Preventative Care: A Guide From Dr. Baldwin 

Taking care of your teeth and gums has whole body ramifications.  In fact, not doing it may lead to a number of diseases which lower your quality of life and lifespan. 

It is easy to care for your teeth and gums.  Good home care only takes about 4-5 minutes a day. 

There is almost no other thing that you can do that is so quick, cheap and has such a profound effect on your quality of life.

HERE ARE THE BASICS:

• Brush for 2 minutes, two times per day.  Electric brushes all do a better job than manual brushes.

• Use fluoride and/or xyoitol toothpastes and/or rinses two to four times per day.

• Pack salt around the teeth and gums at least 4 times per week.  Epsom Salt (Magnesium Sulfate) works well with less effect on the heart and fluid retention than regular salt (Sodium Chloride).

• Floss or proxy brush daily.  This is the least important of the care but is good to do if you can.  Controlling the chemistry (acid-base balance) is more critical.

• Diet:  stay away from acid and high sugar food and drinks.  Eat natural complex foods.  Processed foods and carbohydrates cause much higher acid levels. Limit the amount you snack to 1-2 times a day.  When you eat or drink virtually anything you get an hours worth of acid production and bacterial growth. Drink a soda quickly and you get one hour of damage.  Sip a soda over the whole day and you can get 8 hours of acid formation and damage from the same soda.  Always rinse with water or some rinse after you eat.  Xylitol gum, spray, and mints are a great way to control acid formation and plaque buildup.

• Get a Caries Risk Assessment done.

WHAT I DO:

1. Brush 2-3 times a day, 60% with an electric brush. 
2. I rinse 2-6 times a day with some alternating combination of Xylitol, Chlorhexadine, fluoride, hydrogen peroxide, or salt water. 
3. I pack Epsom Salt around the teeth 3 times per week. 
4. I floss 3-4 times a week. 
5. I use the shower as a water pick. 
6. I drink mainly water and 2 quarts to a gallon per day. 
7. I eat xylitol mints 3-5 times a day. 
8. I exercise as much as possible.

What I also do: Let's be real here, even I eat sugar, I do not floss every day, and I am more consistent some weeks than others. 

I do the best I can.  If I slack off it is ok, I get back on track.  I am consistent over many years. 

I get professional cleanings and exams at least once per year.  I have had good dental and general health with no cavities for the last 35 years.  So you can too!

VITAMINS 

Most Ideal:

• Ester C - 1000-4000mg  per day  half in AM and half in PM  for best effects.
• Mega B Complex - Make sure B12 is Methyl version not Cyano.
• D3 - 1200-2400iu per day and must be taken with some fat to absorb.
• Magnesium - 400mg one to two times per day.
• CoQ10  Ubiquinol form  100mg per day.
• Probiotic - Take two times per day.  I like Vitacost 15 Strains / 35 Billion.

Next Level:

• Antioxidants
• Astaxanthin -  4mg I use PurZanthin from Stop Aging Now
• Tumeric - 1300mg I use Curcumin2K from Stop Aging Now
• Fish Oil - Omega 3s 1200iu per day

Other

• B12 5000 mcg from Vitacost  again Methyl cobalamin
• Hyaluronic Acid - 100mg one to two times a day, increases cellular water and joint lubrication.
• Chondroitin/Glucosamine - 1500mg one to two times a day.
• Melatonin plus Theanine at bedtime.