In a recent interview, a noted functional dentist, promotes the use of a tongue scraper as part of an oral health routine, suggesting it can lower blood pressure by enhancing nitric oxide production from bacteria on the tongue. While his intentions are to advocate for natural oral health practices, his claims about tongue scraping and nitric oxide production warrant scrutiny. Here's why his recommendation might not hold up under scientific examination.
Read MoreIn today’s post, I will discuss how the mouth plays a significant role in the production of nitric oxide (NO) through a process called the enterosalivary cycle of nitrate. This process involves friendly nitrate-reducing bacteria in the oral cavity, predominantly on the tongue, which reduce dietary nitrate (NO3) from vegetables, meat, and drinking water to nitrite (NO2). The nitrite is then further reduced to NO, which helps regulate systemic blood pressure. This pathway highlights how important oral health is to cardiovascular health. But can mouthwash damage this process?
Read MoreI talk a lot about proper facial development to ensure adequate breathing. This post covers the subject and links to most of my other posts about achieving proper craniofacial respiratory complex growth. I have mentioned things like allergies and sinus problems as factors affecting breathing but have never stressed how important it is to address them. This post will cover the main ENT-related problems associated with poor breathing, especially at night when sleeping.
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