“I have a question about fluoride varnishing on toddlers’ teeth: What would be the alternative treatment?”Fluoride varnish is a highly-concentrated form of fluoride, typically composed of 5% sodium fluoride. It is applied to the tooth’s surface after cleaning and lasts up to four hours. The problem with fluoride is not the mineral’s contact with your teeth, but the coating serving as a “glue” which ensures that the fluoride sticks to your saliva. Unfortunately, this “glue” causes the fluoride to absorb into the oral mucosa, allowing it to enter the brain via the bloodstream. This is especially harmful when happening to a developing brain. So, what alternatives are out there for your child? 40 years ago, Japan developed a biomimetic material made of a natural substance used as one of the building blocks of enamel: hydroxyapatite. Hydroxyapatite does, in fact, work excellently as a varnish, and there are plenty of natural plant-based substances (including a probiotic) within it that allow the mineral to stick to your kids’ teeth for two-to-three hours. You can find certain toothpastes in the U.S. containing small, safe concentrations of hydroxyapatite, and a dedicated varnish is in the works which will be released within the first half of 2023, so stay tuned!Key Points From This Episode:●     Introducing today’s topic: The problem with fluoride●     Hydroxyapatite as an alternative to fluoride varnish●     Upcoming varnish products made with hydroxyapatitResources:Podcast episode with Dhru PurohitHydroxyapatite Vs. Fluoride blog postFluoride Action NetworkClick Here to Record a Message for Dr. BFunctional Dentist DirectoryWhat Dr. B RecommendsAsk the DentistAbout Dr. Mark BurhenneCheck Out My NEW Line of Toothpaste and Professional Dental Varnish!! Check out Dr. B's website for more information: https://askthedentist.com Subscribe to Dr. B's newsletter Mondays with Mark: https://askthedentist.com/newsletter

Dr. B sits down with Natasha Beck. The mother of four is the face behind Dr. Organic Mommy, a platform created to help every family make healthy decisions for themselves, drawing on her experience as a mom and her expertise in psychology, neuroscience, and public health. She is also a board member of the Environmental Working Group (EWG), a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to helping you live your healthiest life. When working at LA County + USC Medical Center, Natasha saw firsthand how diet and lifestyle affected children’s behavior, exacerbating conditions like Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Autism. As a result, she became keenly focused on her patient’s diets and lifestyles and worked to help their families make healthy choices. Her parenting method combines a number of philosophies, including RIE Parenting, the Pikler approach, Waldorf and Montessori education, as well as cognitive behavioral therapy and play therapy. Listen in as Natasha dives into her best practices around raising children, good oral habits, and improving one’s overall health while considering environment and epigenetics. Natasha also talks about the often-overlooked value of teaching your child how to regulate emotions. She encourages parents not to be afraid of tantrums because these are probably the best teachable moments in childhood. In other words: “Making your child happy is not your job. Your job is making your child comfortable with being uncomfortable.” Through utilizing tried-and-true strategies such as modeling, previewing, storytelling, and demonstrating predictability—whether to wean a child off of pacifiers, minimize fear at the dentist, or instill good eating habits—parents will be able to provide an educational foundation for their children that sets them up to make their own decisions as they grow.Key Points::●      Introducing today’s topic: How Natasha’s academic and clinical background helped her to be a better mom [04:15]●      Making your child comfortable with being uncomfortable [07:21]●      Weaning your child off of pacifiers [09:20]●      Dealing with a nervous child at the dentist [16:58]●      Modeling oral hygiene to your kids before bed [24:03]●      Instilling good eating habits in your kids [31:43]● Make sure you do not shame your child as you educate them on healthy eating [37:48]●      Being purposeful and mindful of your parenting style [43:58] About Natasha:Dr. Organic MommyEnvironmental Working Group (EWG)Follow Natasha Beck on Instagram @dr.organicmommyResources:Click Here to Record a Message for Dr. BFunctional Dentist DirectoryWhat Dr. B RecommendsAsk the Dentist About Dr. Mark Burhenne Check Out My NEW Line of Toothpaste and Professional Dental Varnish!! Check out Dr. B's website for more information: https://askthedentist.com Subscribe to Dr. B's newsletter Mondays with Mark: https://askthedentist.com/newsletter

