Dr. HingHau Tsang's Crusade on Nutrition

• Use natural brands of toothpaste without added colorings and artificial sweeteners. Some health food stores carry toothpastes containing neem or tea tree oil, two powerful antibacterial plant oils. Or you may want to use a germicidal toothpaste containing chlorine dioxide such as Oxyfresh.
• Tongue brushing works both to freshen breath and kill germs. Use a germicidal toothpaste or augment your brushing with a tongue scraper once or twice a day. It works better than commercial mouthwashes at getting the bacteria lodged in the tongue's grooves.
• Avoid toxins in the dentist's office. If you need fillings, insist on them being Mercury-free. So-called silver fillings are 50 percent mercury and are suspected of contributing to illness -- everything from memory loss to chronic fatigue.
• Work with your dentist to limit your exposure to dental X rays to once every two years, unless there's a specific problem.
• If you are scheduled for major dental work, be sure you're in good health and completely recovered from any illness or infection. Fortify your system with 2,000 mg of Vitamin C, twice a day and Resistance Support Formula twice a day, starting the day before your procedure and continuing through the day after. This is especially important for people with mitral valve prolapse who are undergoing routine dental work and do not want to take antibiotics.
• Lastly, limit the sweets, the primary culprits in tooth decay. Use healthy sweetener Stevia instead of sugar. If you do indulge, clean your teeth immediately after.
• If your dentist insists on frequent X rays and uses mercury (silver) fillings and other toxic materials, you may want to consider changing dentist.

• If you smoke, quit. Stop chewing tobacco as well. If you don't smoke, avoid smoky environments. There's strong evidence that smoke (even secondhand) increases the likelihood of periodontal disease, probably by restricting blood vessels, reducing blood flow to the gums, reducing their vitality and increasing susceptibility to disease.
• At the same time, reduce the amount of alcohol you drink, as this too raises your chances of periodontal disease.
• Use dental floss regularly. Get in the habit of using dental floss at least once a day. Use unwaxed dental floss if possible, and get it under the gum line to scrape the tooth surface.
• Brush your teeth at least twice a day and massage your gums too. Whenever you have a chance, massage your gums with your fingertips. You can also stimulate your gums by running the end of a round wooden toothpick under the gum line.
• Many periodontist have seen remarkable improvement in the gums of patients who take Coenzyme q-10 (Co-Q10)100 milligrams a day. So work that into your daily regimen if you feel at risk for gum disease.
• Take antioxidants daily. This includes Vitamin A 5000 I.U., Vitamin C 1000mg, Vitamin E 400 I.U., Selenium 200 micrograms, Calcium 1,000 to 1,500 mg daily (divided into two or three doses). Research shows that young women who get less than 800 mg of calcium a day have double the risk of periodontal disease. You can simply take the "'My favorite multiple Vitamin / Mineral" containing all the above supplements on a daily basis.
• If your gums are sore, mix hydrogen peroxide and baking soda into a paste and work this mixture into and under them with a toothbrush. Leave this on for a few minutes and then rinse.
• Echinacea - goldenseal mouth rinse as an herbal disinfectant two or three times a day is another good idea. In one cup of warm water, crush the content of Resistance Support Formula, mix with one quarter teaspoon of salt and rinse your mouth and gum.
• The Journal of the American Dental Association published a study in the December 1998 issue by Israeli scientists that did indeed discover something in cranberry juice that prevented bacteria in the mouth from forming dental plaque, which leads to both tooth decay and gum disease. Do make sure that you use natural cranberry juice containing no added sugar or empty the content of 2 Cranberry capsule, mix with warm water and rinse your mouth and gum daily.
• Get a checkup from your dentist every six months for a full cleaning and checkup of your teeth and gums as he or she can detect gum disease early and prevent it from getting worse and don't delay on treatment of any pockets of infection that are discovered.

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