Cent4dent Blog

It is really strange these days, it seems like over half of the continuing education I have taken lately has more to do with a person’s general health, than just their teeth. And that isn’t a bad thing!
This past weekend our Academy of Comprehensive Esthetics group had its annual meeting in Scottsdale, AZ. (Why we go to a great resort and stay indoors for three days is beyond me!) The topic of this meeting was The Relationship between Periodontal Disease and Systemic Disease, and the evidence is really getting scary.
There are three points I want you to remember, and this will be on the test!
1. Many of the disease causing bacteria and viruses we see and suffer from, have to have a way to get into your body. If your gums are leaking (bleedy), then that means there is a wound there, and it is easy for these bugs to get into your bloodstream. The main thing is to eliminate “leaky gums” so that pathological organisms can’t get there!

2. Many chronic systemic diseases that we thought we knew the causes for, now are thought to be the result of bacteria or viruses. One speaker suggested that today, probably 20% of cancers were generally attributed to viral attack, but he thought in five years that would probably be 50%. Just think, half of all cancers caused by viruses! One of great concern today is the HPV, or human papilloma virus, which is the cause of much cervical cancer, and many oral cancers today in young people. But research is also showing us relationships between oral infections and heart disease, diabetes, and stroke incidence!

3. Today, we can test your mouth earlier with a painless bacterial DNA test to see which bacteria are there, and also what the relative bacterial load is there for that species. That will tell the dentist what antibiotic to use and what treatment regimen would be most likely to work.

Dentistry has been really guilty of ignoring this disease, and often not treating it until actual bone damage had occurred. Today, we are focusing on full time health, prevention of early disease, and the systemic health that occurs when someone is infection free.

If you have any question about this, please don’t hesitate to call and ask for our help. 903-581-1777.

Here is what to look for with periodontal health:
1. Gums that bleed – anytime. Just like the skin on your hand, your gums shouldn’t bleed when you brush or floss. Ever.
2. Persistant bad breath. It is an infection, and you know how that can smell!
3. A bad taste in your mouth- also the result of an infection.
4. Loose teeth are a bad sign, that means that bone has been lost and it is awfully difficult to get it back, if it is possible at all.

For more information, visit here.

Vitamin D is called the sunshine vitamin because the human body produces it only when exposed to sunlight — although it takes just 10 to 15 minutes a day to make an adequate amount. Vitamin D, which helps the bones better absorb calcium, is also added to multivitamins and milk, and occurs naturally in fish.

A second study by the same team of researchers found that people age 50 or older who lack vitamin D are at a higher risk for heart disease and stroke, and are more likely to die earlier than people the same age who get adequate amounts of the vitamin.

excerpted from: Health.com
By Denise Mann
November 16, 2009 4:56 p.m. EST

Read the whole article: click

A service of Dr. Markus

More information:
The results of a study presented on November 16, 2009 at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Conference in Orlando, Florida, confirmed a strong association between the presence of reduced vitamin D levels and a greater risk of coronary artery disease, stroke, heart failure and dying over follow-up in men and women 50 years of age and older.

Brent Muhlestein, MD and his colleagues at Intermountain Medical Center in Salt Lake City followed 27,686 subjects with no history of heart disease for an average of 1.2 years. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels obtained during routine clinical care were classified as normal at over 30 nanograms per milliliter (ng/mL), low at between 15 to 30 ng/mL or very low at less than 15 ng/mL.

Over the follow-up period, 2,614 participants developed coronary artery disease, 1,742 developed heart failure, 314 experienced a stroke and 1,193 deaths occurred. Those with very low vitamin D levels were 45 percent likelier to develop heart disease, twice as likely to develop heart failure, 78 percent more likely to experience a stroke,and 77 percent likelier to die than those with normal levels. Subjects whose vitamin D levels were classified as “low” as opposed to “very low” also had greater risks of these conditions, however, the increase compared to those with normal levels was not as great as the very low group.