 Dr. B sits down with Dawn Winkelmann, a Speech-Language Pathologist and Pediatric Feeding Therapist specializing in infant swallowing. She is the co-author of the book Making Mealtime EZPZ, featured on The View and Shark Tank.Dawn is also the product designer for EZPZ, a company that offers developmental feeding tools to help children feed independently and meet critical milestones. Dawn provides in-home feeding therapy and online coaching through her private practice, helping parents start solids safely with the baby-led weaning (BLW) approach. She also teaches techniques to help with picky eating, tube feeding, children with special needs (Autism, Down syndrome, etc.), and medically-compromised children who struggle to eat various foods and liquids.  Dawn talks about the moment she grew tired of seeing the same mistakes repeated again and again regarding how babies, toddlers, and even college kids eat and drink—mistakes that stunt facial development. She had witnessed “all of these delays, damages, and disorders that come from the abuse and misuse of everyday feeding products.” At the same time, Dawn understood the difficulty that medical providers faced in explaining to parents what their child is supposed to be doing, without having the products to support what they are being asked to do. So she decided to invent those products herself.She offers her best strategies to help your baby graduate from bottle feeding to open-cup drinking, as well as wean them off a pacifier and introduce alternative ways to self-soothe.Key Points From This Episode:●      Introducing today’s topic: Inventing products that facilitate kids’ independent feeding [02:33]●      Why babies shouldn’t rely on bottle-feeding from 4-9 months of age [07:31]●      Getting your child off the baby bottle [12:35]●      The difference in developmental timing between open-cup drinking to straw drinking [22:45]●      How to alter your children’s straws if ezpz is not available in your country [31:24]●      When a child should start eating solid foods [34:15]●      Weaning your baby off a pacifier [38:49]●      Your child’s mealtime milestones [50:09]Pre-feeding activities checklistgo.msdawnslp.com/PreFeedingChecklistInstagramWww.instagram.com/msdawnslpWebsiteWww.MsDawnSLP.comWww.ezpzfun.com with your affiliate code askthedds10Resources:Click Here to Record a Message for Dr. BFunctional Dentist DirectoryWhat Dr. B RecommendsAsk the Dentist About Dr. Mark Burhenne Check Out My NEW Line of Toothpaste and Professional Dental Varnish!! Check out Dr. B's website for more information: https://askthedentist.com Subscribe to Dr. B's newsletter Mondays with Mark: https://askthedentist.com/newsletter

Registered dental hygienists Sarah Hornsby and Melissa Mugno sit with Dr. B to discuss the importance of myofunctional therapy not just to one’s oral health, but to their overall health.Sarah and Melissa define myofunctional therapy as the identification and treatment of issues within the oral cavity and the head/neck that are affecting potentially any area of the body, from the airway to the stability of occlusion, to the way we speak, chew, and swallow. Myofunctional therapy consists of personalized exercises aimed at accomplishing four goals: To be able to breathe through your nose all day and all night; to have your tongue fully on the roof of your mouth all day and all night; to keep your lips together all day and all night, and to swallow correctly.In 2014, Melissa became an Orofacial Myofunctional Therapist to tie all her experience and knowledge together so that she could begin to help patients, with a focus on the whole body.From the understated importance of the tongue as “the mouth’s natural retainer” to stamping out compensation behaviors via neuromuscular reeducation, Sarah and Melissa offer a thorough guide on the complementarity between oral health and myofunctional therapy.Dr. B concurs, saying, “A dentist that does not practice with a myofunctional therapist or does not have access to one is not practicing dentistry correctly.”Key Points :●      Introducing today’s topic: What is myofunctional therapy and why is it important? [02:08]●      Buteyko Breathing Technique versus myofunctional therapy [14:35]●      What patients can expect out of myofunctional therapy [17:58]●      Why undergo myofunctional therapy before surgery [22:15]●      How long it takes to get long-term results from myofunctional therapy [29:39]●      How to determine whether you need to see a myofunctional therapist [32:49]●      How dentists can work with myofunctional therapists on oral appliances [43:32]Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahkhornsby YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCitw9axoo6_VAaQXmjRNLuw Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SarahKHornsby/ Faceology’s website: https://myfaceology.com/ Resources:Melissa Mugno Webisite: https://www.melissamugno.com/Click Here to Record a Message for Dr. BFunctional Dentist DirectoryWhat Dr. B RecommendsAsk the DentistAbout Dr. Mark BurhenneCheck Out My NEW Line of Toothpaste and Professional Dental Varnish!! Check out Dr. B's website for more information: https://askthedentist.com Subscribe to Dr. B's newsletter Mondays with Mark: https://askthedentist.com/newsletter

Dr. Steven Park, a former ENT surgeon and sleep medicine doctor, joins the discussion on the crucial link between facial development and chronic disease. They explore the implications of underdeveloped facial structures, particularly in children, and advocate for early intervention and awareness. The talk emphasizes the need for collaboration between dentists and physicians to address airway issues and sleep disorders. Additionally, they critique the current healthcare system's lack of focus on holistic patient care and encourage proactive measures for better health outcomes.

