Nitric Oxide and Oral Health

Think good oral health is all about sterilizing your mouth? This is not the case. Without a healthy balance of bacteria in the mouth, your body will not be able to produce enough nitric oxide, which plays a vital role in oral health. This oxide can also reduce various inflammations, improve your digestion, the quality of your sleep, your health immunity, your memory, and even your behavior.

What is the role of nitric oxide in the body?

Nitric oxide is best known for its role in heart health, as it is a powerful vasodilator and blood pressure regulator. It makes your blood vessels soft and flexible, allowing them to withstand pressure changes. The blood vessels in the gums, as well as those in the kidneys, happen to be among the thinnest and most fragile in the body, making them susceptible to high blood pressure.

Nitric oxide is involved in various systems and processes in the body, such as:

• Memory and behavior, through the brain's nerve cells
• Immunity by protecting you against bacteria and cancer cells
• Reduction of inflammation
• Improvement of the quality of sleep
• Building endurance and physical strength
• Gastric fluid management
• Insulin management

Nitric oxide has nothing to do with the much feared nitrates when consumed as additives in industrial food. Nitrates are naturally found in plants, which absorb them from the soil and use them as a primary source of nitrogen, essential for their growth. They are more present in vegetables than in fruits and are particularly concentrated in beets, celery and green leafy vegetables.

In humans, as in all mammals, nitric oxide is a neurotransmitter. It is a molecule produced by the endothelial cells that line the arteries and acts as a biological messenger, involved in various cellular activities.

What is the relationship between oral bacteria, heart disease and high blood pressure?

The bacteria in our mouths have a major influence on our overall health. Your oral bacteria can help prevent cardiovascular disease and high blood pressure.

High blood pressure is a major cause of death, accounting for more than 10 million deaths worldwide per year, placing it ahead of smoking, high blood sugar, physical inactivity, and obesity as major risks for death worldwide.

The link between your oral health and your body's ability to produce enough nitric oxide is part of a system known as the enterosalivary circuit. This circuit is very important for your blood pressure, cardiovascular health and systemic health.

To ensure proper nitric oxide production, you must feed your oral and nasal bacteria.

How to stimulate the production of nitric oxide by your body?

Almost all the nitrates we consume are absorbed through the intestinal wall. About 25% of these nitrates are concentrated in the salivary glands and released into the oral cavity. This is where friendly bacteria interact with the nitrate, reducing it to nitrite which is swallowed and absorbed by the intestines.

With the help of specific enzymes, this nitrite is reduced to its bioactive form, nitric oxide (NO). For the enterosalivary circuit to function optimally, the gut and oral microbiome must be healthy, and there must be sufficient beneficial bacteria.

It is not a question of killing all the bacteria present in the mouth. On the contrary, the oral microbiome must be preserved. Here are some tips to help you optimize its balance.

Do not use just any toothpaste or mouthwash

If you use dental hygiene products containing essential oils, you must ensure that they do not kill the good bacteria in your oral microbiome.

If you use a mouthwash, you must choose it carefully. The best thing to do is to ask your dentist for advice, who will direct you to the product that best suits your personal situation.

Watch your diet

Adjust your diet to protect your enterosalivary circuit. Focus on foods rich in probiotics and fiber, healthy fats from plants and animals, and eat an abundance of nitrate-rich vegetables, such as leafy greens and root vegetables like beets.

See our comparison of the best probiotics on the market

Also focus on foods rich in the amino acids L-arginine and L-citrulline, which produce nitric oxide with the help of an enzyme called nitric oxide synthase (or NOS). They are found in certain foods: watermelons, turkey, chicken and pork meats, lentils, pumpkin seeds and nuts.

Eat dark chocolate. Its consumption leads to an increase in nitric oxide levels and a decrease in systolic blood pressure. The darker the better, as it contains more of the beneficial polyphenols known as epicatechin, which work to stimulate high levels of nitric oxide.

Exercise

Muscle exercise releases oxygen and nutrients, which triggers the release of endothelial nitric oxide. The arteries relax and blood circulation increases.

Use sleep bands

If you usually sleep with your mouth open, use sleep strips. Nitric oxide has a very short life, only a few seconds. It must therefore be provided at all times. 25% of total nitric oxide is produced in the nasal passages. They must therefore be kept moist by nasal breathing, which is not the case if you sleep with your mouth open.

Use a nasal spray

You can use a nasal spray that contains xylitol. It helps stabilize the nasal microbiome and keep the nasal passages moist, which promotes nitric oxide production.

If you follow all these tips, your oral microbiome will be optimal. All you need to do is use a good toothpaste, without any other products, to keep your mouth and teeth healthy.