Linda – The Probiotics Tooth Fairy

Tongue scrapers come in all shapes and sizes – and with all kinds of promises. From reducing bad breath to allegedly reducing plaque build-up, tongue scrapers are often touted as one of the best over-the-counter dental tools. By scraping the surface of the tongue, these devices are said to eliminate bacteria in the mouth and improve bad breath.

For the past 4,000 years, green tea has been used in China to address a long, long list of what ails us, from aches and pains to depression to improving digestion and regulating body temperature. Here are some of the things research has proven about this delicious beverage.

Because the body’s natural defense line (the white blood cells) is weakened by the medications used during chemotherapy, infections can crop up anywhere in the body. There are several ways you can avoid oral infections during chemotherapy.

If you’ve ever had bad breath – and who hasn’t? – you know how embarrassing it can be.

Helping your child care for her own teeth is critical to a lifetime of healthy smiles.

This explains why different children in the same family with the same eating and brushing habits can have different levels of oral health – even a slight imbalance in oral bacteria can cause more tooth decay.

Recently I read of an extraordinary application of probiotics in oral health. It was developed by Dr. Jeffrey Hillman, D.M.D., Ph.D. It is the result of more than 25 years of research which began at the Harvard-affiliated Forsyth Institute in Boston and continued at the University of Florida. The technology has only recently become available for the general public. It provides what is called Replacement Therapy for preventing dental caries or cavities.

As they relate to oral health, allergies are a well-known cause of bad breath, sometimes from the postnasal drip that streams down the back of your throat during an allergy flare-up, and sometimes from the medications taken to mediate the allergy symptoms.

Harmful bacteria in the mouth are the most common cause of chronic bad breath. These bad bacteria, which are known to burrow below the gum line and cause periodontal disease and gingivitis, emit foul-smelling gases called Volatile Sulfur Compounds (VSCs).

Trick question! Just like other systems in the body, the only thing that can totally wipe out any bacteria is by taking antibiotics or using alcohol-based mouthwashes.