It was 2006, and I woke up to three pillows hitting my face. My daughters—all three of them—had been in the same hotel room with me the night before, as the family was moving in our eldest for her freshman year of college. They looked exhausted. Furious, actually. “Dad! You sounded like a freight train …
The post Why are the healthiest people often the worst sleepers? appeared first on Ask the Dentist.

I love a good Napa cab as much as anyone. But here’s what we know about alcohol and your mouth: the news isn’t great. The good news? Today I’m sharing a science-backed protocol to minimize the damage. Between holiday parties, toasts, and late-night gatherings, December means more alcohol exposure for most people. Here’s what happens …
The post Most people miss this December health risk appeared first on Ask the Dentist.

I’m going to be direct with you: If your breath is consistently bad, covering it up with mints and mouthwash isn’t just masking the problem—it’s making it worse. I see this all the time. Someone DMs or emails me, embarrassed about chronic bad breath. They’ve tried everything—Listerine, Altoids, water flossers, those little breath strips. Nothing …
The post If you wake up with a dry mouth or bad breath, read this immediately appeared first on Ask the Dentist.

Yesterday I spent Thanksgiving chasing my grandkids around the yard. Tag, soccer, the whole nine yards. I’m 66, and I can still keep up. That didn’t happen by accident. It happened because I’ve been making daily investments in my health for decades—investments that cost me money upfront but have saved me from medications, surgeries, and …
The post Stop Buying Junk. Invest in Your Health. appeared first on Ask the Dentist.

Why do men get bleeding gums far more often than women? You’ve probably noticed it too. Maybe you’re a guy in your 40s whose gums bleed like crazy, while your wife barely has an issue. Or maybe you’re a hygienist who’s tired of seeing your male patients lose teeth to periodontitis while your female patients …
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If you take supplements, this is worth a read. Most people I talk to are doing it right on paper: buying high-quality brands, taking them consistently, doing their research. But here’s the problem—a few simple mistakes can make your supplements far less effective. I have seen it again and again. Because no one’s ever explained …
The post 3 Supplement Mistakes I See Every Single Day appeared first on Ask the Dentist.

At my annual physical, my doctor asks about my diet, sleep, and stress levels. When most people go to the dentist, they get asked—mostly—if they’re flossing. For forty years, I’ve watched dentists (myself included) focus almost primarily on mechanical cleaning—brushing, flossing, fluoride—while completely ignoring the environment those teeth are sitting in all day! We treated the mouth …
The post The cavity risk your dentist isn’t asking about appeared first on Ask the Dentist.

In a few days, my house is going to be full. All three of my daughters are coming home for Thanksgiving, along with my grandkids—and I cannot wait. I want to actually enjoy this time. Not miss out because I’m having to recover from terrible sleep or coming down with a cold. So I’m not just prepping …
The post What I’m stocking up on before my daughters come home appeared first on Ask the Dentist.

Thirty years ago, when I started associating periodontal disease to cardiovascular risk, other dentists told me I was overstepping. “Stay in your lane,” they said. But I kept seeing the same pattern. Patients with gum disease often had high blood pressure, AFib, valve issues—or worse. Decades later, the research confirms what I’d been seeing in …
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I turned 40 in 1999. At the time, I felt pretty much the same as I did at 30. Maybe a little slower on the tennis court, sure. But otherwise? Fine. Looking back now, I realize that’s when everything started to shift—but the change was subtle. My gums started receding. My teeth became more sensitive. …
The post This is what aging really looks like in your mouth appeared first on Ask the Dentist.