What to do about your dirty mouth

My college roommate once asked me what I would say to someone who is bleeding from four different places on his body at the same time. I said, “Well if that person is still alive, I’d tell him to go to the ER!” He confessed that he was the person in question. You can hear the full story in this short episode of The Brandonian Doctrine.

He said his gums were bleeding, and this was no surprise to me. His oral hygiene routine consisted of squeezing a segment of toothpaste directly into his mouth along with a swig of Listerine. He swished it around his mouth for a few seconds and spat it out. That was his version of brushing his teeth.

At the 7th Annual Biohacking Conference, Dr. Mercola indicated that the most common infection in modern humans is periodontitis — inflammation of the gums. If your gums are bleeding, it’s bad news. A review of studies found oral infection linked to systemic diseases such as coronary heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, bacterial pneumonia, and low birth weight. Most insurance companies that do not cover dental services will cover all dental services for transplant patients. Even they know how important it is to keep your mouth in tip-top shape.

What’s the answer? We all know we should be brushing and flossing every day and routinely visiting the dentist. Hopefully, the kiddies aren’t clogging up all the…