Health Inspired Dentistry Blog

Oral DNA Test Can Save Your Life Wednesday, 28 June 2017

A routine dental visit can provide more than “just a cleaning”. A life saving saliva test can provide critical information about your entire body!

How the Oral DNA Test is performed

Just like urine and blood samples are used to detect disease and illness, a simple 30-second test, called Oral DNA, can ultimately reduce the risk of oral disease as well as other bodily illnesses. It is a simple procedure performed dental chair side by swishing and spitting into a funnel attached to a test-tube that is then sent to a laboratory.

The saliva sample detects and identifies the amount and specific type of harmful bacteria in the oral cavity related to gum disease, bad breath and chronic infection. A customized treatment is then personalized for the patient’s needs, leading to a more successful outcome for bacterial elimination. These bacteria are also known for traveling to the bloodstream and causing disease related to the heart and other organs.

Additional benefits of an Oral DNA Test

The Oral DNA analysis also identifies if there is a genetic predisposition to gum disease so immediate prevention therapies can be initiated and the oral tissues monitored. In addition, it identifies oral HPV (human papilloma virus), which can manifest as oral symptoms and be a precursor to oral and cervical cancer.

More recently, the saliva analysis can identify genetic biomarkers that can predict the likelihood of contracting cancer, diabetes and heart disease.

We embrace the Oral DNA technology to help our patients get healthier. Now you can have full disease prevention while getting you teeth cleaned too! Contact us to set up your appointment.

-Dr. Claudia Minadeo-Fox