and general health. Current research strongly suggests that cancer and your diet have a strong correlation. John Potter, M.D. states, "Cancer is often a product of nutrient – gene interaction." What you eat is what you are. During the early years of life, your nutrition will influence your body's health and balance decades later.

Continuing science and voluminous scientific data is substantiating the essential daily requirement of numerous vitamins and minerals to keep the chemical processes of the body balanced. Some of these vitamins and minerals have important implications in the oral cavity. Vitamin C, E, and D, Calcium, and Zinc are some of the major nutrients that are essential for good health.

There are other factors we ask our body to endure daily that compound nutritional and systemic imbalances. One of these factors is smoking. The research on the negative aspects of smoking tobacco or marijuana is very compelling. Science has established the addictive action of tobacco ingredients. Dr. Joseph R. DiFranza states young people using tobacco are three times more likely to use alcohol, eight times more likely to use marijuana, and twenty-two times more likely to use cocaine. If you want to maintain good oral and general health, this is one habit you must totally quit. Smoking causes impairment of the body's normal response in fighting and neutralizing infection. Gingivitis and bone loss will progress more rapidly and chronic pulmonary infections are more persistent. Vitamin and mineral deficiency compounds the body's negative response. Smoking also causes alterations in the body's natural defense that results in the destruction of the tissues that surround and support your teeth, which can lead to the loss of your teeth. Research has substantiated the strong correlation between tobacco smokers and periodontal disease. Vitamin C deficient individuals have a more profound oral tissue response. Dr. Robert Genco, DDS, PhD, Chair of the Oral Biology Department, State University of New York at Buffalo, stated, "Since oxidants from cigarette smoking lower Vitamin C levels in the blood, smokers need higher levels of dietary Vitamin C to help counteract smoke's oxidants." If you don't eat right, live right, and practice good daily oral hygiene, the ten different poisons and toxins in tobacco will have a very unfavorable impact on your mouth. The effect of marijuana is many times greater than tobacco. What you do today will determine what you have tomorrow. Life is great. Good habits develop a good life.

Vitamin C is a water soluble vitamin that is very safe. The body can not produce, nor store this vitamin; therefore, you must replenish it daily. Vitamin C deficiency has a profound negative impact on the oral tissues and general health. Deficiency will cause bleeding gums, connective tissue disorders, and impede tissue healing. Vitamin C is required in all the tissues of the body and is a potent cell protector. One of the major functions of this essential vitamin is its role in the production of collagen, a structural component of blood vessel walls, gums and bones. This vitamin is an essential cofactor in the enzymatic chemical process in the development of the main structural protein in bone. The lack of this vitamin will increase inflammation of the oral tissues, have an adverse effect on the cells produced by the immune system, the body's natural defense system, and reduce the primary natural line of defense in the lungs. As Vitamin C intake goes up, the risk for asthma and other respiratory diseases appears to go down. Vitamin C is the main antioxidant in the pulmonary system (lungs). Additionally, Vitamin C has a positive effect on arterial dilation and the cardiovascular system. Dr. Robert Genco stated, "The relationship between Vitamin C and periodontal disease is likely due to Vitamin C's role in maintaining and repairing healthy connective tissue along with its antioxidant properties. Periodontal disease is an inflammatory disease that increases tissue damage and loss. Since Vitamin C is known as a powerful scavenger of reactive oxygen species, which form part of the body's antioxidant defense system, low levels of dietary Vitamin C may compromise the body's ability to neutralize these tissue destructive oxidants." Stress will cause the body to deplete its Vitamin C reserves rapidly, within minutes in most individuals. What is your stress level? You must replenish your Vitamin C daily. The daily recommended value of 60 mg, in my opinion, is archaic. This was established in the 1940's. The RDA (recommended daily allowance) was recently increased to 75 mg for women and 90 mg for men. Science is substantiating the value of Vitamin C and, in my opinion, based on published science, your body needs 500 – 1000 mg of Vitamin C daily, depending on your diet and stress level. Consumer Laboratories states that the tolerable upper intake level for Vitamin C is 2000 mg per day. The Mayo Clinic recommends daily intake of 1000 – 6000 mg per day for individuals with certain systemic diseases. However, it should be noted that some individuals with daily intake above 1000 mg per day can experience stomach cramps, nausea, diarrhea, and increase the risk of developing kidney stones. I personally take 2000 mg per day. Dr. L. Pauling, the pioneer of Vitamin C research, took 10000 mg per day. Several small doses throughout the day is more beneficial than one large dose. Science has established this vitamin works best when administered with Vitamin E and bioflavonoids. When the daily recommended dosage of vitamins and minerals was established by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in the 1930's era, 25% of our population was considered vitamin and mineral deficient. They determined this to be a result of the decline in our food source. Has our food source improved? Do your own research. Evaluate your diet and lifestyle. Consult with your health professional. Are you getting a sufficient daily intake of this very important vitamin? Develop a plan, then implement it into your diet slowly. Research confirms the more Vitamin C consumed, the better. Better health, longer life, and more freedom from chronic disease. Individuals with high Vitamin C levels live an average of six years longer than Vitamin C deficient individuals. There is compelling science that substantiates the value of bioflavonoids in the absorption of Vitamin C in the body. Flavonoids are in dark colored vegetables – the darker the better – and fresh fruits. This plant based chemical enhances the ability of Vitamin C to help balance the chemistry of the body. Try to select a vitamin supplement that provides bioflavonoids with Vitamin C, or consume foods that are known to provide Vitamin C and bioflavonoids. You may want to consider taking this powerful essential antioxidant in combination with the other antioxidants that enhance the effectiveness of this vitamin, Vitamin E, bioflavonoids, and selenium.

