After I first began practising dentistry, I stored noticing the identical irritating sample in my sufferers. They brushed, they flossed, they did “the whole lot proper.” And but—they nonetheless had cavities, bleeding gums, and dangerous breath.
At first, I blamed food regimen. Possibly sugar was the problem? However then I appeared nearer.
The actual drawback? They had been mouth respiratory at evening. I didn’t have a reputation for it again then, however I used to be seeing oral microbiome dysbiosis in real-time—earlier than it was even a acknowledged situation.
My sufferers who breathed by means of their mouths at evening had:
✔ Pink, infected gums that bled simply
✔ Persistent dangerous breath, regardless of how a lot they brushed
✔ Extra cavities—even with nice hygiene
✔ Frequent canker sores and oral irritation
Now, many years later, science has lastly caught up. Mouth respiratory dries out your mouth, wrecks your oral microbiome, and results in all of those points.
💡 Wish to know if that is taking place to you? Do this easy take a look at tonight: Tape your mouth shut with Nexcare tape (the one I take advantage of is linked on my web site, however use no matter makes you most snug). If the tape stays on all evening and also you get up feeling refreshed, your nasal respiratory might be positive. If the tape comes off, otherwise you get up with dry mouth, dangerous breath, or delicate enamel after your morning espresso—that’s a pink flag. You may need an airway difficulty (like nasal obstruction or sleep apnea) that wants additional investigation.
🚨 Essential Word: Mouth taping isn’t for everybody. In case you have continual nasal congestion, a deviated septum, or sleep apnea, deal with bettering nasal respiratory earlier than making an attempt mouth taping. In the event you battle with mouth taping, don’t ignore it—it’s an indication to look deeper into your respiratory.
📖 Wish to dive deeper? I cowl this intimately in my e book, The 8-Hour Sleep Paradox, which explains how undiagnosed sleep-disordered respiratory impacts the whole lot from power ranges to mind well being.
Why Mouth Respiratory Wrecks Your Enamel
A cheerful tooth is a tooth that’s bathed in saliva.
Saliva isn’t simply moisture—it’s your physique’s pure protection system in your mouth.
It performs a crucial function in retaining your enamel sturdy and cavity-free by:
✅ Washing away dangerous micro organism that trigger decay and gum illness ✅ Neutralizing acids that erode enamel
✅ Delivering important minerals (like calcium, phosphate, and magnesium) to remineralize your enamel (certainly one of many causes I take this magnesium complement on daily basis)
✅ Supporting your immune system by containing antimicrobial proteins that struggle off dangerous micro organism
Each time you eat, your enamel undergo a demineralization cycle—acidic publicity that briefly weakens enamel.
Whenever you’re continually snacking, your enamel by no means get a break.
The one strategy to reverse the harm is thru remineralization, which may’t occur with out saliva.
In case your mouth is dry—whether or not from mouth respiratory, dehydration, or medicine—you’re lacking out in your physique’s built-in restore system.
Why Saliva is All the pieces for Your Enamel & Well being
With out saliva, your enamel would actually crumble.
It’s 95% water, however don’t let that idiot you—saliva is filled with enzymes, minerals, immune defenses, and even digestive properties that:
✔️ Preserve your mouth’s pH balanced (unhealthy saliva = extra cavities)
✔️ Stop oral dysbiosis (aka dangerous micro organism taking on)
✔️ Break down meals and shield your intestine from dangerous microbes
✔️ Even assist lubricate your airway—which is why mouth breathers usually tend to snore and have sleep apnea
Every single day, you swallow 1.5 liters of saliva—and with it, about 140+ billion micro organism that go on to your intestine. In case your saliva is off, your total microbiome suffers—resulting in intestine points, irritation, and even pores and skin issues like pimples.
Defend Your Enamel from Mouth Respiratory
1️⃣ Mouth Taping at Night time – The simplest strategy to retrain your self to breathe by means of your nostril is to tape your mouth shut whilst you sleep. Many individuals discover higher sleep, no extra dry mouth, and even clearer considering after doing this. In the event you’re congested or have a chilly, attempt sleeping propped up at an angle—this retains your nasal passages extra open and makes it simpler to breathe by means of your nostril.
💡 However right here’s why mouth taping can also be a robust diagnostic device: If the tape stays on all evening and also you get up feeling nice, that’s a great signal your nasal respiratory is working effectively. But when the tape comes off, otherwise you really feel panicked or in need of breath, that’s a pink flag—you will have an underlying airway difficulty (like nasal obstruction or sleep apnea) that wants additional investigation.
For this reason I take advantage of mouth taping as a first-line differential analysis earlier than recommending sleep research or interventions. It’s a easy strategy to collect details about your airway well being earlier than taking the subsequent step.
And personally, I by no means go to mattress with out mouth tape. Nor does my spouse. We’re nice nasal breathers, however the mouth tape ensures our lips don’t fall open whereas asleep. Our Oura ring scores present the distinction once we mouth tape versus once we don’t.
2️⃣ Magnesium for Saliva & Restoration – Since saliva high quality will depend on mineral content material, getting sufficient magnesium is important. Magnesium helps activate enzymes in saliva that preserve its protecting qualities and permits for correct remineralization of your enamel. With out sufficient magnesium, your saliva can’t successfully deposit calcium and phosphate into your enamel, leaving your enamel weak to cavities. Since magnesium performs such a key function in saliva high quality and total restoration, I take one with all seven important varieties.
3️⃣ Intermittent Fasting for Oral Well being – Most individuals consider fasting as a intestine or metabolic hack, however it seems it’s simply as necessary for oral well being. Each time you eat, your enamel undergo a demineralization cycle—acid publicity that briefly weakens enamel.
In the event you’re continually snacking, your enamel by no means get a break. However whenever you house out meals or observe fasting, your saliva has uninterrupted time to remineralize and strengthen your enamel.
For my sufferers who battle with cavities regardless of nice hygiene, merely eliminating snacks between meals has been a game-changer. Goal for 3 high-quality, protein-rich meals per day as an alternative of grazing.
That stated, fasting isn’t for everybody—some research counsel it could have drawbacks. However if you happen to do quick, skipping dinner is good. Consuming earlier within the day helps higher sleep, stabilizes blood sugar, and aligns along with your physique’s circadian rhythm.
4️⃣ Brushing Earlier than, Not After, Espresso or Acidic Drinks – Brushing instantly after acidic drinks like espresso can put on away enamel. As an alternative, brush very first thing within the morning, then wait a minimum of 45 minutes earlier than brushing once more. If you wish to decrease acid harm, rinse with water or swish with inexperienced tea to neutralize pH earlier than brushing.
5️⃣ Rebuilding the Oral Microbiome & Intestine Well being – Since taking this probiotic, I’ve seen my breath stays brisker in a single day, and I get up with noticeably much less plaque buildup. It’s been a good way to help my intestine and oral microbiome collectively.
6️⃣ Fixing the Harm – For my sufferers who already had harm from mouth respiratory, the precedence was remineralizing and defending their enamel ASAP. That meant utilizing nano-hydroxyapatite toothpaste and guaranteeing they had been correctly cleansing between their enamel—particularly in dry areas the place plaque buildup was worse. This electrical flosser turned a game-changer for eradicating hidden buildup.
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Wishing you an exquisite week,
Mark
P.S. Small modifications add up. In the event you’ve been coping with dry mouth or unexplained cavities, attempt these tweaks—you is perhaps stunned at how massive of a distinction they make! 🚀