From the Top of the Tube to the Bottom: the Gut-Mouth Connection

Your digestive tract, otherwise referred to as your “gut,” starts in the mouth. The health of the oral cavity and your gut are intricately linked, where your oral health can affect your gut health, and vice versa.

This connection stems from the microbiome, the community of bacteria that reside throughout your entire digestive system - from the top of the tube (your mouth) to the bottom of the tube (your colon).

Keep reading to learn about the gut-mouth health connection, oral issues that can arise from digestive problems, and how to best support your oral and gut health so they work as one synergetic unit.

The Gut-Mouth Connection

The digestive system starts in your mouth, but it doesn’t end in your mouth - it ends in the colon. Because of this, your oral and digestive systems work in tandem with one another.

Many times we may associate oral problems and tooth decay with bacteria buildup in the mouth. But many times these problems can be associated with poor gut health.

On the other hand, if your oral health is a concern, these problems can also travel down to your gut, leading to digestive issues like bloat, indigestion, or stomach infections such as H.pylori.¹

Because these two systems are intertwined, supporting this gut-mouth connection will yield the biggest health benefits.

What Gut Problems Can Be Caused by Your Oral Health?

The oral microbiome has a big impact on the health of the digestive system. Gut problems can arise when oral bacteria make their way down the digestive tract.²

These bacteria can accumulate due to oral conditions such as:

• Gingivitis

• Dental decay

• Cavities
  

All of these conditions can lead to an overabundance of harmful bacteria in the mouth, which can cause or exacerbate existing digestive problems. And while dental decay is in the earlier stage of plaque build-up compared to a full-blown cavity, it may still impact gut health at this stage.

Additionally, studies have shown those with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) often have higher levels of oral bacteria in their digestive tract.³

How Can Gut Issues Inflame Problems in the Mouth??

Your gut microbiome can also affect the health of your oral microbiome similarly. Disorders of the gut can have a negative impact on oral health and consequently, the oral microbiome.

Gut bacteria can affect your oral health as a result of several conditions such as reflux (GERD). This condition can lead to rising acidity in the esophagus that may impact the oral microbiome.

When your teeth are exposed to excess acidity, which can wear away tooth enamel over time.

Overall, gut conditions appear to be associated with negative oral health.⁴

How to Support Your Oral and Gut Health

Fortunately, there are easy ways you can protect both your oral and gut health at the same time. This is known as systems biology, where you are supporting the notion that your body works as a unit, not as an isolated system.⁵

Here are some things to start now to preserve your gut-mouth health:

• Take care of your teeth - Keep up with proper oral hygiene such as brushing and flossing daily and going for regular dental cleanings. This will ensure your oral health is in tip-top shape to keep harmful bacteria away.

• Consume more prebiotics - These are a type of fiber found in fruits and vegetables such as broccoli, raspberries, beans, lentils, bananas, peas, and apples. Prebiotics help feed the beneficial bacteria in the gut and in the mouth, supporting whole-body health.⁶

• Eat fermented foods - Foods such as kefir, kimchi, yogurt, sauerkraut, miso, and tempeh are rich in gut-friendly probiotics. Eating these foods regularly can promote gut health, and in turn, support oral health.

• Limit sugar - Too much sugar, especially added sugar found in beverages, sweets, and sugary cereals can wreak havoc on your entire microbiome. Limit your added sugar intake as much as possible by choosing water as your preferred beverage, limiting sweets in the house, and choosing low-sugar cereals with less than 5 grams of added sugar per serving.

• Prioritize sleep - Your sleep quality also can affect your health in more ways than one. Getting at least 7-8 hours of shut-eye per night is essential for your oral and gut health. To support better sleep, get to bed around the same time each night, reduce screens and blue lights around bedtime, and establish a relaxing nighttime ritual.⁷⁸

• Manage stress - Chronic stress is also linked to oral and gut woes. To combat stress, practice daily self-care, stay active, and speak to a mental health professional if you need more support.⁹

Key Takeaways - The Gut-Mouth Connection

Your oral health and the state of your gut are linked like two peas in a pod - you can’t have one without the other. You can optimize your oral and gut health by eating a nutritious diet, limiting sugar, practicing good dental hygiene, getting your beauty rest, and keeping stress at bay.

