[g_podcast id="14359880"]
In this episode, I talk toholistic dentist, Ayurveda practitioner and developer of the"Muskanadent" brand, Dr. Annette Jasper.
We talk about it:
I am delighted to have Dr. Annette Jasper as my guest today. Welcome, Annette, and it's great to have you here.
Annette: Thank you very much for the invitation, Julia. I'm also very happy to be here, because of course it's an honor for me to be on the podcast with you.
Thank you. Today we want to talk primarily about dental health and the connection between dental health and gut health. There is not only the gut microbiome that everyone always talks about, but there is also an oral microbiome. Now I would like to know: How are these two microbiomes connected?
Annette: Basically, the fact is that there isone microbiome exists. Because the term"microbiome" says it all: It is the totality of all the bacteria that live in us and on us. Most of them, yes, are found in the gut,then on the mucous membranes and on the skin. Of course, the oral microbiome -the"oral flora",<span data-contrast="auto"> we usually say -, the oral flora has to do with the overall microbiome, as it is part of it.
In addition, the oral flora is much more closelylinked to the intestinal florathan, for example, the skin flora. Ultimately, everything is a whole.It's just likethe blood circulation, whichiseverywhere in our body. It's no different in the foot than in the head or heart or anywhere else in the body. It is one whole.So when we talk about the microbiome, we are automatically talking about these individual areas, which of course all relate to each other, arein a relationship and can interfere with each other. That's quite clear.
Exactly, it's also nice to hear once again that everything is connected. I think we sometimes forget - if we only ever talk about the gut or only the liver or only the kidneys - that all the organs, everything we have in the body, actually belongs together somehow and has a connection somewhere.
Annette: Yes, exactly.
What about the intestines in dentistry? Is that an issue? Are you, who think more holistically, perhaps an exception when you say that the gut is important?
Annette: Of course. In the"normaldentalpractice " - please, that's not a judgment - but, let me say, in the normal dental practice, what everyone thinks of as a normal dental practice, where fillings are made, crowns, bridges, implants, all these things, the gut doesn't play a role. It has no place there.It's just like when you go to a cardiologist, the tooth doesn't play a role there either. So these things only play a role in practices that really take a holistic view, treat holistically, look holistically.
But, yes, for all dentists who think and treat holistically, the gut naturally plays a role. In one practice a little more, in another practice a little less,depending on what the practice specializes in.As a dentist,I amspecialized in the Specializing in holistic dentistry. And in this area she also specializes in CMD and oral flora. So, it's getting more and more specialized, more and more specialized, although thewhole is viewed holistically.
But there are, of course, holistic dentists whospecializeinother things.For example,theyspecialize in implants that are metal-free or similar. So, the"holistic" aspect is important,which means that we do certain things in the same or a similar way. So,the same probably never, but very similar.Certain things arejust different. But in a normal dental practice, the dentistdoesn't ask the question: "Do you have intestinal problems?"
Of course I do. It'son the medical history form. And then I also ask:intestinal problems, such and such?Some patients come to me for that, and some patients ask. They give me a big look and say: "Okay? No dentist has ever asked me that question before."
And what can you conclude from this when someone says: "I have diarrhea" or "I'm constipated"? What does that perhaps say about the teeth?
Annette: As a holistic dentist, I can put it like this:"Show me your teeth " - with the gums aroundthem, of course - "and I can tell you what your health is like".Who you are, how you are, what kind of stress you are under, how you deal with your stress. But that is, if you like...I'm going to go backalong, long way. That is It's nothing entirely new, but over time we have simply forgotten how to look.
Because, look, in the old days - way back when there were still slaves - the slave traders used to look into the slaves' mouths to see: Is this a healthy person or not?As a dentist, I can of course see from the gums and the condition of the teeth how the patient's microbiome and immune system are doing. I think it is perhaps worth saying once again:if the microbiome is disturbed, the intestinal flora is disturbed, then the immune system is also disturbed. And that's the issue. If the immune systemis disturbed, then you have more gum problems. The gums simply bleed more. You have inflammation of the gums. And these are all symptoms that present themselves to me, where I know: Yes, of course, but the cause is different.
Of course, there are also patients who haven't cleaned the spaces between their teeth, in which case the gums also become inflamed. There are many patients who do a lot and clean more or less one hundred percent and still have gum problems. And this is due to the immune system, the microbiome, the intestinal flora. Of course, you have to start there. You can'tjustkeep coming up with new tools for cleaning teeth, new rinses and whatever else is available.
There are a number of patients for whom this is important. They stilllack these basics . Or they simply haven't been properly instructed yet. But there are simply very, very many where all this is trueandyousimplyhave tostart somewhere else. Where youstart.
You mentioned the abbreviation "CMD" earlier. Could you perhaps briefly explain what that is? Because I have to be honest, I don't know.
Annette: Yes, of course. With pleasure. So, the abbreviation"CMD" stands for the long term"cranio-mandibular dysfunction". Dysfunction". Sounds terrible. Simply put, there is a dysfunction between thecranium - i.e. the skull - and the lower jaw. This term does not say what kind of dysfunction is present and which structures are involved.
The structures that can be involvedare the muscles, the teeth and the jaw joints. If a disorder manifests itself in this areamanifests itselfthis does not mean that thecause is there. The cause can be in the bite, but the cause can also be,for example, in the habit of clenching your teeth tightly because that's how youdeal with pressure in everyday life.Then, of course, the cause is not the teeth. Then the cause is stress. Andimprovingthis means working through this stress.First recognizing it and then dealing with it. But this term"CMD" only says something at first: Something has manifested itself.
I've been working in this field for 24 years and of course I can see that it's increasing. This problem is increasing.Perhaps because, on the one hand, we arealways under stress, but on the other hand, we are also becoming more and more aware and recognizing this. And our resilience is getting lower and lowerbecause there are simply so many factors atplay.
It's a very exciting area in which I work because every patient is unique.Certain patterns are similar or the same, yes, but everyone still needs to be treated individually.I can't just say:"They'll all get ten massages and then it's fine." Ten massages, XY splint, and then it's good. No, it simply always has to be looked at individually. Very exciting.
What can the effects be? How can you recognize that you might have CMD?
Annette: The symptoms are very varied, because there are many structures can be involved. These can be headaches.It can be neck problems.It can be back pain. Noises in the ears, tinnitus, toothache, of course, pain in the temporomandibular joint, restricted mouth opening, but also knee problems, general injury frequency ...
I work a lot with top athletes.And that makes me very happy,because it's just a different kind of work. They are very, very athletic and the body of every person, including top athletes of course, compensates for a lot. But for them, if I can give an athlete another 5 or 10% more energy because I can improve their static alignment, then that means immeasurable value for their development, for their career. An athlete, a footballer for example, who is often injured is naturally frustrated.Of coursethatdoesn'tworkin his career, in his career and of course he's under pressure and of course he pushes and grinds. And ifhe doesn't have a perfect bite and I can correct that, then he simply gets a completely different stability in his body, is more energetic and the risk of injury is reduced.
Perhaps one more thing about the risk of injury: if your jaw, your bite, is crooked ...you can't always see that.The teeth may look perfect from the outside , but the bite is not aligned with the temporomandibular joints.So if your bite is crooked, your body compensates for it.However,all the structuresare stressed and worndifferently. This means that the temporomandibular joints are worn differently, the cervical spine, the entire vertebral bodies in the back, right up to the hips, of course. And then all the way down to the feet.
