Wednesday, May 2, 2012

Oral hygiene can prevent breakouts!

Are you having constant breakouts around your mouth and have tried everything to get rid of them? Have you blamed your digestive system, even to the extreme of changing your skin care product line? Ask yourself, how long has it been since you've had your teeth cleaned?

Deep in the gums are bacteria and food particles waiting to be flossed and brushed away. Over time, neglecting to floss and brush your teeth and gums can cause gingivitis. That bacteria can cause a breakout around the mouth and on the chin up to about the upper jaw line.

I recommend getting your teeth cleaned every 6 months (at least) because no amount of flossing and brushing can get your teeth spic and span. But a dental hygienist has just the right tools to loosen the plaque and remove it completely from the teeth. A good mouthwash to use in between hygienist appointments is Biotene enzyme mouthwash. The active enzymes are similar to skin exfoliater enzymes and they dissolve and loosen plaque beneath the gum line where your brush can't reach.

Fluoride toothpaste can cause rash-like bumps as well and your problem could very well be the combination of both plaque and fluoride. Why could this happen, you ask? It is because the toothpaste can drip from your mouth on to your chin and if its not washed off with a cleanser, the residue stays behind on the skin causing a mild case of dermatitis. I recommend flossing, then brushing your teeth, then cleansing your face to complete your daily skin care regimen.

When all else has failed, fall back to the basics and pay attention to your habits! Most of the time it's a pretty simple fix, so don't rule out your products or think your facials every month have stopped working! In fact, please discuss these kinds of concerns with your aesthetician.

I like to take a preventive approach to aesthetics. I won't recommend a pill or put you on another product if it's not needed. Rather I'll look at the whole picture and identify simple, common mistakes like these! So be aware of your daily brushing routine and communicate any problems you run into with your esthetician.

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