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NUTRITION AND ORAL HEALTH
Article by herbalist
Dave
Hawkins, MH, CNC
What goes on in the mouth has a lot to do
with the general health of the body. Research is showing
that many of our degenerative diseases such as heart
disease may have connections to our oral health. This is a
huge subject, and thus this article cannot go into all the
aspects of oral hygiene. We will, however, look at certain
aspects of oral health and the nutrients necessary for the
prevention of gum disease, infections, and bone loss.
As stated in an article from Nutrition
Science News, and I quote, “The visible tooth is simply
an enamel coating that covers a softer tissue underneath
called the dentin. The middle of the tooth is a pulp cavity
containing nerve endings and blood vessels. Under the gum
line, the dentinis is covered
with cementum, a substance
similar to bone. The part of the jaw that contains tooth
sockets is called alveolar bone with which teeth are
anchored with ligaments. The inside of the mouth and gums
are made of epithelial tissue. The saliva is alkaline in
nature and buffers acidity,
remineralizes the teeth, washes away food, begins
digestion, and has immune properties."
According to Dr. Hal Huggins, DDS, dental
problems such as cavities, infections, toxic or allergy
producing filling materials, root canals, and misalignments
of the teeth or jaw can have far reaching effects
throughout the body. Researchers from the National
Institute of Health in conjunction with the State
University Of New York presented
at the 1999 Conference on Cardiovascular Disease,
Epidemiology and Prevention stated that bleeding gums and
deep pockets between the gum tissue and the bone increased
the risk of cardiovascular and coronary hearth disease and
strokes. Some of the most common causes would include:
Unerupted teeth, wisdom teeth
(both impacted and unimpacted),
and amalgam filled cavities, root canals, cysts, and bone
inflammations.
Of course, we have heard from our dentists
that proper preventive measures of regular brushing,
flossing, and dental visits will help reduce gum disease;
and it may also help prevent heart disease.
Periodontal gum disease takes two forms and
affects nearly half of the U.S. adult
population. Simple gum inflammation with the presence of
bacteria is called gingivitis; but when it becomes more
severe, it is called periodontitis.
These conditions can lead to bone loss with subsequent loss
of teeth.
Let’s look at the role of nutrition when we
deal with oral health: Minerals play an important role.
Some of the necessary ones would include calcium,
magnesium, zinc, silica, boron and iron. Many vitamins
also play an important role and would include: Vitamin C,
D, K, A, B2, B3, B6, B12 and folic acid. Deficiencies of
these can lead to bone loss, inflamed gum tissues, sores in
the mouth, loss of taste, dry mouth, bad breath, sore
tongue and thrush (yeast infections). Supplementing
specific nutrients especially when there is dental disease
has been shown to have benefits.
Since bacteria are a major player in oral
health, let us look how we can prevent bacterial overgrowth
and minimize its detrimental effects. The first step is to
remove bacteria mechanically, particularly after meals and
at bedtime. Cleaning the tongue with a device called a
tongue scraper helps. Using specific herbal products as
mouthwash, rinses and toothpastes with antibacterial
compounds is a good start. Some good herbals that have
shown promise would include:
·
Bloodroot – It has been used for over 100
years in dental care. Recently it has been shown to prevent
bacteria from sticking to newly formed plaque and thus
reduces inflammation. It is not to be taken by itself since
it can be toxic in large doses. It is usually added in
small amounts to already prepared products.
·
Calendula – An anti-inflammatory used to
soothe swollen gums
·
Goldenseal – Contains the antibacterial
compound berberine and is a
potent deterrent to gum disease. It also has the ability
to reduce pain and swollen gums. A mouthwash made from the
root in tea form is very effective. I used this herb as a
wash when I had my wisdom teeth removed to prevent dry
sockets.
·
Myrrh – Is a herb
that dates back to biblical times. It is a potent
antibacterial agent known to kill
staph and strep germs. It is found in gargles,
toothpastes and rinses.
·
Tea tree oil – Is strongly antiseptic and
has the ability to kill bacterial that may be resistant to
other antimicrobials. Research shows eight components
present that are effective against bacteria. (I use a
chewing stick permeated with tea tree and mint for breath
freshening and reducing bacteria.)
I’m sure there are many other herbs that can
benefit our oral health. Look for the above-mentioned
substances in dental products if you are looking to prevent
or treat certain conditions.
Another important nutrient involved in oral
nutrition is a substance I recently wrote about --
CO Q10. According to Dr. Edward Wilkinson, periodontal
specialist and researcher investigating gum disease, marked
deficiencies of Co Q10 are found in diseased gums. There
has been research done with patients taking oral CO Q10 at
a 60 mg dosage. Reports after three weeks showed
improvement that took into account a number of factors
including gingival pocket depth, swelling, bleeding,
redness, pain, exudates and looseness of teeth. It cannot
be advertised as a medical treatment for gum disease due to
lack of FDA approval for such use. It is safe and
non-toxic according to Dr. Karl Folker,
the researcher of CO Q10.
Some other considerations when it comes to
oral health are the issues of mercury amalgam filling
material and the use of fluoride. There is not enough room
in this article to go in depth, but I think these are two
areas that need more research. The
ADA supports the use of these
substances even though there is mounting evidence that some
people will have problems with them. I will address these
topics in a future follow-up article.
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