“This was a unique study because the association between Vitamin D deficiency and cardiovascular disease has not been well-established,” commented Dr Muhlestein, who is the director of cardiovascular research of Intermountain Medical Center’s Heart Institute. “Its conclusions about how we can prevent disease and provide treatment may ultimately help us save more lives.”

“Utah’s population gave us a unique pool of patients whose health histories are different than patients in previous studies,” he remarked. “For example, because of Utah’s low use of tobacco and alcohol, we were able to narrow the focus of the study to the effects of vitamin D on the cardiovascular system.”

“We concluded that among patients 50 years of age or older, even a moderate deficiency of Vitamin D levels was associated with developing coronary artery disease, heart failure, stroke, and death,” noted coauthor Heidi May, PhD, MS, who is an epidemiologist with the Intermountain Medical Center research team. “This is important because vitamin D deficiency is easily treated. If increasing levels of vitamin D can decrease some risk associated with these cardiovascular diseases, it could have a significant public health impact. When you consider that cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in America, you understand how this research can help improve the length and quality of people’s lives.”

“We believe the findings are important enough to now justify randomized treatment trials of supplementation in patients with Vitamin D deficiency to determine for sure whether it can reduce the risk of heart disease,” Dr Muhlestein added.

Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2008 Jan;198(1):135.e1-5.
Detection of a microbial biofilm in intraamniotic infection.
Romero R, Schaudinn C, Kusanovic JP, Gorur A, Gotsch F, Webster P, Nhan-Chang CL, Erez O, Kim CJ, Espinoza J, Gonçalves LF, Vaisbuch E, Mazaki-Tovi S, Hassan SS, Costerton JW.
Perinatology Research Branch, NICHD/NIH/DHHS, Bethesda, MD, USA. nichdprbchiefstaff@mail.nih.gov

OBJECTIVE: Microbial biofilms are communities of sessile microorganisms formed by cells that are attached irreversibly to a substratum or interface or to each other and embedded in a hydrated matrix of extracellular polymeric substances. Microbial biofilms have been implicated in >80% of human infections such as periodontitis, urethritis, endocarditis, and device-associated infections. Thus far, intraamniotic infection has been attributed to planktonic (free-floating) bacteria. A case is presented in which “amniotic fluid sludge” was found to contain microbial biofilms. This represents the first report of a microbial biofilm in the amniotic cavity.

STUDY DESIGN: “Amniotic fluid sludge” was detected by transvaginal sonography and retrieved by transvaginal amniotomy. Bacteria were identified with scanning electron microscopy and fluorescence in situ hybridization for conserved regions of the microbial genome; the exopolymeric matrix was identified by histochemistry by the wheat germ agglutinin lectin method. The structure of the biofilm was imaged with confocal laser scanning microscopy.

RESULTS: “Amniotic fluid sludge” was imaged with scanning electron microscopy, which allowed the identification of bacteria embedded in an amorphous material and inflammatory cells. Bacteria were demonstrated with fluorescent in situ hybridization using a eubacteria probe. Extracellular matrix was identified with the wheat germ agglutinin lectin stain. Confocal microscopy allowed 3-dimensional visualization of the microbial biofilm.

CONCLUSION: Microbial biofilms have been identified in a case of intraamniotic infection with “amniotic fluid sludge.”

IMPLICATION: Periodontal infections cross the placenta and infect the fetus

Further information about gum disease and your health, click here:

21 Jul 2009

A major research grant will help scientists study the links between memory and
oral health in a bid to establish control over Alzheimer’s disease. The news of
a $1.3 million study to be carried out on thousands of participants has been
welcomed by the UK’s leading oral health charity – the British Dental Health
Foundation.

Research has long associated oral health with overall health problems,
including dementia – though no studies have made clear how the state of the
teeth and mouth affect mental function.

Last year researchers found a link between mild memory loss and gum disease*
and the seven-figure grant will enable examination of medical records of
thousands of Americans to further pursue the link.

Foundation chief executive Dr Nigel Carter welcomed the news saying: “Oral
health and gum disease in particular has been increasingly linked to overall
health through studies such as this exciting piece of research.