Today, Dr. B welcomes  Dr. David Lin to the podcast to discuss how one company is reinventing our approach to oral health—by highlighting the foundational importance of the oral microbiome. Dr. Lin has a Ph.D. in Microbiology and Immunology and is the Co-Founder and CSO of the startup Bristle. The newly launched company is on a mission to help people understand and improve their oral health using its non-invasive, at-home oral microbiome test. Your saliva is tested and used to measure the bacteria that cause bad breath, tooth decay, and gum inflammation. Using the insights gathered via these tests, clients are given personalized recommendations to kickstart their journey to better oral and overall health. Dr. Lin breaks down Bristle’s comprehensive oral microbiome test, who should take advantage of it, and how to take action on resulting insights and recommendations. The oral microbiome includes all the bacteria, fungi, viruses, and archaea in your mouth and is a “community” that, under symbiosis, prevents disease. Dr. Lin explains how preventing dysbiosis and maintaining a thriving oral microbiome leads to improved remineralization and its immunological benefits, such as preventing oral cancer, ulcerations of the oral mucosa, and gum disease. Dr. Lin also shares why a high-fiber, low-to-no-sugar diet is the absolute best way to minimize cavities and boost the oral microbiome for the long term. Dr. Lin dives deep into the crucial yet often overlooked link between systemic disease and oral disease. It is only when the microbiome is in a state of imbalance that symptoms of poor oral health begin to manifest themselves. He discusses the limitations of “reactive” dentistry, which only considers visible symptoms while failing to consider the health of the oral microbiome.Key Points From This Episode: Introducing today’s topic: What is the oral microbiome and why is it paradigm-shifting in the world of oral health? [05:38] How to determine whether or not your oral microbiome is functioning well [11:04] The benefits of maintaining a good oral microbiome [15:40] How an unhealthy gut microbiome translates into systemic disease [20:58] The limitations and potentially harmful effects of using oral healthcare products [24:48] An introduction to Bristle’s comprehensive oral microbiome test [36:08] Who should take the test? [43:31] How to take action based on the results of the test [48:57] The future of Bristle and its technology [56:56]  Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:BristleGet your oral health test kit from BristleClick Here to Record a Message for Dr. BFunctional Dentist DirectoryWhat Dr. B RecommendsAsk the DentistAbout Dr. Mark Burhenne Check Out My NEW Line of Toothpaste and Professional Dental Varnish!! Check out Dr. B's website for more information: https://askthedentist.com Subscribe to Dr. B's newsletter Mondays with Mark: https://askthedentist.com/newsletter

On this episode of Ask the Dentist, Dr. Mark Burhenne takes a deep dive into Spermidine and the many benefits it offers not only in optimizing oral health but also supporting longevity. He explains why this critical building block – widely available and well-tested – is essential (most especially if you’re undergoing treatment for gum disease). In response to a listener’s question, Dr. B spells out exactly how Spermidine, a naturally occurring polyamine, plays a vital role in cell function and survival. KEY TAKEAWAYS:o     (03:30) A little background about Spermidine as a supplement to support both gum health and longevity.o    (04:15) Understanding the concept of Blue Zones, as well as the inequitable access to healthy resources to support long, healthy lives.o    (19:20) A closer look at the mouth’s vulnerabilities to inflammation, autoimmune over-response, and how it can be modulated by practitioners through gum treatment.FURTHER READING/ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:"Blue Zones: Lessons for Living Longer From the People Who've Lived the Longest," by Dan Buettner."Food Fix: How to Save Our Health, Our Economy, Our Communities, and Our Planet -- One Bite at a Time," by Mark Hyman, M.D. Oxford Health Span – maker of high-quality longevity supplements. Study: The polyamines putrescine, spermidine and spermine in human gingival crevicular fluidIf you enjoyed this episode of Ask the Dentist, you might also enjoy reading Dr. B’s bestselling book, "The 8-Hour Sleep Paradox: How We Are Sleeping Our Way to Fatigue, Disease, and Unhappiness."ABOUT DR. B:Dr. Mark Burhenne is a bestselling author and family and family dentist who has been in private practice for 30 years. His focus is preventative and functional care with patients who come to him from all over the world. He received his degree from the Dugoni School of Dentistry in San Francisco and is a member of the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine and the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. He is a TEDx speaker and his advice regularly appears on NPR, CNN, Prevention, Men's Health, and MindBodyGreen, and national television. SpermidineAsk Dr. B a QuestionFunctional Dentist DirectoryWhat Dr. B RecommendsCheck Out My NEW Line of Toothpaste and Professional Dental Varnish!! Check out Dr. B's website for more information: https://askthedentist.com Subscribe to Dr. B's newsletter Mondays with Mark: https://askthedentist.com/newsletter

Dr. Kimberly Baer, a practitioner of functional dentistry, and Dr. Jennifer Tipograph, an integrative care specialist, explore the holistic approach to dental implants. They discuss how non-reactive techniques promote overall health and lifespan. Key topics include the role of heavy metals in health issues, optimal timing for implants, and the surprising importance of maintaining a full set of teeth. The duo emphasizes the interconnectedness of oral health and lifestyle choices, advocating for toxin-free practices that benefit patients and families alike.

