Disrupting Dentistry Podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

This episode FINALLY exposes how stress is silently destroying your patients' mouths! 🚨 Melissa and Tabitha break through the traditional dentistry noise to reveal the science behind why stress might be the #1 oral health saboteur your patients (and YOU) aren't talking about.

🧠 The Science of Stress & The Oral Cavity (3:00-12:00)

• How the HPA axis is literally bathing your patients' mouths in cortisol! 💦
• The SHOCKING immune suppression that's happening beneath our patient's gingiva
• Revolutionary research that mainstream dentistry isn't discussing
• Why your patients' stress behaviors are creating a perfect storm for oral disease 🌪️

😬 Stress-Related Oral Conditions (12:00-25:00)

• Bruxism: The silent nighttime destroyer most dentists just band-aid with a nightguard
• TMD: It's not just about the jaw—it's about the WHOLE PERSON
• The stress-triggered conditions conventional dentistry misses:
  • Aphthous ulcers that keep returning 🔄
  • Lichen planus that won't respond to traditional treatments
  • Burning Mouth Syndrome—it's NOT just in their heads!
• The REAL reason periodontal treatments fail: STRESS! 🔥

🦷 What Dental Professionals NEED To Do (25:00-40:00)

• Ditch the antiquated screening methods and start asking the RIGHT questions
• Salivary diagnostics: The game-changing tool traditional practices ignore
• The MIND-BLOWING connection between stress, bruxism, and sleep apnea 😴
• Breaking the vicious cycle your patients are trapped in
• Revolutionary signs you should be looking for:
  • Scalloped tongues = RED FLAG 🚩
  • Constricted airways that are SCREAMING for attention
  • High-arched palates telling a story of dysfunction
  • Forward head posture that traditional dentistry overlooks
  • Morning symptoms that connect to nighttime problems
• Why collaborating with sleep medicine is NO LONGER optional! 🤝

• Start seeing stress as the root cause, not just a contributing factor
• Implement stress screenings TODAY—your patients' health depends on it
• Stop treating symptoms and start healing causes—your oath demands it!
• Embrace the mouth-body connection that traditional dental education ignored
• Take care of YOUR stress, too—you can't pour from an empty cup! 🧘‍♀️

• Al-Jewair, T., et al. (2023). Association between obstructive sleep apnea, periodontal disease, and systemic inflammation: A systematic review. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine.

  Camacho, M., et al. (2021). Palatal expansion therapy as a treatment modality for obstructive sleep apnea: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Sleep Medicine Reviews.

  Carra, M.C., et al. (2022). Sleep bruxism and sleep-disordered breathing: A systematic review of polysomnographic studies. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine.

  Gómez-Moreno, G., et al. (2022). Effects of psychological stress on the oral microbiome: A systematic review. Journal of Oral Microbiology.

  Iwasaki, M., et al. (2022). Association between salivary cortisol levels and periodontal clinical parameters. Clinical Oral Investigations.

  Lobbezoo, F., et al. (2023). Bruxism and temporomandibular disorders: A comprehensive review of comorbidities and management. Journal of Oral Rehabilitation.

  Manfredini, D., et al. (2022). Electromyographic assessment of masseter and temporalis muscles in individuals with different stress levels: A controlled study. Journal of Oral Rehabilitation.

  Martins, R.P., et al. (2023). Impact of psychological stress on periodontal disease progression: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Clinical Oral Investigations.

  Mendes, F.S., et al. (2023). Cortisol levels in patients with obstructive sleep apnea: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Sleep Medicine Reviews.

  Patil, S., et al. (2022). Psychological stress and oral lichen planus: A case-control study. Journal of Oral Pathology & Medicine.

  Peruzzo, D.C., et al. (2021). Psychological stress, salivary cortisol, and periodontitis: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Periodontal Research.

  Scully, C. (2021). Aphthous ulceration: A comprehensive review of etiopathogenesis. Journal of Oral Pathology & Medicine.

  Silva, L.A., et al. (2023). Burning mouth syndrome and psychological factors: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Oral Pathology & Medicine.

🚀 Join the dental revolution! 

🚀 Share this episode with colleagues who can benefit from this episode!

🚀 Subscribe to stay on the cutting edge of disruptive dental practice techniques!

