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Snoring is so common these days that some people either think it's normal or just learn to live with it, but many encounter all kinds of problems as a result of snoring, including relationships and serious health problems. When Erin Elliott began asking her dental patients how they sleep at night and whether or not they snore, she was given a lot of strange looks. That was 10 years ago when the connection between dental signs and symptoms weren't really considered to have anything to do with sleep or snoring. Today, many more dentists are acknowledging how they are intertwined and integrating this understanding into their practice.
Erin Elliott is a dentist who is so well known for this that many of her patients are referred to her for snoring problems by physicians or existing patients. On today's episode, she discusses the varying causes and effects of snoring and how essential it is to identify the cause before implementing a snoring treatment, what kinds of dental signs and symptoms indicate the presence of a sleep or breathing problem, what's happening physiologically when someone snores, and so much more.
By tuning in, you will discover:
Learn more by tuning in and emailing your questions to erinelliottdds@gmail.com.
Richard Gallo, MD, PhD, a leading expert in human immunology, skin biology, and the microbiome, delivers an interesting overview of skin issues, the microbiome, antimicrobial peptides, skin microbiome acne, and so much more.
Gallo earned his PhD from Harvard and has pursued a life in the sciences. Gallo talks about his background and how he came to be so interested in dermatology and immunology, and as he states, the big question for Gallo was, how does a host protect itself? He provides an overview of 'resistance' and how it differs, discussing how humans and plants, etc. can be affected by a microbe. Gallo comments that the skin is the first layer separating the inside… from the outside, and that's a pretty important job.
What do microbes do to benefit us, speaking of those microbes that our skin tolerates? Gallo's current research and discovery revolves around this question. Gallo states that microbes can become trapped within the skin's pores, and once they are they are nurtured, kept in check by the immune system so they don't become an infection. Gallo discusses the broad range that exists in the cells of the microbial community. Gallo provides an overview of the microbial community and he explains what different genes are doing at the bacterial level. Continuing, Gallo talks about the kinds of inflammation that exist and how improvement of the microbiome can permit the human environment to correct and flourish.
The immunology expert describes an ideal scenario of future medical approaches to combatting certain diseases. And he discusses some of the new issues and discoveries that show great promise, and how the skin, its microbes, and cells are all important to the understanding of how to treat disease.
In this podcast:
This podcast discusses exciting innovations in neutron production:
Even Sengbusch, PhD, MBA, and president of Phoenix, discusses the history of Shine Medical and Phoenix and how their work to produce neutrons through new technology leaves the danger and limitations of nuclear reactors far behind. Greg Piefer, founder and CEO of Shine Medical was unable to join the conversation because of travel issues, but Dr. Sengbusch discusses both companies and what they accomplish. Shine Medical spun from Phoenix in 2010 to focus specifically on radioisotopes in medicine. Phoenix produces neutron generators that Shine then uses for isotopes useful in medical technology imaging procedures.
Phoenix focuses on molybdenum 99 production, which has been the workhorse in nuclear medicine. Currently only two places worldwide manufacture molybdenum 99, and Phoenix will soon be able to make this isotope without a nuclear reactor.
When it decays, Moly 99 emits detectable gamma rays that work as markers for imaging techniques. For example, it can attach to heart-specific glucose and then provide organ information through imaging. It can also attach to cancer cells and give a clear image for cancer detection.
For more information, see https://phoenixwi.com/ and https://shinemed.com/.
When you listen, you'll learn about these innovations and more:
In this podcast, Dr. Daniel Voytas, McKnight Presidential Endowed Professor, Director of the Center for Precision Plant Genomics at the University of Minnesota, and founder of Clayxt, shares these and other exciting advances in genome editing in plants.
Dr. Voytas' work with the Center for Precision Plant Genomics centers on improving genome editing in plants through precise editing, substitution, and mutation techniques. The center's goal is to create plants that can withstand challenges like drought and insect predation while maintaining more healthful components. At the university, most of this work involves model plants that work well for experimentation.
About ten years ago, Dr. Voytas started the company Calyxt, which transfers that technology into developing new food crops like soybeans with altered genes that offer various benefits. For example, gene editing allowed them to inactivate the gene that converts the oil in the soybean seeds from monounsaturated to polyunsaturated fat. The company produced their first gene-edited product for sale with this monounsaturated soybean oil that has a much longer life for deep frying.
