How do you speak Pregnancy and Periodontal Disease with your patients?

Posted on March 13, 2020August 14, 2024 by Nancy Wahl RDH, BS MC

Dr. McGlennen: The oral microbiota changes when women become pregnant, and levels of periodontal pathogens increase1. During pregnancy, periodontal inflammation worsens, mostly due to increased levels of A.a., P.g., F.n. and P.i.2. Among these oral pathogens, there is a marked risk of infection of the maternal blood and the placenta, which leads to an increase in pre-term labor, lower birth weight and even the chance of fetal loss due specifically to the bacteria P.g. and F.n.3,4. Further, the...

Interview with the Searcy Dental Team

Posted on March 6, 2020May 20, 2021 by Searcy Dental

Dr. McGlennen: Please tell me how you use OralDNA® salivary diagnostics in your practice. Searcy Dental team: We use salivary diagnostics as standard protocol in our periodontal therapy program, especially MyPerioPath®. These results help us, and patients, understand exactly which pathogens are present and at what levels. When a patient has responded to our applied therapy, we are able to measure the amazing results by post treatment testing. Dr. McGlennen: What are the top two thing...

Soft Tissue Program with a Microscope & MyPerioPath®

Posted on February 28, 2020May 20, 2021 by Cori Creeks RDH

As with most dental practices we have a soft tissue program in place to help treat periodontal disease as well as gingivitis. We use the traditional x-rays and periodontal probing exams that allow us to assess periodontal damage that has already occurred within the soft tissues and bone. We have also implemented a new type of exam that can show us bacteria that is present in the gum tissues. Our team recently received training on the use of a microscope and Dr. Hawkins decided to purchase...

American Academy of Oral Medicine: The Past, The Present, and The Future

Posted on February 14, 2020May 20, 2021 by Jaisri R. Thoppay DDS

On April 29-May 2, 2020, the American Academy of Oral Medicine (AAOM) celebrates its 75th annual meeting in Orlando, Florida. The theme of our meeting is “Oral Medicine: The Past, The Present, and The Future.” In 1945, “The Past,” Dr. Samuel Charles Miller founded the academy with a keen intent to integrate dental and medical issues. This inspiration has formed a strong foundation, “The Present,” that over the years, through education, collaboration, and research, has set standards for mana...

How do you speak Dementia/Brain Health and Periodontal Disease with your patients?

Posted on February 7, 2020August 14, 2024 by Steven Ritzi DDS

Dr. McGlennen: Concerning dementia and brain health, recent medical studies point to poor oral health, and high levels of the bacteria in our gums with the increased risk to develop Alzheimer’s and other types of dementia1-3. Specifically, there is now evidence of the oral pathogen, Porphyromonas gingivalis (Pg), present in brain tissue and cerebrospinal fluid and it may be involved with the production of the abnormal proteins that are characteristic of Alzheimer’s disease4. Additionally, t...

Interview with Ryan McWhorter, MD

Posted on January 31, 2020May 20, 2021 by Ryan McWhorter MD

Dr. McGlennen: Please explain how you use OralDNA® salivary diagnostics in your functional medicine practice. Ryan McWhorter MD: I use OralDNA® Labs’ MyPerioPath® test when I suspect or know there are sources of inflammation. The lab results are part of the evaluation for coronary heart disease treatment, joint problems, cancer support, autoimmune reversal or problems in women's pelvic health, fertility or miscarriages. Dr. McGlennen: What is your primary consideration when selecting ...

AADP: Sharing a Better Way in Dentistry #Launch2020

Posted on January 24, 2020May 20, 2021 by Julie Kellogg DDS

It’s a new decade and 2020 has a great energy boosting ring to it! Launch your new dental decade and year of 2020 with an inspirational space themed meeting in Orlando with the American Academy of Dental Practice (AADP) March 4-7. I went to my first AADP meeting because I heard it was one of the best kept secrets in dentistry. Intrigued, I had to check it out and AADP did not disappoint. Whatever it is that I need at that point in my life, I find it at AADP either through the wonderful...

Up Your Oral Health Game with Salivary Testing: Part 1

Posted on January 10, 2020May 20, 2021 by Barbara Tritz RDH

Aren’t you tired of the same old drill and fill, pumice-pushing lecture about tooth decay, flossing, and bleeding gums? Yet, patients still come back infected and full of plaque. All our great suggestions are for naught. We keep lecturing, hoping for different results. It becomes discouraging and frustrating for our patients and leads to burnout and career changes for us. On top of that - despite all of our efforts, all of our breath, and all of our floss - periodontal disease is still ...

Interview with Charissa Wood, RDH

Posted on December 13, 2019May 20, 2021 by Charissa Wood RDH

Dr. McGlennen: Tell me how you use OralDNA® salivary diagnostics. Charissa Wood RDH: At Atlanta Dental Spa, we utilize OralDNA® salivary diagnostics to help our patients achieve optimal oral health. We take a complete health approach to our patients’ care and salivary diagnostics helps us assess our patients’ genetic predispositions to inflammation as well as the perio-pathogen load levels. OralDNA® lab reports allow us to truly tailor patient care based off the information we get from test...

Systemic Inflammation, Elevated hs-CRP, and Oral Bacterial Pathogens Decrease After Two Years of Natural Dental Health Treatments: A Case Study

Posted on November 8, 2019May 20, 2021 by Cass Nelson-Dooley MS, Ellie Campbell DO

Heart Disease Begins in the Mouth High sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) is the most clear, quantifiable, and readily accessible marker of the oral-systemic connection. We present a case study of an otherwise healthy 62-year-old woman with elevated hs-CRP who had abundant numbers of pathogenic oral bacteria. A natural dental health treatment over two years lowered hs-CRP and lowered oral pathogens. Given the links between oral disease, inflammation, and heart disease, it is wise to ...