If you do this for a year, you won't notice it. But if you do it for 10, 20, 30 years, then at some point you'll notice the consequences. Then you might always have a problem with the meniscus or a foot and only very, very late does it affect the jaw. That's really crazy.And that makesit a bit difficult for most people to graspthe issue, because they don't have any jaw problems. There are many who say:"Yes,mei, I have' a cracking sensation in my joint. But I've had it for 20 years." That's a sign from the body, but because it doesn't hurt, you don't investigate it. But a"cracking in the joint" means that something is displaced,something has shifted. You may not have to treat it straight away, but perhaps you do. So, I would definitely have it checked out.
Okay, that's exciting. But does that also mean that body misalignments can actually start with the teeth? Or in the jaw?
Annette: Yes, definitely. It cango either way: itcan start with the teeth, but it can also start somewhere else and manifest itself in the teeth. So, in thatarea manifest themselves: Headaches, tinnitus, neck problems... Neck problems are of course something that many, many people have. It's definitely not something where I would say:"Here, why don't you use a splint?You should definitely take a look at it.
I think it's good to have heard about it. You've also written a book called "Verzahnt". Did you also write about these kinds of connections? I assume so.
Annette: Yes, of course, exactly. You could say the book is divided into two parts. One section is about these functional disorders and the otherisabout the germs and harmful substances that can enter the body through the teeth.
One thing is also very, very important: everything that the dentist puts into the tooth naturally has an effect on the body. The only question is, how capable is the body of compensating? What else can it compensate for? What can it tolerate? Sometimes I am asked the question:"Which type of filling is healthy?" I can say:"Yes, none." No filling is healthy. We don't have a material that we can say we can put in the tooth and it's healthy. A healthy tooth is one that doesn't need to be drilledout. Everything The other has an effect.
As soon as wedrill into the tooth,throughthe enamel,the uppermost tooth substance, into the dentine, we enter an area that is connected to the blood, to the lymphatic system - in other words, to the basic substance of the body.
Even though most dentists no longer use amalgam, it is still in many mouths.Whether we put an amalgam in there or a cement or a plastic,it doesn't matter what we put in: Of course it has an effect. And the more polluted a system is, with poor nutrition, environmental toxins andso on. The more stressed a system is, the more impact this filling or this crown, what I am doing, has on the entire organism.
If it is a healthy body or a body in balance, then it usually has no effect, butit isstillnot healthy.
But if you already have a filling or if you have a hole, then I suppose you probably have to drill it out.
Annette: Yes.
Conversely, can you actually say that it's particularly important to make sure that the rest of your body is healthy? That you take as good care of yourself as possible to be able to balance it out, so to speak?
Annette: I would basically say that we should be mindful of everything that welet in and into ourselves. That applies toevery area. For every area! Whether it's our diet, our clothes or our thoughts. It doesn't matter what. And of course the filling.
We have a body that can compensate for a lot. It's not like we're going to fall over if we eat a few potato chips. They're not healthy either. We also don't immediately fall overifweput on somethingthat is in some way harmful. And that also applies to our teeth. But we still need to be mindful and really look atwhat we can really change -because there are some things we can't change. Butwhat we can change is what we let into our body, de that we make sure it is as healthy as possible. is healthy or as compatible as possible. The word"compatible"is probably better.
And the most compatible material in dentistry at the moment is ceramic. This is because it is an inert material, i.e.a substance. Of course, there are also different ceramics, but it's justone material. And it also has to be inserted into the tooth with something. You have to know that too. But still:if I glue ina ceramic crown orinlay- the word"glue", "glue in with plastic " is already used-then this plastic layer is not as thick as if I make a plastic filling. Itwould be thicker.
Gold, for example, is nota material. It's a mixture. A gold crown is an alloy, a mixture of different metals.Of course, there is hardly any palladiumin it now. But it is still a mixture, and I would be careful with mixtures.
And if someone already has it in, would you recommend that they have it removed?
Annette: I wouldn't say that across the board. I wouldn't say that across the board because it really, really has to be looked at individually.
However, when it comes to amalgam fillings, I tend to say: "Make sure you get rid of them." The thing is, amalgam contains mercury. Amalgam is those silver fillings. Many people still have these fillings in their mouths. And amalgam contains mercury, and mercury is alwaysreleased in small doses. But if someone clenches their teeth, grinds their teeth, then it is released in slightly larger doses. Of course, the body can compensate for this data-contrast="auto">.
Mostpeople gotthese amalgam fillingswhen they were 20, 25, 30 years old. When they are 50, 60, they still have them, and then of course they say:"Why? I don't have any problems with the fillings." Yes, you don't feel the problems. But your body has got older and you might have gastrointestinal problems or maybe skin problems, concentration problems, whatever.I wouldnever say- because it can't be proven -that it 's because of these amalgam fillings. But the amalgam fillings do put a strain on the system. And it's easy to take them out. It's simply easy! It's much easier than changing a habit or something like that. You go to the dentist and have these amalgam fillings removed.And yes, it can cost something. That may be the case, but it's your health.So I would say that with amalgam fillings ...
And you don't have to panic and removethem all at once if you have several. But simply make sure that you detoxify bit by bit.By detoxing, I mean, for example - and you have a lot to do with this - intestinal detoxification and the like. If you detoxify your body and you have amalgam fillings in your mouth, I don't think that's consistent. On the one hand, you are detoxifying, but on the other hand, you have the poison in your mouth anyway. Everything helps a little, buta little further, a more consistent approach is good.
Otherwise, it alwaysdepends on the case what the issue is. If someone has a lot of allergies, a lot of skin problems, then I would take a closer look at the materials in their mouth. Then it makes more sense to use a >"rehabilitation" thansomeone who doesn't really have a major problem with their body.
Yes, I think that's always important. That you really look at where the person stands. I do that too. If someone asks me about nutrition, I always have to say: "It depends on how you're feeling." If someone already has problems and illnesses, then you have to pay very different attention to their diet than if someone says: "Nah, I don't really have any complaints and I'm fine and healthy." That really makes a big difference.
I would now like to come back to the subject of oral care and dental hygiene. You said earlier that many people are well instructed and others are not. What are the most common mistakes you see people make when it comes to oral hygiene?
Annette: Yes, there are actually quite a few mistakes that can be made.It's very, very important toclean your toothbrush regularly.We're now recording this podcast during thespecial coronavirus period,but of course this always applies. You always have germs on it,always bacteria, often viruses and fungi. And if you 've had an infection, thenthrow this toothbrush awayafterwards, or at least this brush head. We have replaceable brushheads. So, simplydiscard this toothbrush and thenbuy a new one.
And otherwise after a maximum of three months. This is the guideline when the bacteria form colonies, multiply and become pathogenic.You can also throw them away earlier or if the bristles are so bent. Toothbrushes are often used for six months or a year, and if you naturally have gingivitis, then you can infect yourself again and again. That's one thing.
The othermistake is one that is often made:That brushing is done very frequently, but not thoroughly enough. This always leaves areas on the tooth or between the teeth that are not brushed fora long time. Quantity is not enough. The quality of cleaning is important. And by"quality of cleaning" I mean really cleaning in the spaces between the teeth. And cleaning between the teeth means using dental flossand withinterdental brushes, because dental floss is too thin - no matter what kind you use - to clean this interdental space perfectly. And of course there are areas where you can't get through with abrush like this. But to be honest, these are the fewest areas. Nobody haswhole blocks of teeth where they can 't get through with aninterdental brush,but many people think that. Many people think that.
