Part 2: Build the Microscopic Army in Your Mouth to Fight Oral Cancer and Improve Dental Health

Posted on May 7, 2021May 20, 2021 by Cass Nelson-Dooley MS

Last week in part 1, oral cancer was defined with a potential cause being oral dysbiosis identified. This week, I will give supporting evidence of this connection along with strategies to avoid this dysbiosis. When we talk about an unhealthy microbiome, we often use the word, “dysbiosis.” Oral dysbiosis is a mouth that is unhealthy because the microorganisms are out of balance. An imbalanced microbiome may lead to symptoms or disease. Symptoms of Oral Dysbiosis: Bad breath Blee...

Part 1: Build the Microscopic Army in Your Mouth to Fight Oral Cancer and Improve Dental Health

Posted on April 30, 2021April 30, 2021 by Cass Nelson-Dooley MS

Oral Cancer Is No Match for a Healthy Oral Microbiome Fostering a healthy oral microbiome can fight oral and other cancers. That’s nothing to say for its benefits on cavities, root canal infections, and gum disease. Your friendly bacteria protect you from disease, fight tumors, cool off inflammation, and boost your immune system. Who wouldn’t want this army of microscopic warriors on their side?! In this two-part blog, you will learn that cancers can be caused by bacteria, viruses, ...

Ask Why? Medicine

Posted on April 23, 2021May 20, 2021 by Patti DeMatteis, RDH, AS

The balance between health and disease is delicate. When disease begins, restoring health may be a difficult journey. One strategy is to find the root cause(s) versus treating the symptoms of the disease. Defining the problem(s) and collecting the appropriate data will assist in identifying the cause. Prioritizing the cause(s), rather than the symptoms, will help implement necessary changes to re-establish health. It is easy to struggle with your health, especially when there is...

The Co-management of an Esophageal Cancer Survivor

Posted on April 16, 2021May 20, 2021 by Camille Luke RDH MSDH

Background: The patient is a 75-year-old female with a history of esophageal cancer in 2013. The origin of the cancer was determined to be lichen planus. Surgical removal of the lesion occurred, and no reconstructive surgery was needed. However, post-surgery to present date, the patient experiences severe acid reflux and sleeps with her head elevated. She has great home dental care and follows a 3-month periodontal maintenance. During the head and neck exam, no significant findings were disc...

How Investing in Your Staff Pays Off in a Big Way

Posted on April 9, 2021May 20, 2021 by Reza Sanjar DMD

Payroll is one of the biggest expenses for any dental practice owner, taking up 24-28% of a standard practice’s income.1 If you are trying to increase your income and reduce your costs, you might be tempted to achieve this by hiring lower wage dental staff. While this notion might look great on paper, it does not work out as well in reality. In fact, it is likely to cost you more money overall. Instead, you should consider investing in quality staff to boost your practice’s revenue. No...

Interview with Eniko Loud DMD

Posted on April 2, 2021May 20, 2021 by Eniko Loud DMD IFMCP

Dr. McGlennen: Thank you for becoming an OralDNA® provider in 2016. What was the catalyst for bringing salivary diagnostics to your patient care? Eniko Loud DMD: I have taken courses in oral systemic health and functional medicine, then became familiar with the importance of the oral microbiome on the holobiome. The holobiome is the sum of all bacterial, fungal, viral populations that live inside and on the body - like the lung flora/biome which is secondary to the biome of the mouth and ...

Rule In or Rule Out — How to Add a Test

Posted on March 26, 2021December 14, 2022 by Diane Larson RDH, BSDH

The OralDNA® Labs preserved oral rinse collection kit comes at no cost to you and works for all tests on our test menu, with the exception of OraRisk® COVID 19 RT-PCR. The collection technique of a vigorous 30 second swish and gargle is efficient and effectively captures various DNA - bacterial, human, viral and fungal. The collected DNA from the oral cavity is analyzed to produce lab reports that help you make patient care decisions. When Alert 2™, MyPerioID® IL-6, or Celsus One™ are ord...

Re-assess and Re-focus in 2021

Posted on March 19, 2021May 20, 2021 by Jeanette Kern DDS

When it comes to your profitability and production for 2021, how are you doing so far this year? Are you on track to do what you hoped? And most of all, have you determined what improvements you want to incorporate into your practice for 2021? Many of us had the feeling that a giant pause button was pushed during our COVID lockdowns. How did you use that time? Did you take time for yourself? Did you reprioritize your relationships? How about your health, did you do any self-love or was it...

Interview with PDS South Bay Joan To, DDS

Posted on March 12, 2021May 20, 2021 by Joan To, DDS

Dr. McGlennen: Tell me how you heard about OralDNA® salivary diagnostics. Joan To DDS: Originally, I was introduced to OralDNA® testing through Pacific Dental Services (PDS). However, implementing testing was slow to start until Dr. Shervin Molayem, my colleague and in-office periodontist, helped me. He shared his personal experience and success stories with OralDNA® testing and how he was able to take better care of his patients. I wanted that for my patients. Obviously, his motivation was...

How Do You Speak Testing?

Posted on March 5, 2021August 14, 2024 by Leslie I. Bautista RDH

A common question of everyone doing something for the first time is “How?” Clinical laboratory testing is standard of care in the medical profession and while completing their degrees, our medical colleagues learned the “How.” For dental professionals, clinical laboratory testing is a newer concept. Clinical lab testing in dentistry marks a paradigm shift. We hope this series “How to Speak” provides insights into how to talk with your patients about optimal care. The guest author has...