Expand Your Understanding of the Mouth-Body Connection
It’s not news that the healthcare system in our country is very broken and that more and more people – especially younger folks – are looking for alternatives. "The current model of medicine focuses on providing pills and procedures for addressing physical symptoms...
The Most Commonly Searched Disease & Its Link to Oral Cancer
Most people Google health information at least once in a while. Heck, it may well be how you discovered our blog in the first place! It’s a reality that raises a question, though: Exactly what kind of info are folks searching for? According to one recent survey,...
Get a Better Night’s Sleep & Your Gums Will Thank You
Earlier this week, a new study dropped, highlighting the link between lack of sleep and high blood pressure – a link that may help explain why sleep problems seem to raise the risk of heart attack, stroke, and even early death. "Blood pressure is one of the best...
What It Means to Buy Locally
In a world growing ever more health-conscious, it’s common to see labels such as “natural,” “organic,” and “fresh.” But where “organic” at least has a legal definition, those others do not. And the same goes for foods labeled as “local,” which can mean a lot of...
A Look Back at…Metal-Free Implants & PRF: A Great Combo
Originally posted October 25, 2018; updated While platelet rich fibrin (PRF) is an amazing support for healing after tooth extraction, this is hardly the only use for it. For instance, it can be used to enhance the stability of dental implants and encourage their...
Can a Smartphone App Help Improve Your Oral Health?
There’s an app for everything, including help with your oral health, but do any of those oral hygiene apps help? A recent study in the BDJ aimed to find out. The researchers focused on one app in particular, Brushlink, which promises to “track your brushing...
Why Your Dentist Insists That You Floss ( & What May Be Even Better Than Floss)
You know you’re supposed to floss each day, but have you ever thought about why it matters so much? Your toothbrush alone isn’t enough. It’s great for cleaning large surface areas of your teeth, but no matter how fancy, it can’t completely clean between them or...
How to Get Contaminant-Free Water
Well, this is troubling: Over the past few years, as consumers have worried more about the quality of municipal tap water, bottled water has surged in popularity. It's now the nation’s best-selling bottled beverage, according to the International Bottled Water...
How to Remove Pesticide Residues from Fresh Fruit & Veg
Earlier this year, new research showed just how profoundly the switch to organic food can affect our exposure to pesticides. It was a small study, involving 4 diverse families of 16 people total. Pesticide levels were tested in urine samples from each participant....
It’s Never Too Early for Dental Care!
A lot of people think that there’s no point in taking their child to the dentist before the child’s teeth have erupted. In reality, that can sometimes be too late, as a new study in JAMA Network Open reminds. Nearly 500 mothers took part. One group received dental...
Fluoride, Fluoride (and Dental Fluorosis) Everywhere!
At the start of the month, the FDA proposed a new rule lowering the amount of fluoride that can be added to bottled water – presumably out of concern over rising rates of dental fluorosis, a condition that causes staining and pitting of tooth enamel during...
Fluoride Doesn’t Make a Sealant Any More Effective, Study Shows
Eating right, practicing good hygiene, and making healthy life choices is the preferred way to keep teeth healthy and whole, but when someone is at high risk of developing decay, sealants may be a good option. And when they are recommended, you want to be sure that...
Taking Care of Your Oral Health for Baby’s Sake: Dental Care During Pregnancy
A lot of people think that dental visits are something to avoid during pregnancy, but the opposite is actually the case - and we’re not just saying that because we work in a dental office. In fact, pregnant women are at a greater risk of periodontal disease -...
Want Healthier Gums? Let the Sunshine In!
No, not into your mouth, but on your skin – so it can make enough vitamin D to support good health. Sadly, many of us don’t get enough – about 40% of us, according to a recent article by Dr. Mercola. The lack of this important nutrient can mean getting sick more...
Sugar: “It’s Not Nutrition…It’s a Toxin”
Natural sugars eaten in whole foods are one thing; added sugars are quite another. Among other things, too much sugar fuels chronic inflammation that can drag down oral and systemic health alike. And that's just the tip of the proverbial iceberg. As Robert Lustig...
Fake Sweet, Real Concerns
Did you see the recent Mercola article on “the latest ‘diet’ fad,” fortified artificial sweeteners? It was a good article, but adding vitamins and other “healthy” ingredients to fake sweeteners is nothing new. Back in 2011, the product was Splenda Essentials. Three...
Children & Three Common Neurotoxins with Dental Connections
We’re all exposed to countless environmental toxins every day – many with neurotoxic effects. This is especially concerning with respect to children. First, their smaller size means it takes less exposure to have an effect. Also, their brains are still developing....
A Look Back at…The Trouble with Starches
Originally posted September 13, 2018; updated You already know that sugars are bad for your teeth, but it’s not just about soda, candy, and other sweet treats. Starchy carbs are a problem, as well – bread, pasta, crackers, and other foods made with refined grains,...
Oral Systemic Links: Gum Disease & Alzheimer’s
Researchers have increasingly noted that poor oral health appears to be a risk factor for Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia (not to mention other chronic inflammatory conditions). What is unclear is whether gum disease is actually the cause. New research in...
Ozone at Home
There’s another reason ozone is such an important tool in our holistic dental practice: its versatility. It can be used as a gas, as we looked at last week, or in water or oil, allowing it to be used in a wide variety of dental applications. Ozonated oils are...
