Researchers, physicians, and the layman alike are becoming more and more interested in understanding the role and function of the microbiome, and how it may be contributing to different states of health and disease.
In the Department of Oral Pathology and Microbiology at Bharati Vidyapeeth Dental College and Hospital in India, assistant professor Priya Nimish Deo is collecting data and reviewing the current literature on the composition of the oral microbiome and how it may cause a variety of human diseases.
Until the relatively recent development of a number of sequencing methods, only microbes capable of being cultured in the lab could be identified, but all of that is changing quickly.
This will open the door to an unprecedented amount of information about the bacteria in our mouths and the diseases throughout our bodies.
Tune in for the details on all of this and more, including:
How proteomics, metagenomics, and metabolomics differ from one another and are contributing to the identification and understanding of the oral microbiome
What useful functions microbes provide in the mouth
How microbial dysbiosis leads to changes in the function of microbes
How the pain in the jaw, ears, face, and head can have multi-dimensional causes that can be treated through TMJ dentistry.
How TMJ treatments involve hands-on manipulations and a specially-designed splint that can free up the jaw to settle in a pressure-free position.
Why Dr. Abramson’s Oasys appliance is unique among sleep apnea treatments because of its ability to enable nasal breathing.
Dr. Mark Abramson is sleep apnea and TMJ specialist in Northern California. After facing an injury in his teen years, his resolve to pursue healing strengthened and he has spent 40 years developing a treatment program that brings together the mind-body connection in dentistry.
In this podcast, he describes the complex ways the mouth and jaw, two main centers of growth, interact within the muscular-skeletal complexes of our upper body. The extent to which we are mouth breathers, how our tongue grows, and what types of orthodontics we’ve had an all affect TMJ pain we may experience or whether we struggle with sleep apnea.
Dr. Abramson describes the numerous medical evaluations patients will undergo before they seek TMJ treatments or sleep apnea treatment. Because pain is multi-dimensional with primary and referred pain, patients struggle with understanding causes. Dr. Abramson uses a comprehension of these interplays to develop special splints and sleep apnea appliances as well as cranial osteopathic manipulation to treat patients.
Mark A. Cruz, D.D.S, a pioneer in the dental industry, shares information on modern dentistry, snoring causes and effect, snoring treatment, rhinitis, and stuffy noses.
Dr. Cruz is a seasoned, trusted family dentist who approaches all dental issues with a macro lens, considering his patients’ overall health, instead of simply treating problems as they occur. Dr. Cruz graduated from the UCLA School of Dentistry. A few of his outstanding accomplishments include serving on the National Institute of Health/National Institute of Dental & Craniofacial Research Grant Review Committee in Washington D.C., and being an integral part of the editorial board for the Journal of Evidence Based Dental Practice. Dr. Cruz is motivated by learning and is continually expanding his knowledge to better serve his patients.
Dr. Cruz discusses teaching and orthodontics, and the importance of nasal breathing. He provides detail on why we as humans can and do breathe nasally and orally as well. He explains oral breathing, the exchanging of gas, and the processes our bodies go through. He provides an overview of nasal breathing and discusses the inflammatory response that the body exhibits when nasal breathing is cut off or compromised. Expanding on this discussion he discusses the importance of teaching kids the proper ways to breathe and blow their noses, etc. While mucus has a purpose, we do not want it to obstruct nasal breathing to the point that we are always breathing through the mouth. He discusses practical methods to increase nasal breathing, such as the neti pot, etc. for rinsing debris or excess mucus from the nasal cavity.
Continuing, Dr. Cruz provides information on studies that have observed breathing. Breathing rate was documented over decades, and surprisingly we have, overall, increased breathing rates. And unfortunately, this increase may be a key link to increases in inflammatory diseases. The doctor discusses exercises and specifically touches on facial exercises, which could decrease sagging, and other detrimental effects of aging. And Dr. Cruz provides detailed information on snoring and breathing issues, and how medicine practitioners are now paying more attention to airway issues perhaps than before.
Dr. Theodore Belfor, dental innovator and expert, discusses a wide variety of dental issues with a special emphasis on airway issues, snoring causes and effect, as well as snoring treatment. Dr. Belfor graduated from the New York University School of Medicine. He works in Catskill, NY and specializes in General Dentistry.
