Fluoride Chlorhexidine Free Tooth Hygiene For You What Alternatives are There And How Effective are Natural and Not So Natural Fluoride Free Products

There are alternatives and adjuncts to fluoride you just have to know them.

To start off with the most important information not in, but about this article: This is not an anti-fluoride article.  I am not even going to mention the ongoing debate about the usefulness and safety of fluoride in toothpaste and co.

What I am offering is a concise list of natural agents with similar anti-bacterial properties as fluoride anyone of you can use to improve his tooth hygiene - this includes those of you who believe the whole fluoride scare is another overweight child of the hype generating online health community.

Various anti plaque agents, and other agents like enzymes have been effectively used as prevention of
dental caries. Ever since 1970‘s researchers started to search for non-fluoride agents for the  prevention of dental caries. And as Agarwal write in a recent article in Oral Hygiene & Health, "fluoride agents may serve as adjunctive therapeutics for preventing, arresting or even reversing dental caries" (my emphasis in Agarwal. 2014).

Against that background, the items in the following list should be understood as suggestions; agents I suggest you may want to try to improve your dental health, irrespective of whether you combine them with a fluoride containing toothpaste or not:

• Essential oils: Essential oils have been used for centuries. Only, recently however, has this practice caught scientific attention and scientists began to study the antimicrobial activity against caries-related bacteria.
  
  

  

  Thyme with its main active ingredient thymol is one of the essential oils you could use in an anti-bacterial mouth wash.

  Essential oils derived from plants are typically a complex mixture of approximately 20-60 compounds that are in solution at various concentrations. Overall, the main chemical group is primarily composed of terpenoids, followed by aromatic and aliphatic constituents. Thymol and eugenol are two of the better known agents from essential oils of thyme and clove oil or basil. They have been shown to inhibit the growth of a wide range of oral microorganisms including mutans streptococci, in vitro. Convincing data on their efficacy from in vivo studies, on the other hand is scarce (Agarwal. 2014).
• Ocimum sanctum aka "Tulsi": Tulsi, Ocimum sanctumis a plant of Indian origin and chances are youve already read its name. Its a time tested premier medicinal herb thats usually used diabetes mellitus, arthritis, bronchitis and skin diseases. Luckily tulsi does also have potent antimicrobial properties, against a whole variety of microorganisms like Staphylococus aureus, Klebsiella, candida albicans, E. coliandproteus sp.
  
  The antimicrobial activity of tulsi is attributed to its constituents namely ursolic acid and carvacrol. Agarwal et al. (Agarwal. 2010) in their study demonstrated an antimicrobial potential of tulsi extract at various concentrations and achieved maximum antimicrobial potential at 4% concentration level. Thats not much, but something we can work with... as only one ingredient of our toothpaste and mouth-wash, obviously ;-)

• 

  Figure 1: Prunis is not as potent as  0.2% chlor- hexidine (CHX) and phosphate-buffered saline (PBS), but inhibits the growth of human oral keratinocytes within 5 minutes (Seneviratne. 2011)

  Prunus mume: Prunus mumeis is like Tulsi a TCM staple, It is, just like Tulsi not usually used for tooth hygiene.
  
  In vitro data from studies such as the one the data of which you see in Figure 1, would yet suggest that it is rightly considered to be a candidate for develo- ping an oral antimicrobial agent to control or prevent dental diseases associated with oral pathogenic bacteria like Strepto- coccus mutans, S. sobrinus, S. mitis, S. Sanguinis, Lactobacillus acidophilus, P. gingivalis, Aggregatibacter actino- mycetem comitans (Seneviratne. 2011)
• Green and black tea (Camellia sinensi): No reason to tell you what these are, right? Well, various component in green and black tea (leaves of Camellia sinensis), notably the simple catechins, have anticariogenic activity.
  
  Among the pathogens that have been shown to suffer from the exposure to these tea catechins are also S mutans and S sobrinus. In addition, there is evidence that tea does not only plaster your teeth with black tar, but that this black tar inhibits the adherence of bacteria to your teeth (lucky you ;-) - this works by the inhibition glucosyl transferase and the consequent reduction in biosynthesis of sticky glucan. And above all, a recent paper in the Journal of the Indian Society of Peridontologyconfirm sthe "effectiveness of green tea catechin mouthwash as an antiplaque agent" in man (Kaur. 2014).