My big tip: Ask your dental hygienist to show you what size of interdentalbrush you need. And a good dental hygienist will have a selection ofbrushes in the practice. Theycan show you,because sometimes it's difficult to find out for yourself. There is always a tendency to use a smallerbrush because you canget througheverywhere quickly. But where you can get through very quickly, you may not be cleaning thoroughly enough, becauseit is important that thisbrush also fills the interdental space. Interdental space care - very, very, very important. Because that's where the bacteria get stuck.
If someone has dentures:Alsoclean under the bridge data-contrast="auto">! Even more thorough withan implant. Dentures of course, removable dentures as well. Or splints: If someonewears a bite splint, a grinding splint, they should brush it off very, very thoroughly. It's not enough toput them in some kind of Kukident tablets, they really need to be brushed off with a brush.
Here's a big mistake: many people always disinfect their mouths. Even right now.You might think that because of corona, I now have to disinfect my mouth several times a day.And then they simply use overly harsh rinsing solutions.These overly harsh rinsing solutions kill all germs - even the good ones.We started with the intestinal flora, the microbiome and the immune system. Now we're back to this topic.Becauseif I kill all germs, then I disrupt the microbiome and therefore the immune system.This has the opposite effect to what I want. Because I want tostrengthenmy body by disinfecting it. But I'm actually weakening it. I am weakening it.
Because that's the way it is: I don't constantly disinfect my skin with alcohol or anything like that. Everyone can imagine how the skin thenbecomes really dry and flakyand it can 'ttolerate that over a longer period of time. Anyone who works in a doctor's or dentist's surgery orin a hospital knows this. If you constantly disinfect your hands,theynaturally becomebrittle and dry and eczema develops more quickly.The hands are always happy to go on vacation, where they are not always disinfected.
It's the same with the oral mucosa. This means that if you are constantly disinfecting, you are damaging your immune system. Heretoo:Not if you do itoncea day or three times a week, butoveryears,weeks, months, years, then you will have gum problems faster and more often and more often.Thisis because the gumscannot regenerate themselves.
Ultimately, the same applies to toothpastesand all products that can be used to clean your teeth. If toothpastes are too coarse-grained, if they contain too many artificial flavors, all these things...So my recommendation is toactuallygo organicafter all.That's also up to you. Just like you can decide:Am I going to eat a portion of chips or a salad?You can also decide:Do I take the healthy or the unhealthy toothpaste? Everything is always a crumb for you or against you.
I think with toothpaste or mouthwash and the like, people just think: "It's medicinal. It's been tested. It's definitely good." Without perhaps questioning it critically. I think you've explained the mouthwash thing very well and why it might not always be such a good idea. And, yes, about toothpaste ... Is it also the case that you might swallow a bit of toothpaste unconsciously?
Annette: Absolutely!It 's like that:You swallow it unconsciously once. But even if you don't swallow it.... The fact is that these substances are in your mouth.You absorbsubstancesvia the oral mucosawithin a fraction of a second. Anyone who has ever had diarrhea and taken a diarrhea tablet -Immodium -knows this. oranaspirin chewable tablet,somethinglike that. Or an asthma spray like that.These are things that work within seconds.
Now let's say you only brushyour teeth twice a dayfor three minutes each time.That gives you six minutes a day. Thenyou have these- perhaps not toxic substances, althoughsome of them are toxic - at leastunhealthy substances or substances ofconcernin your mouthforsix minutes every day.They are in contact with your oral mucosa. Of course, they get intoyourbloodstream, into your body, into your entire system. They can do their mischief there.They can build up. You don't excrete them all. As with all other things.
So, it's really, really underestimated, becauseyou"only"have it in your mouth for six minutes a day , butmaybefor a lifetime. Or how many years? Take a look at a tube of toothpaste! Ifit says:"Do not swallow." -"Keep out ofreach of children". That can't be healthy. Why shouldn't you swallow it if it's healthy? It gets into the bloodstream anyway. Why should you keep it out of the reach of children?
You know thateverything has led me to develop my owntoothpaste range. It's specially designed for irritated and inflamed gums , but of course anyone can use it.But if you have problems with your gums, it's speciallymadefor that.
I think you developed it from your own story because you had problems with your gums yourself, didn't you?
Annette: Exactly.I had problemsat the time due to cancer, after chemotherapy.Of course, that was also a process, a longer story. Of course, I didn'tjustsay:"Now I'm going to make a toothpaste", but it developed that way. I like to tell people that, but then I deviate from my points. Whichis not good,which I noticed.
Of course, it was a development that led me to say:"Okay, then I have to do this now." Someone has to"commit"to health. And Ireally am adentist with heart and soul,"more of a doctor than a dentist", something like that, soI said:"Okay, then I have to do this.It's my job."
I think it explains quite well that it's not just another product, but that you've really developed something that didn't exist before.
Annette: Yes. Exactly, exactly, exactly,one hundred percent.Ah, but that's still quite good.Then I canmention something else data-contrast="auto"> because you said that everyone thinks :"That's medically and clinically proven, what's in the drugstore." Not at all! Not at all!
Take a look at the packaging! It hasn't been tested for intolerances. Because - the truth is - at the very most it saysthatStiftung Warentest hasshownthat it helps against periodontal disease.But what helps against periodontal disease and tooth decay? Brushing your teeth! Simply brushing your teeth helps! No matter what kind of toothpaste youput on your toothbrush. And even if you don't use any toothpaste at all, brushing helps.Just to be clear: brushingwith a toothbrush without any toothpaste on it. If you were to do a study, you would realize: Wow, that helps against periodontal disease and tooth decay! These studiesare a sham. It makes no sense at all.
And if someone asks me now:"Why doesn'tMuskanadenthave such a study?" Yes, because it costs money. I don't want to name names now,but other companies like thatcanof coursespendvast amounts of money, sums of money, for this, and I can't do that. This is a manufactory, a German manufactory. The others can of course spend huge amounts of money on - I'll put it this way -"stupid" tests that look quite nice on the outside.
It is clinically proven and clinically tested when it is used in practice.My products have now been clinically tried and tested for three years. Organic productshave certain seals. Not all have them, but many do, and atMuskanadent we attach great importanceto this.If there data-contrast="auto"> has a Cosmos seal or BDIH seal on it, then it is a guarantee that the ingredientshave been testedfor their compatibility and purity.
Of course, you don't havethat with conventional toothpastes.You can 't testthese chemicals to see if they are compatible, because they are not. They are not compatible. That' s not even the issue of whether they are compatible, it'sabout whether they smell good, taste good and make your mouth feel fresh quickly.It 's some kindofpaste thathas beenmixed together and then you can use it to brush your teeth. But there's no health aspect to it.It's all about selling. And don't be fooled:If the toothpaste coststhree or four euros and an organic toothpaste costs much, much more.Firstly, you don't need much of the toothpaste anyway and secondly, think about what a tube costs, what the retailer gets and how muchvalue this paste in the tube can still have.Almost zero.
It's like everything else. As you said at the beginning: Think about what's going into your body. And as you explained very nicely earlier. If you have these things in your mouth for six minutes a day, it definitely makes sense to have something there that is healthy and beneficial.
What products do you have in stock? Are they just toothpastes or have you developed different things?
