The StoWicks Conversations
by
Carolyn and Seth Wicks
Today's Key Points:
- Your Mouth Mirrors Your Body
- Stop Killing Good Bacteria
- Small, Daily Habits Compound
Seth: Carolyn and I share a lot of things: a baby boy, a joint bank account, our love of Slytherin House, and apparently almost half of our oral microbiome.
Most of the conversation around microbiome health has centered on the gut. But if you trace it back, where does everything enter your body in the first place? Your mouth. If your oral microbiome is out of balance, it makes sense that what's downstream would be too. The science is starting to catch up to that logic, and what we found was way more interesting than we expected. So let's dive into Carolyn's science corner!
Carolyn: We recently listened to a podcast with Dr. Gerry Curatola, and one thing he said stuck with me: the mouth isn't separate from the rest of the body, it's a mirror of it. He gave an example to explain what that actually means: your gums are thin and packed with blood vessels, so when something's inflamed in your gums, it often shows up before you'd notice any symptoms of whatever else is going on in your body. Your mouth is basically the check engine light on the rest of you.
We all should be paying attention to that check engine light too, because we have learned that oral bacteria can slip into your bloodstream through inflamed gum tissue, and researchers have actually found live periodontal bacteria embedded in arterial plaque (yes, in the plaque). A 2024 umbrella review backs up the link between gum disease and cardiovascular disease, calling it a real, independent risk factor. And it goes beyond that! Some of those same bacteria get swallowed daily and help shape your gut microbiome, which as we know affects your mental health, immune function and metabolic health. As if this wasn't fascinating enough, we also learned that a 2019 study in Science Advances found a specific oral bacteria, P. gingivalis, living in the brains of Alzheimer's patients, producing toxic enzymes tied to the tau tangles that define the disease. The research is still developing, nobody's saying flossing prevents Alzheimer's, but it's enough to make you take your toothbrush a little more seriously.
Seth: On to the important things: Mouth breathing! And I'm not just talking about being annoyed by mouth breathers, but actually feeling for them because it's actually terrible for your oral microbiome.
Your saliva is the starting point. It's actively regulating the pH balance in your mouth and doing continuous low-level microbiome management, containing antimicrobial proteins, buffers acid, and helps remineralize your teeth around the clock. Chronic mouth breathing dries all of that out. When your mouth is dry, pH shifts acidic, the protective biofilm thins, and the bacteria that thrive in that acidic, low-oxygen environment are not the ones you want winning (and neither does your partner!).
We consistently bring up how important sleep is, and mouth breathing is linked to worse sleep quality and is one of the drivers behind snoring and mild sleep apnea, both of which keep your body in a state of low-grade inflammatory stress. One thing I'm working on is trying to be better about nasal breathing during workouts, especially cardio. It's hard and I feel like I'm dying, but that's the point. It's training me to use my nose, not my mouth. And if you have little ones at home like us, this matters for jaw and airway development too. Mouth breathing in kids can literally reshape the structure of the face over time.
Carolyn: Okay, now, let's talk mouthwash. You know those brands that brag about killing 99.9% of germs? Those are not the vibe. Here's the problem: killing 99.9% of bacteria means it doesn't discriminate between the good bacteria and the bad bacteria, so it can, and does, wipe out strains your mouth actually needs. For example, that mouthwash can kill off the strain that converts dietary nitrates into nitric oxide, which helps relax your blood vessels and regulate blood pressure. Some research has actually linked heavy antibacterial mouthwash use to higher blood pressure, which is obviously not the goal when using mouthwash. It's the same pattern as antibiotics and your gut, broad-spectrum killing always has tradeoffs. I'm not trying to scare anyone, and honestly, do what works for you, but when I can, I try to do what's good for my gut, and now I'm learning that includes my mouth too.
Seth: I also try to do what's good for my gut, and that means picking a partner who cares about her hygiene! I linked a study at the beginning of this newsletter, which shows that partners share roughly 44% of their oral microbiome and about 19% of their gut microbiome, driven largely by kissing and shared living.
While the researchers did find links between shared microbiome profiles and higher Type 2 diabetes risk, there is still a lot of unknowns here. The main thing I would say is to focus on what you can control, which is your daily habits. Use products you've researched and trust, work on how you breathe, eat well, and manage your stress. These small inputs done daily will compound over time, so focus on what will help your Future Self be healthy and thriving.
Carolyn: Here's what I keep coming back to: your mouth isn't just yours. It's a mirror of what's happening in the rest of your body, and if you live with someone, you're sharing it with them too, microbiome and all. So the case for taking care of it isn't just about your own health, it's about everyone you kiss, live with, and share a kitchen with. The mouth is one of the few health systems that's both deeply personal and inherently relational, literally shared with the people you love. Small, consistent care, not sterilization, not panic, compounds over time, both for you and for them.
Seth: Focus on your breathing today and try to catch yourself when you mouth breathe. Even if you're a little out of breath, keep working on it. It's hard, but being a consistent mouth breather is harder.
Carolyn: This week, actually look at your gums next time you brush. Are they pink and calm, or red and irritated? That's your check engine light. Don't wait for it to turn into something bigger before you pay attention.
Both: Your mouth has been talking this whole time, most of us just haven't been listening. If this one changed how you think about your toothbrush (or your mouthwash), forward it to someone who needs to hear it too.
See you next week,
Carolyn & Seth
The StoWicks
Quote of the Week:
"The mouth is the gateway to the body. What happens here doesn't stay here."
Dr. Megan Rossi
