Bridgeways Dental Practice

Ever chatted with a friend and watched them wrinkle their nose, turn their head or take a step back? Nothing shatters your confidence faster than thinking you have stinky breath.

  Bad breath (or halitosis) worries people more often than you might think. Did you know that across the globe around 90 million people are bad breath sufferers? And it has been on peoples minds for centuries, The ancient Greek philosopher Hippocrates and the Roman physician Pliny wrote about natural cures for sweetening the breath, according to Dr Micheal Eggert from the University of Alberta Bad Breath Research Clinic.

 And for good reason. In Ancient Rome if you were a groom you could have your marraige annulled if your wife had bad breath. It was considered as bad as having leprosy. These days you’re not going to be sent off to a leper colony for smelly breath, but it can make you feel like a social pariah.

WHAT CAUSES SMELLY BREATH?

Halitosis is the result of an imbalance of the bacteria in your mouth and throat. “Bacteria live in the coatings or biofilms of your mouth and tongue”, explains Dr Geoffrey Speiser, founder of the UK Bad Breath Clinic. “They break down proteins in our mouths and create smelly volatile sulphur compounds – the worst culprits are nasal mucus, dairy foods, and bleeding gums.”

 Transient or temporary halitosis is also caused by spicy foods such as garlic and onions – so if you overindulge, be prepared to keep those breath mints handy!

LOOKING FOR CLUES?

Think you may have bad breath, but you are not sure? There are some ways you can test yourself. But these are not foolproof according to experts.

Examine your tongue. Do you have a coating?

Do you have a bad taste in your mouth? This can be the sulphur compounds you can taste.

Lick the back of your hand. Let the saliva evaporate for 20 seconds and see if you can smell anything. This is a fairly good indication according to experts.

But of course the best way to find out if you have bad breath is to ask someone (but not your partner as they can become used to the smell of your breath.

Natural Health Magazine March 2011

For decades it’s been known that mercury is dangerous to human health because it accumulates in the body and damages it’s cells.

Mercury is a potent neurotoxin that can cause memory loss, headaches, loss of co-ordination, weakness, kidney damage, respiratory damage, infertility, birth defects, and psychiatric effects.

Mercury has also been linked to multiple sclerosis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) Parkinsons disease, Alzheimer’s disease, arthritis, and lupus.

As Dr Mercola mentioned in his October 12,2010 newsletter, mercury-amalgam fillings are essentially unethical human experiments:

‘If you have ‘silver’ amalgam dental fillings, I’m sorry to say that you, too, have been the subject of an ill-fated experiment.’

In the words of Charlie Brown, president of the World Alliance for Mercury-Free Dentistry:

‘Amalgam is a primitive, polluting, 19th century product that began when physicians were sawing off legs. Medicine has since moved forward’

Unfortunately, this aspect of dentistry has not.

The American Dental Association (ADA) continues to give amalgam (mercury) fillings their seal of approval despite the known fact that mercury is a potent neurotoxin that can damage your brain, central nervous system and kidneys.

A single dental amalgam filling releases as much as 15 micrograms of mercury per day, which is absorbed directly into your body. Canada advised dentists to stop placing amalgam in children and pregnant women in 1996 – nearly 15 years ago! Denmark, Norway and Sweden have essentially banned amalgams. But in the United States, they are still regarded as the ‘gold standard’ of dental care – unfortunately once again at the expense of your health.’

1. Drink a glass of cranberry juice

Researchers have found that this vitamin rich juice stops bacteria sticking to your teeth, thus reducing your chances of developing gum disease

   2.  Eat an apple

Do this before bed to exercise your mouth and calm it a little. An apple a day will prevent you from grinding your teeth in your sleep – try it!

   3.  Swallow a tea bag!

Well, not quite…put a cool soaked bag on gums to ease swelling and reduce abscess pain. It’s the tannic acid in the tea bag that does the trick.

   4.  Peel and shine

Don’t throw your orange peel away – use it to whiten yellowing teeth. Rub the white inner side of the peel over your teeth, then brush as usual. The weave like fibres in the peel will act to remove any stains.

The thousands of people who had teeth removed as teenagers to make extra room for other molars to come through, could always be paying the price now. For a growing number of chiropractors – who treat problems through manipulation of the joints and muscles – say that a bad bite caused by this interference could affect the rest of the body – causing headaches, nausea, dizziness and numb limbs. Everyone swallows about 2000 times a day, but if the jaw is not symmetrical, this action can trigger a chain of problems.

Most of us associate chiropractors with bad backs, but by working with dentists, practitioners are now treating the above conditions with sacro-occipital technique (SOT). The sacroiliac joint lies between the sacrum of the back of the pelvis and the ilium – the hip bone. So what could this possibly have to do with how you bite?
“ The sacrum and the flat occipital bone, at the back of the skull, work together to pump the cerebro-spinal fluid around the brain and along the spinal cord, bathing it with nutrients and removing toxins,” says Dr Jon Howat, who pioneers SOT in the UK. “The process is coordinated by the temporalis muscle in the jaw, which holds the jaw shut. When we swallow the upper and lower teeth come together. If teeth are removed or if dentures or fillings are not properly aligned, the bite surface changes, so swallowing tightens the jaw muscle. This blocks the fluid flow, putting pressure on the brain on that side of the skull.”

Dr Howat says this has a chain affect. The jaw is pulled tighter, causing tinnitus, vertigo, and headaches. It also affects the throat and larynx, leading to soreness, hoarseness and constant throat clearing.

Stiff necks and shoulders may be set off by this change of position of the neck. Also the brachial nerve, serving the hand and arm is constricted, leading to pins and needles and tennis elbow. Your hands may also feel numb as a result of carpal tunnel syndrome. So, what does SOT do to help? First, the chiropractor corrects any structural imbalances using wedge shaped blocks placed under the pelvis. This is combined with gentle manipulation to realign the body so the sacral pump can work properly again. You’ll then be referred to a dentist, who may ask you to wear a plate between your teeth at night to support the jaw.

After eight months treatment can be started to change your bite, using crowns, dentures and bridges. However, many say it’s worth it just to be free of the pain.