On today’s episode of Ask the Dentist, Dr. B breaks down the myths and misconceptions surrounding glycerin in toothpaste. He unpacks the question:“Does glycerin in toothpaste coat the teeth and prevent absorption of minerals?” Here is the short answer: Glycerin’s solubility factor is actually quite high, and it does not seal your teeth off from all the important ingredients in saliva. Unfortunately, there is a current of misinformation surrounding glycerin, amplified especially by social media. Dr. B reminds us that, as new research comes out, many of the things that society as a whole has deemed “true” can change. What was once thought of as harmless is proven otherwise, and what was once demonized is shown to, in fact, be beneficial. In discussing the benefits of glycerin, Dr. B highlights two groups. The first is the elderly and those who are suffering from cancer. When treating either of these two groups, it is important to keep the pH of the mouth as neutral as possible—between 6.8-7.2, to be exact—and without saliva that is impossible. Dr. B recommends using Biotene, which contains artificial saliva in gel form, made up of 100% glycerin. Biotene addresses low saliva flow and has a neutral pH. While it does not have all the wonderful ingredients that saliva has, it can save you from getting cavities and the consequences that follow.Artificial saliva, says Dr. B, is absolutely key if you are low on saliva and getting a lot of decay, or if your dentist tells you that you have a dry mouth.He adds that chewing gum, particularly xylitol, helps in certain cases when it comes to stimulating saliva flow. But, if your saliva glands are temporarily shut down, it is much more preferable to use a product that is loaded with glycerin.Dr. B closes the discussion with a three-ingredient recipe list for his ideal toothpaste: water, hydroxyapatite, a prebiotic, and silica as the binder (rather than glycerin). He reminds us that, as an overarching goal, we need to nourish and feed—not weed—the oral microbiome.Key Points From This Episode:●      Introducing today’s topic: Addressing common myths surrounding glycerin, and how social media has exacerbated misinformation [00:26]●      Does glycerin in toothpaste coat the teeth and prevent the absorption of minerals? [02:32]●      The benefits of artificial saliva for the elderly and those suffering from cancer [03:32]●      In conclusion: Glycerin is not harmful. In fact, it is crucial for dental health. [05:11]●      When is it time to weed your oral microbiome? [08:50]How to Submit Your Question:Record your question for Dr. B at speakpipe.com/askthedentist Follow Dr. B on Instagram @askthedentistFollow Dr. B on Twitter @askthedentistAsk Dr. B a QuestionFunctional Dentist DirectoryWhat Dr. B RecommendsCheck Out My NEW Line of Toothpaste and Professional Dental Varnish!! Check out Dr. B's website for more information: https://askthedentist.com Subscribe to Dr. B's newsletter Mondays with Mark: https://askthedentist.com/newsletter

Midnight snacking is quite common for those with Type 1 diabetes, who need to maintain their blood sugar levels. If you do find yourself reaching for a simple source of sugar after bedtime though, should you brush your teeth afterward? Today, Dr. B answers this question by sharing his recommendations for which snacks he believes are best and how to take care of your oral hygiene in the middle of the night, from swishing with water to taping your mouth and more!Key Points From This Episode: Introducing today’s topic: do you need to brush your teeth after a midnight snack? [01:59] Dr. B’s suggestions, from investing in a CGM to keeping juice on your nightstand [05:57] Why he recommends swishing your mouth with water rather than getting up to brush [07:03] The benefits of mouth taping for reducing your chances of tooth decay [07:18] How your sleep will improve if you address sleep apnea first [08:26] Why you might want to try experimenting with other fruit and vegetable juices [12:50] How to Submit Your Question:Click Here to Record a Message for Dr. BLinks Mentioned in Today’s Episode:Ask the DentistFunctional Dentist DirectoryWhat Dr. B RecommendsCheck Out My NEW Line of Toothpaste and Professional Dental Varnish!! Check out Dr. B's website for more information: https://askthedentist.com Subscribe to Dr. B's newsletter Mondays with Mark: https://askthedentist.com/newsletter