3 percent hydrogen peroxide

Real wisdom on wisdom teeth

If it ain't broke, don't break it!

That's my common-sense wisdom on wisdom teeth -- so I just don't get why so many people are in such a rush to have them yanked out, supposedly for preventive reasons.

Sure, you've heard these teeth almost always become problematic. But you've heard wrong because roughly 70 percent of all wisdom teeth can develop normally and do NOT need to be removed, according to California dentist Jay Friedman.

Dr. Friedman knows what he's talking about. His work led the American Public Health Association to oppose the preventive removal of wisdom teeth a few years back.

But do you think that message has filtered down to your local tooth-yankin' oral surgeon?

OF COURSE NOT!

Oral surgeons still tell everyone who walks in that wisdom teeth MUST be removed "just in case" -- but think about that for a minute.

These are the folks who make big money off this procedure. And for some, it's their bread and butter.

Asking their opinion on this is like asking the barber's opinion on whether or not you need a haircut -- but at least the haircut will only set you back $15 and the only risk is a 'do that's a don't.

Wisdom teeth removal can cost hundreds -- even thousands -- even with insurance, and the procedure comes with a long list of risks: nerve damage, infection, lingering pain, and (in rare cases) even death, just to name a few.

So here's my wisdom on wisdom teeth: If you still have yours, don't waste a moment worrying about them. Just take good care of all your teeth and gums the right way -- with baking soda and 3 percent hydrogen peroxide (and no fluoride).

You can deal with any problems IF they arise.

Now, I realize that you may have already been snookered into having your wisdom teeth removed. But if you've got kids or grandkids in your life, make sure they know the truth... especially if you're the one footing the bill.

The heart-healthy benefits of a clean mouth

It's the kind of research only a dentist could love: People who get the most intensive dental cleanings have a lower risk of a heart attack or stroke.

The more cleanings you get, the lower your risk -- with patients who get scalings every year having a 24-percent lower risk of a heart attack and a 13-percent lower risk of a stroke than people who never have the procedure, according to a new study out of Taiwan.

Scalings, if you don't know, are the hellishly painful "deep cleanings" in which a dentist pulls plaque and other junk from between your teeth and gums using sharp instruments that would be right at home in a medieval torture chamber.

I can't help but think that some dentists enjoy using those instruments just a little too much -- but if that was the only way to get the job done, I'd say strap in and brace for the pain.

After all, this isn't the first study to find a clear link between a clean mouth and a healthy heart.

But don't make that appointment yet -- because visiting a dentist is like having lunch in a toxic waste dump: mercury, fluoride, radiation and more, all aimed right at your kisser.

You might leave with clean teeth, but at what price?

You can do a much better job of keeping your teeth and gums in tip-top shape, and all you need is baking soda and 3 percent hydrogen peroxide.

Mix the two into a paste and gently massage it into and around your teeth with your fingertips. Then, rinse with (but don't swallow) the peroxide. Don't forget to floss, and be sure to use a water irrigator like the Waterpik.

Believe me, your trips to the dentist will be quick and painless -- and you'll never have to suffer through a scaling.

One more note on this: The most careful dental habits in the world won't do a thing to protect your teeth or your heart from the ravages of a diet loaded with sugar and other processed carbs.

In other words, don't just watch your mouth -- watch what you put in it as well, and you'll avoid both the dentist and the cardiologist.