Functional dentist Dr. Mark Burhenne wants you to forget what you think you know about oral health. With 35 years of clinical experience, Mark is passionate about educating the industry and the public about the vital importance of functional dentistry to our overall health. Known internationally as Dr. B, Mark is one of the world’s leading authorities in functional dentistry, is the author of ‘The 8-Hour Sleep Paradox’, and has a huge Instagram following on his page @askthedentist, where he shares game-changing tips on how best to care for our health via our mouths.

In this eye-opening conversation, Dr. Burhenne shares his insights into how the influence of our oral microbiome has been underestimated for way too long, and how a healthy mouth will help us age better.

In this episode we ask the question, could the health of our oral microbiome be a crucial piece of the aging well puzzle?

Join Shelley for episode #4 of Season Two of The Aging Project Podcast, as she chats to Dr. Burhenne about:

How what happens in our mouths can age us prematurely

How functional dentistry differs from the traditional approach we’re used to

How the division between medicine and dentistry is counter-productive and harmful, and how collaboration between doctors and dentists can vastly improve patient outcomes

The link between gum disease and dementia

How oral inflammation causes inflammation in the body

How oral microbiome testing is beginning to improve oral care in the USA

The products you’re probably using every day that are damaging your oral microbiome

His top tips for creating and maintaining a healthy oral microbiome

The dangers of fluoride

The four top enemies of a healthy mouth

The crucial importance of nose-breathing to longevity and dental health

The things we can do right now to start improving our oral microbiome and dental health

The Aging Project is on a mission to discover and share the secrets to aging well, and to empower you to make great choices for your health and wellbeing in your forties and beyond. Hosted by Shelley Craft, The Aging Project Podcast will introduce you to the leading minds in the field of aging fabulously. Her insightful interviews will inspire you to take middle age by the horns and make it the best time of your life!

A BIT EXTRA!

Thank you to Dr. Mark Burhenne for taking the time to chat with us. If you’d like more information about Dr. Mark and his work, you can find it here:

www.askthedentist.com

Instagram:

@askthedentist

Want to know more about The Aging Project? Come and visit us here: https://www.theagingproject.com.au/

DID YOU LOVE THIS INTERVIEW?

If you found this interview interesting, helpful, entertaining or inspiring, we need your reviews! Great reviews will enable us to keep creating amazing content to help us all age well – so, if you liked what you heard, we would be so grateful if you took a few seconds to submit a review on iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts. We will read every review, and will feature the best one each week on our socials!

READY TO AGE WELL WITH US?

If you’re ready to get started on making the rest of your life the best of your life, please join us on our socials! We’ll share challenges and tips so we can all age well together - one small shift at a time.

https://www.instagram.com/theagingproject/

https://www.facebook.com/theagingproject

We have a newsletter too – you can subscribe at www.theagingproject.com.au

GOT FEEDBACK? WE’D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU!

If you’ve got feedback or a burning question, please send it to us at hello@theagingproject.com.au

CREDITS:

Host:

Shelley Craft

Producer:

Amanda Attwood, founder of The Aging Project Podcast

Studio Team:

Poly Studios https://polystudios.com.au

Epstein, tariffs, DOGE & Ukraine | The Trump Report 2025 Recap

The Trump Report

US abandoning postwar economic order

The AI-powered Podcast Player