Your digestion starts in your mouth. Looking after your oral health is imperative in maintaining a happy gut.

Gum infections and gum disease (gingivitis, periodontitis) can contribute to dysbiosis when too many icky bad guys are constantly being swallowed each day.

Bad bugs lurking in your mouth, Candida (yeast/fungi), spirochetes, amoeba, etc have been shown to be linked to various dis-eases such as Alzheimer's, stroke, respiratory diseases such as pneumonia, cardiovascular disease, etc.

WHAT CONTRIBUTES TO GUM DISEASE?

• Too much sugar and processed foods in the diet.
• Poor dental hygiene.
• Impaired immunity.
• Inflammation.
• Poor gut health (this is a bit of a 'which came first, the chicken or the egg?' type scenario).
• Homozygous FUT2. Approximately 20% of the population have this SNP, or genetic variation, and are therefore non-secretors who do not express ABO antigens in saliva. FUT2 is associated with Crohn's disease, the development of oral candidiasis and chronic mucosal inflammation. People with this SNP may find taking Bifidobacteria and B12 beneficial.

HOW TO TARGET GUM INFECTIONS AND DETOX YOUR GUMS

• Oral Hygiene Routine - brush your teeth (see more on brushing below), floss (or use a water pick), use a tongue scraper, rinse and gargle at least twice a day.
• Salty Water - dissolve 1tsp high quality sea salt in 1 glass warm water and rinse your mouth out and gargle after brushing and/or after eating.
• Oil Pulling - see the 'Oil Pulling' section in Phase 1 for more information. If you have salicylate sensitivities, you can try oil pulling with organic sunflower oil instead of coconut oil.
• Bentonite Clay - add to your homemade toothpaste or mouthwash, and/or simply rinse your mouth out and gargle with 1/4 tsp bentonite clay in 100ml water after brushing, flossing and using a tongue scraper. Hold a mouthful in your mouth and swish it around vigorously before spitting it out.
• Diatomaceous Earth - as above.
• Chewing Cloves - cloves are known for their ability to help with a toothache due to the eugenol they contain, which also acts as a natural antiseptic. Cloves have been found to work effectively for relieving pain, reducing inflammation, would healing and fighting infection. Simply chew one clove and then spit it out... however, you might not be able to feel your tongue afterwards! ;-)
• Essential Oils - clove, peppermint, cinnamon, tea-tree, orange, lemon and lavender essential oils can be add to your homemade toothpaste and mouthwash. One to two drops can also be added to the oil you use for oil pulling.
• Bifidobacteria - try rubbing a small amount (a pinch) of Bifidobacteria powder around your gums with a clean finger before going to bed (after the oral hygiene routine mentioned above).

MAKE YOUR OWN REMINERALISING TOOTHPASTE

• 2 tbs bentonite clay
• 2 tbs very finely ground sea salt
• 1 tbs diatomaceous Earth or high quality baking soda (aluminium & gluten free)
• 3 - 5 tbs coconut oil (adjust to your consistency preferences)
• 5 drops trace minerals (the quantity will depend on your brand)
• 10 drops essential oils of your choice (any of the above)
• 1 tbs xylitol powder and/or 2 - 5 drops of liquid stevia to sweeten to your liking.

If you have salicylate sensitivities, you can leave out the coconut oil and essential oils and brush your teeth with powder. Simply sprinkle a small amount of the powder onto a damp toothbrush and brush.

Other fun ingredients to try in your homemade toothpaste:

• Activated charcoal
• Neem
• Calcium carbonate
• Probiotic powder

Experiment with various ingredients until you find a combination - a consistency, taste and texture - that you like.

BRUSHING

If you have bleeding gums, the way you brush your teeth matters.

Using a horizontal scrubbing technique can push the bad guys deeper into your gum line and cause more problems.

Using the Bass Brushing Technique can help to stop gum disease. This technique is gentle and flicks nasty bugs up and out of your gum line. A Bass toothbrush has fewer and finer bristles (with each bristle being .007inch in diameter) that can reach in under the gum line when you brush.

Instead of using a horizontal scrubbing motion, place your toothbrush brush at a 45 degree angle into your gum line and use a gentle vibrating motion back and forth before flicking your toothbrush up and away from your teeth for your bottom teeth and down for your top teeth. Progress around your mouth focusing on 2 - 3 teeth at a time.

After you have brushed your teeth, be sure to floss (or use a water pick), use your tongue scraper and rinse. You can then apply some Bifidobacteria powder directly to your gum line with a clean finger.

HOW A GOOD BIO-DENTIST CAN HELP

Biological dentistry offices are fragrance free, fluoride free, mercury free and integrate therapies such as homeopathy and acupuncture into their dental care. Biological dentistry considers bio-mechanical, biochemical, bioelectrical and emotional factors all to be important in achieving overall good health and wellness.

A good bio-dentist will swab your mouth and show you in real time what bugs are currently active in your mouth. You can visit your bio-dentist quarterly to monitor and hopefully witness a reduction in the bad guys in your mouth. Scheduling regular visits will help keep your oral health in tip top shape.

REMOVAL OF AMALGAM FILLINGS

It's extremely important to have amalgam fillings removed by an experienced holistic/biological dentist who knows how to significantly reduce the amount of mercury vapour when removing amalgam fillings.

Find a biological dentist who will take the time to get to know you and will only remove amalgam fillings at a rate your body can cope with and will schedule your dental appointments after having considered your immune system and medical background. Your treatment should also be supported by individualised supplementation and chelation.

We advise that you don't rush into getting amalgam fillings removed and wait until Phase 3 of the program when your body will be more prepared.

ROOT CANALS

Most biological dentists find that root canals (dead teeth) are extremely likely to be a burden on the immune system. They agree that nothing can sterilise a dead tooth or prevent the bacterial growth in the dentinal tubules. They therefore do not recommend root canals.