Quotations by Ellie Phillips

When you have a mouth teeming with bad bacteria, no amount of brushing or flossing will get rid of them. In fact, I suggest that flossing may actually aggravate the problem, open up wounds, and even push bacteria into the blood, which could increase the risk for an inflammatory response. This is why I do not think it is safe for anyone with an unhealthy mouth to floss. If you want to floss, I suggest you first ensure your mouth is as healthy as possible and maybe take a salivary test to know your levels of opportunistic mouth pathogens before you begin. [2018] - Ellie Phillips

Placing a cap over the toothbrush head appeared to encourage virulent opportunistic pathogens, like one called Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a species of bacteria that is adapted to low-oxygen environments. This is important information for anyone who travels or keeps their toothbrush in a gym bag, drawer, or confined space. [2018] - Ellie Phillips

I suggest you decontaminate the bristles of your brush after each use by swishing the head of your brush in an essential oil rinse like Listerine®. Then rinse it with water, and allow it to air-dry in a clean environment away from any toilet contamination. Do not rely solely on UV sanitizers as they may not be as effective as portrayed by their marketing. Even antibacterial toothbrushes need to be cleaned with some frequency, especially if you have an unhealthy mouth. Consider purchasing inexpensive brushes for travel and use them as throwaways. [2018] - Ellie Phillips

There are a few foods that may nurture the protective coating in our mouth known as biofilm, and there are some foods that offer some dental benefits and protection. Xylitol is one of the most convenient of these foods, and it works in various ways. It is especially useful in our modern diet, because it can quickly help control mouth acidity. Alkalizing the mouth to a pH of around 7.4 will not only promote healthy mouth bacteria but will also prevent post-meal demineralization of teeth and any potential acidic damage to healthy biofilm. [2018] - Ellie Phillips

If your gums bleed when you brush or floss, it is likely you have gingivitis. Often, gingivitis occurs when your body’s immune system is weak or compromised, such as during pregnancy, a period of stress, hormone fluctuation, menopause, or if your mouth is dry from the side effects of taking certain medications or using an asthma inhaler or antihistamine drug. When you notice bleeding, it is important to take action immediately to resolve this. If gingivitis is untreated for more than a few days, deeper damage can occur, and a gum pocket may form that is much more permanent and difficult to resolve. [2018] - Ellie Phillips

Use xylitol gum or mints after every meal, snack, and drink to alkalize your mouth and support the development of healthy biofilm. If your gums bleed as you brush them, this is a signal to brush the area more thoroughly, not less, since the improved circulation you will create by brushing will help the swelling go away before any permanent damage happens to your gums. If you have previously noticed bleeding gums but they stopped bleeding, this may not be a good sign. This could signal that gingivitis progressed and became the next stage, which is a painless, nonbleeding, more serious gum problem called periodontal disease. [2018] - Ellie Phillips

Root sensitivity is most often a symptom of gum problems, but it is usually felt as radiating pain in teeth, especially as you breathe or drink something hot or cold. Tooth roots are not good candidates for fillings, and sensitivity toothpaste will only cause additional discomfort, including a furry feeling on your teeth or the sensation of a dry mouth. My suggestion is to avoid peroxide, whitening products, oil pulling, or baking soda, which may lead to recession. Sensitivity will disappear naturally as your gum and tooth health improves. [2018] - Ellie Phillips

How do you know when tooth pain is telling you something serious or if it is sensitivity that can be reversed naturally? The rule of thumb is that a painful sensation that lasts fewer than two minutes usually indicates the problem is reversible. You should consider this pain as a warning, but the situation may not be a disaster. Usually, the longer the pain continues, the more serious it is. When tooth pain is felt as you press on a tooth, this is usually a call for more urgent dental help, as this kind of pressure is normally caused by fluids accumulating from a bacterial infection inside the tooth or an abscess in or around the tooth’s root. [2018] - Ellie Phillips

It is important to control prolonged periods of mouth acidity, and this may involve reducing habits like snacking, frequent sipping of drinks (even water, which dilutes saliva), and allowing chronic stress to dominate your life. It is equally important to nurture the healthiest possible biofilm, ideally by keeping your mouth bathed in healthy saliva as much as possible. The health and pH of saliva is affected by diet, stress, changes in hormones and circulation, smoking, and the quality of nutrients absorbed from your food, which depends on the health of your digestive system. [2018] - Ellie Phillips

Some apparently healthy products may stop disease, but they allow different problems to occur, such as gum recession, enamel erosion, sensitivity, weakened teeth, and fractures. A mouth that is not comfortable is not healthy. My greatest concern is that some of these products, especially the pastes and rinses that are specifically designed to strip biofilm, may allow viruses, chemicals, bacteria, or free radicals to damage skin cells in the mouth, working as precursors for oral cancer. [2018] - Ellie Phillips

