Dr. Brayden’s summary of Dr. Andrew Huberman on Oral Health
“Oral health is inextricably linked to all aspects of brain and bodily health both in the short term and long term and is perhaps the most overlooked aspect of mental health and physical health.” – Dr. Andrew Huberman
In case you haven’t been acquainted, meet my good friend Dr Andrew Huberman!
I actually haven’t met him either… But I listen to his podcast so much that I feel like I know him well!
Dr. Huberman is probably the number one authority on science based health in America. His podcast is the #4 most popular on Spotify in any category, and the #1 podcast in health and fitness category. I love his podcast. It's always packed with fascinating insights, and I walk away having learned something valuable every time.
He recently did an episode on improving oral health. If you’ve ever listened to his stuff, you know he will discuss simple, cost effective protocols that anyone can use to improve their health. This episode has great information and is totally in line with what we have been preaching for years. Check it out below:
A few key points from this episode:
Demineralization/Remineralization Process: Cavities limited to enamel can actually heal themselves! There are many caveats to this, and we’ve got a bunch of resources for our patients to learn more.
Nasal Breathing vs. Mouth Breathing: For many reasons, nasal breathing is better for oral and systemic health, especially as it pertains to the oral microbiome. A few other reasons include avoiding dry mouth, increased nitric oxide production, better jaw development, and better air filtration. There are many more!
Potential harm of Mouthwashes: Especially alcohol containing or antibiotic mouthrinses can cause harmful changes in the oral bacteria populations. These oral changes affect gut health as well and contribute to conditions like irritable bowel syndrome.
Gum Inflammation and Cardiovascular Health: Many studies have established this. And we’ve written about it extensively in previous blog posts. Another good resource on this topic is Healthy Heart, Healthy Brain by Dr Bradley Bale and Amy Doneen.
Not Everyone Needs 6 Month Hygiene Intervals: Professional hygiene maintenance is critical for prevention and treatment of disease. Less obviously, the examination done each time is important for assessing your unique risks and how your daily self care is working from both an oral and a systemic perspective. Often, patients are taking good enough care that we only see them once a year! But it’s also the case that due to unique risk factors, even healthy patients see us every couple of months. There is never a cookie cutter approach to our recommendations. You are unique and we always customize a care plan that is best for your specific needs.
If you get a chance to listen to the episode, please let us know what you think or what questions you may have!
Dr Brayden Teuscher
