My last visit to the dentist did not go as smooth as I had hoped. I was told that I had the beginning stage of gingivitis and it was recommended that I have a deep cleaning or scaling. I was told, that at this point, if all the tarter that was developing below the gum level was removed I could turn it around. I was shocked since I brush and floss regularly and my gums do not bleed, well almost never. I simply dismissed it until I started to think about my family history. Two members of my family started to lose their teeth in their late forties, and another is working very hard not to lose any in his fifties.

I am forty-seven. Through my research I found that nutrition, genetics and stress play major roles in oral health. Unfortunately, I only have control over one – nutrition. I believe I handle stress relatively well, but I am human and life happens.

So I decided that I was going to bite the bullet and have the deep cleaning done, give my gums and teeth a fresh new start. I endeavored to work extra hard at maintaining gum health from then on. After the deep cleaning was done, I was instructed to rinse my mouth with salt water 6 times a day. Instead, I made an infusion of chamomile (Anthemis nobilis) and calendula (Calendula officinalis) and rinsed my mouth with the infusion six times a day. Both chamomile and calendula have anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties; the combination just felt right. I went in a week later to have more work done, but the dentist told me it was too early to see any change. Nevertheless, when I was checked, my deep pockets in the gums went from a 6 to a 3. With results like that, I will continue to rinse my mouth with the chamomile and calendula infusion nightly – who needs Listerine! I will keep you posted.

All information is shared for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose or treat any condition.