Saved By The Mouth is Here
I’m excited to announce the release of my very first book, Saved By the Mouth! Sparked by my own medical experiences (I’ll tell you more about that in a second), I wrote Saved By the Mouth with the hope that it would be a necessary wake-up call about oral systemic health, push the boundaries of traditional dentistry and how dentists truly care for their patients, and encourage the public to be more proactive of not only their oral health, but their overall health.
At the age of 14, I was in a traumatic ATV accident that left me beat up, bruised, and scarred. I spent nearly a week in a coma and had plates, screws, nuts, bolts, and wires holding my face together; and I endured nine surgeries, including rebuilding my jaw from my rib, and dental implants. It was a painfully long process and took years for my healthy smile and body to return. On top of the physical effects of the accident, I was subjected to consistent bullying and taunting in high school. Kids affectionately called me “fuck face.”
To say that I was profoundly moved by this experience was an understatement. This one accident was the catalyst for the rest of my life, shaping how I viewed health and wellness and thrusting me into the world of dentistry, all with the intention of giving patients the same care and understanding I had received as a teen. As a dentist, I began to understand that a healthy smile was not only a confidence booster on the outside but was the gateway to the health of our bodies. But for many individuals and professionals, there is often a significant disconnect in the knowledge of the mouth-body connection®.
There is a deeper connection between bacteria and inflammation that occurs in your mouth and how it exacerbates disease. Diving deeper into the mouth-body connection® aims to reduce an individual’s risk of acquiring a multitude of health issues (which I’ve detailed in each chapter of the book) that will affect your well-being.
Saved by the Mouth highlights the transformative power of oral health and its impact on overall health, wellness, and longevity. Most people don’t like going to the dentist’s office (you’re not alone!), so my hope is that this book breaks down some of the barriers preventing you from seeking help and provides a clearer understanding of how to treat diseases and inflammation. This book is an homage to my own story and the many patient stories that made a significant impact on my career and my mission to provide better health outcomes. It's about turning the life-threatening into the life-saving.
If you’re a patient, then my hope is that this book sparks curiosity and questions about your own health and pushes you to be proactive about your future well-being. If you’re a dentist, I encourage you to use this book as a tool and a resource to incorporate the mouth-body connection® in your own practice to offer your patients a more holistic and whole-body approach to dentistry. Stay healthy!
