My patient — let’s call her Kim — came into the office with a puzzling problem: she suddenly started getting cavities. She had been my patient for more than 20 years and never had a cavity before, yet now she needed several fillings. At the end of this article I’ll outline how I investigate sudden … Read more

If you have gum disease while living with diabetes, it becomes more difficult to keep your blood sugar under control. At the same time, diabetes increases your risk of developing gum disease, so the two conditions can worsen each other. Q I’m a diabetic and would like to know your views on any toothpaste that … Read more

I’m excited to announce that my new oral probiotic is now available on Fygg.com. This product is a white-label of the Bristle oral probiotic—chosen because it already offers an effective, research-backed formula. Rather than reinventing the wheel, I opted for a trusted solution that delivers results. Supporting your oral microbiome with a probiotic specifically formulated … Read more

This week’s newsletter is a day late because my wife Roseann and I spent the evening on a Valentine’s Day sunset wildflower hike, enjoying the unusually warm weather here in Napa Valley. Can you catch gum disease from a kiss? 💋 Yes — bacteria that contribute to cavities and gum disease can be transferred through … Read more

Tooth extraction is a dental procedure in which a tooth is removed from its socket in the jawbone. Extractions are recommended for teeth that are severely decayed, broken, impacted (such as some wisdom teeth), or otherwise unrestorable. In many cases, deep cavities can be restored; only teeth that cannot be saved are candidates for removal. … Read more

More people are asking important questions about fluoride and looking for alternatives for toothpaste and oral care. The good news: there are many fluoride-free toothpastes available today. The challenge is deciding where to start among all the options. As a dentist who has long promoted holistic dental care, I research, test, and use thousands of … Read more

A root canal is a common dental procedure used to treat a tooth with inflamed or infected pulp, most often caused by a deep cavity or trauma. Root canals have a reputation for being frightening, but modern techniques and anesthesia make the procedure far less painful than popular culture suggests. That said, root canal therapy … Read more

I want to talk about a pandemic, but not the one you might be thinking of. A recent study proposes that the Second Plague—commonly called the Black Death in the 14th century, which devastated populations across Europe and beyond—may have shaped oral microbiomes in ways that still affect chronic disease risk today. Put simply: changes … Read more

A new peer-reviewed study published March 9, 2022 adds to the growing evidence about fluoride’s potential effects on the developing brain. Fluoride is commonly added to community drinking water and table salt to help prevent dental caries. But as its use is widespread, questions remain about the balance of benefits and risks, especially during pregnancy. … Read more

E-Cigarettes Question: I was never really a smoker, but I’ve used an e-cigarette for about two years and these days I put very little nicotine in it (I dropped from 18 mg to roughly 4–6 mg over the past year). I’ve always had healthy teeth, but recently I noticed my gums are receding—especially on the … Read more