In my late 30s I began to experience problems with my gum and teeth. I learned bleeding gums, gum disease, periodontal disease are common among people between the ages of 20 and 64.
On top of that my dentist noticed I had another condition, called bruxism. A condition in which you grind, gnash or clench your teeth. I was doing it all night, every night during sleep. No wonder I had pain in my jaw in the mornings. So, she made me a custom mouth guard. It cost a lot, but it was worth it.
My periodontal disease wasn’t because I was eating too many sweets or not flossing and brushing my teeth. In fact, I brushed at least twice a day and flossed every night. Despite that, my gum was receding and the pain very uncomfortable.
I tried everything. The hygienist’s deep cleaning aided quite a bit but didn’t completely cure the periodontal disease. It’s an on-going battle.
I tried natural toothpaste because I discovered that most toothpaste are loaded with chemicals harmful to my health, like fluoride. See side-effects of fluoride in toothpaste and tap water.
My situation didn’t get better and it became painful to chew certain hard foods, like nuts. Another dentist joked about my dental health saying that by the time I’m 60 years old, I will lose all my teeth. It wasn’t funny to me. I didn’t laugh. I wanted help, not a joke. What a thing to say to a person already feeling horrible. But I held on to an inner hope. I somehow knew God had a solution for me and He would provide another way, one way or another.
The 1 Simple Thing That Got Me Relieve, Fast!
One day I had to travel to North Carolina to speak at a conference. My wife and I stayed in a beautiful cabin in the mountains. We had a great time. Two days later, I realized my mouth felt pleasant and the pain wasn’t there. I was literally trying to locate the pain. But couldn’t find it. Chewing foods went without discomfort, as if I didn’t suffer with teeth and gum problems. I was even chewing on nuts that were problematic before, like almonds and brazil nuts.
Throughout my stay in Spruce Pines, NC, I had no gum inflammation problems or tooth pain of any kind. However, when I came back home, everything gradually came back.
I started to ask myself, “What was the difference between here (Miami) and Spruce Pines?”
I recalled reading a piece of paper on the fridge in the cabin’s kitchen where we lodged. It was a note about the natural high mineral content water in the territory. Mind you, we were warned not to drink it because the sulfur content in it was high. But we showered with it, and, get this, brushed our teeth with it.
Immediately I realized, that was it! The water is the key. The high mineral content in the water, was somehow good for my gum and teeth. At the time, I did not know it was termed alkaline water. I learned that later.
The bad news is, the waters where I life in Miami are not alkaline nor high mineral, as a result my periodontal problems returned.
The Problem is Acidity
Most foods and water we consume are acidic, the tap water in particular.
I did lots of research myself, because I refused to believe the only solution was a big dentist bill. I looked closer into the water issue and learned that water can be acidic, alkaline and neutral.
My tap water ranges between neutral and slightly acidic. Neutral is OK, but not good enough. I wanted it like the water I brushed with in Spruce Pines, North Carolina—without having to move there.
Can alkaline water help with cavities?
Another problem is that cities put chlorine in tap water to kill bacterias. But not all bacteria gets killed, and that’s what I brushed my teeth with. You do too. We would never drink tap water, but we all brush with it.
What’s worse, the bacteria found in your mouth live off the sugars (the simple carbohydrates) in whatever you eat. The bacteria feast on these sugars, and form acid in your mouth and between your teeth. This acid eats into the teeth and causes cavities. Dentist confirm that in general, those who have problems with cavities usually have an acidic mouth.
The constant acidity of tap water and foods can acerbate gum problems and tooth decay.
That’s when I learned our body’s immune system is in a constant fight to keep its pH balanced. It is essential for optimum health. It makes perfect sense since your body is between 50-75% water. So, what if the water you brush your teeth, shower and rinse with isn’t healthy? What if it’s void of mineral and acidic? You’re not helping your body win the fight. Your epidermis has pores that soak up the toxic stream. Over the longterm this can have unhealthy consequences.
I needed a way to get this high mineral alkaline water in my home. That’s when I found a video on Youtube about natural alkaline water streams. It was a company called Ionways (Now Alkaviva). They were on documentary excursion in Ecuador. There they discovered the natural streams were alkaline and antioxidant. Their company tries to mimic nature’s water with what are called, water ionizer machines.
I wanted this water. This was the way to get it in my house.
I began to drink that and brush my teeth with it instead of tap water. My teeth and gum feel 100% better. I make concerted effort to alkalize my mouth after eating. As I said, an acidic environment our mouth is not good for your gums, and will cause tooth decay.
Lessons From My Experience
Brushing with tap water, drinking acidic soft drinks, eating acidic foods will gradually erode the tooth enamel covering leading to tooth sensitivity and even decreasing your gum line.
How to Restore pH Balance in Your Mouth
Acidity can diminish your teeth enamel, while alkaline ionized water with essential minerals can keep them strong and hard.
Your saliva can fight off acids and bacteria to some degree but not if there’s too much acidity. Rinsing your mouth with alkaline water numerous times after eating may change your saliva’s pH.
Brushing your teeth with alkaline water may help give your saliva a boost to neutralize acidity and promote tooth and gum health.
Remember now, it has to be mineralized with the essential minerals. It’s not just about a higher pH. High pH together with healthy mineral content does the trick. The minerals are most important because they change the condition in your mouth and between teeth.
The average mouth had a pH of 6.3 but when the oral cavity’s pH decreased below 5.5 demineralization of enamel begins, and the lower the pH of ingested substances the increased rate of demineralization.1
To Conclude: “High mineral” alkaline ionized water may improve your dental health by preventing tooth decay or cavities (dental caries). Plaque-forming bacteria living in acidic environment in your mouth contribute a great deal to dental caries. Acidic environment bacteria cause gum disease and erode tooth enamel. Remedy to all of this is for re-mineralization to take place quickly. Ionized alkaline water that’s mineralized may gradually reverse some of this acidity. This may help to re-mineralize your teeth because of the additional calcium, sodium and other beneficial minerals it contains.
A study carried out in Tokyo showed that ionized, alkaline water reduced the incidence of secondary dental caries that occur around teeth that have already been restored. In this study, it also reduced progression of dental caries.
In my case in the North Carolina mountains, I noticed immediate dental health benefits from the natural mineral alkaline water there. The closest thing I could find was ionized alkaline water from a water ionizer.
Has the FDA evaluated alkaline water for dental health?
The answer is no, but the global scientific health community has. Here a list:
- The Key To Maintaining Proper Ph Balance In Your Mouth
- Does Ph Matter? The Role Of Water In Dental Patients’ Diets
- Clinical Effects Of Alkaline Ionization Water As A Mouthwash Against The Reduction Of Dental Plaque
- Investigation For Neutralizing Effects Of Alkaline Water Gargling For Preventing Tooth Erosion
- Advanced Research On The Health Benefit Of Reduced Water
- Wright KF. (2015). Is your drinking water acidic? A comparison of the varied pH of popular bottled waters. Journal of Dental Hygiene (Online), 89, 6-12. Retrieved from Library – Collin College.
Disclaimer: These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. The preceding information and/or products are for educational purposes only and are not meant to diagnose, prescribe, or treat illness. Please consult your doctor before making any changes or before starting ANY exercise or nutritional supplement program or before using this information or any product during pregnancy or if you have a serious medical condition.
Of course, go see a knowledgeable dentist or doctor, and always get a second or third opinion.
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