Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) and Dental Health
Tooth remineralization is a possibility for those who do not have mercury in their mouths and who get rid of glycerin in their dental hygiene routine as well as in the diet, but even if you follow a protocol to overcome cavities and sick teeth, you may still have problems with tooth remineralization if you have acid reflux or Gastroesophageal Reflux Disorder (GERD).
If you have Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), acid reflux, or just regular bouts of heartburn, you'll want to work with this problem at the same time that you remineralize your teeth because having acid refluxing into your mouth can eat away at your dental enamel. You can use DMSO and Patchouli Essential Oil to treat the Helicobacter pylori infection infection that is often at the root of GERD and acid reflux issues.
Treating acid reflux to cure it and not just cover it up with things like antacids (which contain calcium and aluminum that might actually harm teeth) is important if you want to remineralize teeth or jaw bone tissues.
How to Heal Your Mouth, Teeth, and Jaw: Reclaim Dental and Orthodontic Health At Home for Kids and Adults
At-Home Cures for Acid Reflux / GERD
If you have acid reflux, please take some time to read about enzyme therapy as a way to both treat and self-diagnose your digestive issues at the same time. Enzyme therapy that includes pepsin and betaine HCl is particularly important for treating acid reflux / GERD, but this treatment isn’t right for everyone. Some people need to work with alkalizing treatments like baking soda to reduce heartburn. So let’s talk about how to decide which treatment is right for you.
Too much stomach acid or too little?
Acid reflux / GERD / heartburn is caused by too much stomach acid or too little stomach acid. This might seem surprising if you’ve never thought about it. Most people think that heartburn is always caused by too much stomach acid. Indeed, if you have too much stomach acid, this can produce classic heartburn / acid reflux issues. But another major cause of acid reflux / heartburn / GERD is too little stomach acid. You see, there’s a sphincter at the bottom of the esophagus where food from the mouth empties into the stomach. The sphincter responds to pH level, so when the acid levels in the stomach get low enough (acidic), the sphincter closes to prevent reflux. When stomach acid levels are not high enough after eating, this sphincter doesn’t close and then stomach contents reflux into the esophagus to produce heartburn / GERD / acid reflux.
If you take a betaine / pepsin HCl and it makes your heartburn worse, then you have a type of GERD that requires treatment using baking soda to increase the pH of the stomach (lowering the acidity). Administer 1 teaspoon of baking soda in 8 ounces of water when your acid reflux / GERD flares up to treat this type of heartburn.
But most people who take a betaine / pepsin HCl supplement find that this supplement stops their heartburn and it helps reduce their other digestive issues as well. By increasing the acidity of the stomach, the esophageal sphincter (which is sensitive to pH levels) closes to stop GERD symptoms naturally. While taking an antacid may cover up symptoms, antacids expose people to heavy metals like aluminum and high levels of calcium as well. In contrast, baking soda, which does the same thing as an antacid, will help your teeth remineralize while simultaneously relieving GERD symptoms. And if you benefit instead from taking a betaine / pepsin HCl supplement for GERD, you can feel good about this enzyme because it will help your body break down food so that it can be properly absorbed in nutrient form rather than passing partially digested and in an un-absorbable state. Foods that are not properly digested in the stomach pass through your digestive system to cause inflammation, gas, bloating, and discomfort. Treating GERD with either baking soda OR betaine / pepsin HCl can make a huge difference in your dental health as well as your digestive health.
Note that Acid reflux / GERD / heartburn often causes people to cough. Some people who have a “nagging cough” at night or during the day are actually afflicted with acid reflux / GERD / heartburn.
Baking Soda Mouthwash for People with GERD / Acid Reflux / Heartburn
If you have heartburn / acid reflux / GERD, but you’re concerned about complicating your dental healing with another layer of worries about your digestive system, consider making a baking soda and water mouthwash to administer to yourself throughout the day and night. When your tooth “pores” are not clogged up with vegetable glycerin and your mouth is alkaline, your teeth are remineralizing. So if you want to boost your progress at healing your teeth whether you have acid reflux or not, put together a teaspoon of baking soda in a jar of drinking water and swish with the baking soda throughout the day to encourage your teeth to remineralize faster.
Resources
Ettinger, M. (2009). The Most Effective Natural H. pylori Treatment Protocol. Retrieved October 21, 2020 from https://www.advancedhealing.com/heartburn-gastritis-achlorhydria-h-pylori/
Rafieian-Kopaei, M. (2016). Treatment of helicobacter pylori infection by herbal drugs; a review on current data. Retrieved October 21, 2020 from http://jprevepi.com/Article/jpe-10
Zanin, T. (2007-2020). What type of diet to follow during H. pylori treatment. Retrieved October 21, 2020 from https://www.tuasaude.com/en/diet-for-h-pylori/
Medical News Today (2004-2020). What are the best natural H. pylori treatments? Retrieved October 21, 2020 from https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/322627#natural-treatments
