Essential Oils and the Oral Health Benefits

​At the top of the five sits my ultimate favorite "Peppermint"

It’s one of the most widely used essential oils in oral care products, widely due to its antibacterial anti fungal and bio film inhibiting properties.

So the question is how to add essential oils to your oral health routine?

With so many choices in options it is often hard to find which the best option of essential oils are as well as the best method of delivery.

I am a huge advocate of the water pic. It provides the ability to irrigate and will clean where floss cannot reach, especially at the base of the pockets. Adding a few droplets of your choice to your water can have lasting beneficial effects.

So why mint ? Mint is natures gift loaded with multi vitamins and minerals - vitamin a, vitamin B6, vitamin C, riboflavin and folate. The vitamins and minerals are essential for periodontal health and bone mass fortification. Obviously, mint is used for fresh breath and it’s known cooling effect, but it offers so much more.

Clove oil contains the active ingredient Eugenol, Which is a natural anesthetic. It helps numb and reduce pain to ease a toothache. Eugenol also has natural anti-inflammatory properties.

Quality essential oils can be expensive, just remember it is an investment in your systematic and oral health. Make sure to research how the oil is extracted and where the company is getting their products from. This is a very important element to purchasing your essential oils, some companies may use pesticides which would create adverse effects.

When it comes to clove specifically clinical research indicates the clove oil can relieve tooth pain and bad breath, as well as reduce gum disease! Clove oil also has a natural ability to restrict the development of bacteria and help fight the mouth and throat infections. Adding clove oil to your oral routine or even if you gar gal it when you feel a bit under the weather it could help you.

I recently discovered that thyme belongs to the mint family and is often found in mouthwashes and elixirs. The range of use of thyme in cooking, healing, immunity is impressive.

What is thyme?

It is a traditional herb, also known as fennel, honeysuckle or thyme. It is a fragrance shrub and when it blooms in the summer it has pink purple flowers which release a unique smell that attracts bees there are also 400 species of thyme.

So why is it good for oral care ?

It contains natural chemicals that help prevent tooth decay, and gingivitis. Numerous studies and researches found that thymol inhibited the production of ergosterol, a cholesterol-like substance needed to boost fungal growth.

There's even an article in www.dentistrytoday.com that found “Thymol” effective against oral cancer.
As the article states and I quote: "We show that thymol induces mitochondria dysfunction and cell death and it may be effective against several types of cancer.” In simpler terms it acts as an anti growth.

What’s Gingivitis?

Gingivitis is a common and mild form of gum disease that causes irritation redness and swelling of your gingiva the part of your gum that surrounds the base of your teeth. It is important to take gingivitis seriously and treat it properly. It typically occurs due to plaque buildup on the teeth. Gingivitis often resolves with good oral hygiene, such as longer and more frequent brushing, regular flossing, tongue scraping, in addition an antiseptic mouthwash or adding essential oils to your daily care.

When it comes to essential oils always remember to dilute. Just be sure to use an organic oil, as a non-organic variety will likely contain an elevated level of pesticide. Since the oil is a high level concentrate, diluting the oil is essential.

The tea tree oil is a natural remedy for bad breath and contains ingredients that diminish plaque. Simply add the oil to the affected tooth or alternatively you can rinse your mouth with the tree tree oil and water.

Please I cannot stress enough, keep in mind that it is very important to be careful if you want to try a tea tree oil mouthwash because it is toxic when ingested you should never ingest any essential oil by the way!
Swish and spit everyone!

I recently read a book and keep reading it over and over again called “Renegade beauty” by Nadine Artemis. In this book you will find home remedies about beauty, her research, nature in relation, breast health, recipes and basically an essential guide.
The art of doing less and allowing the elements and life force of nature to revive the body, skin and soul.

