There is a direct link between mental and emotional distress
and the body’s physical health. Mental and emotional
stress—brought about by things like the pain and fear
we’ve been discussing—can weaken the immune system,
allowing disease to take hold in the body. A lowered
immune system response is one of the major factors in the
onset of gum disease.
Pain and the stress that causes fear are related to the
development of gum disease. To help eliminate the cause
and onset of gum disease, and to promote its reversal, we
must work to reduce the level of stress we are experiencing
physically, mentally, and emotionally.
The following treatments and techniques will help you to
reverse gum disease naturally by reducing your stress and pain
levels that are caused by dental fears and related problems.
Yoga
Yoga comes from the word “yoke”; in Sanskrit the word
means “union.” Our mouth is connected to our body, and we
must heal our mouth much the same as we would heal our
body. A positive mind is a mind that can heal.
The most widely known yoga practice is asana, often
known as hatha yoga. Asana means “ease” in Sanskrit and
includes a variety of physical postures that create changes in
the body. Although yoga emphasizes little movement, the mind is involved with each asana, and thus a mind-bodyspirit
connection is made. The connection of the breath and
the mind is a basic principle of yoga. If the mind is balanced
and focused, the breath will be focused and still.
Pranayama focuses on the regulation of the breath. The
prana exercises are taught to remove energy blockages and
prevent illnesses.
If the mind is restless and agitated, the breathing system
will become the same. Doing prana exercises induces deep
breathing and leads to relaxation of the body and its organs.
The added oxygen will help heal the organs of the body and
clear the mind. Prana has also been shown to help digestion,
improve cardiac function, and strengthen the immune system.
If the immune system is enhanced, then all conditions
of weakness in the body can be reversed.
Meditation, also used in yoga, is a state of focus that
heightens your awareness, relaxing you into peace and harmony.
Using both yoga and meditation will enhance your
immune system, thus alleviating weakness.
Children, too, can benefit from the study of yoga. They
can start at a young age to learn the patterns and postures of
yoga for preventive measures to build their immune system.
Children love movement, and they are usually more flexible
than adults.
If you wish to get a feel for hatha yoga, find a comfortable
place in a dimly lit room. You can have some incense
burning if you wish. For more information please seek out a
class or videotape. Try these three positions:
1. Child’s posture: Sit in a kneeling position on the floor
and let your arms hang by your side. Relax your arms and rest your hands by your side. The back should be
curved. In this position, the hands and body are completely
relaxed. Hold the posture for about five minutes.
2. Shoulder stand: Lie on your back with your legs
apart. Raise both legs until they are perpendicular to
the floor, lifting the hips toward the ceiling. Press the
breastbone toward the chin.
3. Half fish: Sit with your head, neck, and trunk
straight. Your legs should be pressed together and
extended in front of your body. Lean back and place
your elbows and forearms on the floor in line with
your body and legs. Arch your back, expanding your
chest and stretching your neck backward until you
can place the crown of your head on the floor. Now
breathe evenly for twenty seconds.
Exercise
When you exercise regularly, you begin to improve the condition
of your heart and lungs. Exercise releases toxins from
your body and improves your stamina. It increases your
blood circulation and your joint mobility. It also alleviates
premenstrual stress or stress experienced during menopause.
It strengthens your bones by increasing their mineral content;
therefore, it helps in reducing osteoporosis and
enhances the bone level in your mouth. The bone in your
mouth surrounds the roots of your teeth, giving the teeth
support. So if you exercise regularly, you will reduce gum
disease and increase the circulation that is needed for
healthy gum tissue.
Here are some suggestions for ways in which to exercise.
Play golf, which enhances the cardiovascular system. Tennis
generates good muscular action and circulation. Walking is
less jarring to the joints than jogging or running and also helps
the cardiovascular system and circulation. Swimming will
enhance the mobility of your joints and increase your circulation
and cardiovascular system. Getting twenty to thirty minutes
of aerobic exercise three to five times a week can be
beneficial to your health and enhance your immune system.
Exercise is also a natural antidepressant. Physiological
changes in the body and brain that result from exercise can
elevate your mental state. When you exercise, you increase
your body’s temperature by two or three degrees, which is
relaxing. Endorphins also are released, which enhance the
immune system and give us a sense of elation and wellbeing.
Many runners have described a feeling of being
“high” when running or jogging.
Still, motivating yourself to exercise regularly may be as
difficult as motivating yourself to do a daily oral hygiene
regimen. It might be more difficult if you feel that you are
lacking energy. If you do exercise that you enjoy, you may
be more motivated than if you hate the exercise you plan for
yourself. So whichever activity you choose, enjoy it. Using
your energy in a positive way will make you feel better and
look younger.
Dance Movements for Stress Reduction
Dance and movement are recognized by many as a stimulant
for the immune system. It is a therapy used to release stress
and reduce pain. Personality is connected to movement, and the release of personal expression through dance therapy
also helps reduce depression. I advise dancing in group sessions,
starting with warm-up sessions.
Rhythm, which one develops through dance, does play a
factor in the treatment of the mouth. You can massage with
your brush, floss, and other oral products using a fashionable
dance rhythm. The tedium of oral care will be reduced,
and you will send healing energy through this rhythm from
your hands to your mouth.
Biofeedback
Machines and instruments are used in biofeedback to help
you learn to self-regulate your body functions, and to control
your blood pressure and heart rate. Electronic beeps and
flashes provide information about the body’s changes, and
by responding to these signals, you can learn (with the help
of a practitioner) how to regulate your body’s response. If
you have anxiety about going to the dentist, you may learn
to regulate your blood pressure and heart rate with biofeedback
procedures, which will be very helpful in controlling
anxiety about dental treatment. Stress and pain relief can be
altered with biofeedback methods.
Different kinds of biofeedback methods are available.
There are devices that show you changes in your skin temperature.
A GSR device measures the skin’s electrical conductivity
by the amount of sweat produced under stress.
EMGs are visual signals that indicate muscle tension. If you
are in a state of relaxation, your sweat glands will have low
activity, and high levels of alpha waves in the brain will indicate
a slow, even heart rate. You can begin to train yourself to regulate your body’s organs through the use of such
equipment.
Many people who have undergone biofeedback therapy
have achieved control over fears, stress, and pain.
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