Annette:There are four different products.That's how they came about:Wedeveloped them for the practice, for my patients in the practice.We do professional teeth cleaning, of course. And then we thought- well, when I say "we" I mean my dental hygienist, the lovely MandyWasner, andmyself -: Okay, what do we need for our patients? Of course we needed a paste. After all, we wantedone that was caring and healthy.
Then we have something for tongue cleaning. Tongue cleaning is also a big issue.It' s also one of the"mistakes you can make when cleaning your teeth" that youoverlook the tongue.But it's also in the mouth andthere are lots of bacteria on it.So I developed a gel for tongue cleaning becauseIrealizedthat most people don't likeoil pulling, which comes from Ayurveda.Oil pullingis the original solution for tongue cleansing and for the mucous membranes.Most people don't like it, and I felt called upon to say: Okay, then there must be something else.
When it comes to tongue cleansing, it is also important that it is done gently, preferably with natural products. But it shouldstillbequick and, if possible,notleave a strange taste. That's whyis Our gel is reallytasteless.As it naturally contains care substances, it is also very, very good for all kinds of gum inflammation. So, we use it when someone has an inflammation, swelling or bleeding in the interdental space, for example.Then you can putthe gel on thebrush and use thebrush to clean between the teeth.This will get it in place. Or you have anulcer, a pressure sore, whatever. That's why it's called"tongue and gum gel".
Then, of course, there's a mouthwash. I think anyone whohas ever beentoa professional dental cleaning knows or knows that ultrasonic devices are used.Youhave toputa rinsing solutioninthere.Before that, we always usedchlorhexamed.Chlorhexamed also kills everything.Wehadn 't always useditfor quite a while, years in fact, but had other rinsing solutions mixed for us until we mixed the one fromMuskanadent.
We also always apply cream to our lips when cleaning. Many people have torn corners of the mouth or something like that, orblisters on the lips and that's whywe use this lip balm. It's a lip balm withniem, camomile, alpine rose,with all these ingredients, i.e. substances that care for the lips.It contains jojoba oil andshea butter.Not just any waxes that dry out the lips, but something that is quickly absorbed and cares for the lips.
This is how the things were created.These are four products.When we realized:"Wow, this is better than we thought. Patients love it!", we then dared to go outside and started selling them. That was three years ago.We're working ongetting it out to other people too.
Great. Where can you find the products if someone is curious and says: "Oh, I'd like to try that"?
AnnetteWe now have approval for pharmacies, which means you can get it in pharmacies. However, I have to say that we are not yet big enough for pharmacies to stock us.Or only very few pharmacies. I think there are one or two in Bremen. But pharmacies can of course order us in any case. We have this pharmacy PZN number andtheapproval for it. Then of course online viawww.muskanadent.com ."Muskana" is Indian for"smile", hence the name.
You can of courseget the productsat my practice. We'realsoin talks with some retailers at the moment to see if we might be included. So, of course, that's one way.Nobody is waiting for you andshouting: "Oh, finally a healthy toothpaste!"
It's just a way, and we're in talks with some of them. We also sell via Amazon, of course.Some dentists have data-contrast="auto"> the products already.I am particularly proud that dentists' minds and awareness are changing. Some dentists now also offer professional tooth cleaning on an Ayurvedic basis. After all, we are Ayurvedic and vegan.These dentistsalso recognize that peoplewant something natural. Theywant alternatives to the old. They pay more attention to their health.A lot is happening in the dental profession, although it has been slow.
This also applies to dental hygienists. We have some dental hygienists who give courses and of course they train other hygienistswho thendo something in the field of natural care, vegan, Ayurvedic products.In other words, it may well be that one or two listeners are at a dentist who already has this.It's definitely worth asking.
Annette, I could go on talking to you for hours. Finally, you mentioned the word Ayurveda and I know that you also place a lot of value on things like meditation, for example. Would you like to say something more about this lifestyle and why it is so important?
Annette: Thank you. Yes, you're right. Of course, you can also talk a lot and for a long time about this. How can I be brief? It's a lifestyle that is simply very important to me. Because it's not just about looking at these "solid" components that we let into ourselves, but also these subtle, delicate ones that we let into our heads, into our thoughts. I have learned through my illness how much healing we can do ourselves. That's why I have this podcast: "You create your own health", because you simply create your own health and feelings of fear and thoughts of fear simply make you ill. You weaken your immune system.
Cherish positive thoughts!This doesn't mean superficially positive, but really the gratitude you have in yourself and the trust in your body that it can heal - and itcan heal. Because look:Every second >new cells are formed in the body.The body regeneratesitselfall the time. And once you realize that... That alone should make us very, very grateful. That the body does this.
Of course, we can reinforcethisconsiderably through our thoughts, our behavior, by pausing and through meditation. This is also very important to me and I often share this with my patients. Wealso offer meditation sessions atthe practice. You shouldn't imagine that we are sitting in the dentist's chair, but that is of course at a different time and in a neighboring practice. I also have a practice with physiotherapists andosteopaths and there, in this practice, a yoga teacher comes once a week. She offersthese meditation classesfree of charge because it's so important to me that everyone really finds out for themselves what they can do. And somehow Ihave the impression that it'sdefinitely morepopularwith people.It' sjust thatin this day and age, when so much fear is being spread,so many people are forgetting aboutitagain.But right now it's very, very important. And, yes, I hope that we can infect as many people as possible with this idea. After all,it doesn't cost any money to tap into these self-healing powers.
Exactly. Exactly. And that's what we're working towards here with our podcast. In other words: taking a holistic approach and incorporating all aspects. I think we've made that very clear in this conversation today. We've shown how things are connected and, yes, how important it is to take responsibility for your health again.
Annette: Yes.
Thank you very much, Annette, for this great conversation. Finally, are there any anything you would like to mention or that you would like to pass on to my listeners?
Annette: The most important thing is to really listen to yourself. Really take a little time every day. I know some people don't like the word"meditation", but just take a little time for yourself. And whether that's a look out of the window or a short walk or whatever. Everyone can do that for themselves however they like,but just a little time for yourself. And it always helps me to say to myself:"This is my life"."This, where I am in here now, this is my life." And then I automatically get into the mode: yes, it's not an exercise in my life or anything like that. No, thisis my life right now. Then please shape it the way you want it to be! I think that definitely helps.
Thank you. Those are nice closing words. Where do listeners find you when they're looking for you? You mentioned Muskanadent. What other websites are there where people can find you?
Annette: I'm not on all social media, but I can of course be found on Facebook and Instagram. You can enter my name there.
But there is a homepagewww.drannettejasper.de andthe homepageis something like an "overview page". From there you can access the practice page, theMuskanadentpage.
Super, very good. Yes, dear Annette, I hope you have a good time and thank you very much for the lovely conversation. We'll definitely stay in touch.
Annette: Thank you, Julia. It was a pleasure. All the best to you all. Ciao!
The links to the episode are:
Website of Dr. Jasper:https://www.drjasper.de/zahnarzt/
Book "Verzahnt" by Dr. Jasper: https://www.amazon.de/gp/product/B07D12LP65/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i1?tag=wwwgrubererna-21
Book "Yoga sei Dank: Die heilsame Kraft von Yoga und Meditation" by Dr. Annette Jasper: https://www.amazon.de/Yoga-sei-Dank-heilsame-Meditation/dp/383120537X/ref=sr_1_1?tag=wwwgrubererna-21
Dental and oral care products: https://muskanadent.com
Muskana Adakemie: https://muskana-akademie.de/
Now I recommend you subscribe to the podcast so you never miss an episode, and if you like what you hear, I really appreciate a review on iTunes or Apple Podcast. Because these reviews also help other people to find the podcast so that we can spread the knowledge about gut and health more.
