Another new year, another chance for a fresh start! And we mean that in the most literal sense.

The new year is a perfect opportunity to assess and prioritize your self-care routine, ensuring that it nurtures your oral+overall health.

While a fresh start might sound overwhelming, we’re here to help with our top five tips for easing into a healthy and holistic oral care routine that nurtures full body health! These tips are so simple and attainable, you can implement them today.

Always remember, no action is too small when it comes to daily self-care. These small practices can lend long-term results.

1: view oral health holistically

As we like to say, your mouth is the window to your overall health. We love to discuss how your oral microbiome is so closely related to your gut microbiome, both of which play huge roles in nourishing your brain, heart, mood, liver, skin, immune system, and beyond.

In obvious ways, your mouth is literally the window to your gut, so any bad bacteria and pathogens that remain in your mouth can be transported to your gut. This can lead to gut dysbiosis (the point where the bad bacteria overpower the good bacteria), which has been linked to issues such as indigestion, mood swings, insomnia, acne, diabetes, colon cancer, cognitive disease, and autoimmune disease. Research shows that a buildup of plaque can also trigger inflammation, leading to skin irritation and acne on your jawline, lips, cheeks, and chin.

When examining stubborn symptoms in your body, we encourage you to “zoom out” and consider the role of oral health. When you acknowledge that your oral health is connected to all of these other systems in your body, it can motivate you to further prioritize it.

2: focus on stress reduction

When you think of oral health, stress may not be the first thing that comes to mind. But we’re here to remind you that stress can impact your oral health from many different angles.

Do you hold stress in your jaw? You’re not alone. So many people tend to clench/grind their teeth when they’re stressed....without even knowing it. Stress can also reduce your saliva production, which can lead to dry mouth, increased bacteria buildup, and an increased risk for dental issues. Chronic stress can also lead to inflammation and a decreased immune response. If your body is unable to fight infection, you’re at a higher risk for developing gum diseases.

For the sake of your oral and overall health, we encourage you to prioritize stress reduction daily. Here are a few of our favorite methods.

• mindfulness: we’re huge fans of practicing mindfulness during your daily oral care routine!
• meditation: this could include a guided meditation, journaling, or a simple body scan to tune into your body and release stress
• breathwork: a simple box breathing technique where you inhale for 4 seconds, hold for 3 seconds, and exhale for 5 seconds can soothe your nervous system throughout the day
• daily movement: whether it’s yoga, a strength class, or a calming walk outside, daily movement can work wonders against stress...especially if you tend to spend the rest of your day sitting
• nutrient-dense meals: making sure your body has the nourishment it needs is an amazing, underrated way to reduce your stress load
• time in nature: research shows that 20 minutes in nature can reduce your stress levels

Even simply acknowledging the stress you feel throughout your day is a great start!

3: remain open-minded

When it comes to natural, holistic oral care, remaining open-minded is essential. You see, certain brands, ingredients, and methods have dominated the oral care industry for decades with little to no evolution over time. Things such as fluoride toothpaste, alcohol-filled mouthwash, plastic toothbrushes, and beyond have attracted the spotlight for too long.

We invite you to consider new methods of elevating your oral care routine. From hydroxyapatite toothpaste to tongue scraping, there are many new technologies and products to help you optimize your oral care, naturally.

Our toothpaste with hydroxyapatite remineralizes your enamel from the inside out, replenishing nutrients that already exist in your teeth and bones. Our unique stainless steel tongue scraper offers an alternative to mouthwash, giving your tongue a fresh start every day without wiping out every organism that exists (as conventional mouthwash would).

Be on the lookout for other natural products such as a bamboo toothbrush and natural, hydroxyapatite mouthwash this year too!

4: sustain nature+you

One of the easiest ways to sustain nature+you in the new year is to consider the long-term impact of each of your new purchases. When it’s time to re-purchase one of your self-care items, stop and ask yourself, “is this product good for me and the environment?”

It’s no secret that “sustain nature+you” is our motto....it’s written right on the box of our toothpaste! It’s important to note that this motto extends far beyond sustainable packaging...it guides our entire supply chain.

Our toothpaste is made with intentional ingredients that are sustainably sourced and derived from nature. Every one of our non-toxic ingredients plays a specific role in nurturing your oral health. We’re proud that these ingredients (plus our sustainable packaging) tread lightly on the planet.

After all, sustainability is self care....the natural world provides us with a safe place to live as well as boundless beauty, inspiration, peace of mind, grounding, healing, and essential life-giving elements.

5: elevate your oral care essentials with Davids

At Davids, we take our own advice.

• Our products are formulated with your holistic health in mind.
• Our minimalist approach aims to inspire mindfulness and stress reduction.
• We remain open-minded in our product development, always exploring innovative ingredients and technology.
• Everything we do is to sustain nature+you!

Our toothpaste is formulated with intentional ingredients that fight bad bacteria, break down plaque, polish your teeth, freshen your breath, and nurture your overall health.

Using Davids every day is one of the best ways to start your year off fresh and maintain a smart mouth for all of the days and months to come.

Happy New Year from the Davids family to yours!

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