A dentist has shared a revelation about a health practice he wishes he had adopted earlier, and it might surprise you.
The American dentist identified a single habit he regrets not incorporating sooner, which has the potential to enhance your health significantly.
Dr. Mark Burhenne, the creator of the Ask The Dentist social media account, is a family dentist with a focus on functional dentistry and preventative healthcare.
He described a supplement that could greatly benefit your daily health, and his insights may encourage you to consider it.
Experiencing poor sleep, unstable blood sugar, mental fog, or weak bones?
This could be the solution you need.
In a post on Instagram, the dentist expressed his wish that he had started taking magnesium earlier, stating, “I am 66 years old. Something I wish I knew in my 30s and 40s… daily magnesium is one of your highest ROI habits for your brain, heart, muscles, sleep, and yes… even your smile.”
According to Healthline, magnesium can help lower blood pressure, reduce the risk of stroke, cardiovascular disease, and type 2 diabetes, enhance bone health, and prevent migraine headaches.
In the caption of his video, he listed five reasons why individuals might need more magnesium, beginning with stress.
He explained that factors like consuming processed food, experiencing stress, and drinking coffee and alcohol can increase the body’s need for this supplement.
He added: “Translation: most of us are walking around subclinically deficient, even if we’re eating ‘well’.”
Magnesium is also excellent for sleep, as it ‘helps your brain make melatonin and keeps your nervous system from staying in ‘fight-or-flight’ mode.’
He shared his observations about patient responses to treatment, noting that some shift from being ‘restless, jaw-clenching, grinding-insomniacs’ to saying ‘I slept through the night for the first time in years’ simply by receiving adequate magnesium.
Magnesium is beneficial for cardiovascular health as it ‘keeps blood pressure in check and prevents arterial stiffness.’ He explained, “The heart is a muscle, and magnesium is the mineral that makes muscles relax after they contract. If calcium is the ‘gas pedal’, magnesium is the ‘brake’. You need both – but most people are way over on the calcium side.”
As a dentist, he emphasized magnesium’s role in oral health, stating it helps maintain healthy gums and teeth.
He noted that this is because ‘magnesium helps regulate calcium placement – which means it helps keep calcium in your bones and teeth and out of soft tissues like arteries.’
“It’s also essential for activating vitamin D (which in turn affects enamel remineralisation and immune defence in the mouth),” he said.
Additionally, magnesium can soothe the nervous system, and a deficiency may lead to anxiety, poor sleep, muscle cramps, and stress.
Healthline further mentions that the recommended daily intake is 330mg for women and 400mg for men, supporting bone health, blood sugar regulation, regular heart rhythms, pain reduction, and more.