Cleansing your Palette: An Alternative Approach to Oral Hygiene
Interview with Sally Shultis, naturopathic practitioner and owner of Deserts Rose Healing Ranch.
This article was first published in the January 2009 issue of Fusion.
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As a new year begins and people everywhere resolve to pay better attention to what we put into
our mouths, naturopathic practitioner Sally Shultis reminds us not to forget that now is the perfect
time to give our oral care routines a makeover, too! Not only can taking better care of our
mouths protect us against cavities, mouth cancers, and cold sores, implementing a natural oral
hygiene regimen can actually protect us against winter colds and flues, and even slow or impede
the development of digestive disorders. This month, Sally takes a moment to speak to us about
how to start cleansing our palettes naturally, and shares the secret ingredient in her recipe for
health:
Why is our oral care routine so important to our overall health?
In Chinese medicine, the meridians of the body all run through the mouth, and they can actually diagnose problems such as heart disease by analyzing the mouth, particularly the tongue. This is why good acupuncturists will study the tongue.
Is it true that oral care routines can be used to reduce the risk of catching winter colds and flus?
When you have homeopathic medicine to deliver directly to the capillaries, the herb is placed under the tongue or in the cheek. There are so many capillaries there that the absorption rate is extremely high—not only can you absorb vitamins and minerals, you can absorb viruses and bacteria. By keeping the mouth clean, you can prevent not only infections in the mouth, but diseases in the entire body. Studies have even shown that signs of heart disease can appear in the gums.
What is your recommended oral care routine?
First, get a good oral care system. I highly recommend the Thieves toothpaste because it contains the Thieves oil (see sidebar for more information). It is highly antimicrobial, antibacterial, antiviral, and also reduces plaque in the mouth. Thieves actually has a 99.8% kill rate of all known molds, bacteria, viruses, and fungi! Many people have reported going to the dentist and the dentist making comments about the lack of plaque buildup in the mouth. Conventional toothpastes say “do not swallow” because they contain toxic chemicals and must not be ingested. Also, a lot of toothpastes contain sugar, which, as you know, erodes the teeth. Some brands contain real sugars, and others contain fake sugars, both of which are undesirable.
Young Living provides 4 different kinds of toothpaste, all plant-derived and containing essential oils. Kidscents is formulated for kids, and contains oils that give it a fruity flavor. Thieves Dentanome, the most gentle full-strength toothpaste, is preferred by those with sensitive gums and some children. Dentarome Plus is a stronger version, and contains more thymol and eugenol. Dentarome Ultra contains papain, a whitening agent that comes from papayas, to help whiten teeth and improve your smile.
All can be taken internally; Dr. Young has even commented that he wishes everyone would swallow his toothpaste because it is of great aide to the digestive system, as well. You should also add Thieves mouthwash to your daily routine to freshen breath and kill germs. It has liposome technology which binds the essential to the mucus membrane inside the mouth for longer lasting effects on teeth and gums. Dr. Young also recommends swallowing this solution for sweeter breath all day and digestive benefits. Because it contains no alcohol or harmful toxins, this is a healthy thing to do. I also use a dental floss that contains peppermint and Thieves essential oils that get rubbed into the teeth. This means further cleaning in even the cracks and crevices of the mouth.
With a combination of these products, you will have a bright, clean smile, have less plaque; less gum disease, better breath, and get sick less often.
The toothpaste you described does not contain any fluoride; don’t I need fluoride to keep cavities at bay?
No, that is a fallacy. Flouride is a neurotoxin that can cross the blood-brain barrier and do damage to the brain. It can affect memory and the ability to learn.
Editors note: Many people are afraid to go without fluoride because they have been taught that fluoride prevents cavities. To cite one of many similar reports, in December 1999, UNICEF reported that: “Fluoride inhibits enzymes that breed acid-producing oral bacteria whose acid eats away tooth enamel. This observation is valid, but some scientists now believe that the harmful impact of fluoride on other useful enzymes far outweighs the beneficial effect on cavity prevention.”
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