BryantheRyan.com Challenging conventional wisdom about nutrition, fitness and overall health

Bristles and Floss: How to Create and Maintain a Healthy Mouth

photo credit: twicepix

Six months ago I came across a process of oral care that has completely changed the way that I clean my mouth. This process is very counter culture to what we believe is "proper" oral hygiene. I found this process on Anthony Johnson's blog thedreamlounge.net.

The Problem

Know how the American Dental Association has waged war on soda and sugar for oral health? Well they are not freaking lying. Sugar is the devil, in all areas of life. Why then, do we brush our teeth with substances that contain sugar or have sugar properties? Hell if I know.

Popular toothpastes contain so many chemicals and added coloring agents that it is surprising we all still have teeth. Toothpaste also contains fluoride. I will not pretend to understand why fluoride is detrimental to our health, but the EU and many other countries around the world have outlawed its use in drinking water and oral care products.

All I know is that I have a solution for the masses that want an all-natural, cheap and effective way to make your mouth whiter and cleaner than ever before. The substances used in this process are simple and effective. Floss, Baking Soda, Sea Salt, Hydrogen Peroxide and All Natural Mouthwash.

Here is the 3 step process (in order) that I use on a daily basis to maintain a healthy mouth:

1) Floss. I know every bodies most dreaded bathroom activity. Well guess what? Flossing is the single best way to prevent gingivitis and cavities. If you drink lots of sugary sodas or eat sugary and high carbohydrate foods, you better be flossing. Actually you better be flossing everyday no matter what.

If you have not flossed in a while your gums will bleed and yes it will hurt. This is normal. Since no form of debris remover has been in between your teeth for the last 10 years your gums have become extremely sensitive to any kind of touch. It's your own fault so suck it up and do your mouth a favor. Allow 1-2 weeks, if you floss every day, for this to pass.

If you do not own floss, then besides the fact that you should be shot, go out and buy some. I personally do not recommend purchasing the "waxed floss". This stuff is simply a bunch of thread waxed together and it breaks apart in your teeth. Go for the "Glide" kind. It is simply a thin sheet of plastic and works much better than the waxed crap.

2) Mouth Rinse. This is where it gets weird. Create a mixture of 1 part water to 1 part 3-5% hydrogen peroxide. Then add any amount of all natural, non fluoride or alcohol containing mouth rinse (for taste and nutrients such as aloe).  I put this mixture into an old Equate mouth rinse container (middle bottle in photo) and take a swig of it every time I do this routine.

I use Tom's of Maine mouthwash, but any natural mouthwash will do. The hydrogen peroxide is safe for rinsing in your mouth. It says so right on the bottle.

The reason why all natural mouthwash should be used is because it does not contain any alcohol, which causes the bite in conventional mouthwash. The bite is simply a lure for us to believe that the mouth wash is doing something beneficial in our mouths. Although alcohol does have anti-bacterial properties, it also dries out the mouth and can worsen bad breathe.

Never use alcohol containing mouth rinse

Alcohol containing mouth rinses are now being deemed as a cause of oral cancer. You can read the article here. A group of Australian researchers reviewed a number scientific studies done on patients and mouth rinses. People who used high alcohol containing mouth rinses (20%) actually had a 5x increase in mouth cancer compared to the control. I'm not condoning this study as the end all for conventional mouth rinses, but its findings are compelling.

Leave room when you take a mouth full of this stuff. The hydrogen peroxide bubbles like crazy and if you do not compensate for this you will have mouth rinse bubbles coming out your nose and ears.

Swish around in your food hole for 1-2 minutes. Any longer won't do you any more good so just stick to the time allotted. After this is over your mouth should feel refreshed and clean.

Hydrogen Peroxide is very cheap. I recently bought a two-pack of 16oz bottles at Walgreens for a dollar.

3)Brush with baking soda and sea salt.

Baking soda? Yes baking soda, the stuff that your grandparents and most other senior citizens use to clean their mouths. Baking Soda is antibacterial and is a simple and effective substance to fight plaque and tarter build up, so don't hate.

Use seal salt. Sea salt is exactly what it says, salt from the sea. Their are no added chemicals in it like the salt that is usually found on our kitchen tables.

Simply wet your toothbrush and lightly coat the bristles with baking soda. An even smaller amount of sea salt should be sprinkled on top as salt can be very abrasive and more salt would prolong its dissolving.

Brush thoroughly and do not press too hard. Our mouths are tender areas, any harsh or abrasive movements can result in damage to our gums and teeth.

Use a soft bristled toothbrush. I recently talked to a dental professional and was told that any stiffer bristles are abrasive and can scratch off enamel that coats our teeth.  Also, if the bristles on your tooth brush have frayed outward you are pushing way to hard when you brush. Ease up on the pressure Arnold. The bristles of the toothbrush are what do all the work, not the plate that they are attached to.

Brush for any amount of time that you want. Just make sure that you thoroughly reach all the areas of your mouth, including your gums and your tongue.

I dread brushing my tongue as my gag reflex is way to sensitive for me to do this for more than a few seconds.

Baking soda is also extremely inexpensive. I bought a one pound bag for a dollar and have hardly made a dent in it. Sea salt is also pretty cheap and will last you a lifetime.

My experiences

The end result of this process is a clean and refreshed mouth. The best part about all is that I only do this once per day.Yes you read right, one time.

I do this in the morning as it is a great way to start the day. Plus I can get rid of morning breath and clean away the gunk that cakes my teeth.

On a normal day I brush in the morning and just floss before I go to bed to get all the wedged food particles out of my mouth.

And let me tell you, my mouth is cleaner than it has ever been. Instead of my mouth staying clean for an hour, I experience the feeling of clean for most of the day.

In my opinion their is no best time to brush your teeth. As long as you clean your mouth on a daily basis, you should be fine. I only brush in the morning because it works for me.

What does your breath smell like?

Nothing, the way our breath is supposed to smell. Contrary to popular belief, our breath's natural scent is not peppermint or wintergreen. As crazy as it is to say, breath should smell like breath.

How long does this take you?

On a normal day this process takes anywhere from 3-5 minutes. And since I only do this once a day, it is well worth the time.

Update: I recently went to the dentist after having done this process once a day for the past six months. My curiosity got the best of me, so I asked the hygienist how clean my mouth was on a scale of 1-10. She was obviously caught off guard, but eventually answered a 9 and "The cleanest mouth I've seen all day."

Your pearly white comrade

-Ryan

PS I also want to note that I drink coffee on a daily basis. Even though coffee is said to stain our teeth yellow, I have never experienced this phenomenon.