The connection between oral health and brain health has only recently been recognized. Oral health and more specifically, the bacteria in our mouths, can be a root cause of inflammation and even bacterial infections that can play a huge role in brain health both right now (i.e. brain fog or depression) and long term (Alzheimer’s disease).
Oral Microbiome
While oral hygiene plays a big role in oral health, you may not know that the type of toothpaste, floss, and mouthwash you use can sometimes make things worse. Many popular oral health products can actually contribute to problems because they try to eliminate all bacteria in the mouth.
The goal shouldn’t be to get rid of all the bacteria in the mouth, it should be to promote a healthy balance of bacteria. Just like the overuse of antibiotics is creating antibiotic-resistant superbugs and causing more harm than good, trying to nuke all bacteria in your mouth usually just sets the stage for the bad bacteria to move back in with full force.
Understanding the microbiome of the mouth is relatively new–and we continue to learn more about it–but luckily the research has been around long enough now that the market is starting to catch up. You can now find prebiotic and probiotic toothpaste and safe mouthwash options that promote biodiversity in the mouth microbiome and enable the good bacteria to thrive.
The following are a few of our favorite products to promote a diverse and strong oral microbiome.