In this episode, I talk toholistic dentist, Ayurveda practitioner and developer of the"Muskanadent" brand, Dr. Annette Jasper.
We talk about it:
- How dental health is linked to gut health
- How teeth can affect posture
- How dental fillings affect the body
- What the most common oral hygiene mistakes are
- Why Dr. Jasper developed the "Muskanadent" brand has developed
I am delighted to have Dr. Annette Jasper as my guest today. Welcome, Annette, and it's great to have you here.
Annette: Thank you very much for the invitation, Julia. I'm also very happy to be here, because of course it's an honor for me to be on the podcast with you.
Thank you. Today we want to talk primarily about dental health and the connection between dental health and gut health. There is not only the gut microbiome that everyone always talks about, but there is also an oral microbiome. Now I would like to know: How are these two microbiomes connected?
Gut health and dentistry: is there a connection?
Annette: Basically, the fact is that there isone microbiome exists. Because the term"microbiome" says it all: It is the totality of all the bacteria that live in us and on us. Most of them, yes, are found in the gut,then on the mucous membranes and on the skin. Of course, the oral microbiome -the"oral flora",<span data-contrast="auto"> we usually say -, the oral flora has to do with the overall microbiome, as it is part of it.
In addition, the oral flora is much more closelylinked to the intestinal florathan, for example, the skin flora. Ultimately, everything is a whole.It's just likethe blood circulation, whichiseverywhere in our body. It's no different in the foot than in the head or heart or anywhere else in the body. It is one whole.So when we talk about the microbiome, we are automatically talking about these individual areas, which of course all relate to each other, arein a relationship and can interfere with each other. That's quite clear.
Exactly, it's also nice to hear once again that everything is connected. I think we sometimes forget - if we only ever talk about the gut or only the liver or only the kidneys - that all the organs, everything we have in the body, actually belongs together somehow and has a connection somewhere.
Annette: Yes, exactly.
What about the intestines in dentistry? Is that an issue? Are you, who think more holistically, perhaps an exception when you say that the gut is important?
Annette: Of course. In the"normaldentalpractice " - please, that's not a judgment - but, let me say, in the normal dental practice, what everyone thinks of as a normal dental practice, where fillings are made, crowns, bridges, implants, all these things, the gut doesn't play a role. It has no place there.It's just like when you go to a cardiologist, the tooth doesn't play a role there either. So these things only play a role in practices that really take a holistic view, treat holistically, look holistically.
But, yes, for all dentists who think and treat holistically, the gut naturally plays a role. In one practice a little more, in another practice a little less,depending on what the practice specializes in.As a dentist,I amspecialized in the Specializing in holistic dentistry. And in this area she also specializes in CMD and oral flora. So, it's getting more and more specialized, more and more specialized, although thewhole is viewed holistically.
But there are, of course, holistic dentists whospecializeinother things.For example,theyspecialize in implants that are metal-free or similar. So, the"holistic" aspect is important,which means that we do certain things in the same or a similar way. So,the same probably never, but very similar.Certain things arejust different. But in a normal dental practice, the dentistdoesn't ask the question: "Do you have intestinal problems?"
Show me your teeth and I'll tell you how healthy your body is
Of course I do. It'son the medical history form. And then I also ask:intestinal problems, such and such?Some patients come to me for that, and some patients ask. They give me a big look and say: "Okay? No dentist has ever asked me that question before."
And what can you conclude from this when someone says: "I have diarrhea" or "I'm constipated"? What does that perhaps say about the teeth?
Annette: As a holistic dentist, I can put it like this:"Show me your teeth " - with the gums aroundthem, of course - "and I can tell you what your health is like".Who you are, how you are, what kind of stress you are under, how you deal with your stress. But that is, if you like...I'm going to go backalong, long way. That is It's nothing entirely new, but over time we have simply forgotten how to look.
Because, look, in the old days - way back when there were still slaves - the slave traders used to look into the slaves' mouths to see: Is this a healthy person or not?As a dentist, I can of course see from the gums and the condition of the teeth how the patient's microbiome and immune system are doing. I think it is perhaps worth saying once again:if the microbiome is disturbed, the intestinal flora is disturbed, then the immune system is also disturbed. And that's the issue. If the immune systemis disturbed, then you have more gum problems. The gums simply bleed more. You have inflammation of the gums. And these are all symptoms that present themselves to me, where I know: Yes, of course, but the cause is different.
Of course, there are also patients who haven't cleaned the spaces between their teeth, in which case the gums also become inflamed. There are many patients who do a lot and clean more or less one hundred percent and still have gum problems. And this is due to the immune system, the microbiome, the intestinal flora. Of course, you have to start there. You can'tjustkeep coming up with new tools for cleaning teeth, new rinses and whatever else is available.
There are a number of patients for whom this is important. They stilllack these basics . Or they simply haven't been properly instructed yet. But there are simply very, very many where all this is trueandyousimplyhave tostart somewhere else. Where youstart.
You mentioned the abbreviation "CMD" earlier. Could you perhaps briefly explain what that is? Because I have to be honest, I don't know.
Cranio-mandibular dysfunctionHow the jaw can affect your posture
Annette: Yes, of course. With pleasure. So, the abbreviation"CMD" stands for the long term"cranio-mandibular dysfunction". Dysfunction". Sounds terrible. Simply put, there is a dysfunction between thecranium - i.e. the skull - and the lower jaw. This term does not say what kind of dysfunction is present and which structures are involved.
The structures that can be involvedare the muscles, the teeth and the jaw joints. If a disorder manifests itself in this areamanifests itselfthis does not mean that thecause is there. The cause can be in the bite, but the cause can also be,for example, in the habit of clenching your teeth tightly because that's how youdeal with pressure in everyday life.Then, of course, the cause is not the teeth. Then the cause is stress. Andimprovingthis means working through this stress.First recognizing it and then dealing with it. But this term"CMD" only says something at first: Something has manifested itself.
I've been working in this field for 24 years and of course I can see that it's increasing. This problem is increasing.Perhaps because, on the one hand, we arealways under stress, but on the other hand, we are also becoming more and more aware and recognizing this. And our resilience is getting lower and lowerbecause there are simply so many factors atplay.
It's a very exciting area in which I work because every patient is unique.Certain patterns are similar or the same, yes, but everyone still needs to be treated individually.I can't just say:"They'll all get ten massages and then it's fine." Ten massages, XY splint, and then it's good. No, it simply always has to be looked at individually. Very exciting.
What can the effects be? How can you recognize that you might have CMD?
Annette: The symptoms are very varied, because there are many structures can be involved. These can be headaches.It can be neck problems.It can be back pain. Noises in the ears, tinnitus, toothache, of course, pain in the temporomandibular joint, restricted mouth opening, but also knee problems, general injury frequency ...
I work a lot with top athletes.And that makes me very happy,because it's just a different kind of work. They are very, very athletic and the body of every person, including top athletes of course, compensates for a lot. But for them, if I can give an athlete another 5 or 10% more energy because I can improve their static alignment, then that means immeasurable value for their development, for their career. An athlete, a footballer for example, who is often injured is naturally frustrated.Of coursethatdoesn'tworkin his career, in his career and of course he's under pressure and of course he pushes and grinds. And ifhe doesn't have a perfect bite and I can correct that, then he simply gets a completely different stability in his body, is more energetic and the risk of injury is reduced.