Listen up tea haters! In their 2004 paper, Taylor et al. do yet conclude that *surprise* tea shares its anticariogenic effects (this is anti-caries not anti-cancer, folks ;-) against alfa hemolytic streptococci with cocoa and coffee!

• Oleic acid, Linoleic acid and epicatechin polymer fom Cacao bean husk: Have all been shown to have anti-cariogenic activity. Just like green tea, coffee and cacao, they inhibit the adherence of the bacteria to your teeth and best of all, there is even evidence that this stuff works - in rodents, at least (Ooshima. 2000; Osawa. 2001)
• Proanthocyanidins, phenolic acids, flavonols from Cranberry: These shows antimicrobial activity against biofilm cells of mutans streptococci. They will disrupt the acidogenic/aciduric properties of planktonic and biofilm cells of S. mutans and have rodent studies to back up their efficacy as in vivo inhibitors of caries development in rats infected with S. mutansis (Koo. 2002)
• Meswak chewing sticks (Twigs of Salvadora persica): The name already gives it away. This is another tool from traditional medicine, which is supposed to have been used by the Babylonians some 7000 years ago (Al Sadhan. 1999).

  

  Table 1: Miswak is not the only type of chewing stick thats used world-wide (Sukkarwalla. 2013)

  In this case, however, one that is in fact use to prevent caries! And in fact, the sticks have strong antibacterial effects against all relevant bacteria (Almas. 2004) - no wonder they have been used for tooth hygiene after being embedded in agar forever.
  
  What should be said, though, is that you could also use other anti-microbial substances as "toothpaste" on a Miswak stick, after youve made it bacteria proof with agar (agar is a polysaccharides that cannot be metabolised by bacteria).

  

  Figure 2: Marked reduction in levels of Streptococcus mutans in Miswak as compared to toothbrush users (left) and overview of Antimicrobial effects of Miswak (right; both from Sukkarwalla. 2013)

  Its effects, and the illusration in Figure 2 makes this quite clear, does still go way beyond the one of a classic toothbrush (Sukkarwalla. 2013).
• Trace elements: Actually, the initially mentioned fluoride would belong into this category as well... what? Yeah, you are right: Its note exactly smart to replace it with zinc, tin, aluminium, copper, iron, strontium, barium, manganese and molybdenum, gold, or lead, all of which have been investigated as weapons in our never-ending battle against tooth decay (hard to believe, I know).
  
  Of these trace elements, aluminum, copper, and iron have been used most commonly as cariostatic agents. Unfortunately, these agents are about as unhealthy for its user, as they are for the bacteria, when they are used in oral care products as simple salts. Moreover, the toxicity of many metals like aluminum, copper, barium molybdenum, would restrict the concentration at which they could be safely used.
• Propolis, the resinous mixture that honey bees collect from tree buds, sap flows, or other botanical sources: Propolis is a natural beehive product that serves a double purpose. It is used to make honey, and it keeps the hive bacteria-free.
  
  Propolis shows potent anti-bacterial activity against S. mutans and/or S. sobrinus in vitro ad has been used successfully as part of a a mouthwash with in vivo antimicrobial activity against S. mutans (Duailibe. 2007). Moreove, topical applications of chemically characterized Propolis extracts have also been shown to be highly effective in reducing the incidence and severity of smooth surface and sulcal caries in rats (Koo. 1999). 

What you should know about propolis, thoug is that as with every natural product, though, propolis does not come "standardized" like a phamaceutical. Accordingly, its cariostatic effectsare highly variable depending on its chemical composition and geographical origin. In other words: It owes its antimicrobial potency to the plants - worst case scenario: The bees fly around in a GMO area and collect no natural antimicrobials at all ;-)

• There are many other reports in the literature concerning the antimicrobial activities that various plant extracts may have against cariogenic bacteria, although the majority of these studies provide limited or incomplete information due to the lack of chemical characterization of the extracts. However, there are a few exceptions. For example, Li et al. (1999) have identified gallotannins from Melaphis chinensis and triterpenes (ceanothic acid and ceanothetric acid) from Ceanothus americanus as antimicrobial agents that harbor activity against mutans streptococci.
  