Xylitol stabilizes blood glucose levels, is helpful to diabetics, provides fiber and butyrate for digestive health, and can also positively influence nasal, sinus, pharyngeal, and potentially bone health. You can eat it as candy, chew it as gum, or use it as a breath mint or spray. [2018] - Ellie Phillips

I reintroduce small amounts of high-grade butter (for example, melted with cooked vegetables), even for people who believe they need to eliminate dairy. Once we have introduced butter successfully, we then try 2- to 3-ounce portions of organic, unsweetened yogurt, mixed and sweetened with a teaspoon of maple syrup or xylitol or 1 ounce of fresh pineapple or papaya to aid digestion and counter acid reflux problems. [2018] - Ellie Phillips

Lemon juice and apple cider vinegar can cause dramatic problems for your teeth, yet they can be great for health and boosting your immune system. So, the dilemma is how to benefit from these things while avoiding any damage in your mouth. The ideal solution is to consume foods and drinks as components of mealtimes and to not worry about their pH or acidity, providing the final food in your mouth is something that is alkaline, such as a piece of cheese, celery, or xylitol. This pattern of eating allows you freedom to eat any food safely, but you always end the meal with a tooth-protective food. [2018] - Ellie Phillips

FOOD PAIRING: By adding eggs to salad, we can increase our absorption of nutrients from the egg and the salad greens, compared with eating these foods individually. When bananas are eaten alongside whole milk, custard, or yogurt, this combination increases the body’s uptake of calcium from the dairy. Steaming can reduce the oxalates in spinach and preserve the water-soluble minerals that would be lost in boiling water. To increase the absorption of fat-soluble minerals from spinach or other green vegetables, consider adding a small serving of butter to these foods. [2018] - Ellie Phillips

Protective foods can be eaten alongside damaging acidic drinks or sugary snacks to help protect your teeth. For example, nibbling cheese will alkalize your mouth and help mineralize teeth between sips of acidic wine. After drinking acidic or sugary juices or snacks, consider having some xylitol in the form of a mint or piece of gum, some cheese or a drink of whole milk or alkaline water. The best endings for meals are tooth-protective foods, including salty nuts, cheese, yogurt, alkaline vegetables like celery, avocado, nut butters, and protein foods, like chicken or turkey and, of course, one of the most convenient, xylitol. [2018] - Ellie Phillips

Cranberries are a food that can damage teeth, and their juice has been studied and shown to reduce plaque. Cranberry juice is extremely acidic, and it is often mixed with other fruit juices as a cocktail. If you were to swish cranberry cocktail or even plain cranberry juice, it could easily ruin your teeth by eroding enamel and causing demineralization. It’s possible you have heard similar studies about grape seed extract, green tea, cider vinegar, and other foods that can reduce dental plaque, but I suggest these are completely inappropriate products for oral care. In the same way, sugary candies and mints, vitamin C lozenges, and cough syrup can be dental hazards. [2018] - Ellie Phillips

Apples are widely believed to be food for oral health, and they do contain an antioxidant called quercetin, which has antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties. Apples also contain polyphenols, which offer specific protection against gum damage by periodontal bacteria. Eating apples can benefit teeth, but always remember that apple juice is damaging. The difference is that juice loses its fiber component, and it is the fiber that protects teeth from the malic acid that apples contain. [2018] - Ellie Phillips

My recommendation is not to run for a toothbrush after eating but to dilute and balance mouth acidity as soon as possible, using xylitol or another cariostatic product that can help neutralize acidity and stimulate a flow of saliva to remineralize your teeth (dark chocolate, whole milk, or whole-milk cheese). Here’s an added tip: If your tooth is knocked out in an accident, and you are unable to take it to a dentist for implantation, carry it in a container of saliva, saline solution, cream, or milk to keep it viable for implantation. The quicker this is done, the better! [2018] - Ellie Phillips

Fermented foods can be a fabulous addition to your diet if you are looking for improved digestive health. I encourage you to take steps and expand your horizons with fermented foods as you incorporate small amounts of the ones you like into your menu regularly. Here is a list of frequently used fermented foods in the United States: brine pickles (kosher dill), kimchi, sauerkraut, miso/tempeh/natto, yogurt/kefir/ryazhenka, raw-milk cheese, salami (and other fermented, dry charcuterie), kvass and kombucha. [2018] - Ellie Phillips

I recommend oral probiotics only as a last resort for someone who is unable to maintain mouth care or target his or her underlying problems. Look for oral probiotics sweetened with xylitol—included because xylitol feeds healthy, probiotic mouth bacteria. Oral probiotics may offer some help in dire circumstances or if you have an unstable mouth ecosystem because all the grooves in your teeth have been obliterated by dental crowns, fillings, or sealants. [2018] - Ellie Phillips