by Mike Geary – Certified Nutrition Specialist and Author of The Diabetes Fix and The Truth About Testosterone

What the Microbes in Our Mouth and Pomegranate Have to do with Artery Plaque and Preventing Heart Failure

For years, we’ve been told that plaque buildup in arteries is just a natural part of aging or genetics. But what if that sticky sludge in your arteries started with what’s in your mouth?

A person’s oral health plays a bigger role in heart health than most people realize. And emerging research is showing that the pomegranate can help reverse some of the damage.

Let’s break it down:

The Oral Microbiome: More Than Just Bad Breath

Your mouth is home to over 700 species of bacteria, most of them beneficial. But others, like Streptococcus mutans and Porphyromonas gingivalis, can be major troublemakers.

These bacteria form biofilms that clings to teeth and gums. But they don’t just stay there.

When oral health is poor, these microbes can enter the bloodstream, triggering system-wide inflammation that can affect:

1. Blood vessels
2. Heart valves
3. Brain function
4. Immune response

In fact, researchers have found oral bacteria in arterial plaque, linking gum disease to atherosclerosis, heart disease, and even stroke.

What Is Arterial Plaque?

Just like dental plaque, arterial plaque is made of gunky substances that build up over time. It’s mostly:

• Oxidized LDL cholesterol
• Calcium from diet or supplements
• Dead white blood cells
• Inflammatory compounds floating around in the blood
• Pathogenic microbes from the mouth

This plaque builds up and narrows arteries, restricting blood flow, which is a recipe for heart attack or stroke.

Pomegranate—Nature’s Artery Cleanser

In a 2004 Israeli study, researchers gave patients with severe (70–90%) blockage, 1 ounce of pomegranate juice a day for one year. That’s not much.

The results?

A stunning 35% reduction in arterial plaque, while the placebo group saw a 9% worsening.

The pomegranate group also had:

• 21% drop in systolic blood pressure
• 21% drop in systolic blood pressure
• Improved blood flow

And that’s not all. Other studies have shown that pomegranate extract can reduce harmful oral bacteria, improve gum health, and lower inflammation.

The Mouth–Heart–Brain Connection

Bacteria that cause gum disease don’t just impact your heart. This bacteria has been found in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s disease.

This mouth-body connection is gaining traction in both mainstream and functional medicine, and it’s changing how we view plaque in all its forms. Oral health = Overall health.

How to Use Pomegranate for Better Health

• Drink unsweetened pomegranate juice daily, you only need 1–2 oz
• Brush with a probiotic toothpaste or rinse to balance oral flora
• Avoid mouth washes that kill germs!
• Floss daily, yes, it matters
• Avoid sugar and refined carbs, which stick to your teeth and feed plaque-forming bacteria
• Use xylitol gum or mints, which reduce harmful microbes

Bottom Line

Oral plaque and arterial plaque are more connected than you think.
Bacteria in your mouth can fuel inflammation throughout your body.
And pomegranate may help slow or even reverse that process.

It’s a powerful reminder that a healthy smile starts with a healthy body—and vice versa

With all of this said, if you want to prevent a deadly heart attack, you NEED to see this below…

“Most Heart Attacks Start Quietly… and It’s Not Cholesterol”

The post Pomegranate: Nature’s Artery Cleanser appeared first on thenutritionwatchdog.com.

By: Cat Ebeling, RN, MSN-PHN, co-author of the best-sellers:  The Fat Burning Kitchen, The Top 101 Foods that Fight Aging & The Diabetes Fix

Most people would be surprised to hear that oral health is very closely tied to overall health. But it’s absolutely true. Research shows that oral health has a far greater impact on many serious health conditions than you may realize. Making sure your teeth and gums are healthy will actually go a long ways towards helping you prevent diseases like heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and dementia. If you neglect your mouth, you can be setting yourself up for major health issues that can actually shorten your life.

The Mouth Has its Own Microbiome

Much has been said about the digestive system’s microbiome. But guess what? The digestive system begins in our mouths. And our mouths also contain hundreds—if not thousands—of microorganisms including bacteria, fungi, and other small critters. While the health of your gut flora has been proven to play a very important role in your health, it has become increasingly apparent the health of your mouth flora is also vital to your health.

In people with a healthy oral cavity, the tiny bacteria and other micro-organisms in the mouth actually play a role in the digestion of food. These little micro-organisms also play a role in the immune function, warding off dangerous pathogens that could invade your body. The oral microbiome also helps to protect the teeth from those invaders that can cause cavities and gum disease.

When oral care is lacking, and diet is off, the bad bacteria in the mouth can quickly multiply to combine with any sugars or starches and attack the teeth. This can result in cavities, gum disease, tooth decay, periodontitis and other infections. These infections can easily spread to other parts of the body.

While Americans seem to prize big, white, dazzling smiles, our actual dental health is pretty bad. Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey found that 91% of adults had cavities. Almost a third of all adult Americans have some type of tooth or gum issue going untreated. A whopping 64.7 million American adults have periodontal disease, an inflammatory bacterial disease of the gums, and for Americans who are 65+ years old, the number of them who have tooth and gum issues is 65%.

Why is our oral health so bad? It’s actually pretty simple—it’s diet. Diets high in sugar, processed grains and carbohydrates, combined with acidic, sugary drinks just eat away at our teeth and ruin our oral health. Even vegan diets high in carbs, fruit and grains can cause serious oral health issues.