No matter where you are in your health journey, you can take the first step now to keep your mouth and your gut as happy as they can be.

References

1. Lira-Junior, R., Boström, E. Mucosal Immunol 11, 316–318 (2018). Available from nature.com.

2. Olsen I, Yamazaki K. J Oral Microbiol. 2019 Mar 18;11(1):1586422. doi: 10.1080/20002297.2019.1586422. PMID: 30911359; PMCID: PMC6427756.

3. Nilchian F, Razavi SM, Sadeghi-Sedeh S, Sadeghi-Sedeh B. J Oral Health Oral Epidemiol 2021; 10(3): 141-9.

4. Jajam M, Bozzolo P, Niklander S. J Clin Exp Dent. 2017 Oct 1;9(10):e1242-e1248. doi: 10.4317/jced.54008. PMID: 29167716; PMCID: PMC5694155.

5. Mark T. Mc Auley, Hyunok Choi, Kathleen Mooney, Emily Paul, Veronica M. Miller. Advances in Toxicology, vol. 2015, Article ID 575403, 14 pages, 2015. Available from Hindawi.com.

6. Slavin J. Nutrients. 2013 Apr 22;5(4):1417-35. doi: 10.3390/nu5041417. PMID: 23609775; PMCID: PMC3705355.

7. Schroeder K, Gurenlian JR. Clin Med Res. 2019 Jun;17(1-2):20-28. doi: 10.3121/cmr.2019.1465. PMID: 31160475; PMCID: PMC6546276.

8. Li Y, Hao Y, Fan F, Zhang B. Front Psychiatry. 2018 Dec 5;9:669. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00669. PMID: 30568608; PMCID: PMC6290721.

9. Paudel D, Uehara O, Giri S, Yoshida K, Morikawa T, Kitagawa T, Matsuoka H, Miura H, Toyofuku A, Kuramitsu Y, Ohta T, Kobayashi M, Abiko Y. Jpn Dent Sci Rev. 2022 Nov;58:365-375. doi: 10.1016/j.jdsr.2022.11.003. Epub 2022 Nov 17. PMID: 36425317; PMCID: PMC9678961.

10. Lira-Junior, R., Boström, E. Mucosal Immunol 11, 316–318 (2018). Available from nature.com

11. Olsen I, Yamazaki K. J Oral Microbiol. 2019 Mar 18;11(1):1586422. doi: 10.1080/20002297.2019.1586422. PMID: 30911359; PMCID: PMC6427756.

12. Nilchian F, Razavi SM, Sadeghi-Sedeh S, Sadeghi-Sedeh B. J Oral Health Oral Epidemiol 2021; 10(3): 141-9.

13. Jajam M, Bozzolo P, Niklander S. J Clin Exp Dent. 2017 Oct 1;9(10):e1242-e1248. doi: 10.4317/jced.54008. PMID: 29167716; PMCID: PMC5694155.

14. Mark T. Mc Auley, Hyunok Choi, Kathleen Mooney, Emily Paul, Veronica M. Miller. Advances in Toxicology, vol. 2015, Article ID 575403, 14 pages, 2015.

15. Slavin J. Nutrients. 2013 Apr 22;5(4):1417-35. doi: 10.3390/nu5041417. PMID: 23609775; PMCID: PMC3705355.

16. Schroeder K, Gurenlian JR. Clin Med Res. 2019 Jun;17(1-2):20-28. doi: 10.3121/cmr.2019.1465. PMID: 31160475; PMCID: PMC6546276.

17. Li Y, Hao Y, Fan F, Zhang B. Front Psychiatry. 2018 Dec 5;9:669. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00669. PMID: 30568608; PMCID: PMC6290721.

18. Paudel D, Uehara O, Giri S, Yoshida K, Morikawa T, Kitagawa T, Matsuoka H, Miura H, Toyofuku A, Kuramitsu Y, Ohta T, Kobayashi M, Abiko Y. Jpn Dent Sci Rev. 2022 Nov;58:365-375. doi: 10.1016/j.jdsr.2022.11.003. Epub 2022 Nov 17. PMID: 36425317; PMCID: PMC9678961.