If you have visited our office for a dental cleaning since the start of 2021, you probably noticed a few changes we have made. As you have come to know and expect from our team, we are continually evolving and innovating in efforts to improve the overall health of as many people and patients as possible.

We believe offering you this type of dental care is not only what is right, it is what we, as a healthcare team, have given an oath to do. We also believe deeply that it is our calling to provide our patients with only the best.

With that in mind, we have put in some hard work and invested in a few tools in order to uplevel our hygiene program. The explanation behind it is actually really simple:

• The oral-systemic connection is incredibly important for your health. Given the current state of the world, I think we all can understand why better health is of utmost importance. But paying lip service to that importance doesn’t cut it…we need action and education.
• “Traditional” dental cleanings just don’t do the trick. We can be, and we need to be better than what has always been expected. We’re raising the bar, because you deserve an opportunity for better health, starting in your mouth.
• Health optimization is found (and thrives) with customization. We are all unique and deserve an approach tailored to our needs and desires, we don’t stand for blanket care and neither should you.
• Culture seems to have turned dental care (and healthcare for that matter) into a commodity. We have been sold a lie. What’s the lie? You can get the same thing, the same treatment, the same approach from anyone, anywhere. The truth? Not all practitioners desire to offer the same thing, the same treatment, the same approach. That’s a fact.

Let’s dive deeper into why our hygiene approach is different, is better, is essential for anyone wanting to better their health…

Merriam-Webster defines the microbiome as “a community of microorganisms (such as bacteria, fungi, and viruses) that inhabit a particular environment and especially the collection of microorganisms living in or on the human body.”

When we think and speak of a microbiome, we can begin to see there is an ecosystem or community in/on various parts of the body. In recent years the hot topic has been the gut microbiome, consisting of the microorganisms found in your gastrointestinal tract (think stomach, small intestine, large intestine, etc). These organisms are VERY important for overall health as roughly 70%+ of your immune system resides in your gut, which has also been called your second brain due to its intimate connection with your brain and neurological system. Many of you have heard me say it at your appointments: the human system is incredibly connected, the body does not see itself as separate parts but as one interconnected, intimate system with an incredible innate intelligence!

When we think and speak of a microbiome, we can begin to see there is an ecosystem or community in/on various parts of the body. In recent years the hot topic has been the gut microbiome, consisting of the microorganisms found in your gastrointestinal tract (think stomach, small intestine, large intestine, etc). These organisms are VERY important for overall health as roughly 70%+ of your immune system resides in your gut, which has also been called your second brain due to its intimate connection with your brain and neurological system. Many of you have heard me say it at your appointments: the human system is incredibly connected, the body does not see itself as separate parts but as one interconnected, intimate system with an incredible innate intelligence!

However, many forget about the oral microbiome or the collection of bacteria, viruses, funghi, amoeba, and parasites that reside in your mouth. Yes…amoebas and parasites can live in your mouth!

This oral microbiome is incredibly diverse, and is the entrance to your gut system. Think about that for a moment…your mouth seeds your gut (click to learn more). Some specialists say you add to the tune of roughly 140 billion microorganisms per day to the gut from the mouth. Every time you swallow you throw billions of organisms down the hatch. Isn’t that crazy to think about!?!?

Now that we have started to understand the mouth is the entrance to the system, you may be thinking…how am I supposed to clean all of those organisms out of there!?!? That’s Impossible!!! What if I told you that is the wrong mindset, the wrong idea. We actually don’t want a sterile mouth, rid of all of these microorganisms. We need them to thrive!

The Key: decrease the bad guys, increase the good guys!

Start thinking in ways of supporting the oral microbiome and not killing it, helping out the good guys so they can crowd out the bad guys and keep them at bay…the more superheroes we have, the less villains we will have to cause the damage and destruction we know as dental decay and periodontitis. This is one of the foundational principles to a healthy mouth, and, as we know, a healthy body. When your mouth is out of balance, the fancy word being in a state of dysbiosis, this will have a domino effect on the rest of the body.

To put that into perspective, allow me to hit you with a few hard facts:

Over the next few weeks we will be releasing a series of short videos outlining what dysbiosis and bad bacteria (aka the villains) are capable of doing to your overall health. You’ll be able begin to understand just why many healthcare practitioners, including myself, say health starts in your mouth.

In service to you and your health,

Dr. Kriegel