Follow ➡️ @disruptingdentistrypodcast

Follow ➡️ @tabitha_dental_hygienist_

Follow ➡️ @itsthebadasshygienist

#DisruptingDentistry #StopBleedingGums #OralSystemicConnection #DentalInnovation #PerioHealth

This episode challenges the dental industry's casual approach to gingivitis and reframes bleeding gums as a severe systemic health warning that demands attention! Melissa and Tabitha reveal why making gingivitis identification compelling to patients is crucial for oral and overall health outcomes.

Link to Meissa's Post mentioned in the episode:  https://www.instagram.com/reel/DG0LnVGsrnT/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

🚨 Why Gingivitis Is More Than "Pink in the Sink"

• The systemic connection between gingival inflammation and elevated inflammatory markers (CRP, interleukin-6)
• How gingivitis serves as an early warning system for broader health issues
• The direct link between periodontal inflammation and cardiovascular disease risk (Bale-Doneen Method)

🔬 The Progression from Gingivitis to Periodontitis

• Research showing how untreated gingivitis commonly advances to irreversible damage
• How inflammation increases oral mucosa permeability, allowing bacteria to enter the bloodstream
• The systemic health risks associated with ongoing gingival inflammation:
  • Diabetes complications
  • Cognitive decline
  • Adverse pregnancy outcomes

💡 Tools for Compelling Gingivitis Communication

• Tech-forward approaches that transform patient understanding:
  • Voice-activated perio charting
  • Biofilm disclosing for immediate visual impact
  • Salivary diagnostics to personalize care and track improvements

🗣️ Reframing the Clinical Conversation

• Moving beyond "floss more" to delivering a blueprint for whole-body health
• Powerful language shifts that motivate patient action
• Positioning dental professionals as frontline preventive medicine specialists

1. Page, R. C., Offenbacher, S., Schroeder, H. E., Seymour, G. J., & Kornman, K. S. (2002). Advances in the pathogenesis of periodontitis: Summary of developments, clinical implications, and future directions. Journal of Periodontology, 73(8), 935-951. https://doi.org/10.1902/jop.2002.73.8.935
2. Sanz, M., Marco Del Castillo, A., Jepsen, S., Gonzalez-Juanatey, J. R., D'Aiuto, F., Bouchard, P., Chapple, I., Dietrich, T., Gotsman, I., Graziani, F., Herrera, D., Loos, B., Madianos, P., Michel, J. B., Perel, P., Pieske, B., Shapira, L., Shechter, M., Tonetti, M., Vlachopoulos, C., & Wimmer, G. (2020). Periodontitis and cardiovascular diseases: Consensus report. Frontiers in Medicine, 7(25). https://doi.org/10.3389/fmed.2020.00025
3. Tonetti, M. S., Van Dyke, T. E., & Working Group 1 of the Joint EFP/AAP Workshop. (2013). Periodontitis and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease: Consensus report of the Joint EFP/AAP Workshop on Periodontitis and Systemic Diseases. Journal of Clinical Periodontology, 40(S14), S24-S29. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcpe.12089

• Reframe gingivitis conversations to focus on whole-body health implications
• Implement visual and auditory tools to make inflammation impossible to ignore
• Use data-driven approaches through salivary diagnostics
• Position yourself as a preventive health specialist, not just a dental provider
• Choose language that conveys urgency and importance

🚀 Join the dental revolution! 

🚀 Share this episode with colleagues who need to level up their gingivitis communication. 

🚀 Subscribe to stay on the cutting edge of disruptive dental practice techniques!

Follow ➡️ @disruptingdentistrypodcast

Follow ➡️ @tabitha_dental_hygienist_

Follow ➡️ @itsthebadasshygienist

#DisruptingDentistry #StopBleedingGums #OralSystemicConnection #DentalInnovation #PerioHealth

This episode discusses the connection between dental hygiene and heart health and how critical the dental hygienist's role is in risk assessment.  

Melissa chats with our guest, Tiffany Dillion, as she shares her heartfelt story on why she became an EMT in addition to a Dental Hygienist. Tiffany will inspire you to re-calibrate with screenings we are taught to perform and the link between periodontal disease and heart health. Tiffany shares how critical it is to implement life-saving screenings and how RDH can help prevent heart attacks through proper medical intake, assessments, oral care patient education, and real-world strategies to elevate the care we provide our patients.

Tiffany's company, Scaling Up Innovations, offers BLS courses for dental practices.  

Get to know Tiffany: @scalingupinnovations

This episode will have you running to purchase a BP cuff and re-integrate this screening into your workflow.  

