iThei mdcdaelcinfd o c elllllrllll cf tthfeThis bacterial imbalance in the mouth has been suggested as a contribu-
tor to rheumatoid arthritis and Hashimoto’s. Periodontitis has also been
shown to increase IL-6, a Th1 inflammatory marker in the body.
Changing our diet from a carbohydrate-based diet and starting ferment-
ed foods and probiotics will be helpful in rebalancing the bacteria, reduc-
ing the gram-negative bacteria, and increasing the gram-positive bacteria
in both the mouth and the intestines.
Dr. Weston A. Price was a dentist who studied the effects of diet on
dentition. He found that those who ate traditional diets had far better
teeth and excellent health (no heart disease, autoimmune conditions, or
obesity) as compared with counterparts who had similar genetic back-
grounds but who ate Western diets.
Gram-negative bacteria adhere to teeth, making it difficult to remove
them with saliva and brushing. Eating alkalizing and fermented foods,
performing oil pulling, and drinking cranberry juice may help displace
bacteria from your teeth.
Oil pulling is an old Ayurvedic remedy that involves swishing around
one tablespoon of sesame oil in the mouth and between the teeth. This
is done first thing in the morning for five to twenty minutes, until the
oil turns white. In theory, this method helps break down the bacteria’s
“homes,” usually made of microcapsules of oil. While water cannot pen-
etrate those microcapsules, sesame oil can, and it mixes readily with the
bacteria, becoming white in color. After five to twenty minutes, the oil is
spat out along with the toxins in it. Other oils have also been suggested,
but sesame oil is the most commonly used.
Cranberry juice has been found to have anti-adhesion properties and is
able to dissolve the protective coats that store the bacteria as well.
Doxycycline is an antibiotic used for periodontitis. Interestingly, this
same antibiotic has been reported to eliminate TPO antibodies for some,
and it may be an option to consider in someone with both Hashimoto’s
and periodontitis.
Chronic Viral Infections
Western Lifestyle and Autoimmune Conditions
The “old friends” hypothesis proposes that Treg cells do not develop
correctly because they are not exposed to parasites and other benign