I want to be sure you are aware of  risks that come along with using mouthwash. So here’s the little known, but important story…

Just as we have vitally important beneficial bacteria in our guts, the same is true of our oral cavity. Very recent science has uncovered that some species of oral bacteria play a vital role in producing nitrite for the body.  Nitrite is an essential compound as it is what your body uses to produce its all-important, all-powerful universal artery opener – nitric oxide – often called NO for short. 

Nitric oxide makes our arteries flexible, pliable and responsive – and dramatically boosts blood flow. NO  is required  for normal blood pressure, a healthy cardiovascular system ( meaning avoiding heart attacks and strokes), a healthy sexual response, as well as immune function.

This is really important stuff –  So you don’t want to do anything that can diminish your body’s precious supply of nitrite, again – the precursor to NO. 

What is the fallout from a reduction in nitrite in the body? Things you do not want – elevated blood pressure, a higher risk of heart attacks and strokes, sexual dysfunction, and immune dysfunction. Unfortunately, mouthwash is something that we know can significantly lower your body’s nitrite supply! 

How? Mouthwash kills the beneficial bacteria ( in this case actually located on the very back of the top of your tongue) that produce nitrite, the must-have precursor to NO – again your universal artery opener.

In the past few years, a number of studies have shown that use of mouthwash can elevate blood pressure – which is not surprising now that we know the huge role oral bacteria play in providing the body with nitrite. In one clinical trial, use of antibacterial mouthwash totally obliterated the cardiovascular benefits of a run on the treadmill! That’s horrible! ….

I hope this information is a sobering reminder to be very, very leery of consumer products that are labeled as “germ killing” or “antibacterial”. They can kill the irreplaceable beneficial bacteria in and on your body that we now know are vitally important  to good health. To learn more about NO, I highly recommend the book, The Nitric Oxide Solution – it contains eye-popping, life-saving, cutting-edge health information.

Before you go, I want to quickly share that we now have a “Refer a friend” program on the Healthy Living School. All of our students now have a “Refer a friend” tab in their user-profile. This means you have a unique link that you can share with friends and loved ones so they’ll get 15% off when enrolling in a course on our school, and as a reward, you’ll get 15% off YOUR next course. So–give 15% off, get 15% off.

Healthy living is so much easier and more fun when we do it together. So cheers to a healthier world and see you next week!