Vitamin E is another very important fat-soluble antioxidant that the body requires to stay balanced. A survey published in the American Journal of Epidemiology reports 27% of American adults have low blood levels of this essential vitamin. Vitamin E also enhances the actions of Vitamin C. Moreover, Vitamin C increases the effectiveness of Vitamin E by its ability to chemically re-charge the E vitamin. Its ability to help the immune system and the beneficial effects Vitamin E produces for the cardiovascular system makes this vitamin very important in helping the oral tissues remain healthy. This vitamin enhances cell vitality by its ability to protect the cell membranes from free radical damage; thereby protecting the body's tissue from carcinogenic chemicals and etiological factors. Research has substantiated that natural Vitamin E is more effective than synthetic Vitamin E. The recommended daily value of this vitamin is 30 IU (international units). Current science disputes this value. Published research substantiates a daily value of 200 IU to 800 IU must be consumed to provide the body with health benefits that fight disease and help keep the body balanced. Science has shown you cannot get enough Vitamin E from your diet; therefore, you must supplement Vitamin E in your daily nutrition. Consult your health professional for the amount you should supplement daily. If you are currently taking medication for your heart, consult your physician before increasing your daily supplement of Vitamin E.

Research is revealing the importance of Vitamin D in maintaining good osteoblastic (good bone cells) activity in the health and maintenance of the aveloar (jaw) bone. This vitamin plays a major essential role in bone mineral stability. Daily intake of 400 IU should be sufficient for nutritional balance. Research has established 400 – 800 IU daily to be sufficient, depending on race, gender and exercise, for nutritional balance without side effects. Your bone is constantly undergoing the complex process of remodeling. Vitamin D is very important in this process due to the role it plays in the absorption of calcium. Vitamin D deficiency will alter this process. This could cause the bone to be calcium deficient and fragile. By age 40, most individuals with a nutritional imbalance will start to lose bone density. The insufficient daily replenishing of Vitamin D accelerates this process. Vitamin D helps the digestive system absorb calcium. It is essential for individuals over age 50 to receive adequate amount of Vitamin D daily. Loose teeth could be an indication of the initial stages of bone loss, and research is indicating aveloar (jaw) bone deterioration may be an indication of the beginning of osteoporosis. The jaw bone will not grow new bone. To retain your teeth for a lifetime, a good diet, exercise, and a balanced vitamin-mineral supplement daily is important. If you have an unbalanced diet, lack of exercise, and a high stress level, consult a nutritionalist or health professional. An ounce of Prevention is worth a pound of cure. Make sure your body receives what it needs daily. What you do today will determine your oral and general health tomorrow.

