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

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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AAOSH has been saving lives since 2010! Who is AAOSH?

The American Academy for Oral Systemic Health (AAOSH) began in 2010 with the primary goal of uniting dentistry and medicine in treating the body as a whole. Fast forward 10 years later, we are still focused on that original target and the paths have wonderfully broadened to not just dentistry, but all allied health fields – chiropractic, integrated medicine, naturopathic medicine, functional medicine, osteopathic medicine, advanced practice nursing, life science coaching, and so many more! ...
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RDH Hero LLC: Ozonated Water

Ozonated water contains three oxygen molecules, making it a highly powerful natural disinfectant. There are a few ways Ozonated water can be made, but the safest and easiest method is with an electrolytic generator which runs electricity through regular tap water. Ozonated water kills 99.9% of bacteria and viruses in seconds, and is highly oxidated, which makes it great for healing. It works about 3,000 times faster than other disinfectants. Ozonated water is safe for the environment because it ...
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How Do You Speak Testing? With Emily McCleary, RDH

Patient Bio: Your 54-year-old female patient of record has been absent from your practice for 5 years. At the last appointment in 2018, this patient was going through a divorce, and it was recommended that the patient receive periodontal therapy. Now, the patient is emotionally and physically ready to address any concerns as she is caretaker for her mother who has Alzheimer’s. She is taking medication for blood pressure and fluctuating hormones. She does express an occasional bout of brain fog. ...
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Calling all Hygienists: The Time for Specialization is NOW

Registered Dental Hygienists have more career paths available to them than ever before. However, the biggest impact an RDH can have on overall health is still untapped! Large and small healthcare systems need our expertise. Hospital administrators around the world have oral health integration on their strategic plans, but insurance reimbursement, coding, governance, and EHR differences have made integration with the dental field extra challenging. On top of that, general dentists are alre...
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The Oral Microbiome and Autoimmunity

The oral microbiome is made up of a diverse array of microorganisms that reside in the mouth. A sample of this diverse array can be collected by a simple oral rinse and gargle and specific microorganisms are identified by q-PCR analysis. Knowing this information can help clinicians better understand and potentially manage triggers for numerous autoimmune diseases. Autoimmune diseases are conditions in which the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy cells in the body, leading to chronic inflam...
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A Podcast For Your Mouth

I am the @oralhealthactivist and brainchild behind the ‘Let’s Get Oral’ Podcast. Although I am no dentist or hygienist, my PhD thesis was centered around Porphyromonas gingivalis endotoxin which led me on a circuitous pathway through oral pathology, oral immunology, oral hygiene, and clinical study in oral health. I have so much excitement to share about what we have been learning over the last 20 years that has not yet been adequately communicated. We are at a frontier regarding oral health...
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Interview with 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...
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There Is More in The Head Than The Mouth

Many dental professionals cut the body off just below the nose! However, research has connected systemic health to the many things below the mouth. The oral systemic link is real, and we all know that and salivary diagnostics helps us connect the dots. Dental professionals spend time educating patients about the links between oral health and heart health, diabetes, and preterm low birth weight babies, to name a few. And now research is connecting oral health to structures above the mouth…nam...
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Dentulu to Level Up Patient-Initiated Dental Care Through Salivary Testing

Dentulu, the nation’s leading teledentistry platform, was featured as the "Best of Class" Teledentistry platform by Cellarant the 2020 and 2021 American Dental Association meetings. Its comprehensive teledentistry application provides teledentistry solutions direct to consumers and refers screened patients to local dental offices in its network. Dentulu fights to bridge the gap between patients and dental professionals. With the steady growth in the adoption of teledentistry propelled by the ...
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