Be a DJ for your oral microbiome

by Fatin Zainudin | Cure Gum Disease, Oral hygiene, Reverse Tooth Decay

Oral microbiome battleground?

I term I often see the oral microbiome described as a battleground where you fight a daily battle against invading Bad Bacteria or Thug Bugs (my favourite term, from the lovely folks at Ora Wellness).

This military analogy, while evocative, is sometimes be used to justify some very harsh treatments that may disrupt the oral microbiome, erode enamel, or harm gum tissue.

Imagine an inviting oral microbiome

When I speak with my clients about their teeth, gums and oral microbiomes, I prefer metaphors that evoke lush lawns, colorful coral reefs, co-operative communities, or joyful celebrations. Imagery and language matter.

For example, imagine that you are hosting a huge party in your mouth for the billions of microscopic inhabitants of your oral microbiome.

Most of the kinds of bacteria and their friends that live in your mouth are Good People. They help with your digestion and immunity, they support your enamel to remineralise and the gingiva to regenerate.

These guests are all having a good time, either up dancing or moving around the room being friendly and thoughtful.

But also attending your party are a few kinds of bacteria who act like anti-social kids, especially when they lurk in dark corners, eat too much sugar, talk trash, and pick fights.

As the host, you want to stop those anti-social guests from spoiling anyone else’s good time or messing up the venue.

What should you do?

Avoid collatoral damage to the oral microbiome

Gargling with an alcohol-based antibacterial mouthwash is the equivalent of throwing a grenade into the party just to subdue a few naughty guests: lots of collateral damage to all the good bacteria.

More targeted alternatives like Corsodyl, hydrogen peroxide, or even essential oils can be almost as indiscriminate and disruptive to the party in your mouth.

In contrast, swishing your mouth with water or a simple herbal rinse is like putting on an irresistible tune that gets everyone onto the dance floor, even those corner-lurkers and sugar-junkies who might behave badly if left to their own devices.

When everyone in your oral microbiome is dancing around, the decay-causing and gum-disease-causing bacteria don’t get a chance to get hide along your gumline or between your teeth to make trouble and spread bad vibes.

Has a dentist told you that your cavities or receding gums are your fault because you are drinking too much Coke, you don’t floss enough or you need to stop breastfeeding your baby? And you know that isn’t true!

I’m not going to blame you or shame you.
The underlying causes of your oral health issues are not your fault!

Nature or nurture, ancestry or environment, free will or systemic oppression, unconscious emotions or the degraded food system

These are the factors that make your teeth and gums vulnerable to disease.

Even though your tooth decay and gum disease is not your fault, it is within your power to change.

You can turn your oral health around with natural strategies and healthy habits.

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Could oil pulling put you at risk?

by Meliors Simms | Cure Gum Disease, Oral hygiene, Reverse Tooth Decay, Toothache Remedy

**The surprising origins* of oil pulling**

*updated September 2021

Oil pulling may be an effective way to clean your teeth and gums very thoroughly by swishing a spoonful of oil around your mouth so that it absorbs bacteria and toxins, then spitting it out.

It’s believed to be an Ayurvedic practice for detoxification that can help you to have clearer skin as well as a cleaner mouth.

However, according to Dr Claudia Welch there are two traditional Ayurvedic practices which involve oil in the mouth, but neither have much in common with oil pulling as we know it today.

Kavala Graha involves using a small amount of edible oil for gargling, not pulling or swishing as in the contemporary oil pulling practice.
Gandusha recommends holding a mouthful of edible oil without moving git around the mouth before spitting it out. There are four kinds of oil mixtures used for gandusha which are tailored to particular purposes.

These practices could be incorporated into an extensive Ayurvedic daily routine known as Dinacharya दिनचर्या . Dinacharya is a health-promoting series of recommendations based on natural daily cycles intended to help to balance your doshas दोषः (bodily humors).

Dinacharya practices can apply to the times that you wake up and go to sleep, elimination, massage, exercise, bathing, meditation and prayer, meals, study, work, relaxation and of course, hygiene which is where oil pulling comes in.

Ayurveda has been practiced in India for two thousand years as documented in classical Ayurveda texts including Charaka Samhita, and Sushruta Samhita, which tells of the original medical knowledge transmitted from the gods to sages, and then to human physicians (and make no mention of oil pulling).