For every biological and chemical process that occurs in your body, a mineral is always a co-factor in that process. Not only is it important and essential for your body to receive the daily intake of vitamins, but minerals as well. The body requires small amounts of minerals for the enzyme system that assists the chemical reactions in the body. Research is establishing the importance of zinc and its contributing attributes in helping to control systemic disorders and chronic disease. This mineral is required by every cell in the body for it to function properly. Science is linking zinc to taste and smell accuracy. There are hundreds of normal biological and chemical processes that must have sufficient quantities of this mineral to be completed. Zinc is an essential cofactor for over 200 enzymes that assist chemical processes in the body (Example: converting food into energy). More individuals are becoming deficient of this mineral due to their food source. Individuals with the following systemic conditions - diabetes, chronic infections, continuous stress, severe eye disorders, eating disorders, using oral contraceptions, or experiencing alcoholism – may want to consult their health professional for recommendations on daily supplements and mineral deficiency. This can help fight inflammation (gingivitis), colds, flu, cold sores, canker sores and promote tissue healing. Science has proven zinc's ability to boost the body's immune system and suggests it may have a positive effect in fighting viral and fungal infections. Additionally, this mineral has a positive influence on the body's fertility. Science has linked this mineral to the development of the fetus and normal growth during the early years. The Journal of Pediatrics reported daily zinc supplements reduced pulmonary infections in children by 41%. Zinc deficiency is linked to developmental disorders in infants, growth retardation, dwarfism, and skin irregularities. Evaluate your diet, your daily water intake, and the multivitamin you may be using. Are they giving you the zinc your body needs? If you are a coffee drinker, do not take your supplements with this drink. Because coffee reduces the absorption of zinc by 50%, take your vitamins and minerals 1 or 2 hours before or after drinking coffee. If you drink more than 2 cups of coffee a day, take your vitamin-mineral supplements at a time the coffee ingredients will not alter the effectiveness of your supplements. Make sure you give your body what it needs to stay balanced, and it will function more efficiently. Be smart. Do your research. Read the Medical Safety Data sheet on every medication you take. Your pharmacist can help obtain this information very easily. In my opinion, a safe daily intake is 15 mg of Zinc daily for males and 20 mg for females. This should be your total daily intake – food, water and supplements.

Science has proven that calcium is vital and essential for good bone growth and development. The daily uptake of calcium from diet and supplements should be sufficient to maintain both normal serum calcium concentrations and parathyroid hormone levels throughout the day, or increased bone resorption will occur. The daily intake of this vital mineral has dropped dramatically during the past several decades. Studies have shown that 90% of females up to age 50 do not get the necessary dietary calcium required to keep the body nutritionally balanced. Only 2% of females above age 50 receive the daily calcium intake their bodies require. The statistics improve some with males but it is still deficient for this gender. Calcium intake varies with race, environment and dietary conditions. Research has shown that we only get half of this vital chemical from our diet. Science is compelling to the fact that individuals who receive sufficient daily intake of calcium during their development years and adolescence have strong bones and may be less susceptible to periodontal disease and bone loss. Calcium is imminent for the most fundamental levels of cell biology and proper concentrations in the extracellular fluid is critical for the neuromuscular and blood coagulation systems, systems that are critical to keeping the body balanced. Calcium develops strong bones, helps fight colon cancer, battles body fat, reduces premenstrual syndrome and can help prevent periodontal disease and tooth loss. Most individuals have a tendency to live by the standard, "If a little is good, a lot is better." This isn't true with vitamins and minerals. Calcium is a vital mineral that is essential, but too much will cause side effects. The daily intake of 2500 mg per day, by diet and supplement combined, has been established as a safe level by the National Academy of Science. High daily doses may be useless if proper calcium absorption is unbalanced. Evaluate your diet. High daily intake of sodium and protein potentially increases calcium excretion in the urine. Read the labels. Add up the approximate milligrams of calcium you are getting from your food source. Then select the daily calcium supplement to bring your daily intake to 1500 – 2500 mg per day. Celotti and Bignamini state 800 mg per day is probably an adequate supplement if sufficient Vitamin D, phosphate and magnesium are available in the diet. Many sources of calcium contain lead naturally. Check your source of this mineral for purity. Look for the "Consumer Laboratories" seal. If you experience constipation, fatigue, and dizziness while taking high levels of calcium supplements in addition to your diet, you may be getting too much calcium. Do your research. Use common sense. Remember, science is compelling to the fact inadequate daily calcium intake is associated with early tooth loss, osteoporosis, heart disease, diabetes, pregnancy disorders, obesity, colon cancer, and contribute to the development of kidney stones. Make sure you supply your body with this very important nutrient daily. Remember, Vitamin D, phosphate and magnesium are very important in the absorption of calcium. Make sure you try to keep your diet balanced.

