Every little bit helps
I’m often asked, … what’s my favorite herb or herb book. Or, who’s my favorite herbalist?
My answer usually varies.
I’d be best to respond, “… today (!), my favorite herb/herbalist/book is….”.
What about microbiologists? Well, for more than a decade, I am forever grateful to have stumbled upon the work of an Ohioan dentist of the late nineteenth century; a pioneering oral microbiologist named Dr. Willoughby Miller.
Today, Dr Miller is my favorite microbiologist. In 1891, Dr Miller had the insight to write,
It must be constantly borne in mind that wherever micro-organisms are accumulated
in large masses in any part of the body[such as the mouth]
the possibility of their being carried to other parts through the blood or lymph-channels, and of their producing, accordingly, metastatic abscesses wherever a point of diminished resistance exists, can never be certainly excluded.
Much of the current work around the health of our bodies is proving Dr Miller’s insight of more than a century ago.
For example, in association with imbalances of the oral microbiome:
~ it is thought that there is a seven-fold increase in adverse pregnancy outcomes that can include preterm birth, and low birth weight. Given the many and varied risks associated with pregnancy, it seems beyond prudent to reduce those within our control. Caring for the health of our mouths during pregnancy, indeed prior to conception, can help to moderate the effects of hormonal fluxes, and the likelihood of increased cavitation and more.
~ the American Heart Association has identified more than 10% higher risk of premature death amongst women who have been diagnosed with periodontal disease. Yes, a suite of variables need to be evaluated and considered, including access to care, economic status and more. Nonetheless, again our power rests in mediating interventions and not overlooking what we can indeed either influence and/or control. As my mom used to say, “every little bit helps”.
~ even more alarming, reports in medical journals highlight strong associations between heart attacks, strokes, poor oral health and
~ the American Academy for Oral Systemic Health has reported that we are of a greater risk of developing cancers such as oral cancer, esophageal, lung, colorectal, pancreatic and breast cancers when we host (yes, host!) an unhealthy oral microbiome.
It all sounds terribly scary. Even to me as I sit and ponder the literature; even as I write this post.
Too, anyone who knows me knows that I do not support the use of fear tactics to affect change. For myself, they are more off-putting than encouraging.
I know that change happens only when we are ready to change.
For example, I smoked cigarettes for decades while working in the fields of environmental epidemiology, public health and yes, while working as an herbalist. Of course, I knew about the health risks. None pleasant, all scary. And I was all too aware of the fact that smoking was becoming an increasingly expensive habit. I only quit when I was ready to quit, separate and apart from the barrage of public health messages about smoking.
I quit more than 13 years ago, with a strong reliance on herbal support. And what happened?
The first thing I remember is that I started to salivate more. Actually, I thought I was salivating for a cigarette! What I didn’t know then is that smoking suppresses salivation. I also didn’t know that the saliva produced from multiple glands in the mouth helps to mediate the pH of the mouth and the pH of the mouth is so very important.
Additionally, my senses of both smell and taste began to improve and my appreciation of aromas and flavors began to grow. This was certainly a huge change in my life, having begun smoking as a teen. But not all changes need to be huge, or dramatic. As I came to appreciate and understand, “every little bit helps”.
So, if indeed, “every little bit helps”, then how can we improve our game?
~ First, I think it’s important to get a new toothbrush! If not today, then tomorrow!
We need to change our toothbrushes regularly and most certainly after we’ve been ill.
Go one step further and steer clear of all plastic brushes … they contaminate the land, wash up on beaches and are not compostable. Think bamboo!
Go further still and think about using roots and twigs as part of a daily care regime … then you can just toss them out into the wild to decompose and your mouth will be happy, perhaps even happier!
~ Think about routine. Think about establishing a joyous routine! The American Dental Association suggests that we need to brush more than just occasionally! Believe that?! Makes sense, right?
While some people do not need to practice an activity regularly as they’re just born “naturals”, for most of us, that’s not the case. If we want to become better at identifying herbs, or birds; if we’d like to learn to draw or read tarot; if we’d like to stand a chance of keeping our teeth for a lifetime, then daily practice at oral care is imperative.
Daily practice when it comes to the mouth means not just occasionally, or even once a day. Practicing caring for our mouths needs to embrace cleaning our mouths two to three times a day for two to three minutes each day.
~ Let’s give our mouths our full attention! Yes, I encourage us all to offer their mouths our full attention when they take time to offer care. After all, we’re not just caring for our mouths. We are caring for our whole selves.
When caring for our whole selves, and working with others, I’d like to think that this cultivates joy. I imagine people all over the world adopting a regular regime to care for their mouths.
Given that there are 24 different time zones around the world, and in each time zone, folks are caring for their mouths three times a day … that’s a lot of good health … that’s a lot of joy
enjoy (!)