Here’s a section of her book listed the mouths microbial menagerie

“There are more bacteria in a kiss then there are on the planet. Our mouths are a microbial menagerie. As holobiont human Hosts to these microbes, we have forged an elaborate revolutionary an ancient alliance. A good host provides stable, loving home and nourishing food for their flora friends. In return, these microbes micromanage our bodies by digesting food and secreting beneficial bio chemicals. Are there also sentient sentinels that strengthen our immunity while preventing pathogenic periodontal party crashers from proliferating and from excreting endotoxins and colonizing the community. The key to oral health is maintaining an ecological balanced and diverse microbio. “

Moving on,

Oregano has been used for centuries and there’s a powerful antioxidant known to contain anti-inflammatory properties to help produce bacterial and fungal infections.

Poor dental health increases the risk of bacterial infection in the bloodstream which can affect the heart valves. Tooth loss patterns are connected to coronary artery disease. There is a strong connection between diabetes and cardiovascular disease and the evidence that people with diabetes benefit from periodontal treatment.

Another way you can elevate and incorporate essential oils in your oral care routine would be by massaging gums, and elevated flossing.

Feel free to apply diluted botanical biotics a.k.a. essential oils across the floss. So you could dip it and floss that way. Or you could add the oil to a coconut or MCT oil and massage your gums. These are ways to upgrade your flossing routine.

A healthy mouth is a healthy gut and vice versa.

Which brings me to my next topic ...

​A water pic is a device that aims a stream of water at your teeth. A water pick can help remove food particles from your teeth and might help reduce bleeding and gum disease but do keep in mind that it is not a substitute for brushing and flossing.

Adding essential oils to your water pik is a great practice to your nighttime routine. They also come with multiple heads so you and your partner can share. Also store the water pik away from the toilet, the air around there gets pretty nasty and that’s a whole other blog topic.

So how do you know which one to buy ?
It’s actually really up to you and personal preference. If right now you only have a budget to cover the discounted one, it will still do the job maybe won’t last as long and won’t have all the fancy dials but essentially you’ll get the job done . Water piks range from $40 bucks to $120 and it really comes down to what you can personally afford for your lifestyle.

So don’t let price discourage you from purchasing a water pik.

Let’s touch on the subject  “How to detox your mouth”

Much like a juice cleanse or other holistic techniques, a mouth full of disease causing bacteria left unchecked, these microbes can lead to bad breath plaque gum disease and other oral health conditions that may lead to general health concerns. Not to mention that your overall health begins with oral health.

A mouth detox generally uses natural techniques.

It’s important to keep a check on the bacteria and toxins in the mouth as bacteria growth and infections travel quickly from the other parts of the body. Firstly, let's aim to keep our fingers out of our mouths, pens, and tips of glasses. We tend to put things in our mouth constantly leaving room for creepy crawlers.

I recently read that your phone is as dirty as a public toilet. We rarely clean our phones and our mouths are points of contact. Clean the phones would be a great start.

Where do you store your tooth essentials? Are they out in the open? Is your toothbrush next to the toilet on the sink ? And how frequently are you replacing your toothbrush?

Start with replacing your toothbrush approximately every three to four months.
Covering your toothbrush is a step to detoxing your mouth. Why ? Bacteria thrive in moist environments and a toothbrush cover provides just that. While it may keep other things out, it also locks everything else in. Your brush needs to be dry between uses so that new bacteria do not multiply.

Let’s explore my non-negotiation's when it comes to oral care and detox in the mouth.

The tongue scraper. I'm addicted, the nasty, it makes me feel amazing and now it's a non negotiable in my oral care routine. The yuk that comes off is just ew gross. Even with daily use, I've noticed so much gunk. How did I live before is beyond me.

In traditional Chinese medicine, the tongue is further devised in sections and relates to the meridians and organ systems throughout the body. This creates a picture of what is happening within the body by location, nature, severity and allows the practitioner to monitor the progression of treatment. The tongue says a ton about your health, and keeping it clean is of high importance.

From a Western viewpoint, the tongue tells us how a person is digesting, how their lymphatic system functions, the quality of blood circulating in the body, neorlogical function and the presence of yeast.

Tongue scraping cleans bacteria buildup, food particles and dead cells from the surface of the tongue. Scraping your tongue with a tongue scraper on a regular basis stimulates metabolism as it helps get rid of bacteria and toxins.