Ayurveda medicine flourished in India and throughout South East Asia for centuries and may have had some influence on Chinese, Arabic and European doctors until the emergence of evidence-based modern medicine.

Ayurvedic medicine was often brutally suppressed under British colonial rule. There were instances where Ayurvedic doctors had their fingers amputated to prevent them from continuing to treat patients.

When India regained independence in the 1940s, Ayurvedic medicine began to be practiced more openly and today is part of the nationalist, cultural renaissance in India, though it continues to be condemned by the mainstream medical establishment.

Ayurveda has been adapted for Western consumption since the 1970s but Dr Welch argues that oil pulling is not part of authentic Ayurvedic training.

The origins of oil pulling as we know it can be traced to 1990s and a mysterious Russian Dr. F Karach. Today you’ll see oil pulling recommended on social media by all sorts of health influencers, sometimes with reference to Ayurvedic origins and other times shared with no context.

Despite these ambiguous origins, and only minimal scientific research, there’s plenty of anecdotal evidence and that the contemporary practice of oil pulling may help improve the oral health of some people.

However, oil pulling is not safe for everyone and should always be practiced with caution.

Oil pulling can cause pneumonia

Researchers have found an association between oil pulling and the rare disease of lipoid pneumonia.

Lipoid pneumonia is caused by the inhalation of any oily or greasy substance into the lungs where it coats the surface of the lungs and inhibits breathing. It’s more commonly associated with putting butter or oil (eg Vicks Vaporub) in the nostrils, with fire eating, even with spending too much time around burning candles!

It’s also possible to aspirate oil while swishing it around in your mouth, and Dr Michael Greger points out the dangers illustrated by some recent cases of oil pulling leading to lipoid pneumonia.

Children are particularly at risk due to lack of muscle control to keep from inhaling particles of liquified oil.

Although lipoid pneumonia is rare, I would also caution that oil pulling may not be safe for adults who:

have a history of asthma or any other respitory condition
have persistant coughs or colds
smoke or vape
have a problem tooth or gum on the lung meridian (teeth #4, 5, 12, 13, 18, 19, 30, 31)
frequently oil pull for extended periods

What is oil pulling doing to your fillings?

Avoid oil pulling with amalgam fillings

Amalgam fillings are the metal fillings that look black after a few years in your mouth. They are made from a mixture of metals including mercury. Mercury is highly toxic and there is a risk that oil pulling can destabilize the mercury in amalgam fillings, to cause symptoms of mercury toxicity in your body.

There has been no definitive research to prove whether or not this is a real risk. (There has been almost no scientific research into any aspect of complementary or alternative oral health. It’s not where research funding goes.)

However, it is a theoretical risk. Given that oil pulling works because it draws out toxins present in the mouth and mercury is a toxin known to leach out of amalgam fillings as they age. As a precautionary measure I stopped doing it because I do still have amalgam fillings. My amalgams are very old and and I want to keep them as stable as possible until I’m ready to have them removed.

Mercury is known to cause neurological and cardiovascular problems, collagen diseases, immune system problems and allergies. I have seen a number of clients with amalgam fillings who have tried oil pulling and have symptoms of mercury toxicity including autoimmune conditions, viral infections, chronic fatigue and allergies.

I strongly recommend that oil pulling should not be practiced if you have amalgam fillings in place.

If you choose to take the risk of increasing your exposure to mercury by oil pulling please educate yourself about the symptoms of mercury toxicity and stop immediately if you notice those symptoms.

New composite fillings could be destablilized

There is some anecdotal evidence that oil pulling may also destabilize composite or ceramic fillings (the ones that look white in your mouth) particularly if the fillings are very new and haven’t had time to bond properly with you teeth. It may be a sensible precaution to wait a few weeks or months after getting a new composite filling before you start oil pulling.

Don’t enjoy oil pulling? Don’t do it!

Oil pulling is very fashionable at the moment, because of increasingly high expectations for white teeth. As more people start to recognize the long-term risks and ineffectiveness of conventional teeth whitening (with bleach) they are looking for natural strategies.

However only some people find it an effective teeth whitener (it might help with some stain removal but true whiteness comes from the health of the dentin inside the tooth).

