THE IMPORTANCE OF FLOSSING TO YOUR GUMS

[Vince]

This may sound like a strange thread. But when I was younger in my thirties, I'm in my '60s now. I heard that flossing helps fight heart disease. So I started daily flossing. Now I even carry a flossing pic in my pocket. So after I eat I usually floss my teeth. I don't like any food stuck in between my teeth.

Anyways, I went to the dentist recently and he says man your gums are excellent. It tells me that you regularly floss your teeth.

So that's why I posted this thread.

The Importance of Flossing to Your Gums - Westermeier Martin Dental Care

wmsmile.com

 

[Vince]

Stronger Connections Between Gum Disease and Alzheimer’s Disease Discovered - Neuroscience News

Two new studies strengthen the link between gum disease and the development of Alzheimer's disease. The studies focus on the interactions between the gingipains enzyme interacts with the Tau protein, and how the gingipains enzyme contributes to the development of amyloid-beta.

neurosciencenews.com

 

[jdthoosier]

I had slight issues with gum bleeding then changed over to brushing/flossing 3 times a day and those issues went away.

 

[bruin]

This is a great report and somewhat absent from most peoples hygiene regimen. I was told I had receeding gums 20+yrs ago, had to do with brushing technique most likely. Always had bleeding issues with flossing. I switched to a very inexpensive bamboo toothbrush that i found at the dollar store, I went back and cleaned out the inventory, and a top shelf natural toothpaste and have had a very positive expereince. I use a water pic flosser.

 

[Cataceous]

Here's my anecdote on oral hygiene: At the dentist's office the hygienist was pressuring me to use mouthwash, and I was resisting due to the known disruption of oral fauna, and because it seemed to contribute to bad morning breath. She happened to mention oil pulling as an alternative. I hadn't heard of it, so I researched it and thought it seemed legitimate as a reducer of mouth bacteria—you just have to ignore all the other ridiculous claims out there.. I bought some cheap coconut oil and began a routine of swishing some around my mouth before bed. About the same time I became aware of orally-targeted probiotics. I reasoned that if the oil pulling is depleting the oral fauna then it might make sense to repopulate with species known to be benign. This led me to follow each oil pulling session with a probiotic containing L paracasei, L reuteri, L sakei and L salivarius. What impressed me is that under this regimen I never have noticeable morning breath. Previously it was something that would be present occasionally. In addition, my teeth seem to retain that just-polished feel, even after extended periods between visits to the hygienist. The hygienist also noted reduced plaque and tartar compared to prior visits.

I've made no attempt to see if either or both components are dispensable when it comes to the perceived benefits. Perhaps if there get to be more such favorable anecdotes then somebody will run a study to see if there is a synergistic effect.

See also:

Oil Pulling: Teeth Whitening with Coconut Oil, Pros and Cons - Dentaly.org

What is oil pulling and is it safe? Learn about the benefits of oil pulling with coconut oil for teeth whitening, how to do it and any dangers involved.

www.dentaly.org

Probiotics and oral health: A systematic review - PubMed

The literature reviewed suggests probiotics usage could be beneficial for the maintenance of oral health, due to its ability to decrease the colony forming units (CFU) counts of the oral pathogens. However, randomized clinical trials with long-term follow-up periods are needed to confirm their...

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

 

[sammmy]

The bacteria that proliferates in your mouth, or any other place of your digestive track, is unexpectedly associated with many diseases, from heart valve damage, arthritis, to death. That applies to the "good" bacteria too - it's good only while it stays in your digestive track, where the immune system keeps it in check. One can even die if the bacteria from a tooth cavity gets in your blood stream, although that is rare. Bacteria species common to your digestive tract or skin can be deadly if they get access to the blood stream. This is shocking and the public is oblivious about it.

I recently looked into probiotics designed to populate the mouth to displace the "bad" bacteria, but was put off by Amazon reviews claiming that they got sore throats from the probiotics, which is a red flag for immunocompromised people.

The studies on those probiotics weren't very convincing against gum disease either - they always combine them with dental cleaning and a lot of the studies show unadvertedly a larger effect from dental cleaning followed by chlorhexidine antibiotic treatment of the gums.

There were chlorhexidine mouthwashes in the past, but they were discontinued, due to concerns about the bacteria developing resistance and also chlorhexidine tints the tongue and teeth brown.

The current alternative are mouthwashes with 1.5% Hydrogen Peroxide, which you can easily do yourself by diluting cheap 3% Hydrogen Peroxide.

A "natural" antibiotic for the mouth is Propolis - the resin that bees gather from trees and buds to protect the hive from pathogens. It is shown in studies to kill some bad bacteria and fungi in the mouth. Just add 5 drops of Propolis to your toothpaste every time you brush your teeth.

 

[Vince]

From women that I slept with and both of my wife's have told me I've never get morning breath. Also my present wife never has had morning breath. I don't know what causes it but some women that have been with did have morning breath.

 

[Vince]

From women that I slept with and both of my wife's have told me I've never get morning breath. Also my present wife never has had morning breath. I don't know what causes it but some women that have been with did have morning breath.

Bad breath - Symptoms and causes

www.mayoclinic.org

 

[Vince]

The bacteria that proliferates in your mouth, or any other place of your digestive track, is unexpectedly associated with many diseases, from heart valve damage, arthritis, to death. That applies to the "good" bacteria too - it's good only while it stays in your digestive track, where the immune system keeps it in check. One can even die if the bacteria from a tooth cavity gets in your blood stream, although that is rare. Bacteria species common to your digestive tract or skin can be deadly if they get access to the blood stream. This is shocking and the public is oblivious about it.