Dr. Belfor discusses airway issues, daytime and nighttime, from stuffy noses to more serious airway problems. As Dr. Belfor states, chronic rhinosinusitis is an extremely common problem. This persistent, nagging health issue is defined by the presence of at least two of four major symptoms, such as facial pain and/or pressure, hyposmia/anosmia, nasal drainage, and sometimes nasal obstruction, for at minimum—12 consecutive weeks.
He explains how the cilia (tiny hairs in our noses) along with mucus, trap the bacteria. But when our sinuses are working properly, these bacteria can be neutralized in most cases. However, when chronic rhinosinusitis occurs, there is a sort of broken link in this chain of defense, and the body will go into its normal defenses, which equates to swelling and inflammation. Dr. Belfor explains the function of nitric oxide, and the jaw, and how the system can become overextended, enabling polyp growth possibilities and more.
Dr. Belfor discusses misalignment, airway and snoring issues, etc. including information on breathing systems. Further, he explains the many possibilities for care and treatment, often without surgical procedures.
He talks about the ways to ‘turn the genes on’ to get the body to respond, and improve functioning. He expounds upon the processes of ‘toning the airway’ as well as the difficult problems posed by snoring and sleep apnea. Continuing, the airway expert talks in detail about anatomy, and the physical components that contribute to dental and airway issues.
In this podcast:
What are the main contributors to airway breathing issues?
How to ‘turn genes on’ to get the body to respond to issues
Kevin Boyd, DDS, MS, discusses his innovative medical theory known as Darwinian Dentistry. Dr. Boyd’s theory and hypothesis is based on the study of prehistoric fossil remains of human ancestors and could offer much information about the past, and future, of children’s health care. Dr. Boyd is a board-certified pediatric dentist with over two decades of experience.
Dr. Boyd explains the history of evolutionary medicine, commenting on some of the early pioneers of medicine who looked at modern diseases that seemed to be a function of cultural industrialization. Dr. Boyd discusses pathogens and causes, and focuses on how people adapt over geological time to gradually changing environments, and he discusses how it all impacts the genome. He cites examples of mammals that experience illnesses and survive to live another day, within the context of evolutionary fitness. Continuing, Dr. Boyd discusses tooth decay and why we now need orthodontists, considering the history and the time chronology, meaning when that first entered the human condition. He explains how he adapted the model of evolutionary medicine specifically to evolutionary oral medicine, or Darwinian Dentistry, aligning his theories with his 20 years of expertise as a dentist.
Dr. Boyd discusses his work in pediatric dentistry, talking about orthodontics, and the management of anxiety in kids. Early oral evaluation, beginning at or around the ages of 3 or 4 is recommended, he states. Around this age, thumb sucking, pacifiers, or other oral habits can greatly influence the shape of a child's jaw, teeth, and even face.
The doctor explains the merits of early orthodontics, widening the jaw and airway, etc., and how there is clear evidence of kids doing better in school, ending their bed wetting, and experiencing many behavioral improvements, after orthodontic procedures. He provides further information on the many problems that can be created and caused by crowding of
the airway, and how early orthodontic procedures can facilitate and improve potential problems.
We spend about a third of our lives sleeping, and while this may seem like a waste of time, Dr. Howard Hindin assures us the time we spend sleeping has important implications for how good the other two thirds of our lives are. When we sleep, we consolidate memories, our immune system repairs itself, and our body gets rid of wastes. One night of poor sleep can change the immune system, increase chronic inflammation, and affect brain function. This can have compounding affects when experienced regularly. Our airway health could be affecting the quality of our sleep, and the real kicker is…we may not even know it.
Click play to hear Dr. Hindin, DDS, talk about the importance of airway health, collaborative healthcare, and quality sleep. He is the co-founder and chairman of the Foundation for Airway Health and a partner and founder of the American Academy of Physiological Medicine and Dentistry (AAPMD).
Dr. Hindin is passionate about airway health and encourages you to become an advocate as well. October 2 is Global Airway Health Day; sign up to be an advocate at www.airwayhealth.org. He also encourages practitioners and non-practitioners alike to visit www.AAPMD.org
In this podcast, Nadine Artemis, the celebrated author of Holistic Dental Care: The Complete Guide to Healthy Teeth and Gums discusses holistic oral care and healthy extracts for wellness. Artemis is a promoter of good oral health, an author, and an entrepreneur. Her company, Living Libations, produces serums, elixirs, and essential oils for health and beauty.
