Friendship Dentistry - Cheryle Baptiste DDS

11/24/2023

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10/04/2023

Fall in Love with your NEW SMILE
Friendship Dentistry
202.362.7804
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Fall in Love with your NEW SMILE
While we know you're excited to enjoy your cozy slippers, apple cider, and bonfires with friends and loved ones. Why not take the time to straighten your teeth while doing the things you LOVE.


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CALL NOW: 202.362.7804 Or BOOK NOW: schedule.evenly.com/friendship-dentistry

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*Offer valid through October 31, 2023, and for Same Day Start Comprehensive Treatment only. Not valid on previous starts and cannot be combined with any other promotions.

03/28/2022

Strengthening your tongue has more health benefits than we can even describe.

Why can’t we describe them? Because it acts as a bridge to a better functioning vagus nerve.

Good vagal tone keeps calm resting heart rate, well-functioning digestion, breathing rate, and resting autonomic tone to many organs.

You may have wondered why I’ve spent a lot of time trying to help you understand how to improve your tongue posture, well it is the bridge to better vagal tone.

It’s also a key point to appreciate how complex and wonderful your body really is.

Your tongue has an incredibly complex web of tongue muscles. A vast network that act as a kind of ‘tent’ or ‘parachute’ when all tensed, hold the tongue upwards and in three dimensions.

They are the conscious instrument of speech, making sounds with seal against the palate and front teeth. Together they create the deeply rooted swallow response that is one of the first cranial nerve exercises a child receives.

The entire web of muscles is activated by the XII cranial nerve (hypoglossal). However, there is one hidden obscure muscle at the back of the tongue that is controlled by the vagus nerve.

For the most part the muscles of the tongue allow the tongue to protrude out of the mouth press against the roof and reach around and clear bits of food

Through swallowing, the tongue should create a hermetic seal against the roof of the mouth controlling all crushed food and pressing it up, and ultimately back down the throat.

The palatoglossus muscle, which hangs at the back of the tongue up to the soft palate, should elevate during the final process of swallowing, when the back of the throat is sealed out.

Why is it controlled by the vagus? Because all of the soft palate muscles behind are controlled by the unconscious vagus cranial nerve. So it provides a bridge between the two.

The ever so crucial set of muscles that control airway tone, deep swallowing and actions like peristalsis that moves food through the digestive system, without you thinking about it.

So, hypoglossal tone is your conscious way of tuning vagal tone, through ever important tongue posture.

It crosses by partnership with the vagus nerve to activate the throat muscles, which you can also activate through gargling, chanting, and cold showers.

Can you feel the connection between the tongue and the soft palate when you swallow?

11/07/2021

The gut-brain system is a vast network connecting the digestive tract and central nervous system.

Many people don’t realize it, but being stressed, poor breathing, or low nutrients put this system into constant ‘fight’ instead of ‘rest'.

To get better control of your digestive system, you need to tip the autonomic nervous system to ‘rest and digest’.

The vagus nerve represents the main component of the parasympathetic nervous system.

One way to see the vagus nerve is that it plays a critical role in letting your body know that things are going to be okay. Heart rate variability (HRV) is also controlled by the vagus nerve. The more “complex” or variable your HRV, the more resilient and adaptable you are.

Researchers have discovered that reflecting on positive social connections improves vagal tone and increases positive emotions. Laughter has been shown to increase heart-rate variability and improve mood . And vagus nerve stimulation often leads to laughter as a side effect.

But if you can’t find laughter all the time, there are other techniques to get your vagus nerve working.

The nerve runs to the larynx (voice box) and controls vocal fold movement and is connected to muscles at the back of your throat. Singing, humming, chanting and gargling can activate these muscles and stimulate your vagus nerve. These activities have been shown to increase heart-rate variability and vagal tone.

So: to improve your vagal tone. Gargling is a GREAT daily tool to incorporate in front of the bathroom mirror, or in the shower.

The action creates continuous opening and closing vocal cord allows the air to escape intermittently. When this happens in speed, air bubbles through the liquid in throat, creating gargling.

