One of my biggest regrets is not taking care of my teeth when I was younger. Growing up, I ate a lot of sugary snacks and therefore most of my teeth had to be drilled and filled over the years – both painful and expensive.
I know first-hand how much pain and discomfort tooth decay can cause and my heart goes out to all those who struggle to find a dentist (a survey last year found that 90 percent of dental practices in Britain are new adult NHS patients refused) or who resort to do-it-yourself dentistry or go abroad.
Even though it’s a little late in the day, I’m still keen to take care of what’s left of my teeth – and in fact, there’s a lot you can do to keep them strong and free of decay, no matter your age.
It’s not just about the appearance of your teeth. Taking care of your teeth is important because there is growing evidence that the bacteria found in inflamed gums can break off, enter your blood, spread and cause inflammation in other parts of your body and brain.
Therefore, gingivitis (inflamed gums) is strongly linked to an increased risk of heart disease and dementia.
A survey last year found that 90 percent of dental practices in Britain were turning away new adult NHS patients
A Boston University study last year found that when bacteria from inflamed gums in mice reach the brain, they are attacked and eaten by white blood cells called microglia, which protect our brains from invaders. But just like sleepy watchdogs that have stuffed themselves with a large piece of meat, those white blood cells are then too ‘full’ of dentistry.
bacteria actively seek out and destroy harmful plaques in the brain, which appear to be the cause of Alzheimer’s disease.
So to protect your teeth, brain and other vital organs, the obvious place to start is brushing your teeth.
As everyone knows, the advice is to use toothpaste containing fluoride twice a day: this protects the enamel on your teeth against acid-producing bacteria, the main cause of cavities and gum disease. Since 1964 in Birmingham, fluoride has been added to the British water supply in the hope of reducing tooth decay.
But progress is slow, and only about 10 percent of the population has access to fluoridated water — which could partly explain why we have such terrible teeth.
The government has announced ambitious plans to add fluoride to drinking water in the rest of the country, starting in the northeast. This is something that has been opposed in the past by those who believe, I think wrongly, that it could affect children’s mental health and cause problems such as ADHD.
You can also reap the benefits of fluoride by massaging some fluoride toothpaste into your gums after lunch. That was the conclusion of a 2012 study by the University of Gothenburg in Sweden, which found that this increased ‘fluoride protection’ by 400 percent.
The modern advice about when to brush your teeth is more surprising – and goes against what I’ve done all my life: the British Dental Association recommends brushing your teeth before breakfast, and preferably after.
That’s because when you brush your teeth before you eat, you not only remove bacteria that has built up on your teeth overnight (and which contribute to dry mouth and morning breath), but the fluoride in the toothpaste also protects your teeth. against the acids. in breakfast drinks, such as orange juice and coffee. If you brush your teeth immediately after eating, when the teeth are weakened by acid, you can damage the enamel.
In addition to brushing, I floss my teeth twice a day. But should you floss before or after brushing?
A 2015 study by Hamadan University of Medical Sciences in Iran found that 35 dental students flossed for two weeks before brushing, or vice versa. It turned out that the flossing and brushing approach removed much more plaque.
And it’s not just about passing dental floss between teeth; the correct way to floss is to take a piece between each space and scrape it against the sides of each tooth in turn, to remove any buildup. And finally, once you’ve flossed and brushed your teeth, don’t rinse your mouth again; that would wash away the fluoride, which is better left on your teeth.
Certain foods can also help keep your teeth in good condition.
I eat a lot of cheese, milk and yogurt because not only are they delicious, but they are also a good source of calcium, which helps protect and rebuild your tooth enamel.
Studies have also shown that cheese is a great saliva generator (it’s unclear why) and saliva can neutralize acid on teeth that would otherwise promote decay.
An apple a day, especially if eaten after a meal, can also keep the dentist away – if you eat the peel. That’s because the fibrous peel helps scrape away some of the plaque and food particles left behind after eating.
Avoid sugary drinks and instead drink water, which improves saliva production, or tea rich in compounds called polyphenols, which help suppress the growth of acid-producing bacteria in your mouth. Also reduce sugary snacks. (I was surprised, however, to learn that raisins—despite being sugary—also contain a compound that kills acid-producing bacteria on the teeth.)
If you’re craving something sweet, it’s best to have it at the end of the meal, or devour it in one sitting!
Wearing a fitness tracker on your wrist to track your steps, heart rate and sleep is common these days. But now researchers at Washington State University have gone one step further, with ‘smart earrings’ that track your body temperature via your earlobes.
They suggest that monitoring body temperature in this way could tell doctors how well a patient with a fever responds to antibiotics, or let a woman know when she is ovulating and at her most fertile (her body temperature rises by a fraction of a degree).
The researchers want to develop more trackers that can also serve as jewelry, including a necklace to detect irregular heartbeats. The ideal birthday gift perhaps.
Can Doing the Plank Help Control Blood Pressure?
After reading a study that showed that we lose about 5 percent of our muscle mass every year starting in our 30s (unless we do something about it), I started doing squats and pressups every morning.
I normally manage at least 30 of each, although it never gets easier. And I’ve now added another type of exercise to my morning routine: the plank.
Recent research shows that isometric exercises – where you hold your body in a certain position for a set period of time (for example, the plank) – helps keep blood pressure within a healthy range, something I’m particularly keen on because I have a family history of strokes. have.
With a plank, you balance on your elbows with your feet straight behind you on the floor: then hold that position for about 30 seconds. It is important that you check online or with a fitness coach how to do this properly before you start.
But how does it help? I asked Dr. Jamie O’Driscoll, a researcher in cardiovascular physiology at Canterbury Christ Church University, who recently published a study showing that isometric exercises can lower blood pressure more than other types, such as running.
He thinks this is probably because isometric exercises increase tension in the muscles when you hold your body in a fixed position, and then cause a sudden rush of blood when you relax, increasing blood flow – and lowering blood pressure. In addition to the plank, Jamie also recommended trying the wall squat, which has a similar benefit.
Here you lean your back against a wall and then slowly slide down, as if you were about to sit on a chair. If your knees are bent at a 90-degree angle, or it starts to feel uncomfortable, hold that position for about 30 seconds.
I found this too uncomfortable, so I gave up, but I think the plank is working: my blood pressure, while already in the healthy range, is definitely creeping down.
I’ve just started a UK tour, where I’m sharing tips on how to sleep better and eat healthier, but despite my TV experience, I find live shows stressful.
One of the best ways to help me cope with such stress is to reframe the situation as a challenge, rather than a threat. And a recent study from the University of Bath suggests this will reduce the risk of mental health problems and illnesses such as flu.
So before I go on stage, I tell myself that the increase in my heart rate is the result of excitement and not fear. So far it seems to be working. If you feel like stopping by and saying hello, go to michaelmosley.co.uk/live