Perhaps one more thing about the risk of injury: if your jaw, your bite, is crooked ...you can't always see that.The teeth may look perfect from the outside , but the bite is not aligned with the temporomandibular joints.So if your bite is crooked, your body compensates for it.However,all the structuresare stressed and worndifferently. This means that the temporomandibular joints are worn differently, the cervical spine, the entire vertebral bodies in the back, right up to the hips, of course. And then all the way down to the feet.
If you do this for a year, you won't notice it. But if you do it for 10, 20, 30 years, then at some point you'll notice the consequences. Then you might always have a problem with the meniscus or a foot and only very, very late does it affect the jaw. That's really crazy.And that makesit a bit difficult for most people to graspthe issue, because they don't have any jaw problems. There are many who say:"Yes,mei, I have' a cracking sensation in my joint. But I've had it for 20 years." That's a sign from the body, but because it doesn't hurt, you don't investigate it. But a"cracking in the joint" means that something is displaced,something has shifted. You may not have to treat it straight away, but perhaps you do. So, I would definitely have it checked out.
Okay, that's exciting. But does that also mean that body misalignments can actually start with the teeth? Or in the jaw?
Annette: Yes, definitely. It cango either way: itcan start with the teeth, but it can also start somewhere else and manifest itself in the teeth. So, in thatarea manifest themselves: Headaches, tinnitus, neck problems... Neck problems are of course something that many, many people have. It's definitely not something where I would say:"Here, why don't you use a splint?You should definitely take a look at it.
I think it's good to have heard about it. You've also written a book called "Verzahnt". Did you also write about these kinds of connections? I assume so.
Annette: Yes, of course, exactly. You could say the book is divided into two parts. One section is about these functional disorders and the otherisabout the germs and harmful substances that can enter the body through the teeth.
Every dental filling brings foreign substances into the body
One thing is also very, very important: everything that the dentist puts into the tooth naturally has an effect on the body. The only question is, how capable is the body of compensating? What else can it compensate for? What can it tolerate? Sometimes I am asked the question:"Which type of filling is healthy?" I can say:"Yes, none." No filling is healthy. We don't have a material that we can say we can put in the tooth and it's healthy. A healthy tooth is one that doesn't need to be drilledout. Everything The other has an effect.
As soon as wedrill into the tooth,throughthe enamel,the uppermost tooth substance, into the dentine, we enter an area that is connected to the blood, to the lymphatic system - in other words, to the basic substance of the body.
Even though most dentists no longer use amalgam, it is still in many mouths.Whether we put an amalgam in there or a cement or a plastic,it doesn't matter what we put in: Of course it has an effect. And the more polluted a system is, with poor nutrition, environmental toxins andso on. The more stressed a system is, the more impact this filling or this crown, what I am doing, has on the entire organism.
If it is a healthy body or a body in balance, then it usually has no effect, butit isstillnot healthy.
But if you already have a filling or if you have a hole, then I suppose you probably have to drill it out.
Annette: Yes.
Conversely, can you actually say that it's particularly important to make sure that the rest of your body is healthy? That you take as good care of yourself as possible to be able to balance it out, so to speak?
Annette: I would basically say that we should be mindful of everything that welet in and into ourselves. That applies toevery area. For every area! Whether it's our diet, our clothes or our thoughts. It doesn't matter what. And of course the filling.
We have a body that can compensate for a lot. It's not like we're going to fall over if we eat a few potato chips. They're not healthy either. We also don't immediately fall overifweput on somethingthat is in some way harmful. And that also applies to our teeth. But we still need to be mindful and really look atwhat we can really change -because there are some things we can't change. Butwhat we can change is what we let into our body, de that we make sure it is as healthy as possible. is healthy or as compatible as possible. The word"compatible"is probably better.
And the most compatible material in dentistry at the moment is ceramic. This is because it is an inert material, i.e.a substance. Of course, there are also different ceramics, but it's justone material. And it also has to be inserted into the tooth with something. You have to know that too. But still:if I glue ina ceramic crown orinlay- the word"glue", "glue in with plastic " is already used-then this plastic layer is not as thick as if I make a plastic filling. Itwould be thicker.
Gold, for example, is nota material. It's a mixture. A gold crown is an alloy, a mixture of different metals.Of course, there is hardly any palladiumin it now. But it is still a mixture, and I would be careful with mixtures.
And if someone already has it in, would you recommend that they have it removed?
Annette: I wouldn't say that across the board. I wouldn't say that across the board because it really, really has to be looked at individually.
However, when it comes to amalgam fillings, I tend to say: "Make sure you get rid of them." The thing is, amalgam contains mercury. Amalgam is those silver fillings. Many people still have these fillings in their mouths. And amalgam contains mercury, and mercury is alwaysreleased in small doses. But if someone clenches their teeth, grinds their teeth, then it is released in slightly larger doses. Of course, the body can compensate for this
Mostpeople gotthese amalgam fillingswhen they were 20, 25, 30 years old. When they are 50, 60, they still have them, and then of course they say:"Why? I don't have any problems with the fillings." Yes, you don't feel the problems. But your body has got older and you might have gastrointestinal problems or maybe skin problems, concentration problems, whatever.I wouldnever say- because it can't be proven -that it 's because of these amalgam fillings. But the amalgam fillings do put a strain on the system. And it's easy to take them out. It's simply easy! It's much easier than changing a habit or something like that. You go to the dentist and have these amalgam fillings removed.And yes, it can cost something. That may be the case, but it's your health.So I would say that with amalgam fillings ...
And you don't have to panic and removethem all at once if you have several. But simply make sure that you detoxify bit by bit.By detoxing, I mean, for example - and you have a lot to do with this - intestinal detoxification and the like. If you detoxify your body and you have amalgam fillings in your mouth, I don't think that's consistent. On the one hand, you are detoxifying, but on the other hand, you have the poison in your mouth anyway. Everything helps a little, buta little further, a more consistent approach is good.
Otherwise, it alwaysdepends on the case what the issue is. If someone has a lot of allergies, a lot of skin problems, then I would take a closer look at the materials in their mouth. Then it makes more sense to use a >"rehabilitation" thansomeone who doesn't really have a major problem with their body.
Yes, I think that's always important. That you really look at where the person stands. I do that too. If someone asks me about nutrition, I always have to say: "It depends on how you're feeling." If someone already has problems and illnesses, then you have to pay very different attention to their diet than if someone says: "Nah, I don't really have any complaints and I'm fine and healthy." That really makes a big difference.
Dental hygiene mistake no. 1: The toothbrush is too old
I would now like to come back to the subject of oral care and dental hygiene. You said earlier that many people are well instructed and others are not. What are the most common mistakes you see people make when it comes to oral hygiene?
Annette: Yes, there are actually quite a few mistakes that can be made.It's very, very important toclean your toothbrush regularly.We're now recording this podcast during thespecial coronavirus period,but of course this always applies. You always have germs on it,always bacteria, often viruses and fungi. And if you 've had an infection, thenthrow this toothbrush awayafterwards, or at least this brush head. We have replaceable brushheads. So, simplydiscard this toothbrush and thenbuy a new one.
And otherwise after a maximum of three months. This is the guideline when the bacteria form colonies, multiply and become pathogenic.You can also throw them away earlier or if the bristles are so bent. Toothbrushes are often used for six months or a year, and if you naturally have gingivitis, then you can infect yourself again and again. That's one thing.