What is gargling doing? It activates the vagus nerve. It’s located at the bottom of your brain stem in the pons/medulla area.

You can try with saltwater: Saltwater solution creates an osmosis effect where the concentration of salt draws fluids from mouth and throat tissues to relieve any inflammation.

•How to stimulate the vagus nerve with gargling:

1. Take as much of the solution into the mouth as is comfortable.
2. Tip salt water around the back of the throat.
3. Gargle, LOUD, for 1 minute.
4. Spit out the solution.

Why loud? A light gargle is like a light bicep curl while a loud, long gargle is like a deep heavy squat. You want to work your vagus to get best benefits.

What you might feel? Dry eyes. One thing you may experience is that if you have dry eyes and you gargle really loud, it may stimulate tears to the eyes.

Ok, how did this feel for you?

Is gargling something you could work into your daily routine?

10/26/2021

The spine is the communication center between the brain and the rest of the body.

In ancient Sanskrit the name for the spine is derived from sacred Mount Meru. Mt. Meru is considered as the axis of Earth. Likewise the spine is the axis of our body.

Through neural action potential, all our emotions, feelings, movements, experiences, functioning of our every organ and even the act of breathing are routed through spinal posture.

The spine can withstand around 4–4.5 k of load. If the spine is not neutral then postural and pain related conditions begin.

We can view the connection between the bite and the spine during development
Between ages 5-6 the spine is completed. The stability required for this growth is provided by core muscles and the relationship of upper and lower jaw, angle and in particular the childhood molars.

At the age of 6–7 years adult first molar teeth erupt to give stability to the cervical spine. First molars are the teeth with biggest surface area, and they can withstand maximum biting force.

Here's when the bite relationship forms with the young developed spine.

The optimal height and relationship ensures that cervical spine remains in most neutral position. In this position the head generates about 4.5–5 k of force on the spine.

During these development times, underdeveloped jaws can change the molar relationship and have an impact on spinal posture.

It has been found that if the lower molar is too far back (class II) or too far forward (class III) it results in forward head posture.

The reason is likely due to the relationship of the airway volume, and develoment of the jaw bone. Jawbones house the airways, and the jaws hold the trinity between muscle, bone, and airway space.

If you notice forward head posture or mouth breathing in you or a family member, it may be associated with how the jaws have developed.

Signs include:
• Narrow upper arch (palate)
• Open mouth posture
• Low tongue posture
• Snoring
• Slumped forward posture

Have you noticed the links between bite and posture?

10/13/2021

What if we were able to pick up the early signs of dementia?

Well all lines of evidence are pointing to signs in the mouth that are early stages of diseases that lead to Alzheimer's dementia.

Bleeding gums is one of the most common inflammatory conditions in the world.

If you notice blood when you brush or floss, then you have gingivitis at some level.

Over the long term, gingivitis can progress to gum disease or periodontitis. If you picture the surface area of your arm, with an open bleeding, rotting wound that is what gum disease is.
The bacterial-immune interface in gum disease is out of touch, and diseases that appear alongside are many.

But now researchers are getting to the bottom of why gum disease is bad for the rest of the body.
And it’s not just your gut, metabolism, or s*x life that gum disease can affect. It is now one of the leading candidates for risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease.

In 2019 research published in Science Advances details how a type of bacteria called Porphyromonas gingivalis – or P. gingivalis – which is associated with gum disease, has been found in the brains of patients with Alzheimer’s disease.

Tests on mice also showed how the bug spread from their mouth to brain where it destroyed nerve cells.

It’s interesting when you start to think about what dementia is, a chronic degenerative disorder. What is gum disease? A chronic degenerative disorder.

The difference is one is detectable by high radiation brain scans and symptoms of cognitive decline. The other way you can detect it is by checking if there is blood on your floss.

Think these factors when you se bleeding gums:

- Deficiencies in core nutrients (D, A, K2, COQ10, Bs, Mg, Zn, C)
- Overconsumption of sugars and simple carbohydrates leading to metabolic imbalance and insulin resistance.
- Poor sleep & breathing habits
- Localised plaque build up and oral microbiome imbalances

Dental diseases are the window to your whole body. The remarkable thing is they show you in sharp clarity what to heal, and when.

