Empowering Patients: The Game-Changing Benefits of Alert 2™

Posted on March 22, 2024March 21, 2024 by Kee-ju Hong-Elder DDS

While we’ve found the Alert 2™ test extremely useful for hygienists and dentists, in my experience I’ve found that ultimately the patient has the greatest benefit from the test results. Many patients may not fully grasp the impact of bacteria on their oral and systemic health or hold preconceived notions that may be at odds with their diagnosis. And while we can explain the role of bacteria and genetic influence on their diagnosis, the Alert 2 report from OralDNA® has been a game changer for...

Six Mouth Infections You Need to Get Rid of if You Have Heart Disease (Condensed Version)

Posted on March 15, 2024March 14, 2024 by Cass Nelson-Dooley MS

Address Oral Health to Prevent Heart Attacks, Strokes, and High Blood Pressure When you ask most people, “What can you do to treat heart disease?” they will say diet and exercise. But how many people mention mouth bacteria at the top of the list for turning around heart disease? Even medical doctors rarely mention this as a top contributor to heart disease. While diet and exercise are critical, don’t overlook the sinister bacteria lurking in the mouth that cause gum infections and send the he...

Systemic Inflammation, Elevated hs-CRP, and Oral Bacterial Pathogens Decrease After Two Years of Natural Dental Health Treatments: A Case Study

Posted on December 29, 2023December 27, 2023 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...

How Do You Speak Joint/Musculoskeletal Health and Periodontal Disease To Your Patients?

Posted on November 17, 2023August 14, 2024 by Jill Wade DDS, MAGD

Dr. McGlennen: Like periodontitis, rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory condition. But unlike periodontitis, where the genesis of the inflammation is the complex infections in the gingival sulcus, the cause of RA is unknown. Recent studies, however, provide insights that, in part, oral bacteria play a role in evoking an abnormal immune response that then leads to joint disease. In a recent meta-analysis of 21 separate studies, there was a significantly increased risk of period...

Be the Guide, Not the Hero

Posted on September 1, 2023August 28, 2023 by Debbie Ozment DDS MS, NBC-HWC, ABAAHP

We care deeply for our patient family and are oral-systemic experts. Because we have invested enormous amounts of time and money in quality education, we know best what people need for strong teeth and a long health span. Our patients appreciate this and always listen intently to what we tell them they need to do. They happily reach into their wallets and hand us their credit card. Right? In my 34 years of clinical experience: Wrong! People buy what they want, not necessarily what they nee...

Unlocking the Power of Oral Salivary Testing Through Patient Experiences

Posted on August 18, 2023August 3, 2023 by Claire Cooper-Bodtke - Lauren Tancredi

In the ever-evolving healthcare field, staying at the forefront of diagnostic innovations is paramount for medical practices. Oral salivary testing has emerged as a groundbreaking tool that can revolutionize the way doctors diagnose and treat patients. Empowering doctors and patients alike, oral salivary testing is a way to provide more personalized and effective care. Salivary testing has emerged as a powerful tool that Medicava recommends for providing valuable insights into patients' heal...

The Importance of the Prevention and Treatment of Dental Disease for Overall Health

Posted on July 14, 2023July 11, 2023 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. ...

Interview with Bianca Velayo DMD

Posted on April 21, 2023April 26, 2023 by Bianca Velayo DMD

Dr. McGlennen: Tell me how you were introduced to OralDNA® salivary diagnostics. Bianca Velayo DMD: As a Pacific Dental Services (PDS)-Supported Clinician, I am thankful to be part of an organization that embraces the Mouth-Body Connection®. PDS teamed up with OralDNA® Labs to offer testing to our patients and I first began incorporating it into my practice in 2018. Dr. McGlennen: What are the top two things to consider when you select a patient for testing? Bianca Velayo DMD: In my...

Microbiology Terminology

Posted on March 24, 2023March 22, 2023 by Kimberly Babauta, RDH, BS, BCPA

MyPerioPath® is a laboratory test that screens an oral rinse specimen collection for specific bacteria known to cause periodontal disease. Bacteria are often described using their scientific name, by categorizing as gram-negative or gram-positive, and by identifying their shape. These descriptors provide us with useful information about each bacterium. For example, it is plausible that motile bacteria are more resistant to localized treatment due to their ability to move away from areas whe...

Getting to the Root Cause: OralDNA® Testing and Natural Products that Help

Posted on March 17, 2023March 15, 2023 by Heather Paul CBDH CRDH

As a practicing dental hygienist for over 25 years, I’ve been asked countless times what causes gum disease and what are the best products to use that actually help. This is a fantastic question, and I am so happy that technology has advanced enough to give patients a full understanding of the root cause of periodontal disease. We now know that there are primarily 11 microbes that cause periodontal disease. Knowing which bugs are present allows me to come up with an individualized oral care ...