The link between gut health and oral health

As a Registered Holistic Nutritionist, I work with my clients to get to the root of their health issues, and create long lasting healthy habits that work for them individually. I commonly work with clients on their digestive and gut health, as well as burnout and anxiety, and one of the first things that we work on together is reading nutrition labels! 

I encourage my clients to read the ingredient list on products, especially ones boasting health benefits. Did you know that ingredients are listed in order by weight? So ingredients that are first or second on the list are the most abundant in the product. 

With regards to gut health, we are looking for ingredients that could disrupt the gut microbiome, like sweeteners, preservatives, artificial flavours and colours. 

When it comes to keeping breath fresh, I never really found a great option, because I don’t love the ingredients! You have gums and mints as two options, but I never really loved them for a few reasons

In gums, you may find ingredients like ;

Gum

Resin 

Fillers

Preservatives

Softeners

Sweeteners

Flavorings 

…and some of these ingredients can be controversial, like the butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) that is added as a preservative, or the titanium dioxide which is used to whiten products and give them a smooth texture. 

My opinion on breath mints are similar. Mostly sugar (or artificial sweeteners which are no better) and artificial colours and flavours which I am just not really into for my day to day life (treats and balance are important of course). 

The sugar content is the next area of a nutrition label that is important to look at. High sugar diets can drive changes in microbiota composition, can impact mood and make anxiety worse. Did you know that 4g of sugar is approximately equal to approximately 1 teaspoon? This is a great illustrative tool to use to see how much sugar is in common products you’re using. 

I use kombucha as an example a lot. I love kombucha, it’s a great fermented food with beneficial bacteria for your microbiome. But many kombucha options on the market have 15+ grams of sugar (crazy right!?) which is NOT great for your gut. This is why it is important to read those nutrition labels.

So if you’re chewing gum or using breath mints everyday, it’s important to focus on a good quality product. Enter Mintier.

It’s so unique! An oil based breath mint with that is 100% natural, with NO artificial flavours, sugar-free, vegan (and women owned to boot).  I would have no issues recommending Mintier to a client, and I plan to keep it on hand when I’m on the go myself!

The ingredients are clean and simple, and the addition of clove oil is tasty and unique. 

Mintier- nutritionist approved!  

Brittany Nicholson, Registered Holistic Nutritionist

Holistic Britt Nutrition

References

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/chewing-gum-good-or-bad#TOC_TITLE_HDR_3