Periodontal Disease

Guided Biofilm Therapy and the Systemic Link

Posted on by Kendra Fox RDH
How many times have you asked your patients if their medical history has changed, and their response is, “It has changed, but it has nothing to do with dentistry”? How about the patient I saw last month for her prophy, who said “No” when I asked her for any changes in her medical history and she is wearing a hospital wrist band due to the heart condition she was just treated for? There is an abundance of evidence from scholarly articles linking oral health to systemic health.1 Its effect on one ...
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Oral Health and Whole-Body Health: Using Testing to Address Cause and Effect with Dr. Ron McGlennen

Posted on by Amanda Seaton, B.S.
You know that oral health can profoundly impact whole-body health. And your patients are becoming increasingly aware of this fact. You’re uniquely positioned to influence their oral care decisions. So, how do you expertly educate them about this vital connection? Join Ron McGlennen, MD, and Jocelyn Strand, ND, on Wednesday, April 10th, 2024, at 11am PT as they discuss evaluating oral health and addressing dental disorders from an integrative perspective. In this “fireside chat,” Dr. McGlennen...
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Children Get Gum Disease Too

Posted on by Barbara Tritz RDH
Parents always ask me, “Does my child have any cavities?” What I also want parents to wonder and ask; “Does my child have gum disease?” People - parents - don’t know what they don’t know! Too often, we dismiss a “little bleeding” or calculus buildup in children (never mind adults) as poor oral hygiene and admonish them to brush and floss. Yet, without addressing the root causes, this inflammation does not resolve. Evolve your practice: look deeper into bleeding gums in children and ...
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Pure Perio: Upcoming Events

Posted on by Thomas Nabors DDS - Andrea Owens RDH
Pure Perio is an oral health course that focuses on total body health by treating periodontal disease founded by Dr. Tommy Nabors, the pioneer in salivary diagnostics. Our core concept involves understanding the body’s inflammatory cascade through microbiology with salivary diagnostics. By attending the course, you will learn the science behind periodontal disease and total body health from research-based sources. After understanding the science, you will learn an oral health protocol to appl...
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Systemic Inflammation, Elevated hs-CRP, and Oral Bacterial Pathogens Decrease After Two Years of Natural Dental Health Treatments: A Case Study

Posted on by Cass Nelson-Dooley MS, Ellie Campbell DO
Heart Disease Begins in the Mouth High sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) is the most clear, quantifiable, and readily accessible marker of the oral-systemic connection. We present a case study of an otherwise healthy 62-year-old woman with elevated hs-CRP who had abundant numbers of pathogenic oral bacteria. A natural dental health treatment over two years lowered hs-CRP and lowered oral pathogens. Given the links between oral disease, inflammation, and heart disease, it is wise to te...
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Saved by the Mouth is Here!

Posted on by Katie Lee DDS
I’m excited to announce the release of my very first book, Saved by the Mouth! Sparked by my own medical experiences (I’ll tell you more about that in a second), I wrote Saved by the Mouth with the hope that it would be a necessary wake-up call about oral systemic health, push the boundaries of traditional dentistry and how dentists truly care for their patients, and encourage the public to be more proactive of not only their oral health, but their overall health. At the age of 14, I was ...
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Transmissible Bacteria Between Spouses

Posted on by Carey Duraiappa RDH
Challenge: My patient was very concerned about passing bacteria to his wife and young daughter. Background: Patient knew he had periodontal issues and was informed that he would likely need to see a periodontist. Patient: Age: 36 Sex: M Medical History: Essential hypertension Last Dental Exam: 6 months to a year Home Care: Good home care Chief Complaint: Needs cleaning, had been told he may need to see periodontist Other Notes: Reports increased ­­­stress over la...
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The Journey to Becoming a Complex Care Hygienist

Posted on by Sandy Sheffler RDH
My name is Sandy Sheffler, and I have been a registered dental hygienist in the State of Maryland since 1973. For the last 45 years, I have been very fortunate to work in very progressive dental offices. In 1988, I was introduced to Dr. Paul Keyes, dental researcher and director of the National Institute of Dental Research and the developer of the Keyes Technique – a 7 step system to periodontal health. He was among the first dentists to associate pathogenic bacteria with dental diseases. Th...
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The Transformative Power of Salivary Diagnostics in Dentistry for Personalized Care in the Mouth-Body Connection Era

Posted on by Robert Benavides DDS
There's an age-old saying, "Change is the only constant." In the field of dentistry, we've seen many evolutions, from the tools we use to the methods we apply. One such evolution that had a deep impact on our practice is the introduction of salivary diagnostics. At first glance, like many others, we considered this technology to be disruptive. Yet, upon deeper reflection and application, it has woven seamlessly into our clinical culture, enhancing patient care and experience. Periodontal dise...
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The Importance of the Prevention and Treatment of Dental Disease for Overall Health

Posted on by Debby Hamilton MD MPH IFMCP
Oral diseases, including dental caries (tooth decay), periodontal disease, and tooth loss, are some of the most prevalent diseases worldwide.1 Oral disease is preventable by identifying and treating the issues contributing to dental disease. The digestive tract has been a primary focus for treatment in integrative medicine because of its contribution to immune function and chronic disease. The mouth is the top of the digestive tract, where an imbalance can also lead to systemic health issues. ...
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