Boosting Nitric Oxide with Oral Hygiene Choices

Join Dr. Van Dyken as she discusses the oral microbiome, nitric oxide production, and oral hygiene. She discusses the best oral hygiene strategies for how to boost nitric oxide levels including mouthwash, toothbrushing and tongue brushing/scraping. Does mouthwash decrease nitric oxide production in the mouth? In order to optimize nitric oxide levels: - Should you use mouthwash? - What about natural mouthwashes? - What about toothpaste? - What about tongue brushing and scraping? Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 01:33 Eight benefits of nitric oxide in humans 03:35 Review of the science and nitric oxide pathways 05:57 Reviewing the oral microbiome and nitrate reducing bacteria 06:53 The oral microbiome, antibacterial mouthwash, and blood pressure control 08:22 What about other mouthwashes like natural or essential oil mouthwashes? 09:13 Tongue cleaning and nitric oxide production: brushing and scraping. 10:19 Antibacterial toothpaste and nitric oxide production 11:49 Wrap-up Also, check out the DIY video on how to make you own nitric oxide boosting, oral microbiome improving, mouth rinse! References cited: 1. Antiseptic mouthwash and nitric oxide levels 2. Pathways Linking Oral Bacteria, Nitric Oxide Metabolism, and Health 3. Effects of Chlorhexidine mouthwash on the oral microbiome 4. The oral microbiome, nitric oxide and exercise performance 5. The oral microbiome and nitric oxide homoeostasis 6. The increase in plasma nitrite after a dietary nitrate load is markedly attenuated by an antibacterial mouthwash 7. Acute blood pressure lowering, vasoprotective, and antiplatelet properties of dietary nitrate via bioconversion to nitrite 8. Physiological role for nitrate-reducing oral bacteria in blood pressure control 9. Frequency of Tongue Cleaning Impacts the Human Tongue Microbiome Composition and Enterosalivary Circulation of Nitrate 10. Nitrate causes a dose-dependent augmentation of nitric oxide status in healthy women