“The recent review of NHS dentistry suggested the government is committed to
preventive care.

“It would be a great boost if scientists could prove preventive treatment could
not only protect our teeth but also help prevent chronic diseases such as
Alzheimer’s. “We will watch developments with interest and urge the public to
make sure they look after their oral health with simple steps which can reduce
the risk of gum disease. “Minimising the risks caused by poor oral hygiene is
as simple as brushing teeth twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste and visiting
the dentist regularly for professional check-ups.”

The US studies will be led by Dr Bei Wu of the University of North Carolina and
Dr Richard Crout of the University of West Virginia, who will continue with a
program testing oral health and memory in 273 people aged 70.

The new funding will establish larger studies looking for links between oral
health and brain function over time, while scientists will also seek to
establish a link between improved cognitive function and better oral hygiene
through intervention to improve oral health.

In an interview this week Dr Crout, who has predicted that dentists may in
future be in a position to administer memory tests on older patients, said: “to
have overall good general health you need to have good oral health.”

Source
The British Dental Health Foundation

Article URL: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/158118.php

For further information, please read the Floss or Die pages of our website.

Journal of Periodontology, American Journal of Cardiology develop clinical recommendations on treatment of periodontitis, atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease
June 2, 2009

CHICAGO, Illinois–Cardiovascular disease, the leading killer in the United States, is a major public health issue that contributes to 2,400 deaths each day.

Periodontal disease, a chronic inflammatory disease that destroys the bone and tissues that support the teeth, affects nearly 75 percent of Americans and is the major cause of adult tooth loss. While the prevalence rates of these disease states seem grim, research suggests that managing one disease may reduce the risk for the other.

A consensus paper on the relationship between heart disease and gum disease was recently developed by the American Academy of Periodontology and The American Journal of Cardiology. The paper is published concurrently in the online versions of the AJC, a peer-reviewed journal circulated to 30,000 cardiologists, and the Journal of Periodontology, the official publication of the AAP.

Developed in concert by cardiologists and periodontists, the paper includes clinical recommendations for medical and dental professionals to use in managing patients living with, or who are at risk for, either disease. As a result of the paper, cardiologists may now examine a patient’s mouth, and periodontists may begin asking questions about heart health and family history of heart disease.

Specific clinical recommendations include:

* Patients with periodontitis who have one known major atherosclerotic CVD risk factor such as smoking, immediate family history for CVD, or history of dyslipidemia should consider a medical evaluation if they have not done so within the past 12 months.

* A periodontal evaluation should be considered in patients with atherosclerotic CVD who have: signs or symptoms of gingival disease, significant tooth loss, and unexplained elevation of hs-CRP or other inflammatory biomarkers.

* A periodontal evaluation of patients with atherosclerotic CVD should include a comprehensive examination of periodontal tissues, as assessed by visual signs of inflammation and bleeding on probing, loss of connective tissue attachment detected by periodontal probing measurements, and bone loss assessed radiographically. If patients have untreated or uncontrolled periodontitis, they should be treated with a focus on reducing and controlling the bacterial accumulations and eliminating inflammation.

* When periodontitis is newly diagnosed in patients with atherosclerotic CVD, periodontists and physicians managing patients’ CVD should closely collaborate in order to optimize CVD risk reduction and periodontal care.

The clinical recommendations were developed at a meeting held in early 2009 of top opinion leaders in cardiology and periodontology. The consensus paper also summarizes the scientific evidence that links periodontal disease and cardiovascular disease and explains the underlying biologic and inflammatory mechanisms that may be the basis for the connection.

According to Kenneth Kornman, DDS, PhD, editor of the Journal of Periodontology and a co-author of the consensus report, the cooperation between the cardiology and periodontal communities is an important first step in helping patients reduce their risk of these associated diseases.

“Inflammation is a major risk factor for heart disease, and periodontal disease may increase the inflammation level throughout the body,” Dr. Kornman said. “Since several studies have shown that patients with periodontal disease have an increased risk for cardiovascular disease, we felt it was important to develop clinical recommendations for our respective specialties. Therefore, you will now see cardiologists and periodontists joining forces to help our patients.”

