The Oral–Gut–Cancer Connection: Why the Mouth Is a Gateway to Systemic Health

Posted on April 10, 2026April 9, 2026 by Tabatha Pittman, PA-C

Emerging research confirms that the oral cavity is not biologically isolated from the rest of the body. The mouth serves as a primary gateway to the gastrointestinal tract and immune system, continuously introducing microbes, inflammatory signals, and immune-modulating compounds into systemic circulation. Each day, approximately 1–1.5 liters of saliva containing oral bacteria is swallowed, creating a direct microbial bridge between the oral microbiome and gut microbiome. This oral–gut axi...

The Link Between RA and Periodontal Disease: Bidirectional Cycle/Shared Inflammation

Posted on March 27, 2026February 19, 2026 by Dr. Jinita Parekh

The Challenge: A 29 year old female patient came in extremely concerned with her bleeding gums and wondering if that is also related to her diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis. The Background: Age: 29 Sex: Female Medical History: Elevated Rheumatoid factor and undergoing further diagnosis to conclude diagnosis for RA Last Dental Exam: 2021 Home Care: Manual toothbrush 2x daily, floss occasionally Chief Complaint: bleeding gums, sensitive gums Clinical Assessment: ...

Throwback: Oral Health Contributing to Health Issues

Posted on March 20, 2026February 13, 2026 by Sarah Tevis, DDS

Challenge: Due to dental anxiety, specifically the fear of being overwhelmed with dental problems, the patient finally took the necessary steps to address her chief complaint, “My gums are bleeding, and my teeth are sensitive. I want a more holistic approach to dental care. I feel like my mouth is contributing to my health issues.” Background: Age: 37 Sex: Female Medical History: Severe eczema since childhood, long term topical and systemic steroid for skin has resulted in s...

RDH Spotlight: Oanh Pham, CPhT, RDH, BSDH

Posted on March 13, 2026March 5, 2026 by Oanh Pham, CPhT, RDH, BSDH

Dr. McGlennen: What inspired you to pursue a career in dental hygiene, and what do you find most rewarding about it? Oanh: I’ve always had a strong passion for helping others and initially pursued a career in nursing. Over time, I realized a career in dental hygiene has a better work life balance while still allowing me to make meaningful impacts on patients’ overall health. What I find most rewarding is knowing that my role goes beyond oral health. By treating periodontal disease, I’m also...

Medical Dental Collaboration for 2026

Posted on March 6, 2026February 18, 2026 by Patti DeMatteis, RDH, AS

Healthcare outcomes often suffer due to "siloed" practices. While the average patient may see five to eight different providers concurrently, they frequently fail to achieve optimal health because those providers are not working together. Congratulations, OralDNA testers on diagnosing and managing periodontal disease using objective salivary diagnostics. With an effective protocol in place, you are likely seeing a significant reduction in pathogens for most patients. However, when results...

Throwback: Oral Gut Connection Case Study with Medical Emphasis

Posted on February 20, 2026February 12, 2026 by Debbie Ozment DDS MS, NBC-HWC, ABAAHP

The Challenge: This apparently healthy, muscular college student was suffering from brain fog, alternating constipation and diarrhea, bloating, decreased appetite, and low energy. He reports having trouble concentrating, which is interfering with his work. He was referred to me by his mother, who attended my classes on Vitality. The Background: Age & Gender: 23-year-old Male Medical History: Insignificant; no chronic illnesses. No pharmaceutical medica...

Secure Your Spot: Pure Perio in Nashville

Posted on February 13, 2026February 5, 2026 by Thomas Nabors DDS - Andrea Owens RDH

We’re excited to share an upcoming continuing education experience that brings periodontal care back to its roots while embracing where dentistry is headed next. Pure Perio, led by Dr. Tommy Nabors and Andrea Owens, RDH, BS, OFMT, is designed to reshape how dental teams understand and treat periodontal disease by taking an oral-systemic, evidence-based approach. About the Course Pure Perio delivers a comprehensive framework for treating periodontal disease as a systemic health issue, not a...

Throwback: Why? What? How?

Posted on January 30, 2026January 29, 2026 by Michael Goldberg DMD

WHY?…WHAT?…HOW? This is a philosophy that is often taught in dental and hygiene schools: Diagnose, Treatment Plan, then Treat. And yet, immediately after this is taught, a focus is placed on learning treatment, or the HOW. And then upon graduation the focus also becomes on treatment and production. The diagnosis (WHY) and planning (WHAT) become secondary. They’re only an avenue to an end…Production, a means to an end. That’s where the money is. In a nutshell, that’s the problem with our...

RDH Spotlight: Mohini Patel

Posted on January 16, 2026January 8, 2026 by Mohini Patel

Dr. McGlennen: What inspired you to pursue a career in dental hygiene, and what do you find most rewarding about it? Mohini: I pursued a career in dental hygiene because I was drawn to having a career involved in directly helping patients improve their daily habits and long-term health. I enjoy working directly with patients, am detail-oriented, and have a strong interest in periodontal care. The most rewarding aspect is empowering patients to feel more confident about themselves as well as...

Unexplained Infertility, Explained?

Posted on January 9, 2026January 8, 2026 by Dr. Neusha Najafi

Up to 30% of infertility cases remain classified as “unexplained” despite comprehensive reproductive evaluation. While this label often implies idiopathic dysfunction, it may instead reflect the limitations of current diagnostic frameworks, especially those that overlook chronic inflammation and microbial dysbiosis as contributors to reproductive failure. Emerging evidence suggests that oral health, systemic inflammation, and shared microbial exposure between partners may play a meaningfu...