Oil pulling may be a more reliable way for many people to relieve tooth sensitivity and may even help with short term management of infections and abscesses.

Advocates of oil pulling sometimes talk about it as though it’s an essential part of every oral health habit. I often hear from people who feel pressured into oil pulling even though they find it unbearable.

For example, having a gag reflex that is very easily triggered can make oil pulling feel very uncomfortable. Some people find that keeping a quantity of oil in your mouth for an extended period time can feel nauseating.

There is absolutely no reason to force yourself to oil pull if you don’t like it, or don’t want to, or feel that its just not the right thing for you.

Oil pulling may be helpful for some people, but it’s not essential to your oral health. There are many other things you can do to keep your mouth clean and healthy.

Ultimately, diet plays a far more significant role in your oral health than any approach to hygiene.

So, now that you’ve assessed your level of risk and understand the role oil pulling can play in oral health, if it’s something you do really want to include in your regular oral hygiene routine, here are a few tips for beginners.

Oil pulling for beginners

Take it slowly

If you are new to oil pulling start with a teaspoon or less of oil and swish for 2-3 minutes. Build up your tolerance gradually to find your ‘sweet spot’ which may, or may not, be the ‘tablespoon of oil for 20 minutes’ version that is commonly recommended.

Go gently

Oil pulling involves swishing vigorously but don’t feel like you have to push the oil around with your tongue to get it inbetween your teeth. Keep your mouth moving continuously but gently. You will gradually build up more strength in those mouth muscles, but it’s just like at the gym where it’s counterproductive to try and lift the heaviest weights on your very first visit.

Spit wisely

Never swallow oil after pulling. Spit it out into the trash, onto paper or outside, but not down a drain. I have cleaned a shower drain clogged up by someone else’s oil and it is very unpleasant.

Hello! I'm Meliors Simms, the Holistic Tooth Fairy.

As a natural oral health coach I have worked with hundreds of clients worldwide to avoid unnecessary dental procedures and have better experiences with the necessary ones. (Find out about my coaching services here).

After a diverse career (from research to counselling to arts) and a lifetime of terrible teeth, I stumbled on an Alt Oral approach which prevented what would have been my 7th root canal.

That inspired years of independent research and experimentation, eventually resulting in my uniquely holistic approach to oral health.

My new book The Secret Lives of Teeth is a comprehensive guide to healing teeth and gums with metaphysical perspective. Read a sample here for free.

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Stop tooth decay naturally

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10 common oral hygiene mistakes

by Meliors Simms | Cure Gum Disease, Oral hygiene, Reverse Tooth Decay, Toothache Remedy

Are you making any of these ten common mistakes with your daily oral hygiene routine?

1. Brushing too vigorously

Brushing your teeth too hard can wear away at the enamel, especially if you have weak teeth. Hard brushing can also contribute to gum recession and gum disease.

Instead of scrubbing your teeth like you are cleaning a kitchen floor, imagine you are gently polishing antique silver plate.

Try to hold your toothbrush with the tips of your fingers very close to the toothbrush head (like a fancy lady sipping from her bone china teacup). With your fine-motor skills in play it is much easier to brush gently than if you are gripping the end of the brush in your fist.

Ideally, you can brush so lightly that even after 6 months your toothbrush bristles still look brand new!

Check out this post for better brushing techniques.

2. Using fluoride toothpaste

Contrary to what lobbyists and marketers would have us believe, fluoride does not prevent tooth decay and may damage gums. The (limited and outdated) research used to support their claims was done using naturally occurring fluoride rather than the toxic byproduct of aluminium manufacturing which is in our water and toothpaste. There is substantial evidence that fluoride is a neurotoxin which accumulates in the body disrupting collagen production and reducing enzyme activity.

Other ingredients to avoid in toothpaste include proplylen glycol, triclosan, FD&C colour pigments, trisodium phosphate, glycerin, carbomer and carragen. Artificial sweetners such as saccharin, sorbitol and xylitol may be harmful if swallowed. Detergents and surfactants (which create foam) including socium laureth sulfate (SLES), sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS, ammonium lauryl sulfate (ALS) and ammonium laureth sulfate (ALES) are known hormone and endocrine disruptors and may also be carciogenic and gene mutagens. SLS in particular is known to cause bleeding gums.