While additional research will help identify the precise relationship between periodontal disease and cardiovascular disease, recent emphasis has been placed on the role of inflammation–the body’s reaction to fight off infection, guard against injury or shield against irritation.

While inflammation initially intends to have a protective effect, untreated chronic inflammation can lead to dysfunction of the affected tissues, and therefore to more severe health complications.

“Both periodontal disease and cardiovascular disease are inflammatory diseases, and inflammation is the common mechanism that connects them,” said Dr. David Cochran, DDS, PhD, president of the AAP and chair of the Department of Periodontics at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio.

“The clinical recommendations included in the consensus paper will help periodontists and cardiologists control the inflammatory burden in the body as a result of gum disease or heart disease, thereby helping to reduce further disease progression, and ultimately to improve our patients’ overall health. That is our common goal.”

For more information read the Floss or Die pages of our website.

(OMNS, February 5, 2009) It may be the worst-kept secret in medicine:
pharmaceutical money buys journal influence. What the public has so long
suspected has now been demonstrated in a recently published peer-reviewed
study. (1) Researchers from Wake Forest University School of Medicine and
the University of Florida found that “in major medical journals, more
pharmaceutical advertising is associated with publishing fewer articles
about dietary supplements.” Furthermore, they found that more pharmaceutical
company advertising resulted in the journal having more articles with
“negative conclusions about dietary supplement safety.”

This new study, the first of its kind, specifically looked at pharmaceutical
advertising as compared with journal text about dietary supplements. The
authors reviewed a year’s worth of issues from each of eleven of the largest
medical journals: the Journal of the American Medical Association, New
England Journal of Medicine, British Medical Journal, Canadian Medical
Association Journal, Annals of Internal Medicine, Archives of Internal
Medicine, Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, Pediatrics and
Pediatric Research, and American Family Physician.

The results were statistically significant. . . and embarrassing. Medical
journals carrying the most pharmaceutical ads “published significantly fewer
major articles about dietary supplements per issue than journals with the
fewest pharmads (P < 0.01). Journals with the most pharmads published no
clinical trials or cohort studies about supplements. The percentage of major
articles concluding that supplements were unsafe was 4% in journals with
fewest and 67% among those with the most pharmads (P = 0.02)." The authors
concluded that "the impact of advertising on publications" is real, and said
that "the ultimate impact of this bias on professional guidelines, health
care, and health policy is a matter of great public concern."

Indeed it is. Health care costs are rising and drug profits are enormous.
Canadian psychiatrist Abram Hoffer, M.D, Ph.D., says: "We all have to work
hard to educate the public about the merits of sane treatment for everyone,
where the patient is primary, not Big Pharma." Bo H. Jonsson, M.D., Ph.D.,
of the Karolinska Institute in Sweden, comments that "Positive reports about
the effects of high-dose vitamins have long been ignored by the medical
establishment instead of being further examined scientifically."

When patients ask about nutritional treatments, many a family physician has
replied, "I've never seen any studies supporting the safety or efficacy of
vitamin supplements in my professional journals. The research is simply not
there."

Sadly, they are right. And now we know why.

Major medical journals, their editors, and their authors appear to be on the
take. Harsh words? Perhaps, but only because the truth is harsh. "One the
take" refers to receiving cash in exchange for influence. It is naive to
assume that money does not corrupt. Promoting vested interests masquerading
as science is wrong and it must be stopped. At the very least, accepting
money carries an obligation to account for the source of that money. All
medical journals should be compelled to print a full disclosure in every
issue itemizing exactly how much money comes from exactly which sources.

Any medical journal that won't disclose has a reason to not disclose. And
that reason has nothing to do with public health. It's about private cash.
The cash that induces the journals to sway the doctors to persuade the
public.

If the medical journals deny this, let them prove it with full disclosure.
Now.

