Brush Your Liver for Health
Your gag reflex may be kicking in as you ponder how you might get your toothbrush down your throat far enough to reach your liver. Don’t worry, just brush those gums you see in the mirror and lower inflammation in your entire body. Researchers report on a study of patients with cirrhosis, a liver condition with scarring and functional decline, who showed improvement after periodontal care. In the study, both symptoms and laboratory markers improved with a periodontal care program.
As a functional MD, I know that our entire bodies as an interdependent metabolic web of enzymatic processes. Our gut interacts with our brain. Our hormones affect our energy cycle. Our mitochondria influence nearly everything. Some say each metabolic step is only 5 or 6 steps away from every other one if we look hard enough. In this case, researchers found that the patient’s periodontal program produced several measurable changes. It lowered the bad bacteria in the gut which raise inflammation. It lowered endotoxin in the blood and saliva. It lowered inflammatory markers in saliva and blood.
But you say that you don’t have cirrhosis and ask if healthy gums will make any difference for you. As I have said many times, the journey to a healthier more abundant life requires long-term diligence. I would also say that the sooner you start, the better. Start now and hopefully you can avoid the long uphill journey of recovering from a chronic illness. At Sanctuary we can help those in the latter category, but would like to help others avoid those diseases in the first place.
Article Citation
https://www.physiology.org/doi/10.1152/ajpgi.00230.2018?_ga=2.256106632.2067474249.1536011499-1894194950.1536011499&
Sanctuary Functional Medicine, under the direction of Dr Eric Potter, IFMCP MD, provides functional medicine services to Nashville, Middle Tennessee and beyond. We frequently treat patients from Kentucky, Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, Ohio, Indiana, and more... offering the hope of healthier more abundant lives to those with chronic illness.
