Primal Life Organics Blog

Having trouble falling asleep at night? Your toothpaste could be to blame.

Sounds like a stretch, but stick with me here. 

It turns out something as seemingly harmless as your toothpaste and mouthwash could be wreaking havoc on not just your oral health, but your overall health, including preventing you from getting your 8 hours of precious shut eye.

And that’s because the key to getting a restorative night of sleep lies not in counting sheep, but your body’s ability to produce nitric oxide.

Before we dive into how your oral health is connected to your nitric oxide production, let’s talk about what nitric oxide is and why it is important to your sleep.

Are you one of the millions who incorporate mouthwash into your daily oral care routine, believing that it’s essential for maintaining a healthy mouth? 

What if I told you that this seemingly harmless habit could be doing more harm than good?

Research has shown that the regular use of antibacterial mouthwash can have detrimental effects on your oral and overall health. Not only does it disrupt your oral microbiome, literally causing bad breath and cavities, but its effects are even more far-reaching.

One study found that just seven days of using mouthwash led to a significant reduction in oral nitrite production by 90% and plasma nitrite levels by 25%. These reductions were associated with elevated blood pressure, highlighting the potential cardiovascular risks associated with mouthwash use.

Today we'll explore the disruptive impact of mouthwash on the oral microbiome, its role in inhibiting nitric oxide production, the hidden risks associated with its usage, and what to use instead to ensure a healthy mouth.