*References:*
(1) Kemper KJ, Hood KL. Does pharmaceutical advertising affect journal
publication about dietary supplements? BMC Complement Altern Med. 2008 Apr
9;8:11. Full text at

http://www.biomedcentral.com/1472-6882/8/11or

http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?tool=pubmed&pubmedid=18400092

For years we have been advising our patients about the need to take supplements, and feel that organized medicine has let the patients of this country down. Medical Doctors, MD’s, are just that, pushers of pills. To read more look at: http://www.cent4dent.com/pdfs/vaccines_essayLong.pdf and be sure to look at the Floss or Die pages of www.cent4dent.com

Ali Kemal Kadiroglua, Ela Tules Kadiroglub, Dede Sita, Ahmet Dagb, M. Emin Yilmaza

aDepartment of Nephrology, Medical Faculty, and
bDepartment of Periodontology, Dental Faculty, University of Dicle, Diyarbakir, Turkey

Address of Corresponding Author

Blood Purif 2006;24:400-404 (DOI: 10.1159/000093683)

——————————————————————————–

Abstract

Aim: To evaluate the association between C-reactive protein (CRP) levels and the periodontal status of hemodialysis (HD) patients. Methods: 41 HD patients on rHuEPO therapy were enrolled in the study. Hematologic and biochemical parameters and CRP levels were recorded. The plaque index, gingival index, probing pocket depth and periodontal disease index were used to identify periodontal disease. The patients were divided into 2 groups: group 1 (n = 21), high CRP, and group 2 (n = 20), normal CRP. Results: After periodontal therapy, while the mean CRP level and erythrocyte sedimentation rate declined from 30.46 to 10.36 (p = 0.001) and from 93.4 to 35.8 mg/l (p = 0.001), respectively, the hemoglobin level increased from 9.4 to 10.6 g/dl (p = 0.009) and hematocrit level from 28.2 to 32.0% (p = 0.008) in group 1. Conclusion: Periodontitis is an important and occult source of chronic inflammation and increases the CRP levels in HD patients. Periodontitis can cause hyporesponsiveness to rHuEPO treatment and decrease the hemoglobin levels.

for further information, visit the “Floss or Die” pages of www.cent4dent.com

The past few years have been overflowing with tremendous growth in the area of DNA testing for periodontal disease. In early 2007, I learned of DNA testing from Dr. Tom Nabors, Nashville. Dr. Nabors was one of the first to bring DNA-PCR testing for use in private practice, to this country and has a significant background in the use of molecular testing for periodontal disease. Convinced of its critical value in the diagnosis and treatment of periodontal disease, I immediately began incorporating DNA testing into my clinical protocol. I then began teaching DNA testing as an integral part of our Perio Arts Institute (PAI) protocol for treating periodontal disease. As part of their seminar participation, those who attend the PerioPassion! Seminars at PAI will receive valuable information regarding the application and implementation of DNA testing.

There are two DNA-PCR laboratory facilities in the United States that have been approved for nucleic acid testing for periodontal diseases. As a result of the latest DNA research and analyzed by the esteemed periodontal researcher, Dr Ken Kornman, as well as the research performed at Perio Arts Research, (the research division of PAI), I would highly recommend OralDNA Labs, under the direction of Dr. Tom Nabors. I have recently toured their new facility and was highly impressed with the level of technical operations present, as well as the sophistication of the team at OralDNA. Their level of commitment remains second to none. At PAI, independent testing of their bacterial DNA results compared to the other lab’s results indicate a greater sensitivity in diagnosing periodontal pathogens, as well. As their website states, “They are a state-of-the-art oral diagnostics laboratory using gold standard, DNA-PCR technology to accurately determine the bacterial and genetic causes of periodontal infections. Their two diagnostic tests identify causative pathogens, bacterial load, stage of progression and determine who is most susceptible.”

I have no ownership status at OralDNA and PAI nor I have received compensation for our research or this endorsement.