  Furthermore, a chemically characterized extract of Galla chinensis(containing gallic acid and methyl gallate) has been demonstrated to impede the growth of S. mutans and other caries- related organisms, including Lactobacillus rhamnosus and Actinomyces naeslundii, within biofilms. Recently, established that naturally occurring phenolic compounds generally display antibacterial activity by disrupting the membrane lipid-protein interface as nonionic surface-active agents (Greenberg. 2008) and  Ramakrishna et al. (2011) studied various natural alternatives derived from plants and plant products and concluded that it can serve as a prevention and treatment option against cariogenic bacteria. 

• 

  They certainly dont look like it, but being filled with licorice extract, these lollipops are good for your teeth.

  Chinese Licorice Root: As a SuppVersity reader you know that it can help you lean out, by keeping your cortisol levels up(!). What you may have read as an aside, only, is that it will also help fight caries, if it is consumed as a "teeth hygiene lollipop" that contains a special herbal formula extracted from the Chinese licorice root.
  
  These orange flavoured herbal lollipops was discovered by microbiologist at the UCLA school of dentistry should be consumed twice a day- one in the morning after breakfast and another after professional teeth cleaning between two and four times a year (Agarwal. 2010). 
• Xylitol: Xylitol is last on the list, and probably an agent may of you know. Its - unlike most people think - 100% natural and was first used as a tooth-friendly sweetener in chewing gums, lollipops and other stuff more than 80 years after its discovery in 1891 by German chemist Emil Fischer.
  
  Dental benefits of xylitol were first recognized in Finland in 1970 using animal models. The first chewing gum developed with the aim of reducing caries and improving oral health was released in Finland in 1975 and in United States shortly after. Xylitol is not fermented by cariogenic plaque bacteria and thus does not lower the pH of the plaque. It reduces the accumulation of plaque on the surface of the tooth.
  
  In contrast to many other marketing claims the efficacy of xylitol based chewing gum is scientifically established (Isokangas. 1987) and its effect to inhibit enamel dissolution, another claim you may have heard already has in vitro data to back it up (Arends. 1990). In children reporting caries experience, consumption of xylitol containing lozenges or hard candy reduces incidence of coronal caries (Alanen. 2000).
  
  For children below age two, in addition to the study that evaluated xylitol tablets, the xylitolcontaining syrup among children in the Marshall Islands and reported a statistically significant difference in favor of xylitol syrup (Milgrom. 2009) - for children unde rthe age of 2, on the other hand, there is insufficient evidence that xylitol syrup prevents caries. The same lack of convincing evidence exists with respect to xylitol dentrifrice, of which we cannot tell if its the xylitol or another agent thats responsible for the inhibition of dental caries.

"Hardcore tooth hygiene" ;-)

Now that youve got a long list, all youd need is a plan of attack. The latter will certainly depend on the availability of the previously mentioned agents and your personal preferences, but in general it will probably look somewhat like this:

Assuming you have already abandoned regular, fluoride-containing toothpaste, I suspect that you will be using a different product for tooth hygiene. Aside from buying Meswak chewing stick and replacing your toothbrush your best chance to increase your tooth hygiene would thus be (a) the use of xylitol logenes and chewing gums or licorice lollipops and (b) using some cacao bean husk (extracts), in a thyme oil spiked green tea mouthwash after you brushed your teeth (you remember the "protective film" the tea will create on your teeth?).

And if you are really hard core you do both: Brush with meswak sticks first, flush with a green tea + thyme oil mixture, afterwards. But dont complain about "green tea colored teeth" ;-)

Reference:

• Agarwal, Pooja, and L. Nagesh. "Evaluation of the antimicrobial activity of various concentrations of Tulsi (Ocimum sanctum) extract against Streptococcus mutans: An in vitro study." Indian Journal of Dental Research 21.3 (2010).
• Agarwal, R., et al. "Prevention of Dental Caries-Measures beyond Fluoride." Oral Hyg Health 2.122 (2014): 2332-0702.
• Al Sadhan, Raed I., and Khalid Almas. "Miswak (chewing stick): a cultural and scientific heritage." Saudi dental journal 11.2 (1999): 80-87. 
• Alanen, Pentti, Pauli Isokangas, and Kristjan Gutmann. "Xylitol candies in caries prevention: results of a field study in Estonian children." Community dentistry and oral epidemiology 28.3 (2000): 218-224.
• Arends, J., et al. "Combined effect of xylitol and fluoride on enamel demineralization in vitro." Caries Research 24.4 (1990): 256-257.
• Duailibe, Silvana Alves de Carvalho, Azizedite Guedes Gonçalves, and Fernando Jorge Mendes Ahid. "Effect of a propolis extract on Streptococcus mutans counts in vivo." Journal of Applied Oral Science 15.5 (2007): 420-423. 
• Greenberg, Michael, Michael Dodds, and Minmin Tian. "Naturally Occurring Phenolic Antibacterial Compounds Show Effectiveness against Oral Bacteria by a Quantitative Structure− Activity Relationship Study." Journal of agricultural and food chemistry 56.23 (2008): 11151-11156. 
• Isokangas, Pauli. "Xylitol chewing gum in caries prevention. A longitudinal study on Finnish school children." Proceedings of the Finnish Dental Society. Suomen Hammaslääkäriseuran toimituksia 83 (1987): 1.
• Kaur, H., S. Jain, and A. Kaur. "Comparative evaluation of the antiplaque effectiveness of green tea catechin mouthwash with chlorhexidine gluconate." Journal of Indian Society of Periodontology 18.2 (2014): 178.
• Koo, H., et al. "Effect of Apis mellifera propolis from two Brazilian regions on caries development in desalivated rats." Caries Research 33.5 (1999): 393-400. 
• Li, Xing-Cong, Linin Cai, and Christine D Wu. "Antimicrobial compounds from< i> Ceanothus americanus</i> against oral pathogens." Phytochemistry 46.1 (1997): 97-102.
• Ooshima, T., et al. "Caries inhibitory activity of cacao bean husk extract in in-vitro and animal experiments." Archives of Oral Biology 45.8 (2000): 639-645.
• Osawa, K., et al. "Identification of cariostatic substances in the cacao bean husk: their anti-glucosyltransferase and antibacterial activities." Journal of Dental Research 80.11 (2001): 2000-2004.
• Ramakrishna, Y., et al. "Decreasing cariogenic bacteria with a natural, alternative prevention therapy utilizing phytochemistry (plant extracts)." Journal of Clinical Pediatric Dentistry 36.1 (2011): 55-64.
• Seneviratne, Chamida J., et al. "Prunus mume extract exhibits antimicrobial activity against pathogenic oral bacteria." International Journal of Paediatric Dentistry 21.4 (2011): 299-305. 
• Sukkarwalla, Adnan, et al. "Efficacy of Miswak on Oral Pathogens." Dental research journal 10.3 (2013): 314.
• Taylor, Peter W., J. M. Hamilton-Miller, and Paul D. Stapleton. "Antimicrobial properties of green tea catechins." Food science and technology bulletin 2 (2004): 71-81.

Heart Palpitations Irregular Heartbeats are Common at Menopause

Are you a woman age 35 years or older who sometimes experiences skipped heart beats or a racing heart even when you’re not exerting yourself? Do you sometimes awaken with a racing heart? If you answered yes to either of these questions, you are likely experiencing common symptoms of perimenopause or menopause.

Normal heart rate

The heart’s rhythm is coordinated by its own electrical system. With each heartbeat, the electrical impulse begins at the sinus (or sinoatrial, SA) node, also called the heart’s natural pacemaker. The SA node is a cluster of specialized cells, located in the right atrium. The SA node produces the electrical impulses that set the rate and rhythm of your heartbeat. The impulse spreads through the walls of the right and left atria, causing them to contract, forcing blood into the ventricles.

The impulse then reaches the atrioventricular (AV) node, which acts as an electrical bridge allowing impulses to travel from the atria to the ventricles. There is a short delay before the impulse travels on to the ventricles.

From the AV node, the impulse travels through a pathway of fibers called the HIS-Purkinje network. This network sends the impulse into the ventricles and causes them to contract. The contraction forces blood out of the heart to the lungs and body. The SA node fires another impulse and the cycle begins again. The heartbeat is triggered by electrical impulses that travel down a special pathway through your heart muscle.