Artemis discusses her book, Holistic Dental Care: The Complete Guide to Healthy Teeth and Gums. Finding almost no comprehensive information on holistic oral care, Artemis was motivated to fill the gap. She set out to write a book packed with useful information that was interesting and informative because as we all know our oral health is directly connected to our overall body health.
Artemis discusses various topics such as oral care, lymphatic fluids, blood sugar spikes, mineral deficiencies in the diet, hormones, and more—all which are important issues that pertain to, and affect our oral health.
She discusses saliva and explains some of its more important functions such as lubrication and caring for the microbiome. The book is a fascinating read for anyone who is interested in improving their natural oral care. From self-care strategies to the prevention of oral problems, it’s a whole-body approach to better oral health and ultimately better health in general.
Artemis talks about her line of botanical extracts. She discusses how extracts can be used to improve oral health, as a mouthwash, to seal gums, and much more. And she acknowledges that many people are seeing shorter dental visits—which is something we can all smile about.
John Tucker, DMD, founder of Tucker Educational Excellence LLC (tuckereducationalexcellence.com), discusses sleep apnea and treatment.
Tucker is an experienced medical professional who has treated many patients over his long career, as well as educated countless dentists on dental sleep medicine. Tucker Educational Excellence provides intensive educational programs that focus on the successful implementation of dental sleep medicine practices within the dental industry. Tucker is a respected dentist and Diplomate of The American Board of Dental Sleep Medicine.
Tucker explains that dental sleep medicine focuses on treating patients who have obstructive sleep apnea and are intolerant of their traditional CPAP therapy. Tucker describes CPAP, which stands for Continuous Positive Airway Pressure, as a vacuum cleaner in reverse.
CPAP provides a continuous flow of airway pressure to your throat to keep your airway open during sleep, which is generally successful as a means to treat the spontaneous pauses in your breath that are so often connected with sleep apnea.
Tucker describes their process for diagnosing, which must come from a board certified sleep physician. He discusses home sleep testing, which is becoming more and more popular as it offers users the opportunity to stay within the comfort of their own home and bed.
Tucker talks about his experiences as a child, watching his father have snoring problems and extended periods without breathing. Tucker states that remarkably, some people they have seen, go up to a minute and a half without breathing when they are experiencing sleep apnea.
The sleep expert talks about strategies to prevent various diseases; and he stresses the importance of early intervention, accessible care that is cost effective, and the family members need to be engaged. He talks about the costs of untreated sleep apnea, and the correlation with diabetes, sexual dysfunction, stroke, and GERD.
Tucker states that 1 out of 4 Americans are undiagnosed. Tucker goes on to explain his practice and how they discover airway issues. He explains how they look into the mouth and search for what he refers to as a high-vaulted palate, as well as tongue issues, and gum issues.
Tucker Educational Excellence offers intensive learning experiences for all levels of knowledge. Their courses cover basic dental sleep medicine implementation, individualized onsite programs, as well as guided learning experiences working directly with Tucker for extended periods.
Brian McCarthy, Executive Vice President, Dentistry.com, provides an extensive overview of the current state of dental care.
As the operational leader of Dentistry.com as well as the Executive Vice President at Futuredontics, Inc., McCarthy has spent many years advancing the field of modern dentistry. His vision and strategic execution of goals has helped to deliver value to dentists and patients via the design and creation of multiple products that push interactions, leading to better quality dentistry for all.
McCarthy talks about a growing epidemic in the United States—the lack of oral care. McCarthy states that many Americans are simply not taking care of their teeth, and as the connection between oral care and overall wellness is significant, this is a problem. He talks in detail about how dentists in particular have been slow to adapt to the mobile web and have not taken full advantage of changes in technology. Interestingly, he mentions a study that showed 67% of US adults will expect to be able to book their healthcare appointments entirely online—by 2019. The future of online access is here, but the vast majority of dentists don’t support online booking. Seeing this need, McCarthy sought to make dentistry more accessible for everyone. In any given year, less than half of the population goes to the dentist, and McCarthy states that this is a problem Dentistry.com aims to correct.
The dental care entrepreneur talks about the many advanced products that have been developed in the dental industry, from clear aligners to other orthodontic products and more. He discusses new equipment that reduces risk, and the great advances that are happening in tooth repair. McCarthy discusses preventive care in detail, and explains how modern dentistry can offer improvements in the arena of oral care. Today, dentists offer so many features in their offices that make the experience calmer, more fun, and sometimes even spa-like. As he states, it is the age of the consumer, and businesses that recognize that are moving ahead of their competition and excelling in the industry.