For more information on how to contact Dr. Voytas, see https://cbs.umn.edu/contacts/daniel-voytas-phd.
Mark A. Cruz, D.D.S, a pioneer in the dental industry, shares information on modern dentistry, snoring causes and effect, snoring treatment, rhinitis, and stuffy noses.
Dr. Cruz is a seasoned, trusted family dentist who approaches all dental issues with a macro lens, considering his patients' overall health, instead of simply treating problems as they occur. Dr. Cruz graduated from the UCLA School of Dentistry. A few of his outstanding accomplishments include serving on the National Institute of Health/National Institute of Dental & Craniofacial Research Grant Review Committee in Washington D.C., and being an integral part of the editorial board for the Journal of Evidence Based Dental Practice. Dr. Cruz is motivated by learning and is continually expanding his knowledge to better serve his patients.
Dr. Cruz discusses teaching and orthodontics, and the importance of nasal breathing. He provides detail on why we as humans can and do breathe nasally and orally as well. He explains oral breathing, the exchanging of gas, and the processes our bodies go through. He provides an overview of nasal breathing and discusses the inflammatory response that the body exhibits when nasal breathing is cut off or compromised. Expanding on this discussion he discusses the importance of teaching kids the proper ways to breathe and blow their noses, etc. While mucus has a purpose, we do not want it to obstruct nasal breathing to the point that we are always breathing through the mouth. He discusses practical methods to increase nasal breathing, such as the neti pot, etc. for rinsing debris or excess mucus from the nasal cavity.
Continuing, Dr. Cruz provides information on studies that have observed breathing. Breathing rate was documented over decades, and surprisingly we have, overall, increased breathing rates. And unfortunately, this increase may be a key link to increases in inflammatory diseases. The doctor discusses exercises and specifically touches on facial exercises, which could decrease sagging, and other detrimental effects of aging. And Dr. Cruz provides detailed information on snoring and breathing issues, and how medicine practitioners are now paying more attention to airway issues perhaps than before.
In this podcast:
What causes snoring?
What happens when nasal breathing is diminished?
How can we improve airway problems?
"The second you think you know everything, you realize there's a lot you don't know," says Marc Bekoff, who has spent his entire career studying animal behavior and biology and playing an integral role in animal rights organizations.
As Professor Emeritus of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Colorado, Boulder and Fellow of the Animal Behavior Society, Dr. Bekoff values productive conversation with people who bring different opinions to the table, and advocates for the importance of understanding the complexity of all other species on planet Earth.
He joins the podcast today to discuss the surprising similarities and differences between and within different species, the role domestic dogs play in our lives and vice versa, how personality variation contributes to the formation and maintenance of groups of animals, and so much more.
Tune in to learn:
Learn more by visiting marcbekoff.com.
Out of the 100 million people in the U.S. who snore, more than half of them have sleep apnea, a condition which causes the cessation of breathing up to hundreds of times per night during sleep. In addition, snoring itself is a gateway to sleep apnea, meaning that most people who snore regularly are at risk of developing sleep apnea.
Dr. Jay Khorsandi is a general dentist and snoring and sleep expert who joins the show today to discuss the causes and effects of snoring, and how age and weight contribute to sleep apnea and poor overall sleep health.
He also discusses his approach to diagnosing and formulating individualized plans for the treatment of different snoring and sleep issues. This approach begins in the patient's home rather than the clinical environment of a sleep lab.
He explains why this is beneficial and what type of information he is able to gather.
Tune in to discover:
Dr. Theodore Belfor, dental innovator and expert, discusses a wide variety of dental issues with a special emphasis on airway issues, snoring causes and effect, as well as snoring treatment. Dr. Belfor graduated from the New York University School of Medicine. He works in Catskill, NY and specializes in General Dentistry.
Dr. Belfor discusses airway issues, daytime and nighttime, from stuffy noses to more serious airway problems. As Dr. Belfor states, chronic rhinosinusitis is an extremely common problem. This persistent, nagging health issue is defined by the presence of at least two of four major symptoms, such as facial pain and/or pressure, hyposmia/anosmia, nasal drainage, and sometimes nasal obstruction, for at minimum—12 consecutive weeks.