What are heart palpitations?

Palpitations are irregular heartbeats that can include skipped beats, extra beats (as many as 8 to 16 beats a minute), and a racing heart (as many as 200 extra beats a minute). Many people suggest that having palpitations makes them "aware of their heart beating."

Women and men can have heart palpitations. In healthy people, they are most common in perimenopausal and menopausal women as a result of fluctuating hormones such as estrogen and progesterone. Some perimenopausal and menopausal women suggest their palpitations occur during or after a hot flash.

"Palpitations usually last only a few seconds to a minute or two," says Summit Medical Group cardiologist Andrew D. Beamer, MD, FACC. "If you have palpitations that are frequent and last for long periods, you should see your cardiologist immediately. Even if your palpitations are associated with perimenopause or menopause," says Dr. Beamer, "there are treatments such as beta blockers that can help reduce their frequency and intensity."

Symptoms of irregular heart rhythms

An arrhythmia may be "silent" and not cause any symptoms. A doctor can detect an irregular heartbeat during an examination by taking your pulse, listening to your heart or by performing diagnostic tests.

If symptoms occur, they may include:
* Palpitations -- a feeling of skipped heart beats, fluttering, "flip-flops" or feeling that the heart is "running away"
* Pounding in the chest
* Dizziness or feeling light-headed
* Shortness of breath
* Chest discomfort
* Weakness or fatigue (feeling very tired)

Symptoms of palpitations represent 15-25 percent of all the symptoms reported by female heart patients. 

They are associated with:

* Premenstrual syndrome

* Pregnancy

* Perimenopausal period

When palpitations are present, the doctor begins his or her evaluation by looking for underlying heart disease. The importance of palpitations and the need for treatment is determined by the presence of underlying heart disease, the type of irregular heartbeats that are occurring and other symptoms that are present.

Common causes

Common causes of heart palpitations include:

* Alcohol

* Caffeine

* Pseudoephedrine, a stimulant in decongestants

* Dehydration, causing an electrolyte embalance

* Phentermine, ephedrine, and caffeine in diet pills

* Emotional stress, which releases adrenaline

* Hormonal changes

* Hormone replacement therapy (HRT), especially when first beginning treatment

* Monosodium glutamate in Chinese food, processed foods, canned vegetables, canned soups, and processed meats

* Nicotine

In most cases, palpitations associated with menopause are not an indication of heart problems. Palpitations often go away after several months, but even they can recur from time to time.

Although heart palpitations can be disconcerting, remember that most often they are a normal part of aging. Try to remain calm when you have them and focus on your breathing. If you have heart palpitations when you are active, stop what you are doing and sit down or lie down and breathe deeply and slowly through your nose and out your mouth. Your normal heart rate should return within a few minutes.

Why does menopause cause irregular heartbeats?

During the menopause, the amount of the hormone estrogen gradually declines. However, this decline is not steady and often there are erratic fluctuations during the perimenopause and menopause.

 Estrogen has an effect on the dilation of the coronary arteries. When low, the arteries contract, and when high, they dilate. This can lead to changes in blood pressure and heart rhythm.

Estrogen also has an effect on the autonomic nervous system which regulates the unconscious functions of the body such as heart rate and breathing. Changes in oestrogen levels mean that the nervous system fluctuates between being highly stimulated to being stimulated very little, having a direct impact on heartbeat regularity.

How are arrhythmias diagnosed?

If you have symptoms of an arrhythmia, you should make an appointment with a cardiologist. You may want to choose an electrophysiologist, a cardiologist who has received additional specialized training in the diagnosis and treatment of heart rhythm disorders.

After evaluating your medical history and discussing your symptoms, a physical exam will be performed. The cardiologist also may perform a variety of diagnostic tests to help confirm the presence of an arrhythmia and determine its causes.

If your heart rate is very fast,

if you are feeling dizzy or faint,

or if you feel tightness or pain in the chest or neck,

you should get immediate emergency treatment.

Underlying Dangers of an Irregular Heartbeat

Experiencing an irregular heartbeat during menopause is not something that is dangerous in itself. Usually, irregularities in your heartbeat will last between a few seconds and several minutes, but they will correct themselves. Irregular heartbeats as a result of menopause will usually come to an end once you reach postmenopause.

