The Reverie
Xylitol for Dry Mouth: How It Works and 3 Ways to Use It
Dealing with a dry mouth? Here’s a solution that’s sweet, simple, and most importantly, backed by decades of science.
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Does B12 Give You Energy? Here’s What to Expect When You Take It
Before you drink another coffee or hit “snooze” again, make sure you’re getting enough vitamin B12. Learn how this micronutrient plays a big role in your energy levels.
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Balance, Explained - By CEO & Co-founder Vladimir Vukicevic
Meet our newest product: BALANCE Vitamin Mouth Spray.
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Liquid Vitamins: How They Work and 4 Reasons They’re Better than Standard Supplements
Liquid vitamins are micronutrients that you take as a mouth spray, beverage, or liquid drops. They tend to be absorbed faster into your body, since they don’t need to be broken down by your digestive system. Despite the $35 billion dollar supplement industry, it’s estimated that one out of every three Americans has at least one nutrient deficiency (the most common ones are Vitamins A, C, and D). Even with mega-doses, injections, and infusions, it can be hard to fill nutritional gaps. What gives? It turns out that it might not be the dosage of vitamins you take, but rather how you take them. For decades, vitamins have come in the form of pills, powders, capsules, and gummies. However, a growing body of research suggests that liquid vitamins are the superior way to supplement. From faster absorption rates to higher potency, liquid vitamins offer several big advantages over the sea of supplements in your local supermarket. In this article, we’ll explain how liquid vitamins work and examine four key benefits. What Are Liquid Vitamins? Liquid vitamins are micronutrients that come in the form of a liquid solution—usually as a mouth spray, beverage, or liquid drops. Liquid vitamins tend to be more bioavailable than pills, meaning they’re absorbed faster into your system. They can also be more convenient for people who have difficulty swallowing pills. Liquid vitamins often contain a combination of essential nutrients such as vitamins B12, C, D3, and E as well as minerals such as zinc. Vitamins are made into a liquid form through solubilization, which involves using water or glycerin to dissolve the nutrients. Some liquid vitamins require emulsifiers, especially fat-soluble vitamins like D and E. Emulsifiers disperse fat-soluble substances in water, creating a stable mixture. From here, flavorings or sweeteners may be added to make the liquid more palatable. How Do Liquid Vitamins Work? When you ingest liquid vitamins, the nutrients enter your digestive system where they get absorbed into your bloodstream. Since liquid vitamins are already dissolved, your body can absorb them more quickly than pills or capsules (more on this later). If you take liquid vitamins as a mouth spray, the nutrients are absorbed sublingually, meaning bypass your digestive system altogether and go straight into your bloodstream. (Check out this ultimate guide to sublingual vitamins). From here, your bloodstream carries the absorbed nutrients to the tissues and organs throughout your body, where they support crucial functions. For example, vitamin B12 boosts your energy levels, vitamin C offers immune support, and vitamin D can boost your mood. Are Liquid Vitamins Better? Liquid vitamins offer four key advantages over traditional vitamin supplements: Faster absorption rate Easier to ingest Better synergistic qualities Fewer fillers and additives Let’s break down each of these advantages in detail so you can see for yourself why liquid vitamins are better. Liquid Vitamins Absorb Faster Liquid vitamins are highly bioavailable, meaning they’re quickly absorbed into your system. When you swallow a pill or capsule, your digestive system has to break down the coatings and additives before it can access the nutrients inside. By the time that process is finished, you may only be left with a fraction of the advertised dosage of vitamins. By contrast, liquid vitamins are pre-dissolved, so your body can soak them up as soon as you ingest them. Liquid Vitamins Are Easier to Take Up to 40% of adults have difficulty swallowing pills, according to a 2018 study. If you’re in that camp, liquid vitamins are a convenient alternative. Rather than gulping down a handful of bulky pills and capsules every day, you can simply spray or swallow liquid multivitamins and get the same benefits. Liquid Vitamins Have Better Synergism With a liquid vitamin formula, you can achieve a higher level of nutrient density than you can with most pills or capsules. This enables better “synergism,” or the ability for the vitamins to increase the net effect of each other. Standard Vitamins are Full of Fillers The vast majority of dietary supplements are loaded with preservatives to increase their shelf life. Ironically, the ingredients used to preserve vitamins are linked to serious health issues. For example, sodium benzoate has been linked to liver damage, oxidative stress, and some cancers. Solid-form vitamin supplements are also notorious for containing binding agents (like gelatin), coating agents, and artificial colors—none of which have health benefits. No matter what type of vitamins you buy, always