A Higher Standard of Care

Posted on September 4, 2020May 20, 2021 by Stacey Espe RDH

For many years now, research has shown that there is a mouth body connection. In other words, what is happening in the mouth can impact what is happening with the body! In order for someone to have good health, they need to have good oral health. Unfortunately, periodontal disease is silent, as it does not hurt until it is severe. The minimal pain factor as periodontal disease develops may be why 80% of the United States population is suffering from periodontal disease. In the next paragraphs ...

Interview with Shira Newman RDH

Posted on August 7, 2020May 20, 2021 by Shira Newman RDH

Dr. McGlennen: Tell me how you use OralDNA® salivary diagnostics. Shira Newman RDH: Testing establishes a baseline for every patient's overall oral health. I cannot imagine practicing without it. Dr. McGlennen: What are the top two things to consider when you select a patient for testing? Shira Newman RDH: Honestly, I would test everyone if they are willing. A person could present looking perfectly healthy: no bleeding on probing, no buildup, nice firm pink gum tissue, but still h...

Reduce Dental Benefit Hassles and Help Your Patients Say “YES”

Posted on July 3, 2020May 20, 2021 by Tanya Brown, DMD

Wouldn’t it be great if you never had to deal with a denied claim again? One way to help prevent these hassles is by having more diagnostic information from the beginning! The quantitative results that you receive in a salivary diagnostics report gives you a measurable overview of a patient’s bacterial profile as well as risk level—both of which provide crucial evidence for your best chance at insurance coverage. (You’ll also have a great baseline from which you can assess the effi...

AAOSH has been saving lives since 2010! Who is AAOSH?

Posted on June 19, 2020May 20, 2021 by American Academy of Oral Systemic Health

The American Academy for Oral Systemic Health (AAOSH) began in 2010 with the primary goal of uniting dentistry and medicine in treating the body as a whole. Fast forward 10 years later, we are still focused on that original target and the paths have wonderfully broadened to not just dentistry, but all allied health fields - chiropractic, integrated medicine, naturopathic medicine, functional medicine, osteopathic medicine, advanced practice nursing, life science coaching, and so many more! ...

Connecting the Mouth and the Brain Through Bacteria

Posted on June 12, 2020May 20, 2021 by Angie Stone BS RDH

There are many diseases that people never want to hear they have. Cancer is a gut-wrenching diagnosis and with it comes images of enduring chemotherapy and/or radiation. For many decades having cancer meant a probable death. Medicine has come a long way in cancer treatment and many who receive treatments become survivors. In addition to better survival rates from certain types of cancer, deaths from heart disease and stroke have also been reduced in recent years. One diagnosis that has no...

A Progressive Oral Wellness Center in Rural America

Posted on May 22, 2020May 20, 2021 by McCreight Progressive Dentistry Team

In our rural practice (McCreight Progressive Dentistry) in Northwest Colorado, we see periodontal disease on average in about one of every two patients, or around 46%. This is representative of the CDC statistic as posted in the May 2015 Journal of Periodontology. Whenever we read these statistics, we are puzzled. In an industrialized nation where home care tools and dental technologies are readily available, how can there be so much disease? Here are some measures (newer technologies) we ha...

Communication is Key

Posted on May 15, 2020May 20, 2021 by Traci Warner, RDH

Periodontal disease is one of the most prevalent chronic inflammatory diseases in the United States and it is a key indicator of other systemic diseases. Dentistry has a significant role in reducing the impact of chronic disease in patients who trust their dental teams to guide them to total body health. From the first call and through every step of the patient experience, such as reviewing the medical history, the conversation should include the oral systemic connection. Dental teams a...

Critical Thinking: The Systemic Antibiotic Option

Posted on April 24, 2020May 20, 2021 by Diane Larson RDH, BSDH

The MyPerioPath® test provides a wide variety of valuable information for the clinician to consider in the care of their patients. In one example, the Treatment Consideration section of the report provides a recommendation for a regimen of oral antibiotics when the test results show bacteria levels greater than the black lines, called the therapeutic threshold. Where did this recommendation come from? This choice of drug, along with the recommended doses, are based on published research of...

Case Study: Periodontal Disease and Cardiovascular Disease

Posted on February 21, 2020May 20, 2021 by Shawn Perla RDH

Challenge: A new patient who has neglected dental care for 20 years with a chief complaint of broken teeth and bleeding gums appoints to address his dental concerns. Background: A 70-year-old male patient with broken teeth and bleeding gums appoints to our office. His last dental visit was estimated to be 20 years ago. Surprisingly the patient was not experiencing dental pain. The periodontal assessment revealed generalized 4-6 mm pockets with localized 7-9 mm pockets, inflamed and bulbo...

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...