The Oral Microbiome and Autoimmunity

Posted on May 5, 2023May 2, 2023 by Akil Palanisamy MD

The oral microbiome is made up of a diverse array of microorganisms that reside in the mouth. A sample of this diverse array can be collected by a simple oral rinse and gargle and specific microorganisms are identified by q-PCR analysis. Knowing this information can help clinicians better understand and potentially manage triggers for numerous autoimmune diseases. Autoimmune diseases are conditions in which the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy cells in the body, leading to chronic inflam...

A Podcast For Your Mouth

Posted on April 28, 2023April 26, 2023 by Camille Zenobia PhD

I am the @oralhealthactivist and brainchild behind the ‘Let’s Get Oral’ Podcast. Although I am no dentist or hygienist, my PhD thesis was centered around Porphyromonas gingivalis endotoxin which led me on a circuitous pathway through oral pathology, oral immunology, oral hygiene, and clinical study in oral health. I have so much excitement to share about what we have been learning over the last 20 years that has not yet been adequately communicated. We are at a frontier regarding oral health...

Interview with Bianca Velayo DMD

Posted on April 21, 2023April 26, 2023 by Bianca Velayo DMD

Dr. McGlennen: Tell me how you were introduced to OralDNA® salivary diagnostics. Bianca Velayo DMD: As a Pacific Dental Services (PDS)-Supported Clinician, I am thankful to be part of an organization that embraces the Mouth-Body Connection®. PDS teamed up with OralDNA® Labs to offer testing to our patients and I first began incorporating it into my practice in 2018. Dr. McGlennen: What are the top two things to consider when you select a patient for testing? Bianca Velayo DMD: In my...

How Do You Speak Testing? With Kim Ramos RDH & Ali Carr RDH

Posted on March 10, 2023August 14, 2024 by Kim Ramos RDH - Ali Carr RDH

Patient Bio: Your new female 39-year-old patient hasn’t been seen by a dentist since 2020. She was recently diagnosed as pre-diabetic with elevated blood pressure. With her medical doctor’s approval, she is attempting to control or reverse her pre-diabetes and lower her blood pressure with diet and lifestyle changes. Her medical doctor recommended she have a dental exam. She is interested in fixing her crowded maxillary anterior teeth. Here are the findings of the periodontal assessment: ...

Leaky Gum Syndrome & The Oral-Systemic Link

Posted on February 10, 2023February 7, 2023 by Cass Nelson-Dooley MS

Few of us think much about the health of our mouth lining unless our gums are swollen and red or if we have mouth pain. But the tissue lining your gums and the inside of your mouth is vitally important to keeping you safe from heart disease, joint pain, and brain disease. How do healthy gums protect you from all of that? Your mouth lining is a critical defense between infections in your mouth and the rest of your body. Bleeding, swollen, sore gums can point to a weak defense in the mouth and may...

How Do You Speak Testing? With Yemia White RDH

Posted on February 3, 2023August 14, 2024 by Yemia White BSDH RDH

Patient Bio: Your new male patient, age 45, presents with the below findings. He has smoked 1 pack per day for the past 25 years. Upon medical history review you discover his blood pressure and cholesterol are being controlled by medication. He confides that his father passed away at age 53. How would you introduce therapy including MyPerioPath® to this patient? Mr. Smith, thank you for allowing us to collect pertinent information for your comprehensive oral health assessment. May I ...

Educated in Dental Hygiene, Practicing Dental Medicine

Posted on January 20, 2023January 18, 2023 by Stevey Cline RDH

Think about a smile, what does it mean to you? As a dental professional it likely means more than friendliness and beauty. Does the word medicine come to mind? I have been practicing dental hygiene for five short years and have begun to understand the degree that dental and medical are interchangeable. Dental medicine is a key term used when you understand the interchangeability. I believe in dental medicine. As a clinician, most of us have heard our patients say, “There is just a little ...

AAOSH Hot Topics 2023: Don’t Be Left Out in the Cold—Attend!!!

Posted on January 13, 2023January 9, 2023 by Diane Larson RDH, BSDH

The American Academy for Oral Systemic Health began in 2010 with a simple mission: Connecting medicine and dentistry to save lives. Since the beginning, professionals from all aspects of health care have been sharing their expertise to achieve the mission of saving lives. If you are reading this blog, you may have previously attended an AAOSH event or at minimum you have thought about attending. But, new breakthroughs are constantly being made in this field. Here’s a taste of what you will e...

“Biohacking” Our Genes Using Celsus One™ and Nrf2 Activation

Posted on December 30, 2022December 27, 2022 by Kimberly Hubenette DDS MAGD

In my practice, I am a “biohacker,” helping my patients become healthy at the cellular level, using biomarkers, saliva tests, blood work, and new-age supplements; hacking the genetic code to help my patients live a preventive lifestyle. I often tell my patients that their mouth is an indication of their internal body tissue health. Incorporating the genetic analysis from the Celsus One™ report helps me establish personalized health recommendations utilizing genetic risk factors related to th...

How to do you speak Risk of Cancer and Periodontal Disease to your patients?

Posted on December 23, 2022August 14, 2024 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 contribute to ...