Throwback: Light the Flame of Awareness

Incorporating OralDNA® testing into our practice has been a game changer. It finally gives us, the clinicians, an advantage when getting ahead of this progressive disease–periodontal disease. The research is mounting, periodontal pathogens do not just exist in your oral cavity; the bacteria can enter the bloodstream through inflamed periodontal tissue. Hence, the mouth is connected to the body and so are the pathogens. It is all linked. Now with MyPerioPath® results to show what periodontal ...
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Throwback: How Do You Speak Testing? With Janice Kaeley DDS, MSD

Patient Background: A 41-year-old female patient is seen for a new patient exam. Her last dental appointment was 10 months ago. Today her primary concern is occasional bleeding gums with brushing. Currently, there are no medical conditions reported and no medications or supplements reported. The patient indicated she may be experiencing peri-menopausal symptoms, but this is not confirmed by a medical doctor. Upon dental examination, generalized 4mm to 6mm pockets were revealed with generaliz...
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Throwback: Classification of Periodontal and Peri-Implant Diseases and Conditions

As a periodontist, there are two topics that other clinicians frequently ask me about. The first is the updated Classification of Periodontal and Peri-Implant Diseases and Conditions. The second is my experience of working with salivary diagnostics. Both of these initiatives have become an essential part of my daily practice in periodontics. I moved to Dubai in 2010 to work as a specialist periodontist at a well-known private clinic. During my time in Dubai, it became increasingly clear t...
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Throwback: Build the Microscopic Army in Your Mouth to Fight Oral Cancer and Improve Dental Health

Oral Cancer Is No Match for a Healthy Oral Microbiome Fostering a healthy oral microbiome can fight oral and other cancers. That’s nothing to say for its benefits on cavities, root canal infections, and gum disease. Your friendly bacteria protect you from disease, fight tumors, cool off inflammation, and boost your immune system. Who wouldn’t want this army of microscopic warriors on their side?! In this two-part blog, you will learn that cancers can be caused by bacteria, viruses, ...
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Throwback: How Do You Speak Testing?

A common question of everyone doing something for the first time is “How?” Clinical laboratory testing is standard of care in the medical profession and while completing their degrees, our medical colleagues learned the “How.” For dental professionals, clinical laboratory testing is a newer concept. Clinical lab testing in dentistry marks a paradigm shift. We hope this series “How to Speak” provides insights into how to talk with your patients about optimal care. The guest author has been gi...
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Throwback: Chronic Anterior Inflammation

Challenge: The patient’s main concern was to reduce chronic inflammation around tooth #8 and #9. The patient previously had received treatment at a general dentist and a periodontist without significant improvement. Background: A new female patient, age 28, was last seen by another dentist about 3 years prior. Her home care consists of brushing twice daily with Tom’s of Maine® toothpaste and a Sonicare™ power toothbrush, and Crest® Pro-Health™ rinse with occasional flossing. Her family hi...
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Throwback: It’s Not JUST About the Science

At a time when “evidence-based” everything is all the rage; I would like to share my experience and philosophy in regard to salivary diagnostics.  My approach comes from a non-scientific perspective garnered from my 40+ years of clinical experience.  I come at it from both a trained scientific, human, psychological, patient management and pragmatic mindset. Several years back, I had a discussion with a well-respected career academic and journal editor about “evidence-based” medicine.  He ...
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Throwback: Communication is Key

Periodontal disease is one of the most prevalent chronic inflammatory diseases in the United States and it is a key indicator of other systemic diseases.  Dentistry has a significant role in reducing the impact of chronic disease in patients who trust their dental teams to guide them to total body health.  From the first call and through every step of the patient experience, such as reviewing the medical history, the conversation should include the oral systemic connection. Dental teams a...
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Throwback: Root Canal Therapy

“News flash! All root canal-treated teeth are infected!” If you are a licensed dentist or endodontist, that statement is likely to strike a nerve. Without question, our scientific understanding of bacterial infectious diseases in the oral microbiome has progressed more than ever in recent years. Testing services such as OralDNA® Labs, aid us by analyzing the pathogens living in the oral environment: I would call it a modern wonder. With so much progress in oral health care, it would stand to...
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Throwback: Side Effects Support LLC

As I started my first job in dentistry, my mother received a breast cancer diagnosis and suffered horribly with oral side effects from chemotherapy. Her pain from severe dry mouth and mouth sores (oral mucositis) was dismissed by her oncology team as “just part of treatments.” She received no guidance on how to prevent or reduce her discomfort and there were no oral care strategies implemented to prevent long-term damage to her dental health. Through questioning other cancer survivors, I le...
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