look at the ingredient list, not just the nutritional facts. This list will tell you exactly what’s in your vitamins, nasty additives and all. How to Take Liquid Vitamins Each liquid vitamin product will have its own unique set of instructions, but here are a few general guidelines: Shake the Bottle: Before taking liquid vitamins, shake the bottle well. This ensures that the nutrients are evenly distributed, especially if there is any settling. Measure the Proper Dose: Liquid vitamin sprays are pre-measured, but if you have a cap or dropper, follow the instructions for the proper dose. Take Your Vitamins with Food: Not all vitamins require food for proper absorption. However, there’s strong evidence that fat-soluble vitamins like A, D, and E are better absorbed when taken with some dietary fat. Stay Consistent: When it comes to taking vitamins, small habits are better than mega doses. Keep a steady stream of nutrients in your system by incorporating them into your everyday routine. Spray Your Way to Better Health The market is flooded with liquid vitamins (pun definitely intended). But there’s only one formula designed to deliver a daily dose of essential vitamins and optimize your oral microbiome. Meet Balance: Our vitamin mouth spray that boosts your vitamin levels, fights dry mouth, balances your oral pH, protects against cavities, and freshens your breath—all without pills. Balance provides a daily dose of six essential vitamins and minerals, packed into one tiny glass bottle. A powerhouse combination of vitamins C, D3, E, B6, B12, and zinc teams up with xylitol and our oral prebiotic health blend to promote whole-body harmony. We’re proud of what we included in this formula, but we’re equally proud of what we left out. Balance is free from artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives. It’s also gluten-free and 100% vegan—no animal products or testing. Put away the pills and spray your way to perpetual wellness.
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Dr. Jacci’s Tips for Staying Healthy for the Holidays
It can be hard to avoid germs and stay healthy when traveling and spending time with family over the holidays. Some ways I recommend for boosting your immune system and keeping yourself and loved ones safe are getting your annual flu shot, as well as balancing holiday food with healthy food, and taking your daily vitamins. Incorporating exercise into all the holiday family fun will also help boost your immune system! Schedule Your Annual Flu Shot Getting your annual flu shot should be at the top of your list when protecting your immune system from viruses this cold and flu season. There are around a billion cases of seasonal influenza annually, and as Covid continues to circulate after the pandemic, it is best to be proactive and get you and your family vaccinated. As the flu shot reduces morbidity and mortality, high risk individuals, such as the elderly and those with diabetes and pre-existing health issues, should consider getting vaccinated more than their counterparts. It’s not too late to receive a flu shot. Cold and flu season is fast accelerating as the holidays and colder months approach, and being prepared with your flu shot is the best way to protect you and your family from illnesses. Balance decadent holiday foods with healthier options: Indulge during the holidays! Whichever holiday you celebrate, food is a way to connect with those we love and share our love with them. Everyone gathers to eat homemade food and talk about good times and memories, so make sure you let yourself revel in it all. However, you can balance decadent holiday foods with healthier options by opting for the fruit and vegetables rather than mac and cheese, for example. Holiday party invites are circulating from friends and family, as well as for office parties, and there will surely be food and cocktails at these events. If you decide to attend them all, perhaps only indulge at some of them and not all of them, or drink plenty of water in between cocktails.There's nothing wrong with treating yourself! Take Your Vitamins Daily Vitamins will also protect your immune system against illnesses this season, and build up resistance to infections that may enter your body. As a doctor, I like to make sure my patients know that there are other ways to take vitamins besides swallowing a pill — and they can be even more effective. Liquid vitamins can reach your bloodstream faster and be used more efficiently by your body. One way to get liquid vitamins is through a spray — like Better & Better’s new Balance Oral Spray. As a surgeon and an oral care practitioner, I like this prebiotic spray because it’s great for your mouth and your whole body heath. With a few sprays per day, it restores balance to your oral microbiome, and fuels your body with a daily dose of six key vitamins and minerals. The vitamin-packed spray balances your oral microbiome, fighting dry mouth, balancing your oral pH, and protecting against cavities, canker sores, and gum disease. It also freshens breath while you’re on the go throughout the day. In the spray, the six key vitamins and minerals include a combination of vitamins C, D3, E, B6, B12 and zinc, as well as xylitol and oral prebiotics. Make Exercise Part of Your Family Fun Lastly, it's difficult to maintain your fitness routine while the kids are out