Check out my YouTube series of short videos about toothpaste ingredients.

Read the ingredients before you buy a toothpaste, or make your own.

One of my favorite homemade toothpastes is coconut oil and baking soda, sometimes with a drop of essential oil.

It doesn’t foam, and it tastes quite salty making me produce lots of saliva, so brushing is a messy job. But it leaves my mouth feeling very clean. Because baking soda can be abrasive I don’t recommend using it every single time you brush (see #5).

3. Scraping only the front of your tongue

Tongue scraping is a great way to keep your breath smelling sweet. You can buy a special tongue scraper at a health shop or just use the edge of a spoon.

Scrape your tongue from back to front to remove the coating of microbes and mucus that migrate up the alimentary canal, especially at night (causing morning breath). Most of the coating is at the back of the tongue so reach as far back as you can.

Rinse the coating off the scraper or spoon with hot water and repeat until your tongue is clean (i.e. nothing is coming off on the scraper). Usually two or three scrapes is enough.

4. Bleaching your teeth

Bleaching teeth at the dentist or with a kit will gradually eat away at your enamel, making your teeth ultimately more vulnerable to staining, as well as cavities. Bleaching really shouldn’t be used if you have amalgam fillings because the chemicals interact with the metal fillings and may release mercury into your system.

The blinding white smiles you see on magazine models and movie stars are from veneers (or Photoshop), not from bleaching. The safest and most sustainable way to the whitest teeth is by eating a teeth healing diet with plenty of the right minerals and fat-soluble vitamins.

That’s because the whiteness of your teeth comes from dentin which is the layer of underneath your enamel. Strong, hard, healthy enamel is naturally translucent and reveals the healthy white dentin below.

‘Natural’ whitening methods like activated charcoal, baking soda or turmeric all work more gently but are still slightly abrasive and are shouldn’t be used every day (see #4). Oil pulling can help whiten teeth too (but could be risky if you have amalgam fillings, see #6).

5. Using an abrasive toothpaste every day

Many toothpastes, both big brands and health store alternatives, contain abrasive ingredients such as calcium carbonate, hydrated silica, benonite clay, salt, baking soda or activated charcoal. Unless you have very sensitive teeth or soft enamel it’s ok to use these ingredients, but probably not every day. Give your teeth a break and brush without abrasion more often.

You can buy an abrasive-free toothpaste or you can make your own. You can even brush with just coconut oil or water or even a dry brush with a drop of essential oil. Your brushing technique is really more important that what you put on your brush (see #1 and #10).

6. Oil pulling with amalgams

Oil pulling can be a wonderful way to deep clean your teeth and gums. You simply put a tablespoon of cold-pressed oil such as coconut (best for teeth) or sesame (best for gums) in your mouth and swish it around for 5-20 minutes before spitting it out. Don’t spit down a drain though- it will clog. And definitely don’t swallow!

However, there is a unknown risk that oil pulling may release mercury from amalgam (metal or black) fillings into your system. There is no research to confirm whether this an actual risk or not, but given that oil pulling works by pulling toxins out of your mouth, and mercury is a toxin, I think its worth taking into consideration.

Check out this post about oil pulling.

7. Using a hard bristled toothbrush

When it comes to tooth brushes, the softer the better! Hard bristles can damage teeth enamel and gums.

Abrading your gums with hard bristles can break the surface allowing bacteria from your mouth enter your bloodstream and potentially cause inflammation in your gut, heart or lungs.

If you have receding or bleeding gums you really need to use soft round tipped bristles and brush very very gently.

You can soften your toothbrush even more by running it under hot water before you start brushing.

8. Cutting your gums when you floss

If your teeth are very close together, and you have to push hard to get floss between them, you risk cutting into your gums with regular dental floss. Try swapping for a dental tape or dental ribbon with a flat surface so it is gentler on your gums. Check out this video demonstrating how to floss correctly.

Interdental brushes (Piksters is one brand) are ideal if you have gums prone to bleeding and your teeth aren’t crowded to closely. Interdental brushes look like tiny bottle brushes and are used for cleaning the triangular gap between two teeth and the gum.