AHA Blood Pressure Categories:  HBP-rainbow-chart-English.pdf (heart.org)

Miranda Beeson is BACK for Part Two:  What is Trending in Dental Hygiene.  In this episode, Melissa and Miranda discuss the high salary demands from the ongoing workforce shortage and how that impacts the profession.  
The high hourly rate demands a high standard of care.  

There has been a shift in mindset regarding dental hygiene with the robust scientific evidence of inflammation and the oral microbiome.  People are realizing that it's not just about having a white, pretty smile; oral health is about maintaining overall health.  

Melissa and Miranda discuss how dental hygienists are called to begin to emphasize the importance of expanding their knowledge base beyond the conventional methodology in and out of the chair for our patients.  

It's an exciting time for dental hygiene as people become more educated and proactive about their oral health!  This episode will leave you inspired to raise the bar in your OP! 

We enjoyed chatting with Dr. Amanda Phoon Nguyen, an Oral Medicine Specialist, as she shared her clinical expertise in Burning Mouth Syndrome.  

Here are some key takeaways:

• Oral Burning related to Burning Mouth Syndrome occurs from nerve damage to the small fibers of the tongue and also encompasses brain changes - trigeminal neuropathy.  
• The exact cause of burning mouth syndrome is unknown; in this episode, Dr. Amanda reviews the common causes, such as nerve damage, hormonal changes, psychological factors, and nutritional deficiencies.
• Dr. Amadana guides RDH/OHTs on assessing a patient reporting burning mouth syndrome, what topical agents to prescribe, and when to refer to a specialist.  

Go to products:

• Oral Seven 
• Xylimelts 

Want more from Dr. Amanda? Contact her here: 

• Instagram: @oralmedicineoralpathology 
• Website:  A Spoonful of Oral Medicine 

Like this episode?  Please subscribe to our show and leave us a review!

In this episode, we chat with Joseph Hanna, the co-creator of Bumbl Co Toothpaste. 

Joseph shared how he and his wife went on this journey to bridge the gap he witnessed in children's toothpaste.  Joseph walked us through how they worked to understand the market and identify a gap their product filled.  

Joseph shares everything from idea to concept to formulation, production, branding, packing, and distribution. You want to listen in just for his inspiration about this journey!  

Naturally Flavoured Kids Toothpaste - Bumbl Co Oral Care

Instagram: Bumbl Co (@bumblco) • Instagram photos and videos

In this episode, we dive into the world of dental consultant coaching. Our returning guest and friend, Miranda Beeson, shared how she transitioned from private practice to a Lead Practice Coach with ACT Dental. In this episode, Miranda shares how as a Lead Practice Coach, she is driven to create opportunities to find value in experiences and cultivate new approaches and insights. A master of communication, Miranda shares her enthusiasm for patient interactions and loves helping others find the power that words can bring to their patient relationships and practice dynamics.  

Miranda Beeson, MS, BSDH, has over 25 years of clinical dental hygiene, front office, practice administration, and speaking experience. Miranda graduated from Old Dominion University and enjoys spending time with her husband, Chuck, and her children, Trent, Mallory, and Cassidy. Family time is the best time and is often spent on a golf course, a volleyball court, or spending the day boating at the beach.

Miranda Beeson and ACT Dental Coaching 

Join us on our latest installment, where we chat with Dr. Bethany about her career. We chat about how she has built a business around promoting oral health and healthy behaviors for children. Dr. Bathany is passionate about changing the status of oral health in children, and her energy can be heard throughout the podcast.

A little about Dr. Bethany 

This Host Chat episode of the Disrupting Dentistry Podcast is Part Two of our Three part series on Dental Anxiety and Phobia.  In this installment, we define the different types of dental phobias and the various techniques and strategies that can be used to help our patients overcome dental anxiety and phobia. 

Tabitha and Melissa discuss the prevalence of dental phobia, its impact on oral health, and how many who have dental phobia avoid dental visits altogether.  

We then delve into the different types of dental phobias, their symptoms, how to identify their specific fears and concerns, and how to tailor our approaches to better address these issues.  This podcast will help listeners feel more empowered and confident in caring for dental-phobic patients.

Stay tuned for Part Three in this series featuring a new technology to reduce dental phobia! 

Join us on the latest episode for a chat with the fabulous Nicole Fortune about using technology in dentistry.

Nicole shared with us her vast experience with lasers and periodontal endoscope and how she has incorporated this into her clinical practice.

This episode will leave you a little bit jealous if you don't use this technology but super inspired! 

Nicole Fortune