I recently looked into probiotics designed to populate the mouth to displace the "bad" bacteria, but was put off by Amazon reviews claiming that they got sore throats from the probiotics, which is a red flag for immunocompromised people.

The studies on those probiotics weren't very convincing against gum disease either - they always combine them with dental cleaning and a lot of the studies show unadvertedly a larger effect from dental cleaning followed by chlorhexidine antibiotic treatment of the gums.

There were chlorhexidine mouthwashes in the past, but they were discontinued, due to concerns about the bacteria developing resistance and also chlorhexidine tints the tongue and teeth brown.

The current alternative are mouthwashes with 1.5% Hydrogen Peroxide, which you can easily do yourself by diluting cheap 3% Hydrogen Peroxide.

A "natural" antibiotic for the mouth is Propolis - the resin that bees gather from trees and buds to protect the hive from pathogens. It is shown in studies to kill some bad bacteria and fungi in the mouth. Just add 5 drops of Propolis to your toothpaste every time you brush your teeth.

One of my wife 's first boyfriends died from a tooth infection. It was one of his upper teeth and It did go to his brain. He didn't die immediately but it was something they couldn't stop. And it did eventually cause his death.

I just looked it up. It is a little bit different than what I stated but it can eventually kill you if left untreated.

 

[sammmy]

One of the most dangerous bacteria that naturally lives in the digestive tract is Klebsiella Pneumoniae. If it gets unopposed access to the blood stream or lungs, when the immune system is weak, it can cause pneumonia, urinary tract infections, ankylosing spondylitis (type of arthritis), sepsis and death.

It's the cause of many hospital-acquired infections and is developing antibiotic resistance, which makes it even more dangerous.

 

[gallant]

I wonder if using toothpaste is just part of out culture and not something we really need to use. Something marketed years ago and we just keep buying it.
I don't use toothpaste. I brush daily and thoroughly with just water. Use a water pik a couple times a week and see a dentist every 5 months or so. I chew sugarless gum regularly.
My hygienist and dentist often remark about how healthy my teeth are and no complaints from female companions about bad breath and I have asked and told them about my no toothpaste routine. 55 years old.

 

[tropicaldaze1950]

My story is different. I was flossing for several decades and brushing twice a day but over the past ten years my teeth began to break down, not from periodontal disease. Ultimately, after two years of treating infections, individual extractions and consulting multiple dentists, in February, I had all my remaining teeth extracted. Implants for a snap-in lower are scheduled and a new upper denture will be cast. My dentist can't explain why my teeth were decaying under the gum line and he apologized that there was no way to save them. Traumatic losing my teeth but it was also the only sensible and logical thing to do.

 

[sammmy]

It's a question of not only hygiene but also immune system. You can slow down periodontal disease with flossing and brushing and antimicrobials but if your immune system is genetically not capable of keeping the mouth bacteria in check, in a few decades the teeth are lost.

 

[sammmy]

Here's my anecdote on oral hygiene: At the dentist's office the hygienist was pressuring me to use mouthwash, and I was resisting due to the known disruption of oral fauna, and because it seemed to contribute to bad morning breath. She happened to mention oil pulling as an alternative. I hadn't heard of it, so I researched it and thought it seemed legitimate as a reducer of mouth bacteria—you just have to ignore all the other ridiculous claims out there.. I bought some cheap coconut oil and began a routine of swishing some around my mouth before bed. About the same time I became aware of orally-targeted probiotics. I reasoned that if the oil pulling is depleting the oral fauna then it might make sense to repopulate with species known to be benign. This led me to follow each oil pulling session with a probiotic containing L paracasei, L reuteri, L sakei and L salivarius. What impressed me is that under this regimen I never have noticeable morning breath. Previously it was something that would be present occasionally. In addition, my teeth seem to retain that just-polished feel, even after extended periods between visits to the hygienist. The hygienist also noted reduced plaque and tartar compared to prior visits.

Are you still taking the oral probiotic and which brand is that?

 

[Cataceous]

Are you still taking the oral probiotic and which brand is that?

Yes, still using Hyperbiotics Pro-Dental.

 

[Vince]

Don't forget the importance of CoQ10 for your dental health. I always chew mine for my dental health.

Dentist Boston, MA | Dentist Near Me | Local Dentist | Dentist Office Near Me | Cost of Dental Care | Dental Health & Wellness Boston

dentalhealthandwellnessboston.com

 

[sammmy]

Yes, still using Hyperbiotics Pro-Dental.

Do these still contain the original strains K12 and M18?

I see reviews on Amazon from May 2022 that the original strains were replaced by others, the images of the bottle still show K12 and M18 but the description doesn't list them.

 

[DorianGray]

Home

Featured Products How to Add ProBiora to Your Routine To add the Power of ProBiora to your oral-care regimen, follow these simple steps. Healthy Mouths and Happy Customers

probiorahealth.com

 

[Cataceous]

Do these still contain the original strains K12 and M18?

I see reviews on Amazon from May 2022 that the original strains were replaced by others, the images of the bottle still show K12 and M18 but the description doesn't list them.

I see one review to that effect. Current bottles show these strains, as does the manufacturer's site.

4 targeted, science-backed probiotic strains, including S. salivarius BLIS K12™ and S. salivarius BLIS M18™, plus chelated zinc to help support oral, dental and upper respiratory health.*​

...​

Probiotic Strain Type​

Lactobacillus paracasei, Lactobacillus reuteri, Streptococcus salivarius BLIS K12™, Streptococcus salivarius BLIS M18™​

The one discrepancy I see is that in a couple places on the Amazon listing it mentions L. sakei, which is not on the label or manufacturer's site.