Is Your Mouthwash Making You Sick? The Biodentistry Guide to Rebuilding Your Oral Microbiome

For decades, we’ve been taught the same script for oral health: brush with fluoride toothpaste, and rinse with a strong, antiseptic mouthwash for fresh breath. We’ve come to associate that "clean" burning sensation with a healthy mouth.

But what if that sensation is actually the sound of your body's first line of defense being destroyed? What if our modern hygiene habits are the very things inviting cavities, gum disease, and imbalance?

This is the central idea of biodentistry, a holistic approach that views your mouth not as a set of teeth to be sterilized, but as the gateway to your entire digestive tract—a complex, vital ecosystem that needs to be balanced, not destroyed.

Your Mouth: The Gateway to Your Gut (and Health)

Your digestive tract begins in your mouth, which is home to a complex ecosystem of over 60,000 types of bacteria. Most of these organisms are beneficial. They live in harmony, protecting your gums and teeth and beginning the process of digestion.

Here’s the problem: when you rinse with a harsh, alcohol based mouthwash, it’s like dropping a bomb on this ecosystem. It doesn’t just kill the "bad" bacteria; it destroys all the beautiful families of organisms that have been protecting you.

You may get temporarily fresh breath, but you've just destroyed nature's balance. With your natural protectors gone, harmful bacteria, parasites, and fungi can now thrive, leading to the very cavities and gum issues you were trying to prevent. It's a process that can keep you unhealthy.

The Real Problem: Sterility vs. Balance

For years, Western science has dismissed holistic approaches. Anything that talks about your body's "natural terrain" or "microbiome balance" has often been labeled as "woo woo" or unscientific. The conventional model is based on a simple, chemical, cause-and-effect: "Germs are bad. Kill the germs."

But what's truly unscientific is ignoring the fact that your mouth is a complex ecosystem. It's not a sterile lab; it's a living garden. You don't help a garden grow by spraying it with bleach—that kills everything. You help a garden thrive by strategically removing the weeds and then nourishing the soil with compost and beneficial organisms.

This is the biodentistry model. It’s not "woo woo"; it's ecology.

The Holistic Solution: A Two Step "Reset and Rebuild"

True oral health is not about achieving sterility; it’s about restoring balance. This is a two part process. You must first clear out the overgrowth of harmful organisms (the weeds) and then, just as importantly, repopulate the good ones (the compost).

Step 1: Reset (Sterilize) the Environment with Ozone Before you can rebuild, you need to "reset" the terrain. The most effective and natural way to do this is with ozonated water. Ozone (O₃) is a powerful sterilizer that specifically targets anaerobic organisms—the "bad" bacteria and fungi that thrive in low oxygen environments [1].

• The Therasage Solution: By bubbling ozone from a device like the TheraO3 into water, you can create a powerful, healing mouth rinse. Using this ozonated water in a water pick is the best way to cleanse the gum beds and hard to reach areas, targeting the non beneficial bacteria that cause dysbiosis.

• A Note of Caution: Ozone is a non selective sterilizer, meaning it will clear out both good and bad bacteria. This is why it's the perfect "reset," but it is absolutely essential that you follow it up with Step 2.

• Bonus Tip: You can also use ozonated water to sterilize your toothbrush, which often collects harmful bacteria from the bathroom environment.

Step 2: Rebuild (Repopulate) Your Natural Defenses Now that you have a clean slate, you must reintroduce the beneficial bacteria. This is the most critical step, and how you do it matters.

• The Best Way: The most diverse and powerful microbiome you can access is your local one. Get outside, breathe the fresh air, and immerse yourself in your local flora. This helps your body attune to and adopt the beneficial bacteria native to your environment.

• The Next Best Way: Eat local, fermented foods. Sauerkraut, kombucha, kimchi, and plain yogurts contain live, active cultures of beneficial bacteria that are generic to your area. This is the best way to "reseed" your gut.

• The Probiotic Option: Probiotic supplements can help, but they have a limitation. They typically only contain a few "small families" of bacteria. This is helpful, but it doesn't compare to the thousands of diverse strains you get from your natural environment and fermented foods.

Accelerating Healing with Light Therapy

What about existing issues like inflammation or cavitations? While you reset and rebuild your biome, you can simultaneously support your body’s healing process with light.

• The Therasage Solution: Using a red light device like the Tri-Lite over your face on the affected area can help expedite healing. The red and near infrared light wavelengths penetrate deep into the tissue, helping to reduce inflammation and support cellular repair [2]. For a specific issue, you can use it for 30 minutes, up to twice a day.

Ultimately, this new approach is about working with your body, not against it. By ditching the harsh chemicals and embracing the "reset and rebuild" model, you can restore your mouth's natural balance and support the foundation of your entire body's health.

References:

[1] Saini, H. (2011). Ozone therapy in dentistry: A strategic review. Journal of Natural Science, Biology and Medicine, 2(2), 151–153. [2] Dompe, C., et al. (2020). Photobiomodulation-Underlying Mechanism and Clinical Applications. Journal of clinical medicine, 9(6), 1724.

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