Day 12 – Mind Your Mouth

The Mouth-Gut Link – It Starts Up Top

Your gut’s journey doesn’t start in your stomach—it kicks off in your mouth. What happens up top sets the tone for everything downstream, from digestion to how you feel.

Erika’s gut reset wasn’t just about food or sleep—she had to look at the whole picture, and that includes the mouth.

Day 12’s about that connection. A healthy mouth primes your gut to deliver—energy, comfort, whatever you’re after. Let’s see why.

Why Your Mouth Matters

Your mouth’s more than a chewing station—it’s the gut’s first teammate:

• ↗ Bacteria Gateway
  Your oral microbiome feeds into your gut. A messy mouth sends bad bacteria south, throwing off balance down the line.
• 🪥 Inflammation Trigger
  Gum issues or plaque spark inflammation that hits your gut—weakening its lining and stirring trouble.
• 🍴 Digestion Kickoff
  Saliva starts breaking food down—poor oral health slows that, leaving your gut to pick up the slack.

Erika’s rebuild leaned on whole health—mouth included. A clean start up top keeps your gut on track.

Keep It Clean – Simple Oral Wins

You don’t need a dental overhaul—just small habits:

1. Brush Right: Twice a day, two minutes—hit the tongue too, it’s a bacteria hotspot.
2. Floss or Rinse: Clear the gunk—flossing’s gold, but a saltwater rinse works in a pinch.
3. Skip the Sugar: Cut sticky sweets—they feed bad mouth bugs that mess with your gut.

No fancy gear required—consistency’s the key. Erika kept it basic, and it paid off.

📝 Home work – Day 12: Brush Up. Not just your teeth.

Let’s make it happen. Pick one today:

• Brush your teeth and tongue for two minutes tonight.
• Floss once—or swish with saltwater if you’re out of floss.
• Skip one sugary snack or drink (swap it from Day 10’s list).

After, add it to your gut snapshot tomorrow. Feel fresher? Less off? Stack it with your timing or diversity—this is Day 12’s layer, setting your gut up from the start.

🔬 Science Snapshot – The Evidence

This is real. Oral bacteria shape gut microbiomes (Olsen & Yamazaki, 2019). Poor oral health spikes gut inflammation (Arweiler & Netuschil, 2016). Cleaning up cuts systemic issues (Hajishengallis, 2015). More in the appendix—your mouth’s a gut MVP.