Aloha All,

I haven't been on in quite a while, my apologies. 

I do want to post some information that you all may find helpful.

There is now some solid research coming out to confirm a connection between dental health and heart health. In an article published by Harvard School of medicine, (http://www.health.harvard.edu/press_releases/heart-disease-oral-health), the porcess is outlined, and we can begin to see how our gums can affect out heart and circulatory system.

So keep flossing.  Flossing is actually mor important that brushing, as it cleans between teeth, where crud can sit for ever and rot.  So for you guys and gals in busy stations, keep a floss pick in your shirt pocket and run it through your interproximal spaces while in transit from calls, but keep flossing.  Ask your Hygienist to teach you how.  For years I thought I knew how to floss, but then I found anHygienist who showed me how to get the floss where it could do the most good and how not to destroy my gums in the process.  Good technique means good results.

Flossing alone will not get you a gold star at the Dentist, and while it might go some of the way towards reducing the risk of coronary artery disease, it is no panacaea.  There is one more ingredient in minimizing your risk of heart disease, at least one that is pertinent in this post.  Not exercise, not a low fat diet, no. I am talking about sugar.

Sugar is proven to support inflammatory processes, processes which are a key ingredient in coronary artery disease.  (http://articlesunlimited.holisticnetworkexchange.com/inflammation_s...) Reducing our sugar intake can be a key in avoiding this inflammatory reaction, but the addition of one key nutrient in our diet can make a huge difference in our inflammatory reactions.  What is this key nutrient?  Xylitol.

Xylitol is a wood sugar_, C₅H₁₂O_{5 for you chemists. The important thing to notice here is that it is a 5 carbon molecule, where conventional sugar is a six carbon molecule.  Why does this matter?  In short, the most pathogenic bacteria in our mouths cannot metabolize a 5 carbom moleclue, and they die off, leaving less pathogenic flora in our digestive systems, mouths included. Cleaner mouths and gums mean plaque that is less sticky and easier to remove with brush and floss.  This in turn means that our risk of dental decay and gingivitis is significantly reduced. (}http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xylitol). 

As we improve the quality of the flora in our mouths, we begin to reduce our risk for the inflammatory processes that lead to heart disease, but there is an additional benefit.  Xylitol has a glycemic index of seven, which means it is safe for diabetic use. It is metabolized completely independently of insulin, so diabetics can enjoy without guilt or fear!

Xylitol can be found in most health food stores or purchased on line from Emerald Forest Sugar in Broomfield Colorado.

So let's look to our gums to help our hearts!