Is Tongue Scraping the True Answer To Fresher Breath?
Tongue scrapers have made quite a showing in the oral care market in recent years, claiming to put an end to bad breath . While they have been widely available for many years, it appears the increase in popularity has been fueled by no small part by information widely available on the Internet.
Marketers claim that by scraping the surface of the tongue, these devices eliminate bacteria, making the assumption that the bacteria on the tongue are the culprit for bad breath . However, like many products, their effectiveness has not been validated.
Bacteria Really Does Contribute to Bad Breath
Bad breath is generally an indication of bacterial imbalance in the entire mouth – between teeth, on the surfaces of the teeth, under the gums, and, yes, on the tongue. The answer to better breath is to ensure that the good bacteria in everywhere in the mouth outnumbers the bad bacteria responsible for the foul odor of bad breath.
Bacteria in the Mouth
The human mouth is home to between 700 – 800 bacteria. The mouth is a good home to bacteria, most of which thrive in warm, wet, dark places. Most of the bacteria are completely innocuous. A few, however, are to blame for bad breath. These bacteria naturally emit volatile sulfur compounds as a byproduct. These VSCs are to blame for the vast majority of chronic bad breath conditions.
On the flip side, there are also beneficial bacteria that make their home in the human mouth. If you have chronic bad breath, you are likely lacking in the beneficial bacteria department.
Probiotics Combat Bad Breath
Probiotics are a staple in many cultures. Dr. Jeffrey Hillman, Chief Scientific Officer of Oragenics, Inc., has identified three strains of probiotics found in very healthy mouths – Streptococcus oralis (S. oralis KJ3™), Streptococcus uberis (S. uberis KJ2™) and Streptococcus rattus (S. rattus JH145™). Dr. Hillman has combined these probiotics to develop a probiotic mint that, when used twice daily after brushing, crowds out bad-breath-causing bacteria on all surfaces of the mouth – not just the tongue.
Miracle Probiotic Mint from Oragenics in the News!
EvoraPlus Captures Curiosity of Primetime Viewers
Dr. Jeffery Hillman, Chief Scientific Officer at Oragenics took the spotlight in this recent piece on Tampa’s Fox News station. Dr. Hillman shared that the EvoraPlus probiotics mints can support tooth and gum health, freshen breath and make teeth whiter and brighter.
Watch this clip to see how EvoraPlus has made a difference for one Tampa woman.
Cardiologists to Examine Mouths & Periodontists to Question Patients About Heart Health
In July 2009, cardiologists and periodontists combined their research and published a consensus paper in the American Journal of Cardiology (AJC), a publication circulated to 30,000 cardiologists, and the Journal of Periodontology (JOP), the official publication of the American Academy or Periodontology (AAP).
This paper paves the way for cardiologists to examine a patient’s mouth and periodontologists to collect heart history information from their patients.
In addition to the clinical recommendations, the consensus paper summarizes the scientific evidence that links periodontal disease and cardiovascular disease and explains the underlying biologic and inflammatory mechanisms that may be the basis for the connection.
The paper confirms that cardiologists and periodontists agree that inflammation – the way the body naturally fights infection, injury and invasion of pathogens – can turn into a chronic condition that can cause serious health problems.
Our mouths are home to hundreds of bacteria. Most of them are completely harmless and others are helpful and aptly called beneficial bacteria, or probiotics. The beneficial bacteria not only are part of the digestive process, breaking down food as it’s chewed and swallowed, there are also several bacteria that help maintain tooth and gum health.
There are also some bacteria in the mouth that are not only undesirable, they’re actually destructive when it comes to gum and tooth health.
Researchers have identified one particularly harmful bacteria, known to break down tooth enamel by gorging itself on the carbohydrates in the diet and releasing lactic acid.
What if Brushing and Flossing Don’t Do the Trick?
Instead of trying to eradicate the bacteria with alcohol-laden mouthwashes or even antibiotics, nature offers a much more gentle approach.
Background of Beneficial Bacteria
Many cultures have long used fermented foods to help keep the bacteria of the digestive tract in check. These foods, like yogurt, kefir, kimchi and sauerkraut all contain active beneficial bacteria, also known as probiotics. Eating these foods can help boost the reserves of beneficial bacteria that are natural residents of the gut. Modern science has led researchers to isolate those bacteria and offer them in supplement form.
Science has revealed that those beneficial bacteria are not just a gut issue
Probiotics for Oral Health
By introducing the natural, resident beneficial bacteria found in very healthy mouths back into the mouth, you can diminish the number of harmful bacteria in the mouth to numbers that simply can’t cause harm.
This probiotic approach allows the beneficial bacteria naturally found in very healthy mouths to crowd out the harmful bacteria, competing with them for both space and nutrients.
One simple addition to the daily dental routine can make a world of difference in the world of oral health care.
