Oral-Systemic

How do you speak Joint/Musculoskeletal Health and Periodontal Disease to your patients?

Posted on by Jill Wade DDS, MAGD
Dr. McGlennen: Like periodontitis, rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory condition.  But unlike periodontitis, where the genesis of the inflammation is the complex infections in the gingival sulcus, the cause of RA is unknown.  Recent studies, however, provide insights that, in part, oral bacteria play a role in evoking an abnormal immune response that then leads to joint disease.  In a recent meta-analysis of 21 separate studies, there was a significantly increased risk of per...
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Interview with Jessica Clarke, RDH

Posted on by Jessica Clarke RDH
Dr. McGlennen: Let’s talk about how you use OralDNA® salivary diagnostics in your practice. Jessica Clarke RDH: We are currently using the OralDNA® MyPerioPath® test as standard protocol for all active non-surgical periodontal treatment in our office. Dr. McGlennen: What are the top two things you consider when selecting a patient for testing? Jessica Clarke RDH: We stick with the traditional signs of periodontal disease (PD) such as bleeding gums, and when we review the patient’s m...
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How do you speak Cardiovascular Disease and Periodontal Disease to your patients?

Posted on by Barb McClatchie DDS
Dr. McGlennen: There is consensus within the medical and dental community that periodontal bacteria contribute to the initiation, progression and prognosis of cardiovascular disease. From key studies, including prospective, retrospective and even meta-analysis studies, persons with untreated periodontal infections have up to a 20% increase in their risk of coronary vascular disease.1 The multiple of risk for stroke (1.74-2.85 fold) and peripheral vascular disease (1.41-2.27 fold) is equal or...
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How do you speak Risk of Cancer and Periodontal Disease with your patients?

Posted on by Michael C. Rogers, DDS
    Dr McGlennen: Cancer is a word that receives a lot of attention. There are walks, runs and bike rides every day to raise awareness of various types of cancers and billions of dollars are spent on research directed to improve diagnosis and treatments. As health care professionals, we should perform a cancer risk assessment for each patient with a goal to reduce the patient’s risk and to find cancers earlier when cure is more likely. One way that the dental office can contr...
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Why I Teach Salivary Testing as a Dental Hygiene Instructor

Posted on by Lisa Proffitt, RDH, BS
  I am a dental hygienist and have spent most of my career in a periodontal practice. Most recently I split my time at Dr. Steven Peiser’s office and serve as a faculty member at Goodwin College in Connecticut teaching Oral Pathology to dental hygiene students. It has been so exciting to teach this course and share my knowledge and experience.  Specifically, I most enjoy teaching about the relationship of pathogenic bacteria to the oral-systemic link which is crucial to understand wh...
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How do you speak Metabolic Health/Diabetes and Periodontal Disease to Your Patients?

Posted on by Elizabeth Farber RDH
Dr. McGlennen: Many resources confirm a bi-directional relationship between periodontal disease and Type II diabetes; which in simple terms means if you have one, you will most likely have the other. Elevated levels of periodontal bacteria can directly cause hyperglycemia.1 Long term, the inflammation associated with increased pathogen burden can affect the health of the pancreas. Specifically, there is the risk of the loss of beta cells that produce insulin and respond to elevated blood glu...
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Finding the Root Cause of Disease – It’s All Connected

Posted on by American Academy of Oral Systemic Health
  The mouth is, and forever will be, part of the body. The traditional medical model is treating symptoms and body parts in isolation. A new approach called functional medicine is emerging. Functional medicine pioneers such as Dr. Mark Hyman, Dr. Mike Roisen, Dr. Josh Axe, Dr. Joel Fuhrman, Dr. Amy Doneen, Dr. Brad Bale, and a host of others, are leading the charge. They do not ask questions like “What do we have?” but rather “Why do we have it?” They understand that body parts and o...
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Interview with Ben Mendoza, RDH

Posted on by Ben Mendoza RDH
Dr. McGlennen: Please tell me how you use OralDNA® salivary diagnostics in your practice. Ben Mendoza RDH: OralDNA® salivary diagnostics is the most applicable tool we use at Dr. Katherine Brown’s practice in order to guide our patients toward optimal oral care as well as total health well-being. We use this testing to help identify, confirm, and convey both the risk and presence of bacterial pathogens that increase patients’ potential for tooth decay and gum disease, as well as any negat...
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Interview with Functional Medicine Leader, Pete Williams

Posted on by Pete Williams
  Dr. McGlennen: You started incorporating OralDNA® testing services into your care over a year ago in Spring 2018. Tell me how you were introduced to OralDNA® salivary diagnostics and why do you use the testing services. Pete Williams: We first became aware of the OralDNA® testing services at a Functional Medicine conference in the US. As a Functional Medicine practice, we are aware of how oral health can have a systemic effect on chronic disease and its management. We have been ...
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Periodontal Therapy Without Pharmaceuticals

Posted on by Tonya Sneed RDH Michelle Wilson RDH
Challenge: A patient of record with a history of prostate cancer is exhibiting active signs of periodontal disease. Background:  A 69 year old male with a history of prostate cancer including surgical removal of the prostate. Patient also has a history of atrial fibrillation and cardiac ablation. He presents with active periodontal disease symptoms. The patient states, “I want to be proactive and per my functional medicine doctor, there could be bacteria complicating my overall health.” ...
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