Smiles lift up the world!

Our teeth play a huge role in our heath and wellness.  In my immersion Camps I’ve noticed that a huge leap forward for some was taking on a long-overdue trip to the dentist, and in my life I’ve seen the same with friends.  Even the dogs have dentists now, and the link between caring for teeth and overall wellness is huge.  Holistic dentists see a mirror between tooth health and body health.  Each tooth also corresponds to various organs and even various emotions.  THIS chart is fascinating in that regard.  

Given I’ve spend so much time in reasearch, trial and error to create changes in my own dental wellness (which is overall wellness!) I thought it would be a great time to share all I’ve learned through  this period of big habit shifts that can shift so much in energy, vitality and wellbeing.  

It’s ironic, I know, to start off writing about wellness by saying that I didn’t (and still don’t) completely follow a protocol of extreme holistic tooth care, but it’s true.  Holistic dentistry isn’t something I’ve wholeheartedly embraced.  I believe in getting teeth cleanings every four months (in my case) and while I’ve kept myself free of fillings and lead, I’ve also used fluoride for many many years.

It wasn’t until I did some orthodontics that my teeth moved, my gums started getting irritated, problems ensued and I realized that my super dentist to the stars- who consistently points to genetics as the reason why problems started, something that isn’t true-  wasn’t the full picture of dentistry.

Here are a few interesting ideas and shifts to explore if you’re looking to get to a higher level of sparkling smiles!

Detox.

Your mouth is part of your microbiome and so your overall health is reflected in your teeth.  Some dentists recommend diet and lifestyle switches including less stress, probiotics and a cleaner diet to promote systemic wellbeing.

Dr. Brand in New York recommends a detox in The Epoch Times:

• Eat real, unprocessed, or minimally processed food.
• Eat chlorophyll-based foods such as green vegetables in their natural state, as well as juiced.
• Take a saltwater bath for 20 minutes, twice a week to help remove the heavy metals through the skin.
• Use fluoride-free toothpaste.

Fluoride & SLS Free Toothpaste. 

One of the hallmarks of going to the dentist as a kid was a fluoride treatment, which I’ve recently learned is toxic to the body in not-that-large of a dose.

SLS- Sodium Lauryl Sulfate- in toothpaste can lead to gum irritation and even damage to teeth.  It’s a powerful detergent that is a known irritant.

I used to ignore both of these things and go about my routine.  Now, as I’m healing my own gum irritation and recession, I’m testing “SLS. Fluoride Free” toothpastes between trips to the dentist.  I’ve found that even small shifts make a big difference.

I have a clay toothpaste in my pantry at the moment and after overwhelming recommendation, the best EWG safety rating (and Amazon reviews aplenty!) THIS toothpaste from Desert Essence is on it’s way.

Essential oils. 

As it turns out, essential oils have been scientifically proven to have a curative effect on gum disease and overall wellness.    Before you begin, see a specialist who can properly test the safety and tolerance you have for the oils and you can learn how to use them safely.  They are powerful and they can burn or cause reactions, so safety is paramount here!

Living Libation Gum Drops is the gold standard of esesntial oils for gum health here in Los Angeles.  You can put a drop on your dental floss to get it deeper into the gums and between teeth, you can create a mouthwash of it with some sea salt in water and a drop of the oils, you can massage a drop on gums… and more.

They explain: “The thousands of plant compounds in Happy Gum Drops create a mosaic of botanical flower-power. Essential oils are extremely potent, often hundreds of times stronger than the herbal extraction of the same plant. Every oil contains hundreds of botanical chemical components that work synergistically to effect.”

If you have extremely pure, food grade essential oils, you can make your own mouthwash with essential oils.   THIS one from Body Unburdened features mints, clove, myrrh and cinnamon.

Sea Salt. 

One of the first and simplest switches I made was to add sea salt to my bathroom cupboard along with a mason jar to use as a cup.  A spoon of sea salt in a big jug of warm water swished (and not swallowed) several times a day has been amazing for my overall dental health.  This is one that most anyone can try easily.  It’s even recommended by a dental insurance website!

Oil Pulling.  

Have you tried Oil Pulling?

You can learn more about it HERE.  Documented benefits that have been studied (and are debated and hotly contested!) include helping to repair diseased gums, re-fastening loose teeth, decreasing systemic candida… and much more.

Learning to Floss Right. 

I love this explanation of how to floss from an amazing holistic hygenist in New Jersey.

Simple stuff, nothing too complex, all worth exploring and researching if you’ve been meaning to make a change before your next trip to the dentist! I’ve found that in the long run some small switches, and great practices, ones that work for you, can mean a world of great for your wellbeing!

xoxo Dana

 

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The Joy Immersion is a a month of happy-making, mirror-polishing, life-lifting and simple space shifting!

It’s loaded with lots of actions (some you may know for sure even if you’ve never fully practiced them, some you’ve likely never seen or heard of…!) that can help you detox from your own negative stuff, uncover more of your greatness and light, and see happiness everywhere you look…! There’s feng shui, there’s life-shifting, there’s lots of creativity… and it’s a daily commitment to a positive life shift… which is a positive life shift already!!!

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And you can start right HERE!  I’m doing the first thirty days with you, so let’s get started!!!

xoxoxo Dana