of school for holiday break, and kids, too, aren't exercising as much as they might be at school. If you’re away from home, too, it can be hard to maintain the regimen you work so hard to keep. You can do home workouts instead by looking them up online or by using an app. With these workouts, you don’t need a program or gym — all you need is your body to move around at families’ houses, or wherever you’re traveling to. Getting the kids involved in exercises could include going outside to engage in snowboarding or sledding, or simply going on a nature walk to look at decorations and play in the snow. If you work remotely, then you probably know how hard it can be to incorporate a fitness regimen, whether it's the holidays or not. Again, using an app or home workout video on your lunch break or in between work is a great way to keep up a routine. If the kids are home while you're working remotely, get them involved in your workout and make it a game to see who can demonstrate the best pose or finish first! The holidays are a time to spend with family and friends, but it's also a time when illnesses are taking their course. That's why it is best to defend yourself by getting your flu shot while also maintaining a healthy diet and exercise routine. Getting your daily dose of vitamins to protect your immune system is critical, and can be as easy as spraying a vitamin spray, like Better & Better’s Balance, throughout the day. And remember: with all those parties you’ll be attending, there will be many opportunities to indulge, so do it! Just me sure to take care of yourself as well. Dr. Jaclyn Tomsic, MD, DMD, FACS, is a board-certified Oral and maxillofacial surgeon (OMF) based out of Cleveland, OH. OMF involves extensive dental and medical education and training to achieve surgical expertise and an unparalleled understanding of esthetics.
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Dental Probiotics: How They Work, 7 Benefits, and How to Take Them
When you see the word “probiotics,” you probably think of gut health and yogurt commercials. But over the past decade, researchers have discovered certain strains of probiotics that specifically benefit your oral health. The inside of your mouth is home to millions of bacteria and other microorganisms that make up your oral microbiome. If your ratio of good bacteria to bad bacteria gets thrown off, it can lead to all sorts of oral health issues. That’s where dental probiotics come in. Dental probiotics (also called oral probiotics) are living microbes that stabilize your oral microbiome. Research shows they can prevent cavities, fight gum disease, and even freshen your breath—more on that soon. In this article, you’ll learn what dental probiotics are, how they benefit your oral health, and how to incorporate them into your routine. What Are Dental Probiotics? Dental probiotics are living microbes that stimulate the growth of good bacteria in your mouth while suppressing bad bacteria. In contrast to probiotics for your gut, dental probiotics thrive in your oral cavity, which requires specific bacterial strains to stay healthy. Most dental probiotics are bacteria, but they can also be molds or yeasts. That might sound gross, but without these microbes, your mouth would be a mess. Dental probiotics are found naturally in fermented foods such as yogurt, kefir, kimchi, and kombucha. They can also come in the form of supplements including powders, liquids, gels, and capsules. Dental Probiotics vs. Dental Prebiotics: What’s the Difference? In addition to dental probiotics, your oral microbiome also needs dental prebiotics. You can think of prebiotics as “food” that probiotics feed on to stay alive and thriving. By providing fuel for probiotics, dental prebiotics stimulate the growth and activity of beneficial bacteria in your oral microbiome. The most common sources of dental prebiotics are carbohydrates (primarily non-digestible fiber) from fruits, vegetables, beans, and whole grains. Consuming balanced amounts of both probiotics and prebiotics ensures that you maintain the right balance of these bacteria to keep your oral microbiota healthy. 7 Benefits of Dental Probiotics Over the past decade, scientists have conducted groundbreaking research into the oral health benefits of dental probiotics. Let’s take a look at seven reasons why these microorganisms have a huge impact on your dental health. 1. Fix Bad Breath Probiotics can be used to treat bad breath (halitosis), which is caused by sulfur-producing bacteria that live on your tongue and inside your throat. A study in the Journal of Applied Microbiology found “significant reductions in volatile sulfur compounds” for people with halitosis who used the probiotic Streptococcus salivarius, compared to a placebo group. 2. Prevent Cavities The main cause of cavities (canaries) is dental plaque: a sticky film of bacteria that forms on your teeth and turns into tartar. Several studies suggest that consuming dental probiotics can reduce the amount of cavity-causing bacteria in your saliva. Specifically, Lactobacillus paracasei SD1 has promising potential to slow the progression of cavities and help remineralize incipient caries. 