And McCarthy talks about the inclusion of texting technology in the marketing efforts of many dental offices. He discusses how the concept of teledentistry can improve patient/doctor relations. Teledentistry is the use of various information technology and advanced telecommunications for dental care consultation and education. While McCarthy is careful to point out that teledentistry is certainly not a replacement for office visits, it is an opportunity to have more direct contact with those who care for your teeth, an opportunity to learn more, and to motivate individuals to work toward improving their overall oral care.
Dr. Timothy Chase, NY cosmetic dentist, delivers a detailed overview of modern dentistry, oral health, and good home practices we can all benefit from.
Dr. Chase has over 25 years of experience in cosmetic and restorative dental treatments.
He specializes in natural tooth preservation and oral health. He is celebrated for his unique ability to provide dental work that looks natural and organic, not overdone or clearly ‘worked on.’ Dr. Chase’s dental office, SmilesNY, has been featured in numerous magazines and on popular TV programs. At SmilesNY, Dr. Chase works with his patients to restore both the aesthetic appearance and functionality of their bright smiles. He provides a myriad of treatments, services, and procedures such as porcelain veneers, teeth whitening, smile makeovers, dental bonding and contouring, and the popular, Cosmalite. He is skilled in all types of restorative treatments including inlays and onlays, implants, bridges, dental fillings, metal-free porcelain crowns, and even full mouth restorations.
Dr. Chase earned a Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD) from the Boston University School of Dental Medicine, and he completed his general practice residency at Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center and the Veterans Administration Hospital. His innovative work has made him one of the top cosmetic dentists in New York.
Dr. Chase discusses his practice and unique approach. He details the many ways that oral health is overall health, in that what happens in the mouth can impact the entire body. He stresses the importance of taking care of teeth and gums and making regular appointments for care. Specifically, he discusses the various diseases that can arise and the treatments and procedures that can be implemented to combat them. He states that bleeding gums when we brush or floss can be an indicator that something is going on, for it is not natural for bleeding to occur. Additionally, he says that sensitivity issues to cold, etc. are a possible indicator, and should be considered for further review. Odors and bad breath are also indicators that perhaps one should schedule an appointment right away, or simply increase the regularity of their appointment scheduling.
The cosmetic dentist provides an overview of the technical aspects of reviewing teeth, specifically x-rays and a newer process called transillumination. A dental transillumination test can reveal problems in teeth that could be difficult or impossible to see with the naked eye or even with x-rays. Decay will appear in the image as cloudy shadows. Healthy tooth structure will appear lighter because light shines through it more easily.
A dental transillumination might also expose fine cracks within the teeth. He explains how some of the newer viewing options provide greater detail and more accurate information, whereas traditional x-rays may sometimes make it difficult to clearly tell whether something is a cavity or just a shadow.
Dr. Chase discusses new scientific discoveries that show that bacteria in the mouth varies greatly between people, and how some bacteria is extremely more destructive than other bacteria. He details how some newer mouthwashes can directly impact the flora in the mouth and make it less destructive. He stresses the importance of using a mouthwash that contains no alcohol because alcohol dries out the mouth, and can reduce saliva, which is a natural protector of the teeth.
The dental expert answers questions about his particular approach to dentistry. He talks about increasing frequency of visits, and how the increase can help curb potential problems. Additionally, he discusses products such as electric toothbrushes and more advanced mouthwashes. He underscores the importance of brushing for at least two minutes, which may seem like a long time but it is necessary for thorough cleaning. The benefits of electric toothbrushes are many, but some of the top points he discusses are thoroughness of cleaning and proper time allotment. Dr. Chase points out that electric toothbrushes tend to give their users a better cleaning overall, and some of the models have timers that allow the user to know when it is time to move on to another section of the teeth. Further, he talks about teeth whitening and the products that have been proven to be safe, as well as those products that are questionable in regard to safety.
Dr. Chase served as a clinical instructor at New York University Dental School where he was responsible for the training of undergraduate dental students, as well as doctors from many countries around the world, on the current techniques in restorative dentistry. Dr. Chase is a faculty mentor at Spear Advanced Dental Education Center in Scottsdale, AZ. He is a proud member of The American Dental Society, The American Academy of Cosmetic Dentists, The Academy of General Dentistry, and The Spear Faculty Club.