Dental hygiene mistake no.2: Quantity over quality
The othermistake is one that is often made:That brushing is done very frequently, but not thoroughly enough. This always leaves areas on the tooth or between the teeth that are not brushed fora long time. Quantity is not enough. The quality of cleaning is important. And by"quality of cleaning" I mean really cleaning in the spaces between the teeth. And cleaning between the teeth means using dental flossand withinterdental brushes, because dental floss is too thin - no matter what kind you use - to clean this interdental space perfectly. And of course there are areas where you can't get through with abrush like this. But to be honest, these are the fewest areas. Nobody haswhole blocks of teeth where they can 't get through with aninterdental brush,but many people think that. Many people think that.
My big tip: Ask your dental hygienist to show you what size of interdentalbrush you need. And a good dental hygienist will have a selection ofbrushes in the practice. Theycan show you,because sometimes it's difficult to find out for yourself. There is always a tendency to use a smallerbrush because you canget througheverywhere quickly. But where you can get through very quickly, you may not be cleaning thoroughly enough, becauseit is important that thisbrush also fills the interdental space. Interdental space care - very, very, very important. Because that's where the bacteria get stuck.
If someone has dentures:Alsoclean under the bridge
Dental hygiene mistake no.3:Mouth disinfection
Here's a big mistake: many people always disinfect their mouths. Even right now.You might think that because of corona, I now have to disinfect my mouth several times a day.And then they simply use overly harsh rinsing solutions.These overly harsh rinsing solutions kill all germs - even the good ones.We started with the intestinal flora, the microbiome and the immune system. Now we're back to this topic.Becauseif I kill all germs, then I disrupt the microbiome and therefore the immune system.This has the opposite effect to what I want. Because I want tostrengthenmy body by disinfecting it. But I'm actually weakening it. I am weakening it.
Because that's the way it is: I don't constantly disinfect my skin with alcohol or anything like that. Everyone can imagine how the skin thenbecomes really dry and flakyand it can 'ttolerate that over a longer period of time. Anyone who works in a doctor's or dentist's surgery orin a hospital knows this. If you constantly disinfect your hands,theynaturally becomebrittle and dry and eczema develops more quickly.The hands are always happy to go on vacation, where they are not always disinfected.
It's the same with the oral mucosa. This means that if you are constantly disinfecting, you are damaging your immune system. Heretoo:Not if you do itoncea day or three times a week, butoveryears,weeks, months, years, then you will have gum problems faster and more often and more often.Thisis because the gumscannot regenerate themselves.
Toxic oral care products
Ultimately, the same applies to toothpastesand all products that can be used to clean your teeth. If toothpastes are too coarse-grained, if they contain too many artificial flavors, all these things...So my recommendation is toactuallygo organicafter all.That's also up to you. Just like you can decide:Am I going to eat a portion of chips or a salad?You can also decide:Do I take the healthy or the unhealthy toothpaste? Everything is always a crumb for you or against you.
I think with toothpaste or mouthwash and the like, people just think: "It's medicinal. It's been tested. It's definitely good." Without perhaps questioning it critically. I think you've explained the mouthwash thing very well and why it might not always be such a good idea. And, yes, about toothpaste ... Is it also the case that you might swallow a bit of toothpaste unconsciously?
Annette: Absolutely!It 's like that:You swallow it unconsciously once. But even if you don't swallow it.... The fact is that these substances are in your mouth.You absorbsubstancesvia the oral mucosawithin a fraction of a second. Anyone who has ever had diarrhea and taken a diarrhea tablet -Immodium -knows this. oranaspirin chewable tablet,somethinglike that. Or an asthma spray like that.These are things that work within seconds.
Now let's say you only brushyour teeth twice a dayfor three minutes each time.That gives you six minutes a day. Thenyou have these- perhaps not toxic substances, althoughsome of them are toxic - at leastunhealthy substances or substances ofconcernin your mouthforsix minutes every day.They are in contact with your oral mucosa. Of course, they get intoyourbloodstream, into your body, into your entire system. They can do their mischief there.They can build up. You don't excrete them all. As with all other things.
So, it's really, really underestimated, becauseyou"only"have it in your mouth for six minutes a day , butmaybefor a lifetime. Or how many years? Take a look at a tube of toothpaste! Ifit says:"Do not swallow." -"Keep out ofreach of children". That can't be healthy. Why shouldn't you swallow it if it's healthy? It gets into the bloodstream anyway. Why should you keep it out of the reach of children?
Muskanadent - a range of natural oral care products
You know thateverything has led me to develop my owntoothpaste range. It's specially designed for irritated and inflamed gums , but of course anyone can use it.But if you have problems with your gums, it's speciallymadefor that.
I think you developed it from your own story because you had problems with your gums yourself, didn't you?
Annette: Exactly.I had problemsat the time due to cancer, after chemotherapy.Of course, that was also a process, a longer story. Of course, I didn'tjustsay:"Now I'm going to make a toothpaste", but it developed that way. I like to tell people that, but then I deviate from my points. Whichis not good,which I noticed.
Of course, it was a development that led me to say:"Okay, then I have to do this now." Someone has to"commit"to health. And Ireally am adentist with heart and soul,"more of a doctor than a dentist", something like that, soI said:"Okay, then I have to do this.It's my job."
I think it explains quite well that it's not just another product, but that you've really developed something that didn't exist before.
Annette: Yes. Exactly, exactly, exactly,one hundred percent.Ah, but that's still quite good.Then I canmention something else
Take a look at the packaging! It hasn't been tested for intolerances. Because - the truth is - at the very most it saysthatStiftung Warentest hasshownthat it helps against periodontal disease.But what helps against periodontal disease and tooth decay? Brushing your teeth! Simply brushing your teeth helps! No matter what kind of toothpaste youput on your toothbrush. And even if you don't use any toothpaste at all, brushing helps.Just to be clear: brushingwith a toothbrush without any toothpaste on it. If you were to do a study, you would realize: Wow, that helps against periodontal disease and tooth decay! These studiesare a sham. It makes no sense at all.
And if someone asks me now:"Why doesn'tMuskanadenthave such a study?" Yes, because it costs money. I don't want to name names now,but other companies like thatcanof coursespendvast amounts of money, sums of money, for this, and I can't do that. This is a manufactory, a German manufactory. The others can of course spend huge amounts of money on - I'll put it this way -"stupid" tests that look quite nice on the outside.
It is clinically proven and clinically tested when it is used in practice.My products have now been clinically tried and tested for three years. Organic productshave certain seals. Not all have them, but many do, and atMuskanadent we attach great importanceto this.If there
Of course, you don't havethat with conventional toothpastes.You can 't testthese chemicals to see if they are compatible, because they are not. They are not compatible. That' s not even the issue of whether they are compatible, it'sabout whether they smell good, taste good and make your mouth feel fresh quickly.It 's some kindofpaste thathas beenmixed together and then you can use it to brush your teeth. But there's no health aspect to it.It's all about selling. And don't be fooled:If the toothpaste coststhree or four euros and an organic toothpaste costs much, much more.Firstly, you don't need much of the toothpaste anyway and secondly, think about what a tube costs, what the retailer gets and how muchvalue this paste in the tube can still have.Almost zero.
It's like everything else. As you said at the beginning: Think about what's going into your body. And as you explained very nicely earlier. If you have these things in your mouth for six minutes a day, it definitely makes sense to have something there that is healthy and beneficial.
