🦷 Mondays with Mark: Sleep Tips, & Oral Health

I’m not a big New Year’s resolutions kind of guy, but I do love themes. My theme for 2021 is SIMPLIFY, which is why I’m combining my two newsletters into one. I noticed that both patients and practitioners were subscribing to both newsletters, so why not simplify? After all, we’re all in this together…let’s make sure we’re on the same page and getting the same information! I will be writing with both patients and dentists/RDHs in mind. As always, I welcome your feedback.

Welcome to this week’s edition of Mondays with Mark, where I share what’s on my mind this week.

1. Thoughts on the COVID-19 Vaccine:
Obviously, I’m no epidemiologist, but I am a health skeptic who is careful about what I put in my body. I’ve done copious amounts of reading on the vaccine and mRNA and have already received my first dose of the Moderna vaccine, and my wife just got her second dose of the Pfizer vaccine. I highly recommend listening to this podcast episode by Dr. Mark Hyman: The Real Story About COVID Vaccines: What We Know, What We Don’t (Episode 155 of The Doctor’s Farmacy) If you only listen to one podcast about the vaccine, make it this one. It’s a must-listen.

2. Deal of the Week:
The Oura ring is currently $50 off. I wear mine to track my sleep scores daily. In my opinion, it’s the best sleep tracker out there by far and my wife and I have had ours for years.

3. Study I’m thinking about:
Growth factors secreted by V. parvula enabled replication of P. gingivalis. But its mere presence was not enough to stimulate P. gingivalis. It was only provoked by a large population of V. parvula. Oral microbiome health is all about commensal relationships! I think you’ll find my summary of the study applicable to how you practice (if you’re a dentist) and applicable to the concerned patient as well.

Mark

P.S. In case you missed it, I’ve saved my Fluoride Q&A on Instagram in highlights. There’s a part one and part two.  Next Instagram Q&A will be Wednesday or Thursday this week. Go follow me @askthedentist so you don’t miss it!