However, though irregular heartbeats can often pose no danger, they can be a sign of an underlying condition, such as:

* Overactive thyroid. This will also be accompanied by other symptoms such as mood swings, diarrhea, and hyperactivity.

* Anemia. Hair loss, itchy skin, and headaches will usually accompany this condition.

* Dehydration.Dehydration is associated with tiredness, a dry mouth, and concentrated urine.

If you are concerned that your irregular heartbeat is a symptom of another condition, then you should consult a medical practitioner.

Emotional Impact of an Irregular Heartbeat

An irregular heartbeat does not just have an effect upon your physical health; it can also present dangers to your emotional and mental health as well. Suffering from an irregular heartbeat can heighten stress levels, since they may make you worry about what it is and what is causing it. Stress itself heightens your risk of suffering from an irregular heartbeat, so it can become a vicious circle. Heightened stress, anxiety, and panic can lead to panic attacks, which cause heart palpitations as well as nausea and fear, symptoms that have been known to be confused for heart attacks.

What Can You Do about an Irregular Heartbeat?

Despite an irregular heartbeat not being dangerous the majority of the time, it is worth avoiding lifestyle habits that could trigger them. Try to cut down on caffeine and alcohol, as well as rich, spicy foods. Smoking or the use of recreational drugs can easily exacerbate the problem, as well as precipitating more dangerous conditions. Maintaining a regular exercise regime will work toward keeping your heartbeat steady and will improve your overall health at the same time.

The most immediate way to deal with rapid or irregular heartbeat when it occurs is to try to relax. Take deep breaths, practice yoga or meditation, or employ other relaxation techniques.

Experiencing an irregular heartbeat can be frightening and stressful. Fortunately, irregular heartbeats during menopause are usually caused by hormonal imbalances and present no danger. However, if you are experiencing irregular heartbeats regularly, if they are accompanied by dizziness or shortness of breath, or if you are concerned about your symptoms, then it is best to consult with a physician.

Sources and Additional Information:

http://www.summitmedicalgroup.com/article/Heart-Palpitations-in-Perimenopause-and-Menopause/

http://my.clevelandclinic.org/heart/disorders/electric/women-abnormal-heart-beats.aspx

http://www.avogel.co.uk/health/menopause/symptoms/irregular-heart-beat/

http://www.34-menopause-symptoms.com/irregular-heartbeat/articles/dangers-of-an-irregular-heartbeat-during-menopause.htm

http://www.menopausehealthmatters.com/menopause-heart-palpitations.html

Are Hair Extensions to Blame for Serena Williams Bald Spot

Tennis star Serena Williams changing hairstyles seem to be taking a toll on her hair. Recent photos show the 30-year old sporting a bald spot, a telling sign that she is likely suffering from a condition called traction alopecia.

Well known for her long time use of hair extensions and weaves, it appears that Serena may be now dealing with the consequences of the pulling, styling and abuse her follicles have suffered over many years.

Common among people who wear tight braids, those who use hair extensions over a long period of time, attach wigs or weaves with glue/clips/tape, or those who suffer from trichotillomania (hair-pulling disease), traction alopecia is a result of the chronic tension or pulling on the follicles causing irreparable damage.

The definitive cure is hair transplantation which permanently replaces the follicles into the bald skin. However, without a change in hair-care habits, the transplanted hair is also at risk.

Are Celebrities Causing Razor Sales to Decline

Photo by PR Photos

From Brad Pitt and George Clooney to Hugh Jackman and David Beckham, are just some of big names stars embracing the growing beard trend. But are these guys really responsible for razor sales taking a dive? 

According to a new TIME article, both Gillette and Schick have recently reported that their razor sales are down, way down. In fact, market research predicts shaving products will lose their hold in the male grooming market for the first time ever this year. 

And if you need more evidence of beards making a comeback, facial hair transplants are on the rise! Yes, you read that right. Some men are willing to take serious measures to get that scruffy look. 

If you arent blessed with enviable facial hair, a facial hair transplant might be just what you are looking for to restore or enhance areas of facial hair which are lacking. To learn more, click here. 

Read the TIME article, here.