What products do you have in stock? Are they just toothpastes or have you developed different things?
Annette:There are four different products.That's how they came about:Wedeveloped them for the practice, for my patients in the practice.We do professional teeth cleaning, of course. And then we thought- well, when I say "we" I mean my dental hygienist, the lovely MandyWasner, andmyself -: Okay, what do we need for our patients? Of course we needed a paste. After all, we wantedone that was caring and healthy.
Dental hygiene mistake no.4: Forgetting the tongue
Then we have something for tongue cleaning. Tongue cleaning is also a big issue.It' s also one of the"mistakes you can make when cleaning your teeth" that youoverlook the tongue.But it's also in the mouth andthere are lots of bacteria on it.So I developed a gel for tongue cleaning becauseIrealizedthat most people don't likeoil pulling, which comes from Ayurveda.Oil pullingis the original solution for tongue cleansing and for the mucous membranes.Most people don't like it, and I felt called upon to say: Okay, then there must be something else.
When it comes to tongue cleansing, it is also important that it is done gently, preferably with natural products. But it shouldstillbequick and, if possible,notleave a strange taste. That's whyis Our gel is reallytasteless.As it naturally contains care substances, it is also very, very good for all kinds of gum inflammation. So, we use it when someone has an inflammation, swelling or bleeding in the interdental space, for example.Then you can putthe gel on thebrush and use thebrush to clean between the teeth.This will get it in place. Or you have anulcer, a pressure sore, whatever. That's why it's called"tongue and gum gel".
Then, of course, there's a mouthwash. I think anyone whohas ever beentoa professional dental cleaning knows or knows that ultrasonic devices are used.Youhave toputa rinsing solutioninthere.Before that, we always usedchlorhexamed.Chlorhexamed also kills everything.Wehadn 't always useditfor quite a while, years in fact, but had other rinsing solutions mixed for us until we mixed the one fromMuskanadent.
We also always apply cream to our lips when cleaning. Many people have torn corners of the mouth or something like that, orblisters on the lips and that's whywe use this lip balm. It's a lip balm withniem, camomile, alpine rose,with all these ingredients, i.e. substances that care for the lips.It contains jojoba oil andshea butter.Not just any waxes that dry out the lips, but something that is quickly absorbed and cares for the lips.
This is how the things were created.These are four products.When we realized:"Wow, this is better than we thought. Patients love it!", we then dared to go outside and started selling them. That was three years ago.We're working ongetting it out to other people too.
Great. Where can you find the products if someone is curious and says: "Oh, I'd like to try that"?
Where can you getMuskanadent-products?
AnnetteWe now have approval for pharmacies, which means you can get it in pharmacies. However, I have to say that we are not yet big enough for pharmacies to stock us.Or only very few pharmacies. I think there are one or two in Bremen. But pharmacies can of course order us in any case. We have this pharmacy PZN number andtheapproval for it. Then of course online viawww.muskanadent.com ."Muskana" is Indian for"smile", hence the name.
You can of courseget the productsat my practice. We'realsoin talks with some retailers at the moment to see if we might be included. So, of course, that's one way.Nobody is waiting for you andshouting: "Oh, finally a healthy toothpaste!"
It's just a way, and we're in talks with some of them. We also sell via Amazon, of course.Some dentists have
This also applies to dental hygienists. We have some dental hygienists who give courses and of course they train other hygienistswho thendo something in the field of natural care, vegan, Ayurvedic products.In other words, it may well be that one or two listeners are at a dentist who already has this.It's definitely worth asking.
Annette, I could go on talking to you for hours. Finally, you mentioned the word Ayurveda and I know that you also place a lot of value on things like meditation, for example. Would you like to say something more about this lifestyle and why it is so important?
Annette: Thank you. Yes, you're right. Of course, you can also talk a lot and for a long time about this. How can I be brief? It's a lifestyle that is simply very important to me. Because it's not just about looking at these "solid" components that we let into ourselves, but also these subtle, delicate ones that we let into our heads, into our thoughts. I have learned through my illness how much healing we can do ourselves. That's why I have this podcast: "You create your own health", because you simply create your own health and feelings of fear and thoughts of fear simply make you ill. You weaken your immune system.
You make your own health
Cherish positive thoughts!This doesn't mean superficially positive, but really the gratitude you have in yourself and the trust in your body that it can heal - and itcan heal. Because look:Every second >new cells are formed in the body.The body regeneratesitselfall the time. And once you realize that... That alone should make us very, very grateful. That the body does this.
Of course, we can reinforcethisconsiderably through our thoughts, our behavior, by pausing and through meditation. This is also very important to me and I often share this with my patients. Wealso offer meditation sessions atthe practice. You shouldn't imagine that we are sitting in the dentist's chair, but that is of course at a different time and in a neighboring practice. I also have a practice with physiotherapists andosteopaths and there, in this practice, a yoga teacher comes once a week. She offersthese meditation classesfree of charge because it's so important to me that everyone really finds out for themselves what they can do. And somehow Ihave the impression that it'sdefinitely morepopularwith people.It' sjust thatin this day and age, when so much fear is being spread,so many people are forgetting aboutitagain.But right now it's very, very important. And, yes, I hope that we can infect as many people as possible with this idea. After all,it doesn't cost any money to tap into these self-healing powers.
Exactly. Exactly. And that's what we're working towards here with our podcast. In other words: taking a holistic approach and incorporating all aspects. I think we've made that very clear in this conversation today. We've shown how things are connected and, yes, how important it is to take responsibility for your health again.
Annette: Yes.
Thank you very much, Annette, for this great conversation. Finally, are there any anything you would like to mention or that you would like to pass on to my listeners?
Life is not a dress rehearsal
Annette: The most important thing is to really listen to yourself. Really take a little time every day. I know some people don't like the word"meditation", but just take a little time for yourself. And whether that's a look out of the window or a short walk or whatever. Everyone can do that for themselves however they like,but just a little time for yourself. And it always helps me to say to myself:"This is my life"."This, where I am in here now, this is my life." And then I automatically get into the mode: yes, it's not an exercise in my life or anything like that. No, thisis my life right now. Then please shape it the way you want it to be! I think that definitely helps.
Thank you. Those are nice closing words. Where do listeners find you when they're looking for you? You mentioned Muskanadent. What other websites are there where people can find you?
Annette: I'm not on all social media, but I can of course be found on Facebook and Instagram. You can enter my name there.
But there is a homepagewww.drannettejasper.de andthe homepageis something like an "overview page". From there you can access the practice page, theMuskanadentpage.
Super, very good. Yes, dear Annette, I hope you have a good time and thank you very much for the lovely conversation. We'll definitely stay in touch.
Annette: Thank you, Julia. It was a pleasure. All the best to you all. Ciao!
The links to the episode are:
Website of Dr. Jasper:https://www.drjasper.de/zahnarzt/
Book "Verzahnt" by Dr. Jasper: https://www.amazon.de/gp/product/B07D12LP65/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i1?tag=wwwgrubererna-21
Book "Yoga sei Dank: Die heilsame Kraft von Yoga und Meditation" by Dr. Annette Jasper: https://www.amazon.de/Yoga-sei-Dank-heilsame-Meditation/dp/383120537X/ref=sr_1_1?tag=wwwgrubererna-21
Dental and oral care products: https://muskanadent.com
Muskana Adakemie: https://muskana-akademie.de/
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