Poke the brush in that gap and gently rub away the fermentable carbohydrates and plaque.

Or, go high tech and try water flossing with an oral irrigator (like a waterpik). It’s a gentle and effective way to clean between teeth, around the gum line and even into gum pockets. A waterpik is a good solution for anyone prone to frequently bleeding gums.

9. Using an alcohol based mouthwash

Ethanol is the main ingredient in most mouthwashes. Aside from being very drying, alcohol-based mouthwashes are known to cause oral cancer.

Keep your mouth fresh and healthy by rinsing with salt water or a sage rinse.

Check out this video demonstrating how to make a simple natural mouthwash.

10. Getting bored

Rushing through the same mindless routine morning and night does your teeth and gums no favors. Here are some suggestions to help you to enjoy taking your time to brush and floss mindfully.

Brush with a buddy. You might not be able to chat while you are brushing but some friendly companionship can help with FOMO while you are in the bathroom taking care of your teeth.
Change up your flavours. Switch between different toothpastes and tooth powders. Experiment with a variety of essential oils on your floss. Have a couple of different rinses to choose from.
Time and track. Put on a timer to spend 10 minutes on your teeth morning and night. Mark the calendar with an X or put a sticker on a chart and try to fill a whole month without missing a day.
Environmental improvement. Make your bathroom a more enjoyable place to hang out in with flowers, candles or crystals.
Listen up. Put on your favorite music, podcast or audio book and enjoy some distraction
Be mindful. Listen to a recording of a guided meditation or affirmations.

Forgive your mistakes

What if you have been making one or more of the mistakes on this list?

First of all, its never too late to change your oral care habits. But more importantly please don’t beat yourself up about it.

The best thing you can do for yourself and your teeth is to be kind.

Too often we have a difficult time paying attention to our teeth because we feel bad about:

how they look or feel;
how we’ve treated them in the past;
how they have been mistreated by rough dentistry.

Your teeth cleaning time is the best time to think loving thoughts towards your teeth and gums, and forgive yourself any imperfections. Try using this mantra adapted from the beautiful Hawaiian forgiveness prayer called Ho’oponopono. Direct love and gratitude towards your teeth as you think these words:

I am sorry.

I love you.

Please forgive me.

Thank you.

For more excellent information about oral care at home I highly recommend the book Holistic Dental Care: The complete guide to healthy teeth and gums by Nadine Artemis.

I love recommending books and I love the Book Depository so I have partnered with them for my recommendations. If you choose to purchase through my link I may receive a commission. Win win! Yay!

Hello! I'm Meliors Simms, the Holistic Tooth Fairy.

After a diverse career (from research to counselling to arts) and a lifetime of terrible teeth, I stumbled on an Alt Oral approach which prevented what would have been my 7th root canal.

That inspired years of independent research and experimentation, eventually resulting in my uniquely holistic approach to oral health.

My new book The Secret Lives of Teeth is a comprehensive guide to healing teeth and gums with metaphysical perspective. Read a sample here for free.

Oral microbiome battleground?

Imagine an inviting oral microbiome

Avoid collatoral damage to the oral microbiome

The surprising origins* of oil pulling

However, oil pulling is not safe for everyone and should always be practiced with caution.

Oil pulling can cause pneumonia

What is oil pulling doing to your fillings?

Avoid oil pulling with amalgam fillings

I strongly recommend that oil pulling should not be practiced if you have amalgam fillings in place.

New composite fillings could be destablilized

Don’t enjoy oil pulling? Don’t do it!

Oil pulling for beginners

Take it slowly

Go gently

Spit wisely

Hello! I'm Meliors Simms, the Holistic Tooth Fairy.

Are you making any of these ten common mistakes with your daily oral hygiene routine?

2. Using fluoride toothpaste

3. Scraping only the front of your tongue

4. Bleaching your teeth

5. Using an abrasive toothpaste every day

6. Oil pulling with amalgams

7. Using a hard bristled toothbrush

8. Cutting your gums when you floss

9. Using an alcohol based mouthwash

10. Getting bored

Forgive your mistakes

Hello! I'm Meliors Simms, the Holistic Tooth Fairy.

About The Holistic Tooth Fairy

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**The surprising origins* of oil pulling**