By MEREDITH KNIGHT
What’s a family dentist doing with microscopes in her office? If that dentist is Dr. Karen Williamson, the answer is “a lot.” Dr. Williamson has long pioneered the concept of today-body wellness within the dental profession. “For years, the mouth was treated as separate from the rest of the body,” she said. “But the health of the mouth directly impacts the health of the entire body. When bacteria are present in the mouth, they can easily find their way to the heart and the brain and all the systems of the body.”
This is where those high-tech microscopes come into play. Dr. Williamson’s hygienists obtain saliva samples and analyze them under a microscope. When bacteria are present, the slide looks “chaotic”. In a healthy mouth, the slide will look normal, with only a few good bacteria slightly moving around. “If we see white blood cells in a patient’s saliva sample, we know they’re in the mouth fighting an infection and that bacterial infection needs to be addressed,” Dr. Williamson said.
Dr. Williamson is quick to point out to patients that it’s not necessarily poor brushing and flossing that’s causing their problem, so improved brushing and flossing can’t eradicate it. “An antibiotic and medicated cleaning is required to fight gum disease, similar to fighting a strep throat infection, but first we need to know what kind of bacteria we’re treating.” Saliva samples are sent to a laboratory to obtain information on the types of bacteria present and which ones are over threshold for that particular patient. “Now we are armed with helpful information and can treat the infection specifically and see great results where deep cleanings might have failed to do much for a particular patient.”
“There is no door between the mouth and the rest of the body,” Dr. Williamson said. “If anything, the mouth is a window into the rest of the body and the health of the other systems. Once we’ve treated bacteria in the mouth, patients often tell me they have more energy and better mental clarity.”
Dr. Williamson is also passionate about proper tooth alignment and healthy airway function to facilitate proper sleep. “Digestion begins in the mouth,” she said. “It begins with teeth that align properly and a tongue that’s properly positioned. If we don’t have great mouth health, we can’t have great gut health and good gut health is important to the entire body.”
Many of Dr. Williamson’s patients come to her concerned with getting a handle on their health. She wants to help all age groups be the healthiest they can be by addressing any bacteria that is present in their mouths, evaluating their occlusion (bite), their tongue position, and their airways. Poor sleep due to collapsed airways and improper jaw, tooth, and tongue position is robbing people of all ages of adequate sleep required for optimum health.
It is for these reasons Dr. Karen Williamson addresses more than just cavities in her Rockwall practice. She’s partnering with her patients in the pursuit of today wellness. Find out more at KarenWilliamsonDDS.com.