Visit our website www.cent4dent.com and see the Floss or Die Pages, for further information

Founder and Director, Perio Arts Institute www.PerioArtsInstitute.com

SamahaDDS@PWDentalArts.com

About OralDNA Labs, Inc. (http://www.OralDNA.com):

OralDNA Labs, Inc. is a specialty diagnostics company created to advance clinical testing in the dental community. Our goal is to help the dental profession achieve better clinical outcomes by providing reliable, definitive and cost effective clinical tests that drive the detection and prognosis of disease at an earlier, more treatable stage, with an initial focus on periodontal disease.

Periodontal disease is a bacterial infection that causes an inflammatory response. The disease is present in an estimated three quarters of the adult population in the United States, with 30-35% of this population having a genetic trait which predisposes these individuals to more serious forms of the disease. If patients are not properly diagnosed and treated at early stages, periodontal disease can lead to bone loss, tooth loss and implant failure. Research now suggests an increased risk to a number of systemic diseases when chronic periodontal infections are left untreated.

OralDNA offers two DNA-PCR tests for periodontal disease diagnosis and genetic susceptibility. MyPerioPathsm detects the presence and quantity of specific bacteria associated with periodontal disease. MyPerioIDsm PST®, licensed through a marketing, sales and distribution agreement with Interleukin Genetics, provides a means of assessing an individual’s genetic risk for periodontal disease.

The company is also developing an oral HPV test for use in assessing risks associated with oral cancer. Thereafter, OralDNA intends to develop a broader menu of clinical laboratory tests for use in oral medicine.

DNA testing recommendations and OralDNA 109.doc

This is a letter, written by a friend of mine. For more info, visit

http://www.cent4dent.com/html/office_info/flossdie.html

We often times take our bodies for granted. And yes, your mouth is part of your body. Why is this important? Just ask me because I had triple bypass surgery ten years ago.

But it wasn’t my mouth that was the culprit, just genetics. But your mouth could be part of some of your health problems like heart disease and diabetes. Here’s how.

Let’s talk about heart disease. We all know one culprit is cholesterol. But what we don’t know is that for cholesterol to affect us we need it to stick to our arterial walls and for that stuff called plaque to form requires INFLAMMATION. Ironically, we also call the build up in our mouth “plaque”. In our arteries it starts out soft, just like in the mouth, then hardens and clogs our arteries. In our mouth it becomes what most people call “tartar”.

So what, I have tartar in my mouth. Well, that stuff is like barnacles on a piling. Bacteria are living in it like fish in a coral reef. Yes, barnacles are full of bacteria. Ask me, I know because I had hand surgery to remove an infection I got cleaning my boat bottom.

Why did my hand swell? I had infection and INFLAMMATION, just like in the mouth. And inflammation is the real culprit in heart disease. You see, cholesterol won’t stick to the wall of your arteries unless there is inflammation, just like in gum disease.

We now have cultured bacteria from the mouth from infected heart arteries. So, if you have inflammation in your mouth from gum disease, chances are you have inflammation in your heart arteries.

Now, about your cholesterol test. The good, the bad, and the ugly. Most are tested for the Good, HDL, the bad, LDL, but not the ugly. The ugly is really ‘uglies” because LDL can be good or bad. The good LDL is a large molecule with low energy and is like a ping pong ball, it bounces off the artery wall, if you will. The bad LDL, is a small,high energy molecule, that penetrates the arterial wall, causing INFLAMMATION, and the formation of plaque that clogs our arteries. The bad LDL is genetic. It’s what I have. But it can be controlled.

The other part of the ugly is INFLAMMATION. Fortunately, we can test for it. It’s called “C-reactive Protein”. There is even a medicine for it called Cerefolin-NAC. That stands for “a folic acid vitamin” plus N-Acetyl Cystein. When my doctor first told me about it she said it has a long name most people never heard of. I said, “Oh, you mean N-Acetyl Cystein”. She said how’d you know? I said , “duh, when I was a body builder ten years ago before my heart surgery, we always took NAC to recover from a hard work out because it reduces INFLAMMATION. I’m glad medicine has caught up with body builders.

Our diabetic patients are amazed when I look in their mouth and tell them their insulin is out of control. How’d you know? Look at your gums, they are swollen, red, and bleeding with that yucky stuff coming out. Yes, gum disease, diabetes, and heart disease are all related.

