The Sterile Mouth Myth
Walk down the dental aisle, and you will see bottles promising to "Kill 99.9% of Germs."
While this sounds great for marketing, it is terrible for physiology.
The oral cavity is not meant to be sterile. It is home to the second most diverse microbiome in the human body (after the gut).
Among these billions of bacteria are specific strains (like Veillonella and Actinomyces) that perform a life-saving function: The Enterosalivary Nitrate Pathway.
The Nitric Oxide Connection
Nitric Oxide (NO) is a "signaling molecule." It tells the smooth muscles around your arteries to relax (Vasodilation).
- High NO: Low blood pressure, good circulation, massive muscle pumps.
- Low NO: High blood pressure, stiff arteries, poor performance.
How It's Made:
- You eat nitrates (Beets, Arugula, Spinach).
- Your body concentrates these nitrates in your saliva.
- Key Step: The bacteria on your tongue convert the Nitrate ($\text{NO}_3$) into Nitrite ($\text{NO}_2$).
- You swallow the Nitrite, and your stomach acid converts it into Nitric Oxide.
The Study: Mouthwash vs. Heart
If you remove step 3 (the bacteria), the pathway breaks.
A 2013 study published in Free Radical Biology and Medicine tested this. Healthy volunteers used a chlorhexidine mouthwash twice daily.
The Results:
- Within hours, the nitrate-reducing capacity of the mouth fell by 90%.
- Plasma nitrite levels dropped by 25%.
- Systolic blood pressure rose by 2–3.5 mmHg.
While a few points of blood pressure sounds small, on a population level, a 2-point rise significantly increases the risk of stroke and heart attack.
The Pre-Workout Paradox
For athletes, this is crucial.
Many lifters take supplements like Beet Root Powder or Citrulline to boost blood flow.
If you use mouthwash in the morning, you are chemically castrating these supplements. You are putting the fuel in the tank (Nitrates), but you have removed the spark plug (Bacteria).
The WellFact Protocol
- Hygiene: Brush and floss daily to remove plaque and food debris.
- Avoid: Alcohol-based mouthwashes (e.g., Listerine) and prescription chlorhexidine (unless prescribed for acute infection).
- Alternative: If you need to freshen your breath, use natural options like Salt Water rinses or Coconut Oil Pulling, which are less aggressive towards the beneficial flora.