Have you experienced bleeding gums? Does a family member suffer from Alzheimer’s disease?

10/08/2021

Did you know lack of chewing affects balance?

The stability of the upper and lower jaw is tightly wired to the brain.

One common presentation we see are TMJ (jaw joint) issues alongside balance problems.

Patients diagnosed with a TMJ disorder (TMD) may experience dizziness or an uncomfortable whirling sensation called vertigo.

Classic vertigo symptoms also include:

Brain fog
Nausea and vomiting in intense situations
Sensation that objects are moving
Feeling of falling
Lightheadedness

This is major dysfunction, but subtle issues in your balance may take you away from your best.

Major cranial nerves all position themselves through the jaw to create a highway of information that the brain needs to process.

A properly functioning balance system allows humans to see clearly while moving, identify orientation with respect to gravity, determine direction and speed of movement, and make automatic postural adjustments.

There is a relationship between the trigeminal (the huge cranial nerve that innervates all of your teeth), and the vestibular nerve (controls balance from the ear)

Gum chewing activity can enhance the postural stability during upright standing on an unstable surface and in the absence of visual input in healthy young adults.

Our results should be taken into consideration in treatment and rehabilitation planning for patients with postural instability

Position and the way your teeth fit together can affect your balance and posture.

Chewing also activates the parasympathetic rest and digest nervous response.

If you suffer from vertigo like issues, you can try adding chewing gum on each side for 5 minutes and notice how it calms your brain.

Have you suffered from TMJ-like balance issues?

09/29/2021

Even if you have never had tooth decay, regular oral health examinations are necessary to ensure optimal oral health. Schedule a visit with our team today.
https://drcheryle-dds.com/contact/

09/22/2021

Do you have gaps in your teeth? Are your teeth crooked? Schedule a consultation with our team. We offer a number of custom solutions to help you smile confidently.
https://drcheryle-dds.com/contact/

09/15/2021

Did you know: Kiwis are good for your gum health. They contain large amounts of Vitamin C, which is necessary for maintaining healthy gums.
https://drcheryle-dds.com/contact/

09/09/2021

What does lung immunity teach us? You can NEVER look past the mouth.
​
People talk about the gut microbiome lots, but in reality, the human microbiome has many parts all working together.
​
​The mouth guides us to step back and understand the WHOLE body in relation to an entire system working together. ​
The ORAL microbiome includes all microorganisms that are found on or in the human oral cavity and its extensions (stopping at the distal esophagus).
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The mouth includes several distinct microbial habitats, such as teeth, gum, tongue, cheek, lip, hard palate, and soft palate. Joining with the oral cavity are the tonsils, pharynx, esophagus, ear, and voice box.
​
The respiratory system includes the nasal passages, sinuses and of course the lungs. ​Each of these systems are teaming with bacteria, right down to the lungs.
​
The surface area of the healthy lung is a dynamic environment. Like the mouth it is constantly bombarded by debris and microbes that make their way down from the and nose through the trachea. Barrier cells within the lungs beat rhythmically to move debris and invading microbes, while immune cells constantly patrol for and destroy unwelcome bugs.
​
Lung infection is thought to rely in part on the infection of the mouth moving into the lower respiratory tract and failure of host defence mechanisms to eliminate the contaminating bacteria, which then multiply to cause infection.
​
It has been suggested that dental plaque may act as a reservoir of respiratory disease, especially in people with gum disease (most common chronic disease in the world). ​
Takeaway?

Build your defences against dental disease, and you build a stronger immune system to respiratory disease. ​

When you think health, if you think teeth first, you can’t go wrong.
​
In my book The Dental Diet I outlined my 40-day plan to use food as a basis for lifelong healthy teeth and healthy body.

Isn't it strange how we've disconnected parts of our body?

09/08/2021

Osteoporosis increases your risk of tooth loss. If you have osteoporosis, talk to our team. It’s never too late to create a plan for optimal oral health.
https://drcheryle-dds.com/contact/