4 Nonnegotiable Ways To Strengthen Your Teeth (Beyond Brushing & Flossing) 

When it comes to optimizing your health and well-being, how often do you think about your teeth and gums? If you respond with, not often, you're not alone—but it's high time we give oral care the attention it deserves. 

Your mouth, after all, is the gateway to your body and the beginning of your gastrointestinal tract. Poor oral health has even been linked to dementia1, and periodontal disease2 is associated with chronic, systemic inflammation in the body.

"Tongue scraping is the most underappreciated aspect of oral care," Burhenne claims. "Everyone should be tongue scraping." 

A tongue scraper is a long, thin, flat piece of metal (or plastic) shaped like a "U" to remove bacteria, food debris, and dead cells from the surface of the tongue. "You basically reach back as far as you can on the tongue, stick your tongue out, and drag this forward a few times along your tongue," Burhenne explains. It's a ritual practiced for centuries in Ayurveda, known as Jihwa Prakshalana.

Why is it helpful? Well, Burhenne compares your tongue to a shag carpet—it easily traps debris and bacteria in its nooks and crannies. As that material accumulates over time, it can lead to improper biofilm formation on the tongue. 

It can also potentially lead to overeating, says Burhenne, as the taste buds on your tongue aren't as strong underneath that buildup. 

On the topic of eating, balanced nutrition is also very important for oral health, says Burhenne. 

It's a two-way street: "If you have diabetes, it's going to make things in the mouth worse," he notes. "If you have gum disease, it makes it more difficult to control4 your blood sugar levels. It's all connected." 

Take it from Burhenne: "If you breathe through your mouth, you are going to have oral health issues and complications." 

That's not to say you can't ever breathe through your mouth again, but do try to stick to nasal breathing whenever you can help it—and when you can't help it, like during sleep, that's where mouth taping comes into play. 

See, mouth breathing impacts the pH of your saliva, Burhenne explains. "Saliva is the life giver in the mouth. It supports the oral microbiome, and it helps prevent decay. It activates the immune system. It allows us to speak and swallow and digest foods," he adds. 

And if you mouth breathe, say, six to eight hours every night, "that's a long stint of having to put up with a lower pH in the mouth and unhealthy state of the oral microbiome," Burhenne says. So he highly recommends using a mild tape to encourage your mouth to stay shut. Here's our full guide to mouth taping if you want to learn more about getting started. 

Mouthwash is incredibly antibacterial, but you want a healthy balance of bacteria to keep the oral microbiome thriving. 

"Most [mouthwashes] kill a portion of the oral microbiome, mostly on the back of the tongue," says Burhenne, and these bacteria are responsible for producing nitric oxide from our food. 

Nitric oxide, as a refresher, is a molecule that influences immune function, weight, circulation, blood pressure, mood, and more. It's no wonder, he says, that research shows frequent use of mouthwash is associated with an increased risk of prediabetes5. 

Of course, sometimes mouthwash is medically necessary (like with infections or post-procedure), so please listen to your health care professional. You can also find rinses that don't use alcohol or antiseptic ingredients.