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...
Another Role for Dental Ozone: Supporting Wound Healing
The supercharged form of oxygen called ozone is an essential tool in tending to our patients’ dental needs. Much of this is due to its antimicrobial power. That power is nicely shown in a case report by Dr. Robert Rowen published this past fall. The case involved a...
How We Look Out for Our Patients’ Safety When They Choose to Have Their Mercury Fillings Removed
It's a point that we feel can't be stressed nearly enough: If you choose to have your "silver" mercury amalgam fillings replaced with biocompatible restorations, it's crucial that you have them removed by a dentist who follows strict safety guidelines. It's...
Rethinking Your Relationship with Caffeine?
If you’re like most folks, around New Year’s, you find yourself reassessing things in your life – particularly with respect to your health. One common reassessment? Caffeine consumption. But while coffee is the number one source of this stimulant, you’ll find it in...
When Thinking about “Health,” Don’t Forget the Mouth
Most new year's resolutions are health-related, yet when most folks think about "health," they're usually not thinking about the mouth. Yet conditions in the mouth, as Dr. Reinhold Voll famously taught, may be implicated in up to 90% of all health problems. Suffice...
Hermey’s 2018 Toothy Holiday Gift Guide
Nothing quite speaks to us during the holiday season like Hermey, the elf who wanted to be a dentist rather than make toys. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=day3yvj3f7s He would also probably enjoy a toothy gift or two or more. But what to get a dental elf –...
Mindfulness & Your Mouth
By this point, you’ve probably heard something about mindfulness and how it may be beneficial to your health. So what is it? And what it have to do with your mouth? You might think that mindfulness is some mystical thing that only monks “om-ing” in some far-flung...
Brush First or Floss First? Here’s What Science Says
You know you’re supposed to brush and floss your teeth each day, but have you ever really thought about which you should do first? Conventional wisdom says that it doesn’t really matter so long as you do both. But research published earlier this year in the Journal...
Treating Sleep Apnea May Improve Stroke Outcomes
Imagine waking up dozens or even hundreds of times each night. Doesn’t sound very restful, does it? Yet that’s the reality for people with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) – about 25 million Americans at last count, if not more. And it’s a reality that puts them at...
Oral Systemic Links: Gum Disease & Cognitive Health, Heart Health, Metabolic Health
It’s great to see the mainstream catching up to what biological dentistry has long held: Oral conditions can have systemic effects – and vice versa. In fact, Dr. Reinhold Voll – one of the pioneers on the way to biological dentistry – taught that up to 90% of all...
