'You have the best teeth that I have seen all week'
Author: Josie Shillabeer
Making just a few small changes to your daily dental hygiene routine can help to optimise not only the health of your mouth but your whole body. In this blog post I am going to share with you my natural dental hygiene routine that I do each day and recommend as a nutritionist.
For a little over two years, I’ve been committed to following a natural dental hygiene routine. The inspiration to write this post came after a recent visit to my dentist, Dr. Tyler, who told me, “You have the best teeth I’ve seen all week!” Hearing that felt like confirmation that all my research, effort, and dedication to a natural routine were truly paying off. What once seemed like a leap of faith—switching to natural products—now feels like one of the best decisions I’ve ever made for my health.
After reading this post, be sure to check out my next blog, "The Best Natural Dental Hygiene Products," where I’ll share my top recommendations to help you on your journey to a healthier smile!
My Natural Dental Hygiene Routine
Having a daily dental hygine routine is essential for good oral health. Here is what I do as a Nutritionist to keep my oral health the best it can be.
Brush your teeth as soon as you wake up
If you do not do this already it can take a little getting used to switching from brushing your teeth after eating and drinking to before. For me this was a game changer when it came to supporting my dental health.
Overnight bacteria builds up within your mouth that you will want to brush off before you eat or drink anything. By brushing your teeth before eating/drinking it can help to reduce the amount of unwanted bacteria entering your digestive system that may put additional strain onto your immune system and gut.
If you brush your teeth after eating or drinking you may also be rubbing food particles or sugar molecules into your teeth. This could potentially act a little like sand paper wearing down the protective enamel that wrap around your teeth over time.
The final reason why you shouldn't brush your teeth after breakfast is that the food particles that get trapped within your mouth after eating can help to feed the good bacteria within your mouth keeping it healthy. Prebiotic foods, such as oats, flaxseed and banana all help to feed the good bacteria in your mouth. If you brush your teeth straight after eating/drinking them they will not be available to feed the good bacteria within your mouth.
Mindfully brush your teeth
When you have to do something like brushing your teeth everyday it can be all too easy to spend time in your head thinking rather than concentrating on what you are doing. When we do this we do not do a very good job and we are also prone to brushing the same teeth, in the same order and missing the same spots. I therefore recommend using the time when you are brushing your teeth to practice mindfulness (a practice that involves focusing on the present moment).
When you first put your toothbrush in your mouth start by brushing a different spot in your mouth every time. This is because the first place that you put the brush in your mouth will get the most amount of toothpaste.
Then take your time to work your way around every tooth. You can either work tooth by tooth or I choose to do the back, tops and fronts in sections. Try to rub for a few seconds on each side of each tooth. Keep in mind that you will tend to brush your teeth in the same way each time so be mindful of this any try rubbing your teeth with the brush in a different directions every now and then to make sure you never miss a spot.
When you brush mindfully you are also less likely to brush too hard or too vigorously. If you brush too hard it can damage your enamel and if you brush too vigorously (fast and intense) it can inflame your gums. Practice brushing hard enough that you are going to remove any unwanted food particles and plaque build up but not so much that it can cause damage.
Brush your teeth twice a day
While you can occasionally skip brushing your teeth occasionally and get away with it, I would highly recommend that you brush your teeth twice a day. Once when you wake up and then again just before bed.
Try to leave at least 30 minutes after you have eaten or drink anything before you brush your teeth. This will allow the good bacteria in your mouth time to feast on the prebiotic fibres and for all of the sugar molecules to breakdown to avoid any unwanted abrasion (wearing down).
Don't rinse your mouth
While it can be tempting to swirl your mouth out with water after brushing it is best to spit your toothpaste out leaving a thin layer of your mineral toothpaste on your teeth. This thin layer of toothpaste contains minerals, anti-inflammatories and antimicrobial agents. They will continue to do their work for a short while after brushing.
Only floss when you need it
While we are told to floss regularly it can actually cause unwanted health problems and therefore the pros and cons need to be delicately weighted up.
Pros of flossing
Plaque (a build up of microoragnisms including bacteria) that build up between your teeth can lead to cavities (tooth decay). Therefore, I recommend that you use floss, interdental brushes or a water flosser to remove the plaque before it damages your teeth.
Cons of flossing
However, floss, interdental brushes and water flossing can cut or cause inflammation to your gums. When you accidentally cut your gums causing them to bleed it can allow the bacteria within your mouth to enter your bloodstream. This can put additional strain onto your immune system and it is something that you want to avoid. Flossing can also cause inflammation to your gums and this can put you at risk of gum disease and again puts additional strain onto your immune system.
A delicate balance
I personally choose to use dental floss a few times per month in between the teeth where I notice a build up of plaque. I do not use it daily and I am as careful as possible not to cut my gums. However, you may need to floss more regulary depending on the bacterial composition within your mouth, your diet, dental health risk, etc. I recommend that you speak to your dentist or Nutritional Therapist about flossing for more personalised guidance.
Avoid mouthwash unless you are using it for a specific treatment
While mouthwashes can make your mouth feel super fresh and clean, super clean isn't necessarily a good thing when it comes to your oral health.
Many mouthwashes contain really harsh chemicals that can harm your health and disrupt the delicate balance of bacteria within your mouth. Having a healthy balance of good bacteria in your mouth is essential for maintaining oral health and overall well-being. The human mouth is home to a complex ecosystem of microbes—some beneficial and some harmful. Good bacteria play several important roles, creating a protective environment that promotes not only good oral health but whole body health. When you use harsh mouthwashes it can destroy the good bacteria within your mouth that protects you against bad breath, gum disease, etc. This in turn puts you at greater risk of oral health problems longterm.
If you are currently using mouthwash and are looking to come off after reading this I recommend that you seek the support of a Nutritional Therapist or Holistic Dentist first (see our Practitioner Directory Here). They will help you to optimise your diet so that it is full of foods and drinks that can feed the good bacteria within your mouth and reduce those that will enable the bad bacteria to grow. They can also assist with any unwanted side effects that can temporarily occur when you stop using mouthwash, such as bad breath.
Specific treatment
Mouthwashes do have a place when it comes to supporting your health, for example, reducing the amount of bad bacteria within the mouth or reducing inflammation. But it is important to see them more as a short-term treatment option that should be selected based on research or through the recommendations of a Nutritionist or Holistic Dentist.
Want to know what products I use? Check out of other blog post where I will share with you 'The Best Natural Dental Hygiene Products'.
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