Your body is what you put in it. Jack Caton, DDS, MS, President of the American Academy of Periodontology, said that diet plays an important role in the overall well being of oral health, especially in light of other new research between calcium and periodontal disease. "However, people need to keep in mind that vitamins, dietary supplements, and good nutrition are not cures for periodontal disease. Patients must also brush and floss and ask their dentist or periodontist about the state of their periodontal health to help prevent tooth loss."

The body requires 16 vitamins, 16 minerals and 90 nutrients every day. Science shows the vitamins C, D, and E and the minerals calcium and zinc are essential for many major body functions and for maintaining chemical and biological balance. Their deficiency has a very negative impact on the oral tissues and several major functions of the body. Are you supplying your body with adequate amounts of these vitamins and minerals? If you don't have a balanced diet, exercise regularly and drink a sufficient quantity of water daily, you should consider consulting a nutritionist. Practicing good daily hygiene isn't enough. If you don't supply your body with the fuel it needs to function properly, it is like your car. It will break down. The time you take to learn what your body requires daily will pay dividends for years to come. Observe, think, read and consult. This could make your life healthier, happier and longer. Remember. Your body is what you put in it.

REFERENCES

1. Nutrition Science News, Vol. 5, No. 12 December, 2000.
2. National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland.
3. Timothy J. Maher, PhD., Sawyer Professor of Pharmaceuticals Science, Dean of Research and Sponsored Programs, Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Science.
4. The Complete Book of Vitamins, Rodale Books.
5. Robert Genco, DDS, PHD, Chair of the Oral Biology Department, State University of New York, Buffalo, N.Y.
6. Jack Caton, DDS, MS, President, American Academy of Periodontology, Chicago, IL.
7. Dentistry Today, Volume 19, No. 10, October, 2000.
8. Susan Thys Jacobs, Columbia University
9. National Academy of Science
10. U.S. Department of Agriculture.
11. John Hopkins University.
12. Mayo Clinic
13. Tufts University, Diet and Nutrition Letter, February, 1996.
14. Journal of Pediatrics.
15. The National Academy of Science.
16. National Cancer Institute.
17. Connie Weaver, PhD, Purdue University.
18. Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.
19. University of Tennessee Research.
20. American Journal of Epidemiology 1999; 150: 290-300.
21. Isadore Rosenfeld, M.D. Rossi Distinguished Professor of Clinical Medicine, Weil Medical College, Cornell University, New York.
22. Celotti, F., Bignamini A., J. of International Medical Research. 27(1): 1-l4, 1999 Jan. – Feb.
23. Lewis, RD, Modlesky, CM., U. of Georgia, International J. of Sport Nutrition. 8(3): 250-84, 1998 Sep.
24. Consumer Laboratories LLC.
25. Dr. Joseph R. DiFranza, University of Massachusetts Medical School.
26. Data on File Prevention Laboratories.

Prevention Mouth Rinse

Free E-Dental.com Newsletter