Adding a Mouthwash to your nightly routine by mixing a cocktail of essential oils is key. If you're not into that, and don't have the time or energy and just want to purchase a product  while reaping the benefits. Continue reading...

The mouthwash that I use is made by Dr. Erica Grenci. She’s a whole lot of beautiful things but her main power is she’s a Naturopathic doctor and medical herbalist. She has created a mouthwash that I’m obsessed with. It’s natural botanical and healing. It's a concentrated antiseptic and astringent formula great for daily use, cavity prevention, and even deep pocket infections. Also, I used it while I had the cox-virus and it acted as a miracle potion. 

Dr. Erica mentions that the mouth wash is great for oral infections, bleeding gums, post-surgical recovery and hairy black tongue, just to list a few. You can find more information on her website drericagrenci.janeapp.com or her instagram @dr.ericagrenci.
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To restore balance to the mouths microbiome, we need strategies to inhibit the senses that form biofilms. In one study clove oil reduced quorum sensing by up to 70%. There are scientific studies confirming the ancient wisdom of using botanical biotics to maintain oral ecology. 

So whats harmful ? How should I be careful ? It’s hard to make it black-and-white list of essential oils to avoid because people have different reactions to different oils. While researching I realize that there’s not enough evidence about essential oils and which brands that make a definite safe and not safe list. Right now most essential oils are considered safe with proper use the thing is you have to research how to properly use them this doesn’t mean they’re without drawbacks. I cannot stress enough that you should really try to avoid essential oils that have pesticides in them.

Here’s just a few examples of the benefits and drawbacks of essential oils.

Peppermint is loved for its cooling effect it has on the skin and known for its powers in the dental world. But on the other hand it is known to cause skin rashes, burning and flushing among other side effects.

Eucalyptus is soothing but it can cause seizures if ingested.

Essential oils are generally safe when a person uses them correctly. Always dilute essential oils before applying them to the skin and never ingest them. Remember swish, and spit!

But I feel like if you eat oregano and mint, you should be fine diluting it in some water and swishing it in your mouth.

Moving on…

I put together a little list of some products that I love! I have my very own brand of tongue scrapers.

shop here

“Scrape it”

Is our star player when it comes to “Oral Health” see feel and taste differences with our medical grade stainless steel tongue scrapers that are VPA free with no additives they come in three wonderful colors white mint and pink. The tongue scraper helps you effectively maintain a cleaner tongue daily which contributes to your overall better oral hygiene. It helps to remove unclean film from your tongue the mayor ready Perch, leaving your breath feeling fresh so that you’re ready to face your daily activities. Designed ergonomically, our tongue scraper is designed to provide you the perfect grip for a smoother cleaning experience. Made in a U-shaped anti gagging design, the tongue scraper has a wide smooth head that helps you clean your tongue comfortably with simple back and front motion.

Living libations

The yogi tooth serum. It’s a potent combination of botanical power houses that will keep your mouth extremely fresh and clean I would use this formula and put it in my water pic.

Biofinest
Is one of the companies I would suggest for essential oils. They have a great selection, and are well priced. If you do not wish to shop online, there are many stores like big carrot, Whole Foods, and Farm boy that carry essential oils that you may use.

Below,

Are the water flossers i love you can buy them online or in best buy.

To sum it up I hope this blog helps you rethink the conventional resources that you use and also I hope it introduces new concepts and ideas to your daily routines. We have been taught to brush twice daily, floss and visit the dentist to prevent tooth decay running into the first grocery or pharmacy and purchasing any product for brushing our teeth. Leaving our toothbrushes wherever, not knowing when they’re ready to throw out. I would just like to shine light on the power of essential oils and oral health. Routines and little tips for keeping a clean oral balance. Because oral health is gut health, which is overall health. Adding natural solutions to aid your self-care routine is of same importance as all those anti aging creams and serums.

Thank you for taking the time, next months topic is all about tongue scraping I hope you come back and read that to. Have a wonderful day! Keep smiling