MOUTH HEALTH

I am somewhat fussy about my mouth - in particular its cleanliness. You probably know the drill - brush for 3 full minutes, making sure to of course get all the teeth equally well; floss thoroughly; and a little tongue scraping. Okay, maybe you don't know that drill but this has become my regular routine. Ask your dentist and they will tell you that the mouth can be a good indicator of imbalance and keeping it clean will help remove harmful bacteria that can lead to illness.

When it comes to infants, as soon as the first tooth pops through start gently brushing using a baby toothbrush and water only. This not only begins to clean their mouths, but also gets them accustomed to the toothbrush and a regular brushing routine. Talk to your dentist about how best to care for your little ones teeth.

Here are a couple really simple [and inexpensive] ways to work towards mouth health:

Homemade Mouthwash

1 pint pure water

2 tsp. baking soda
3-5 drops of peppermint essential oil
pinch or two of stevia or xylitol powder

Combine all in pint jar, cover and shake well. I recommend shaking before each use to ensure that all the ingredients are combined well.

Tongue Scraper

A tongue scraper is an inexpensive tool that helps fight cavities by removing bacteria from the mouth via the tongue. By removing old residue on the tongue, it can improve taste sensitivity and reduce cravings [for example, if you eat something sweet, scrape your tongue immediately after to help reduce the craving for more sugar]. If you suffer from bad breath, it helps with that as well!

I really like the Preserve Tongue Scraper. It is made out of all recycled [and recyclable] content. To recycle you simply place it back in the original package and send back to the manufacturer for free.

[photo from the Preserve website]

And of course, brushing after each meal and flossing once a day!