Probiotics for the Mouth

Probiotics, as you know, are wonderful for you. Kefir, kimchi, kanji, pickles, or yoghurt, for example. They have a positive impact on your gut health. 

But have you considered the effect of probiotics on oral health? 

Oral health is a neglected topic. Think of an upset mother yelling at her child to brush his teeth. The child does so grudgingly. There is so much more to do in life than waste your time brushing. 

"Oral health is multi-faceted and includes the ability to speak, smile, smell, taste, touch, chew, swallow, and convey a range of emotions through facial expressions with confidence and without pain, discomfort, or disease of the craniofacial complex (head, face, and oral cavity), according to the FDI World Dental Federation. 

We forget that digestion starts in the mouth. As your body anticipates food through sight or smell, you produce enzymes and saliva to digest.

Good bacteria in your mouth promote this action. Unwanted bacteria create cavities, tooth decay, and more. 

So how can probiotics help oral health? 

Let's get specific. Lactobacillus reuteri is a strain of bacteria that has been shown to reduce gum disease and dental cavities.

Streptococcus salivarius is another strain that inhibits the growth of harmful bacteria. Bifidobacterium dentium positively impacts gum health and cavities. 

Remember, if you want to know, you can always run a saliva test to find out the quality of your oral health and the prevalence or absence of oral bacteria. 

If your oral health was less than ideal, you might wish to consume foods that promote good bacteria. 

An internet search would throw up a host of supplements in a bottle. But if you really want good oral health, you do not need to look beyond kefir, kimchi, kanji, pickles, or yoghurt. 

Just add a mouth rinse, also known as oil-puling, with good-quality oil. Coconut or sesame will do. Oil-pulling "pulls" bad bacteria out of your mouth when you rinse and spit. 

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