Olwen Anderson's Blog

Ever visited the vet with your pet cat or dog? Have you noticed that one of the first things the vet checks out is the health of their gums? That's because the health of their gums often reflects their overall state of well being.

 I've sometimes been tempted to try out this diagnostic test with my new clients, but I think they might find having their mouth inspected closely a little uncomfortable, so I restrict myself to just asking questions that tell me a lot about my new client's attitude to health, their vitamin C status and their body's overall state of inflammation. 

Here are some important clues your gums can give you about your health:

Do your gums bleed after brushing? This can indicate a vitamin C deficiency, or that you have ongoing inflammation and infection, such as periodontal infection or gingivitis. Gum diseases like this can result in you losing your teeth later in life; and a huge wad of dental expenses as well. 

Bad bacteria residing in your mouth unchallenged can contribute to bad breath too. You know, the kind of bad breath that even your friends have trouble telling you about.

If you haven't seen the dentist for a while, now is a really good time to book your next checkup! There are now many 'holistic dentists' who will look at your dental health from a holistic perspective, if that's what you prefer.

If you have gingivitis or periodontal disease, your naturopath can help you with the right vitamin supplements to get your gum health back on track.

It’s the problem even your closest friends have trouble mentioning.  Excuse me ………but your breath ……well ………..it’s not too sweet!

Bad breath can originate from several places in the body, but wherever it comes from, its all about bacteria.

Teeth or gums in bad condition, particularly teeth that need filling, are a breeding ground for some very odorous bacteria. If you haven’t had a dental check up for a while, or don’t floss regularly, this is the place to start your investigation.

One of the most common causes of bad breath however is what’s happening in the intestines. 

People with bad breath are often constipated. Generally speaking, you should have a bowel movement every day. If you don’t, take a look at some aspects of your diet:

- are you drinking enough pure water? (You need at least two litres every day)

- are you eating enough fibre? (You need 25-35g every day, from a variety of fruits, vegetables and grains.)

- Are you relaxed? Muscle tension from stress, particularly emotional stress, can affect the bowel muscles, and the production line that is our digestive process comes to a halt.

An effective way to check your bowel transit time is to eat some cooked beetroot – about 200-300g. The beetroot will colour your faeces, but won’t harm you. Ideally, you’ll see the results within 12-24 hours. Less than 12 hours means your bowels are too fast, more than 24 hours is too slow. (Keep in mind that beetroot will colour your urine temporarily red too.)

Intestines are heavily populated with bacteria – some are good, actively helping the digestive process along. Some bacteria are not so helpful. In an unhealthy bowel, the conditions are right for bad bacteria and fungi can grow unchecked. If digested food remains too long in your digestive tract fermentation starts, creating some very unpleasant smells.

Naturopaths approach the treatment of bad breath originating in the intestines like you would approach an overgrown garden – where there are unwanted weeds all over the place, and the conditions aren’t right for the good plants to grow. But get rid of the weeds, and improve the soil and feeding, then the good plants will bloom. The right herbs and probiotics bacteria are the tools we use.

A final test – have a look at your tongue in the mirror. Is it heavily coated with fur, particularly yellow fur?  If so, it’s probable that your metabolism is out of shape and your liver is struggling. This can contribute to bad breath too.

A cup of peppermint tea can help mask any bad breath, but if you’ve developed this unfortunate condition, its time to start investigating where it has come from.