On Air with Ella podcast - episode 329
"People want to talk about oral health the same way they want to talk about budgets: they know it's important, but BORING."
Not when you have Teeth Talk Girl, Whitney DiFoggio!
We've all heard by now about the connection between our guts and overall health, but what many folks have yet to hear about is the oral systemic link: the connection between our teeth, gums and the complex ecosystem within our mouths that has the potential to lead to higher risks of diseases like dementia, Alzheimer's, heart disease, diabetes, even erectile dysfunction(!).
Diseases in the mouth can potentially spread to other parts of the body – a compelling reason to pay more attention to oral health. What if we could protect our guts and enhance our longevity through simple adjustments in our oral health care routine?
I'm having more fun than I should with Whitney DiFoggio, also known as Teeth Talk Girl, as she tells us everything we need to know, what we've got wrong and what to do right!
The oral systemic link:
Our mouths are the windows to our body's entire system, and the health of our mouths can either make or break our immune system and our body's ability to prevent certain diseases
Ditch the charcoal toothpaste
Night guards and teeth grinding
The risks of at-home teeth aligners
Unexpected diseases linked to poor oral health - why longevity begins in our mouths:
Alzheimer's
Dementia
Kidney Disease
Erectile dysfunction
Diabetes
Common misconceptions about how to take care of our teeth
The Big Controversy: brushing before or after breakfast ;-)
The impact of acidic foods on tooth enamel
Tongue scraping to get rid of bacteria (eeew!)
The benefits of rinsing with water and xylitol gum
Bleeding gums are not normal!
Are you brushing too hard?
Daily dental care routine that prevents 90% of dental diseases
Brush your teeth 2x a day and choose soft bristle toothbrush (electric is better)
Floss and clean between your teeth at least 1x a day. Traditional string floss is the best choice!
Use a tongue scraper at least once a day, especially if you're experiencing bad breath. Most of the bacteria contributing to bad breath reside on the tongue.
Avoid using charcoal toothpaste regularly as it can damage tooth enamel over time.
Brushing harder doesn't mean brushing better, always be gentle.
Regularly cleaning teeth helps prevent gum disease. Consult a dentist if your gums consistently bleed when brushing - bleeding is not normal!
Try xylitol gum or rinsing your mouth with water after eating or drinking helps neutralize the pH in your mouth and promote saliva which is good for oral health.
Grinding your teeth can damage them. Consider getting a night guard, especially if you often wake up with jaw pain.
Take a break between brushing and meals for about 30 minutes if you can.
Connect with BetterMouth if you need to uplevel your oral health!
BetterMouth is a personalized program that helps you create an oral hygiene routine to prevent dental issues and costly dental visits.
ABOUT WHITNEY
Whitney DiFoggio is a Registered Dental Hygienist and Founder of Teeth Talk Girl on YouTube and TeethTalkGirl.com.
Whitney’s love for dental hygiene inspired her to create her YouTube channel, “Teeth Talk Girl,” to educate the general public on how to keep up their oral health. The goal of Teeth Talk Girl is to share dental health in a fun, entertaining way.
In addition to her YouTube Channel, Whitney recently co-founded a company called Happy Teeth where for every item purchased, an oral health kit is donated to someone in need. Whitney graduated from the University of Illinois Chicago with a Bachelor of Science in Biology. After, she attended Prairie State College for Dental Hygiene. Whitney is currently working in two private practices and creating weekly videos for her YouTube Channel.
Connect with Whitney on IG: @teethtalkgirl
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