Welcome to this week’s edition of Mondays with Mark. Here’s what’s new this week.
1. Fluoride vs. Hydroxyapatite 🥊
I recently published a detailed comparison: Hydroxyapatite vs. Fluoride: How Do They Compare?. In a recent interview for the Broken Brain podcast I discussed how children today face exposure to many environmental toxins—lead, mercury, arsenic, air pollution, glyphosate, and more—which makes risk management difficult. When it comes to fluoride, however, the choice becomes clearer: hydroxyapatite offers comparable or better protection against tooth decay without the toxicity concerns associated with fluoride.
Research continues to raise concerns about fluoride exposure. For example, a 2017 study reported an association between prenatal fluoride exposure and lower childhood IQ. Given these findings, many clinicians and parents are reassessing fluoride use. Hydroxyapatite is biomimetic, non-toxic, and effective, making it a promising alternative to traditional fluoride-based products.
If you work in dentistry or healthcare, review the available literature on fluoride and neurodevelopment and consider hydroxyapatite as a safe, effective option for remineralization and cavity prevention.
2. Watch last week’s myofunctional therapy Q&A 👅
Last week’s Instagram Q&A focused on myofunctional therapy and covered topics ranging from tongue-tie surgery to breathing exercises and correct oral posture. Both patients and practitioners will find the discussion informative and practical.
If you’re a clinician interested in practical training, I recommend Sarah’s MyoMentor myofunctional therapy program for dentists and hygienists. Her training covers assessment and treatment strategies, and her next cohort starts soon.
3. Can you heal fractured teeth with hydroxyapatite or oil pulling? 🎙
My podcast is now live—please subscribe, rate, and review. In the pilot episode of Ask the Dentist I answer a common question: “How would you treat a fractured tooth? Can hydroxyapatite or oil pulling help heal or prevent the fracture from worsening?”
For podcast participation, you can submit questions by recording a voice memo to be included on the show. I enjoy hearing from listeners, and your feedback and reviews are especially helpful for a new podcast.
As always, you can reply to this email to reach me and my team. I do my best to respond to as many messages as possible each week.
Thanks for reading, and have a great week.
P.S. If you drink bottled water, it may still contain fluoride. Some brands process tap water without removing fluoride. The most affordable and convenient way I’ve found to reduce fluoride in drinking water is to use a quality water filter designed for that purpose.