When my husband Zach was diagnosed with Stage 3 colorectal cancer at just 33 years old, our world changed overnight. Like many families facing a serious diagnosis, we found ourselves asking one question over and over:
Why?
Beyond treating the cancer itself, we wanted to better understand the factors that may have contributed to his overall health. That search led us to nutrition, lifestyle changes, detoxification, and eventually to an area we had never considered before—oral health.
We learned that biological dentistry takes a whole-body approach, recognizing that the mouth is connected to the rest of the body. Rather than focusing only on cavities or cleanings, biological dentists evaluate hidden infections, chronic inflammation, and other factors that may influence overall health.
As part of Zach’s evaluation, our biological dentist performed a 3D Cone Beam scan, which revealed two previously root-canaled teeth with signs of infection. We then completed OralDNA’s MyPerioPath® salivary test to better understand the bacterial environment in his mouth.
The results identified several high-risk periodontal pathogens, including Fusobacterium nucleatum/periodonticum, Prevotella intermedia, and Peptostreptococcus (Micromonas) micros.
Having this information gave us a clearer picture of Zach’s oral health and helped guide conversations with our dental team about the next steps in his care. We appreciated that salivary testing provided objective data rather than relying on symptoms or visual examination alone. Our experience reinforced that looking deeper can sometimes uncover important information that routine dental visits may not reveal.
Today, we encourage others to think beyond traditional dental care and ask more questions about their oral health. Salivary testing became an important piece of understanding Zach’s health and making informed decisions alongside our healthcare providers.
- How Salivary Testing Changed the Way We Look at Whole-Body Health - August 7, 2026