I have greatly enjoyed being a dental hygienist for over 30 years. Something that still fascinates me is the oral health and whole-body health connections. As a constant student, I have studied bidirectional and causal relationships amongst oral pathogens and a host of chronic diseases. In fact, over two decades ago, the surgeon general spoke about periodontal disease effects, and we now know there are established associations to 57 adverse health conditions, associated with periodontal dise...
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oral systemic connection
Interview with Functional Medicine, International Leader Pete Williams
Dr. McGlennen: You started incorporating OralDNA® testing services into your care 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 following the research ove...
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Why Vitamin D? Why Not!
The human body is magnificent. For as much as we know about human physiology, there is an even greater number of processes that we don’t fully understand. I am grateful for the researchers/investigators that continue to explore what makes us function. One of my personal mottos, and I hope you add it to yours, is “The more we know, the better we can be and the better we can treat our patients.”
The importance of Vitamin D is one of ever-evolving understandings. The more we discover, the more w...
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Oral Hygiene and Cognition By: Ram Rao, PhD
A nice, friendly smile is visually attractive and is also a sign of good oral hygiene practice and cognitive health. Numerous studies have found a close connection between poor oral hygiene and dementia. Studies have found that those with poor oral hygiene practices are at higher risk for dementia, and dementia patients are at higher risk for developing gum disease. Poor oral hygiene and inadequate nutrition are likely the primary drivers for the risk of gum disease in dementia patients, par...
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Dental Hygiene: Looking Beyond
Dental health has never been more important. We know the mouth plays a critical role in systemic health. It is a bellwether for what is really happening deep within the body. The mouth is the proverbial “canary in the coal mine.” The infections we see clinically are symptoms of bigger problems, and vice versa; inflammation in the mouth affects the entire body.
We know:
50% of the US population has some level of gum disease.1
Dementia affects 55 million people worldwide, and this n...
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Unlock the Secret to Successful Medical – Dental Collaboration
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is on the rise in the United States. Until now it has been thought to be a terminal disease with no cure. However, all that is changing with the development of a precision medicine method called ReCODE (Reversal of COgnitive DEcline). This cutting-edge method has been taught around the world to physicians & health coaches and now the dental team has an exciting opportunity to get involved.
As the sixth leading cause of death in the U.S., AD is the most common type...
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Interview with Dr. Caleb Robinson DDS
Dr. McGlennen: You have been using our testing services for over 13 years. Do you have a different approach today than your approach 10+ years ago?
Caleb Robinson DDS: Without a doubt. In retrospect, our treatment from many years ago really seems like a “shot in the dark” against disease. We originally implemented salivary diagnostics as a helpful guide prior to treatment, to help us tailor the treatment to each patient’s specific case. Over the years we have progressed even further – now...
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Probiotics Combined with Antibiotics Can Help
Almost all of us will be faced with the need to take an antibiotic at some time. Certainly, they are overused in many instances, but can also be lifesaving. Besides killing the bacteria that are causing the infection, antibiotics can also wreak havoc with the gut microbes. If you think of your gut flora like a tropical rainforest with vast diversity, think of antibiotics as a slash and burn therapy that does not discriminate between friendly probiotic strains and pathogenic invaders.
It i...
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Inflammation is Key!
It is now widely accepted and confirmed through research that there is an oral-systemic connection. The link between oral infection and certain systemic diseases has taken center stage, and inflammation is the key!
Dental plaque/biofilm formation added to the inflammatory process can lead to periodontitis, peri-implantitis or other oral infections. It can reach an acute phase, initiating the inflammation cascade. Once inflammation is initiated around a natural tooth or an implant, tissue can ...
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Sick and Tired of Patients Being… Sick and Tired?
Me too! Day after day, patients dismiss their oral health, writing it off as “My gums have always bled.” Inside, my head was exploding, but outside my heart was opened. I knew that I had a chance to educate my patients to a whole new level of health. One where their energy would be boosted, risk to coronary heart disease would be lowered, and the chance of them developing diabetes would be significantly reduced.
I became a hygienist on a mission. I instinctively knew that if things were g...
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