Anti-Aging Through Oral Health by Dr. Lorraine Maita

A smile exudes youth, confidence and invites connection with people. Keeping your mouth, teeth and gums healthy can have a profound impact on your overall health. Inflammation in your mouth or periodontal disease has been linked to inflammation of the heart and joints; head and neck cancer; atherosclerosis; preterm birth; stillbirth; and even erectile dysfunction. Inflammation is one of the root causes of chronic degenerative diseases. Wouldn’t you want to keep your mouth healthy to prevent or reverse overall inflammation and stay younger and healthier? Here are some tips on how to improve oral health!
Brush, Floss and Clean
The cornerstone of oral health is daily brushing and flossing. This prevents plaque buildup and periodontal disease. To get a deep clean in places your brush doesn’t reach, have regular cleanings at least two or more times per year and get check ups by your dentist.
Probiotics
Your mouth has a lot of bacteria that can cause inflammation and the formation of plaque and cavities. Having enough good bacteria can crowd out and counteract the harmful bacteria that can cause illness as well as periodontitis, plaque and cavities. A strain of probiotics, Streptococcus salivarius has shown to promote oral health. It produces dextranase, an enzyme that breaks down biofilm that causes plaque, and produces urease, which neutralizes acid that breaks down enamel and maintains a healthy pH in the mouth.
If you want to prevent bad breath or suffer from ear, nose and throat infections, a different strain of Streptococcus salivarius called ENT-12 has shown to enhance immune defenses. It also competes with bacteria that produce sulfur that makes breath smell bad. Studies show that supplementation with ENT-12 had a significant impact on throat, tonsil and middle ear health. It antagonizes the growth of the Strep that causes sore throats and tonsillitis, and reduced the number of episodes of throat and ear infections. It can also reduce oral Candida and may be useful for people who use steroid inhalers.
Coenzyme Q 10
Oxidative stress (an imbalance between the production of free radicals and the ability of the body to counteract or detoxify their harmful effects through neutralization by antioxidants) is associated with aging and wrinkling. It also promotes inflammation and reduces the ability to heal and repair. Co-enzyme Q10 (CoQ10) suppresses oxidative stress and may contribute to the prevention of age-related inflammatory reactions and have an anti aging effect. Deficiency of CoQ10 may be responsible for periodontitis and gingivitis. Studies show that CoQ10 suppresses advanced periodontal inflammation.
Diet
Your diet and nutritional status not only helps you decrease inflammation and oxidation that impacts your smile and oral health, it is the best thing you can do to prevent or reverse illness. Eating lots of vegetables in every color of the rainbow, one to two servings of fruit and anti inflammatory fats such as fish, olives, avocado, nuts and seeds and any of their oils will keep you younger and healthier. There is so much you can do to prevent or reverse degenerative illness, so get an evaluation by an anti aging, functional medicine specialist to look and feel your best and keep you smiling!

Anti Aging Dr MaitaLorraine Maita, MD is an award winning physician, speaker and author of “Vibrance for Life: How to Live Younger and Healthier” and can make you slim, sharp, sexy and supercharged. She is an expert in anti-aging medicine, bioidentical hormone replacement, and weight loss, medical nutrition, supplements and executive health. Dr. Maita has a private practice in Functional, Integrative, Personalized and Anti Aging Medicine in Short Hills, NJ www.howtoliveyounger.com and educates virtually at www.vibranceforlife.com. Live and look younger and healthier by scheduling a consultation today.