Certain inflammatory digestive problems like gluten intolerance has been shown to cause serious damage to the teeth and gums as well. One study on this shows a direct correlation between celiac disease in children and enamel degradation, along with increased incidence of cavities. It’s hard to say whether this is due to the problems with malabsorption of minerals, or the increased inflammation that goes with gluten intolerance. My guess is that it is probably both. Likewise, a similar effect can be expected for those suffering from other inflammatory gut diseases and disorders, including IBS, Crohn’s and ulcerative colitis.

So, it’s not only WHAT we put in our mouths that comes into contact with our teeth, but the food and nutrients that we put into our bodies that also affects the health of our teeth, gums and oral cavity.

Let’s take a look at some of the more common and serious health problems caused by bad oral health:

Heart Disease and Strokes

Most people would never make the connection, but poor oral health increases the risk for heart disease and strokes. Bacteria that causes gum disease can get into the bloodstream, along with plaque from the teeth and cause inflammation, blood clots and narrowed blood vessels. The damaging effect on the blood vessels can also lead to hypertension and strokes. In addition, colonies of bacteria can attack and infect the inner lining of the heart causing a serious condition called “endocarditis”.

Diabetes

Diabetics generally have a much higher risk of developing sores and infections. This includes the gums and teeth. With the addition of gum disease, symptoms of diabetes can worsen and it can become increasingly difficult to manage blood sugar levels. It becomes especially important for diabetics to take exceptionally good care of their teeth and gum. In addition, because gum disease leads to higher than normal blood sugar levels, a person with poor oral health is at an increased risk of developing diabetes.

Erectile Dysfunction

Yes, really! Poor oral hygiene, gum disease and cavities all put men at increased risk for ED. Chronic gum disease is actually known to have a direct tie to problems with ED. When bacteria from diseased gums get into the bloodstream it inflames blood vessels. When inflammation is present it can block blood flow to essential areas, including the genitals, making erections difficult or impossible.

Cancer

Tooth and gum disease increase the risk of a variety of cancers including, kidney cancer, pancreatic cancer, and cancers of the blood. Evidence shows chronic infection and inflammation are associated with increased risk of cancer development. There is also a strong connection between bacterial and viral infections and cancer cell growth.

Obviously, poor oral health practices such as smoking or using tobacco products can lead to oral and throat cancers, but other types of cancer have also been linked to gum disease as well.

Respiratory Infections and Lowered Immune Function

When bacteria and harmful pathogens residing in the mouth are inhaled into the lungs, or travel there through the bloodstream, there is definite elevated risk of respiratory infections, including severe Covid-19, pneumonia, acute bronchitis, and even COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease). What’s more, infection and inflammation in the mouth lowers immune function even more, making it even harder to fight off these serious respiratory infections, making them potentially deadly.

Dementia

Poor oral health can have very negative effects on the brain. Substances released from inflamed gums can actually kill brain cells and lead to memory loss. Dementia and possibly even Alzheimer’s disease can result from the inflammation and infection from gum disease, when bacteria in the mouth is absorbed into the bloodstream.

In addition to the above serious health issues and diseases, poor oral health can also lead to:

• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Infertility
• Pregnancy problems
• Kidney disease
• Fibromyalgia
• Asthma
• Autoimmune disease

How to Protect Your Oral Health

First off, be sure to visit a dentist a minimum of once a year for a regular checkup and cleaning. They can inspect your gums and slow down any potential for gum disease or tooth decay. Be sure to brush often and floss daily.

Change your diet. Studies have shown a definite connection between a highly processed, high sugar diet and oral disease. Sugar and starches stick to the teeth and raise the acidity in the mouth, creating a perfect place for bad bacteria to multiply and do their damage.

A low carb, Paleo or ketogenic diet helps to lower carbs, reduce any sugars in the mouth, and protect the gums and teeth from infection. In addition, a healthy, balanced diet full of antioxidant rich vegetables, naturally raised meats and absent of starchy grains and sugar, is healthy for the whole body.

Protecting your oral health is exactly the same as looking after your overall health and wellbeing.
Eat well, get plenty of sleep, get outside and get lots of sunshine and vitamin D, exercise, and reduce stress.

Did you know that this…

60-Sec bedtime ritual rebuilds your teeth and gums overnight (Users say it’s better than implants)

Doctors still can’t believe their eyes…

Every person who did this 60-second trick before going to bed, experienced a dramatic rejuvenation of their gums, rebuilt their teeth…

And even got rid of bad breath and ugly spots…

No matter how advanced their tooth decay was…

And all they had to do is mix 2 dirt-cheap ingredients.

Some of them even claim they’ll never have to go to the dentist again after this…

See here the breakthrough method that’s making dental implants absolutely useless.

References:
https://www.marksdailyapple.com/how-your-oral-biome-influences-your-overall-health/
https://www.marksdailyapple.com/oral-health-what-you-eat-and-dont-eat-counts/
https://www.123dentist.com/how-your-oral-health-can-impact-your-overall-health/
https://www.absolutedental.com/blog/10-health-issues-caused-by-bad-oral-health/

The post Oral Health Linked to Heart Attacks, Strokes, Dementia and Cancer appeared first on thenutritionwatchdog.com.