He explains how the cilia (tiny hairs in our noses) along with mucus, trap the bacteria. But when our sinuses are working properly, these bacteria can be neutralized in most cases. However, when chronic rhinosinusitis occurs, there is a sort of broken link in this chain of defense, and the body will go into its normal defenses, which equates to swelling and inflammation. Dr. Belfor explains the function of nitric oxide, and the jaw, and how the system can become overextended, enabling polyp growth possibilities and more.
Dr. Belfor discusses misalignment, airway and snoring issues, etc. including information on breathing systems. Further, he explains the many possibilities for care and treatment, often without surgical procedures. He talks about the ways to 'turn the genes on' to get the body to respond, and improve functioning. He expounds upon the processes of 'toning the airway' as well as the difficult problems posed by snoring and sleep apnea. Continuing, the airway expert talks in detail about anatomy, and the physical components that contribute to dental and airway issues.
In this podcast:
What are the main contributors to airway breathing issues?
How to 'turn genes on' to get the body to respond to issues
How does a nasal obstruction impact breathing?
Dr. Eleftherios Mylonakis, the Charles C.J. Carpenter Professor of Infectious Disease and Professor of Medicine at The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University as well as Professor of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology at Brown, delivers an in-depth overview discussing microbial pathogenesis and host responses.
Dr. Mylonakis is an infectious disease specialist who has brought his wealth of experience to multiple hospitals in the New England area, including Massachusetts General Hospital and Miriam Hospital. Dr. Mylonakis earned his medical degree from University of Athens and has been practicing medicine for over 20 years.
Dr. Mylonakis discusses his extensive work in infectious diseases and drug discovery. He explains the types of diseases, and their research in resistant bacteria, with special attention given to Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), which refers to a group of Gram-positive bacteria that are distinct, genetically, from other types/strains of Staphylococcus aureus. And MRSA, unfortunately, is resistant to numerous antibiotics. The research doctor discusses this particular bacteria, where it lives, and how it functions. As he states, our skin works as an effective barrier from this bacteria entering our bloodstream, but a scratch on the skin, and trauma from an accident, etc. can help the bacteria penetrate and then it can possibly spread through the bloodstream. Dr. Mylonakis explains how to identify virulence factors, and he expounds upon the current research regarding the microbiome, and how disruption could lead to colonization. Resistance traits are an important part of the research, and it is crucial to study the relationships.
The noted doctor talks in detail about diagnostics, and the time we wait for cultures, to understand what is going on. Most labs wait up to 5 days, which creates a difficult situation because time is of the essence in order to effectively treat toxicity and infection. Wrapping up, Dr. Mylonakis explains the process to treat infections after diagnostics.
In this podcast:
How to identify virulence factors
What types of bacteria are resistant to antibiotics
An explanation of microbial pathogenesis
Greg Lowry, the Walter J. Blenko, Sr. Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University, provides an overview on the importance of nanotechnology, environmental science nano impact factor, considerations regarding current research, and more.
Lowry is deputy director of the NSF/EPA Center for Environmental Implications of Nanotechnology (CEINT). Additionally, he is on the editorial board for Environmental Science: Nano and Nature: Scientific Data. Lowry earned his B.S. in chemical engineering from the University of California at Davis (UC Davis), and an M.S. in civil and environmental engineering from University of Wisconsin in Madison. Continuing his education path, Lowry earned a Ph.D. in civil and environmental engineering from Stanford University.
Lowry's intensive research focuses on multiple scientific areas, such as environmental geochemistry, environmental nanotechnology, and nanochemistry. Lowry discusses their research and goal to make agriculture more sustainable. He states that agriculture is very inefficient, and as world populations are expanding at an incredible rate, more work has to be done to increase sustainability, making plants more efficient, making them more resilient to climate change, etc. Lowry talks about his work on wheat, corn, tomato, and more, discussing how they engineer nano materials to deliver nutrients to plants more efficiently, aiding in their growth, especially in difficult climate or soil conditions.
Lowry discusses specific examples of their work, with plants and trees, and the effectiveness of getting nutrients into them. He explains how they have developed coatings on their nano particles that allow them to infiltrate the plant, which overrides the plant's systems that may fight infiltration, and thus successfully providing nutrients while avoiding any detrimental effects to plant health. Continuing, Lowry states that as we increase population in the billions, plant sustainability will be key to feeding the world's population.
In this podcast:
What are nanoparticles and what can they do?
How will increasing populations put a strain on food supplies?
What can we do to increase plant sustainability?
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