So why am I writing this article? So you can better understand heart disease, your mouth, and in the hopes you will visit your dentist and find out if you have gum disease and get it treated. You don’t have to have surgery. We treat gum disease with removal of the hard deposits and then with our Laser to help re-grow lost bone. Yes, we get you numb ‘cause it hurts if you are not numb. With the Laser we don’t usually have to numb you.

We offer free gum disease screening exams in our office here in Haddon Heights and hope you are caring for your mouth. Thank you for reading this article and we hope you have a healthy, happy mouth and heart.

This is a letter, written by a friend of mine. For more info, visit

Gary L. Fishbein, D.M.D.

Fellow, Academy General Dentistry

Certified in Laser Dentistry, Academy of Laser Dentistry

Palmetto Creek Dental

Lillian, AL

961-3737

At the GNYDM I was pleasantly surprised to see that Dr Oz, Oprah’s appointee for the nation’s top medical authority, was giving the address at the Presidents Luncheon. Hey if Oprah can appoint a US president she certainly has the pull to put her favorite doctor in the national spotlight. In fact Dr Oz will have his own Oprah-produced show beginning in the fall of ’09. If you haven’t heard of him yet you certainly will be hearing plenty from him very soon. The good news here is that he’s a valuable friend of the dental profession. He understands oral-systemic and he promotes it in his best selling books (“You Staying Young” and others in the series). He was actually assigned to be the “dentist” when he was in the Turkish army. He opened his talk by saying that it has been clearly established that gum disease has a role in cardiac disease.

Some other highlights of his talk are as follows:

- There is only a 1 in 7 chance that a pregnant woman with gum disease will have a regular healthy child that will grow to normal size

- The real challenge facing the health of our nation is educating people about their health. The public doesn’t “get it” because we in the medical community aren’t giving it. We are not communicating to the public in a way that they understand. He recommends using metaphors to describe health problems in terms that people can understand. He also recommends using emotion. People will respond better to a story about how someone’s health was challenged by gum disease and then improved after getting the gum disease under control.

- 40% of the population will have their lives changed by medical error. Educate yourself and become a smart patient. Similarly smart patients will find you, the educating practitioner, and you will be rewarded

- Optimal blood pressure is 115 / 75 (lower than conventional thought)

- The common characteristics of geographic zones where the population has a 4 times greater chance to live to 100 are: 1. they all eat real food! 2. they all get physical activity! 3. they reduce stress

- Dieting by willpower is impossible. The best diet is to reduce your caloric intake by 100 calories every single day. It’s the only system that works and you’ll lose 10-12 pounds in 1 year.

- Belly fat is the deadliest. It squeezes the kidneys which poisons the body. It poisons the liver and causes LDL cholesterol production. It blocks insulin which can lead to diabetes.

- Measure your patient’s necks! Men should be 17 and women 16. If greater than that you will have sleep apnea.

- A handful of almonds 30 minutes before a meal will reduce the ghrelin levels (an appetite-stimulating hormone) and you won’t feel so famished.

- If all cancer was eradicated the average life span would only increase 2.8 years. (How would life spans be affected if gum disease were eradicated?)

- 99% of us do not eat right and should take supplements. Any multivitamin will do. Make sure it has 1000 IU of vitamin D which he considers the #1 vitamin to reduce cancer, heart disease, and diabetes. For minerals get 1200 mg of calcium and 400 mg of magnesium. The most important supplement of all is omega 3 (fish oil). Also an aspirin each day.for anti inflam. and possible reduction of cancer.

- SLEEP! It’s the #1 thing to do for vitality. 50% of the people over age 50 do not sleep well. Learn sleep hygiene- 20 minutes before bedtime reduce all stimulation and cool the room.

- You have a civic responsibility to speak up! People need our advice to make health a bigger priority. You don’t have to be a Dr Oz because you already have patients who know and trust you. Start by talking to them and then do what you can to reach your community as well!

I believe the next wave in dentistry is oral-systemic and our friend Dr Oz will help make that happen for us.