Key insights

• 💡 Dental plaque is a biofilm of microbes protected by a calcium shell.
• ⚠️ Plaque is a primary cause of gingivitis, bad breath, and tooth decay.
• 🦷 Brushing and flossing alone may not completely remove plaque due to the large and diverse microbial population in the mouth.
• 🔄 A shift from a friendly to an unfriendly relationship with commensal microbes leads to plaque development.
• 🌿 Biofilms develop in the mouth under stress from factors like diet, smoking, alcohol, and chemicals in oral care products.
• 💧 Fluoride in water supply lacks proper oversight and regulation, with concerns about its source and quality.
• 🚰 Using a water filter to remove fluoride is recommended, and fluoride-free toothpaste may help mitigate dental plaque.
• 🥬 Consuming probiotic foods, chewing xylitol gum, and using probiotics can help restore oral microbes and improve oral health.

Q&A

• What are some ways to restore oral microbes and improve oral health?

  Consuming probiotic foods like sauerkraut and kimchi, chewing xylitol gum, using probiotics, and even making your own toothpaste can help restore oral microbes and improve oral health.

• How can one manage fluoride in the water supply?

  Fluoride in water is managed by a private entity. Using a water filter to remove fluoride is recommended, as well as considering the use of fluoride-free toothpaste. It's important to be mindful of dental plaque's source, which comes from pathogenic microbes and biofilms in the mouth.

• What are the concerns regarding fluoride in the water supply?

  There have been no randomized control studies on fluoride in the water supply for 60 years. Fluoride is recognized as a drug by the FDA, has potential effects on oral health, and is not pharmaceutical grade. Concerns about oversight and regulation have been raised by organizations like the American Dental Association, FDA, CDC, and Environmental Protection Agency.

• What factors contribute to the development of biofilms in the mouth?

  Biofilms develop in the mouth under stress from various factors like diet, smoking, alcohol, antibiotics, and chemicals in mouthwash, as well as fluoride in toothpaste and water supply.

• What role do commensal microbes play in our oral health?

  Most microbes in our bodies are commensal, providing neutral benefits and helping prevent issues like yeast infections and oral thrush. However, a shift from a friendly to an unfriendly relationship with these microbes leads to plaque development.

• Why is brushing and flossing alone not enough to remove dental plaque?

  Brushing and flossing alone may not completely remove plaque due to the large and diverse microbial population in the mouth.

• What is dental plaque?

  Dental plaque is a biofilm of microbes protected by a calcium shell. It is a primary cause of gingivitis, bad breath, and tooth decay.

• 00:00 The best way to remove dental plaque is essential to oral health, and it's not solely solved by brushing or flossing due to the diverse and abundant microbes in the mouth.
• 00:47 The majority of microbes in our bodies are commensal, providing neutral benefits. They help prevent issues like yeast infections and oral thrush. A shift from a friendly to an unfriendly relationship with these microbes leads to plaque development.
• 01:43 Biofilms develop in the mouth under stress from various factors like diet, smoking, alcohol, antibiotics, and chemicals in mouthwash and fluoride in toothpaste and water supply.
• 02:33 Fluoride in water supply lacks proper oversight and regulation, with no randomized control studies and concerns about its source and quality.
• 03:28 Fluoride in water is managed by a private entity, using a water filter to remove fluoride is recommended. Consider using fluoride-free toothpaste and being mindful of dental plaque's source.
• 04:16 Consuming probiotic foods like sauerkraut and kimchi, chewing xylitol gum, and using probiotics can help restore oral microbes and improve oral health.