Readers of my book Virtual Medicine will know that I quoted a curious fact in the chapter called “Weird or What?”
At the start of the 20th century, the number one predictor of death by heart disease was dental abscesses; and that, by the end of the 20th century, the biggest predictor of death by heart disease was… no, not exactly abscesses. But a major dental problem, gum (periodontal) infections.
Now a specific bacteria has been implicated, called Streptococcus gordonii. It can enter the blood stream and increase the risk of dangerous blood clotting. It mimics the effect of fibrinogen, which is a major blood-clotting factor.
Fibrinogen activates platelets (cells that are found in blood and involved in clotting), which stick together and form clumps that start the clotting process. The resulting blood clots encase the bacteria, protecting the invader from the immune system and from antibiotics used to treat infection.
Platelet clumping can result in growths on the heart valves (endocarditis) or blood vessel inflammation that can block blood supply to the heart or brain. If clots take place in a major supply artery, like the coronary artery, you could be in big trouble (sudden death).
These findings were presented at a Society for General Microbiology meeting in Dublin, my old stomping ground, this week.
It emphasizes the importance of keeping gums healthy and getting regular dental care.
Avoid sugar like poison, since that turns your mouth into a food yard for bacteria.
You can consider regular clean ups, using an antiseptic. Don’t use Listerine, which is toxic junk sweetened with sorbitol or (worse) sucralose.
But you can try hydrogen peroxide (The 1-Minute Cure) or, even better, chlorine dioxide protocol (sold as MMS) or a sodium chlorite (same thing) mouthwash, such as TheraBreath, Oxyfresh, CloSYS and ProFresh.
[SOURCE: Society for General Microbiology, news release, March 25, 2012]
A major part of keeping the mouth clean is to clean the tongue. This is best done with an inexpensive little device you can buy at the drug store. A tooth brush is not even close to being as effective. You scrape away bacterial colonies that grow in the deep texture of the tongue. Use the tongue cleaner AFTER you brush to remove residual toothpaste as well as the bacterial colonies that grow in the deep texture of the tongue and just make it a normal part of “brushing your teeth.” Go back as far as the big lumpy taste buds, but don’t scrape them – begin scraping just ahead of them. You may need a couple of passes to remove the goo and slime. This is a most unpleasant topic, and one hesitates to mention it, but in this written forum I can do it. It is important for real oral hygiene and almost no one knows to do it. See a lot of yucky tongues out there? I do. I clean my tongue IMMEDIATELY upon arising in the morning so I am now swallowing leakage from this toxic stuff. And, of course, as part of every brushing. Knock down bacterial numbers by keeping what bacteria feed on to a minimum by: tooth brushing to remove the food, flossing to remove food and bacterial colonies between the teeth, and tongue scraping to remove those nasty bacterial colonies. Then swish and spit hydrogen peroxide and you’re way ahead of the game here. Keep your tongue clean! PS My dentist actually praises my dental hygiene. Who gets that???
Minor correction of typo in first comment. I meant to say, “I clean my tongue IMMEDIATELY upon arising in the morning so I am NOT swallowing leakage from this toxic stuff.” Also, I didn’t name the device. It’s called a tongue scraper. Found at the drug store right along with the tooth brushes.
Carol, I suspect your tongue is due to food in tolerance. Work thru Prof’s Dietwise and banish dirty tongue and bad breath unless you over indulge occasionally. If you just cant make the effort to follow it, the blood type diet will help but not nearly as good.
And lose all sorts of complaints at the same time.
When I got to about 16 years old I was made aware that my tongue had a white coating on it and it was mentioned I must be sick. Since then I have tried everything to have a healthy gums and mouth but to no avail. Noboby has been able to help me understand why I have this problem. Recently I tried Bi-Carb Soda as in one teaspoon in a glass of water every morning only for a short while and my tongue for the first time in 30 years was healthy and pink with no white coating. When I stopped the Bi-Carb Soda my tongue went back to been coated. What’s happened here?
I wonder if you have mercury amalgams in your mouth Rosemary?
I cant see why its a food intolerance? Look also at dissimilar metals…….mercury, porcelain,nickel,gold crowns etc. These all cause electrolytic reactions which affect the natural good bacteria in the mouth. Also, dont scrape the tongue too hard huh?
Dear Prof. Keith Scott-Mumby,
my reason for writing to you is because I do not know who else to approach.
I have a friend, a lady of over 90 who lives in South Africa. She is German and was very rich, but her late husband blew all her money on trying to produce money making inventions. I told him years ago, when I lived in SA, to stop fiddling and to enjoy the fortune his wife brought into their marriage.
I call the lady about twice a week, because she is all alone in SA, and I feel sorry for her. I live in France.
She is not well and suffers tremenduosly with pain in her legs. She describes the same as knifes spiked with needles being stabbed into her legs. She says she could scream all night. Her doctor gave her some Chinin product which apparently helps, but only when she takes this in overdoses. When I spoke to her yesterday she told me didn’t sleep for 2 nights because of pain in her legs.
I don’t know if you can advise what to do with only such a short description of the pain, but I have to try.
Hope to receive yoour “Fire in the Belly” book, which I ordered a few days ago.
Thanks in advance and kind regards,
Kurt Isernhinke
Tel: 33 9 82 55 35 82