Oral heath is foundational for vibrant health. Essential #5 stresses the importance of embracing biological dentistry as part of a healthy breast plan.  Some oral situations go beyond root canals and mercury fillings that lead to dis-ease. “Leaky Mouth” is one such condition.

The Mouth is Part of the Digestive Tract

The tongue-in-cheek (no pun intended) term “Leaky Mouth” actually refers to a well-documented condition called gingival epithelium permeability (GEP). Very similar to the digestive condition Leaky Gut, Leaky Mouth occurs when pathogens proliferate in the oral area to the point where they penetrate the sensitive and rather porous oral mucosa and enter the bloodstream. In exactly the same fashion as with Leaky Gut, Leaky Mouth paves the way for immune dysregulation and dis-ease.

Cass Nelson-Dooley is an ethno-pharmacologist, health communicator, educator and researcher based in Georgia who helped coin the term.

“I think the US Surgeon General said it best in 2000, that the mouth is the ‘mirror’ of health and disease in the body,” Nelson-Dooley explained in a recent interview. “If we think of the gastrointestinal tract as a river, then the mouth is the headwater – the source of that river. It sets the stage for everything that comes after in the gastrointestinal tract and in the whole body.”

Wow, this way of looking at the mouth puts oral health in a whole new perspective! Over the last two decades, a lot has been done to make the connection between gut dysbiosis and dis-ease. Now it’s time to take it one step further and consider the mouth as part of the digestive tract as well. As such, it is subject to the same needed conditions as the gut for optimum health.

The Mouth Contains Both Bad and Good Bacteria

Of course, the mouth contains unique beneficial bacterium, including certain kinds of Streptococcus, which

actually appear to be beneficial in the right amount and type (S. Mutans excluded).

There is also evidence to suggest that certain beneficial bacteria found in the mouth, such as Veillonella and Actinomyces, have the ability to convert nitrates found in leafy green vegetables to nitrites which eventually convert into nitric oxide in the bloodstream. Nitric oxide plays a pivotal role in blood pressure regulation and cardiovascular health and has also been found to suppress cancer tumor growth.

Oral Bacteria That May Be Harming You

Not only do you have hundreds of species of bacteria in your mouth right now, you also swallow about a trillion of them every day with what you eat! This is actually good news, since it contributes to the constant “seeding” of the gastrointestinal tract with bacteria.

Researchers are still learning about how all of the intrinsic and externally-acquired good bacteria work together in one perfect mechanism for health and disease-protection in a healthy body. However, there are some kinds of bacteria that don’t need to stay in your mouth (or anywhere for that matter) for long.

There are many pathogenic bacteria that may exist and proliferate in your mouth. These have been found to increase the risk of dental caries, gum disease, heart disease, cancer and other chronic diseases. A great way to find out if you have dis-ease promoting bacteria is with a saliva test called Oral DNA – the Periopath test. This simple test can detect pathogens such as the ones mentioned above. It can also detect genetic markers associated with increased inflammation and help your biological dentist select the best treatment for you. Ask your biological dentist to order this test for you. 

Ways to Improve Your Oral Health (and Prevent Dis-ease!)

There are many steps you can take to protect yourself from bad bacteria in your mouth as well as encourage the good bacteria in your mouth to flourish. Here are just a few:

-#1 Maintain proper oral hygiene, including brushing, flossing and oil pulling.

-#2 Eat a diet free from excess sugars and processed foods.

-#3 Up the amount of fresh, organic green, leafy vegetables in your diet.

-#4 Chew on some oral probiotics to help support the growth of healthy bacteria. 

-#5 Stay away from antibacterial mouthwashes. Use hydrogen peroxide diluted in some water to use as a mouth rinse. 

Not only may these artificial mouthwashes contain harmful chemicals and preservatives, they also tend to dry the mouth. Lack of saliva can cause oral dysbiosis as well and change the pH of the oral cavity. Antibacterial mouthwashes can also kill beneficial bacteria in addition to the bad in a similar way that oral antibiotics do so in the gut. Opt for natural mouthwashes instead that include essential oils and colloidal silver. 

On your Healthy Breast journey, don’t forget about oral health. Consider your mouth as part of your digestive tract and help it flourish with the right kind of bacteria and conditions that will help prevent disease not promote it!

 

Dr. Veronique Desaulniers (“Dr. V”) is the founder of Breast Cancer Conqueror.com and The 7 Essentials System ™. This step-by-step guide empowers you with knowledge so you Never Have to Fear Breast Cancer Again! To watch a FREE webinar about the 7 steps for beating breast cancer naturally, Click Here