Gum Health and Probiotics - Trusting Your Gut Instincts

Lets talk about Bacteria. ** I've reworked a little of this blog post after attending an excellent lecture by Juliette Reeves in September **

But not just any bacteria, the good bacteria, more specifically Probiotics. Gut health is so important and if things aren't quite right it can throw everything and I mean everything off.

Keeping your gut healthy has been linked to many positive outcomes including

Improved Sleep
Improved Mood & Mental Health
Improved Skin & Complexion
Enhanced Immune System
Improved Heart Health
Better Digestion

All sounds good, but what is a Probiotic?

Probiotics were discovered in the 20th Century by Ilya Metchnikoff. They establish stable groups of bacteria in your stomach and weakening the bad bacteria so they cant get enough resources to multiply. Basically they keep your stomach in sync. This then protects your body, stabilises the pH or acidity in your stomach so that digestion is more effective and efficient. Without the right amount of good bacteria there are things that your body just wouldn't be able to digest. This then stimulates immune responses promoting better physical and mental health, and causing a balanced human microbiome. In other words Probiotics are the bomb.

Now before we go any further, what is a microbiome? A microbiome is a community of organisms or microbes that live together in a particular habitat or area. Everything and everyone has one, humans, animals, plants, soils, oceans etc. They are as unique as a fingerprint, and this is why some people can be more susceptible to different conditions than others.

So looking after your gut is great, and taking some form of Probiotic bacteria regularly can make ourselves look and feel good, but these little Probiotics can also really benefit our Gums, which is why we're all here am I right?

Make yourself comfortable and we'll get going.

There is a direct relationship between taking a Probiotic regularly and a reducing your bleeding score at your dental hygiene appointment and a reduction of inflammation at the gum line. This will probably make your Hygienist do a little dance. As we have discussed previously inflammation at the gum line = Gingivitis which can ultimately lead to Gum Disease. Anything that reduces inflammation around the gums is good.

There is also evidence to suggest that there is a reduction of bone loss if you take a Probiotic in the presence of Gum Disease. This is important as Gum Disease causes us to loose the bone that anchors our teeth in place, so if your Dentist or Hygienist advises you that you have Gum Disease you should probably be thinking about improving your gut health as well as your oral hygiene at home. It is important to note however that this evidence has been gathered through an animal study, so we don't 100% know if this is true for humans but we can take a punt.*

Finally it has also been found that patients who take a Probiotic regularly have less Gum Disease bacteria in their plaque than patients who do not, so far Probiotics are getting a 10/10 from me.

Also as a little side note, those patients who regularly take Probiotics were found to have less cavities in their teeth AND taking a Probiotic has been proven to be effective for preventing bad breath. Marvellous.

How can we get more Probiotics?

Yoghurt - look for one that says 'live' or 'active' cultures - Actimel anyone?
Soy based drinks
Kimchi
Sauerkraut
Tempeh
Kefir
Miso
Kombucha - My absolute favourite
Pickles
Buttermilk
Some Types of Cheese eg Cottage Cheese
A Specific Supplement - There are lots out there but maybe something like Bio-Cultures Complex

What can I say, there seems to be something for everyone, although that being said if you have any concerns please check with your GP before making dietary changes or starting a new supplement. Some of these choices are Vegan, some or not so please please double check if you have any food intolerances or dietary restrictions.

As with everything taking a Probiotic is not a magic cure, this should be taken as well as following a gold standard oral hygiene routine at home, tailor made for you by your Dentist or Dental Hygienist which I have chatted about in my previous blogs.

That being said, in terms of thinking outside of the box or if you're the kind of patient who needs an extra bit of oomph this could be it, of course I'm more than happy to chat to you about Probiotics anytime either in clinic of via DM on my Instagram page.

*I really do have a big issue with and IN NO WAY condone animal testing but its kind of hard to dodge in a scientific field of work so apologies for including this if you are offended

If you would like a Dental Hygiene appointment, you can visit me at Moira Cosmetic Dental or Bupa Dental Care Glengormley and you can follow me on Instagram @homegirlhygienist

https://www.globalhealingcenter.com/natural-health/health-benefits-of-probiotics/

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/20002297.2018.1502027

https://www.degruyter.com/downloadpdf/j/folmed.2017.60.issue-1/folmed-2017-0080/folmed-2017-0080.pdf

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/11-super-healthy-probiotic-foods#section11

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13102818.2019.1632740

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/jcpe.12995

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S107921041000209X

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Gum Health and Probiotics - Trusting Your Gut Instincts

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