3. Treat Gingivitis and Periodontal Disease Probiotics are quickly becoming a go-to treatment option for periodontal disease and gingivitis, both of which stem from unhealthy bacteria in the mouth. In one early study, Patients with various periodontal diseases, gingivitis, periodontitis, and pregnancy gingivitis, were treated with a probiotic strain called L. acidophilus. Almost every patient achieved significant recovery. In more recent studies, probiotic strains were shown to improve gingival health by reducing plaque along the gum line, reducing bleeding, and reducing pocket depth. 4. Prevent Oral Thrush Oral thrush is a condition where white spots develop on your tongue due to an overgrowth of Candida, a strain of fungi. A 2017 study found that the patients who ate cheese containing the probiotic L. rhammnosus GG reduced their levels of oral Candida, which subsequently protects against oral thrush. 5. Prevent Plaque Buildup There are a few ways dental probiotics prevent plaque buildup: Dental probiotics occupy the surface where plaque-causing bacteria would otherwise thrive, limiting their ability to establish themselves. Dental probiotics actively inhibit the growth and activity of harmful bacteria. Dental probiotics regulate the pH levels in your mouth, creating conditions that are less favorable for plaque to form. Plaque is a biofilm—a slimy layer of bacteria that sticks to surfaces. Dental probiotics slow the formation of this biofilm, making it harder for plaque to accumulate on your teeth. 6. May Reduce the Risk of Oral Cancers To date, there isn’t enough human evidence to suggest that dental probiotics can prevent cancer. However, a 2020 review of multiple animal studies observed that probiotics—specifically L. salivarius REN—slow the progression of oral cancer. Do Dental Probiotics Really Work? There are decades of evidence to suggest that probiotic bacteria improve your dental health. However, more long-term clinical trials are needed to determine whether dental probiotics are a proven means to treat and prevent oral diseases. “Several health-promoting effects of probiotic bacteria are well documented, and there is no reason to restrict the use of probiotic products because their effects on oral health are not yet well understood,” says Anna Haukioja in the European Journal of Dentistry. What’s the Link Between Your Oral Microbiome and Your Gut Microbiome? Your oral microbiome and gut microbiome are a dynamic duo that works together in fascinating ways. Here are just a few examples: Swallowing and Traveling: Some of the bacteria in your mouth end up in your stomach through the process of swallowing. So, whatever's happening in your oral microbiome can influence what's going on in your gut. Immune System Cross-Talk: When your immune system encounters microbes in the mouth or gut, it learns to recognize them. Accordingly, the health of one microbiome can influence the immune response in the other. Digestive Health: Your oral and gut microbiomes both play roles in digestion. For example, some bacteria in your mouth start breaking down food, and the byproducts of this process can affect the environment in your gut. Disease Connections: Imbalances in one microbiome can contribute to issues in the other. For example, certain oral bacteria have been linked to conditions like inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and rheumatoid arthritis. How to Add Dental Probiotics to Your Routine The best way to stay on top of your oral hygiene is to brush your teeth twice daily, floss daily, and go in for dental check-ups twice a year. Once you have those basics covered, you can focus on working dental probiotics into your routine. The most efficient way to increase your intake of dental probiotics is through dietary supplements. Dental probiotics come in the form of chewable tablets, capsules, gummies, lozenges, and powders. You can also increase the presence of probiotics in your oral microbiome by eating these probiotic-rich foods: Cultured cottage cheese Kombucha (a fermented tea) Dark chocolate Sauerkraut Cheeses, especially soft cheeses Miso Almond butter Pickled cucumbers or other fermented vegetables Probiotic milk Sourdough bread Mangos Yogurt Kefir (a fermented milk drink) There you have it—so many of us grew up trying to avoid the wrong foods for our teeth. But as you can see, it’s also important to embrace the right foods to stay on top of your oral health. Note: If you purchase on Amazon by clicking a link on this website, we may receive commission.
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Dr. Jacci on The Surprising Subject We Can't Ignore in Oral Care: Domestic Violence
October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. What does this have to do with oral health practitioners? Dr. Jacci explains.
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An Oral Surgeon Reveals the Top 3 Reasons Patients End Up in Her Chair
When an oral care issue escalates beyond the scope of your regular dentist, you'll probably get referred to an oral surgeon. Dr. Jacci shares the top reasons patients come to see her — and how to avoid them.
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Here’s How Much Toothpaste to Use (Hint: You’re Probably Using Too Much)
We’ve all seen the commercials where someone squeezes a long, decadent swoosh of toothpaste along the length of their toothbrush bristles. But it turns out that has nothing to do with science and way more to do with marketing.
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