Will a Mouthpiece Make You Stronger?

Wonder what the story is with Under Armou@$%'s new mouthpiece? This is an old theory rearing it's head. I wrote a paper about it in college! It didn't work then either. There is some evidence that it may improve balance. The claims of increased strength don't hold water, in my opinion. Some dentists are using the old push down your arm ruse to show that it does increase strength. This has been used by quacks and charlatans to promote dozens of things for the last hundred years. Run from anyone who wants to "test" your arm strength. Many professional athletes use it and believe that it works. Many of them also believe in not washing their game underwear. It is true that a misaligned jaw can show up as headaches, muscle cramps and other aches and pains. The UA mouthpiece may help those people, though probably no better than a $9 boil and bite mouthpiece. Golfers are spending lots of money on UA appliances. Maybe a slight improvement in balance will help, but what are you going to do, put it in your pocket between swings? It probably wont help your game any more than that $500 unobtanium driver that you leave at home now. What is definitely a rip off is their distribution channel- they sell a license to the dentist and they are the only ones who can make it. The only arrangement that would be a bigger indicator of a scam would be a multi-level arrangement. Sorry about the lack of anger management, but I'm in this business to try and make the world a little better. It steams me when those who are supposed to be trusted professionals are ripping people off with scams that have little or no scientific basis.

The Periodontal-Systemic Disease Connection

By now everyone has heard that gum disease can cause other problems. It has become known as the periodontal-systemic disease connection. The bacteria. possibly some bacterial product, enter the bloodstream from the gums. Research at this point shows an association, we don't yet understand the mechanism. An association has been shown with heart disease, stroke, diabetes, preterm birth, pancreatic cancer, head and neck cancer, obesity. A new condition is added almost monthly.
Now there is a test to show if you have any of the bacteria that cause gum disease and associated problems. You can have the bacteria and not show classic gum disease symptoms- bleeding, recession. The test may be a good idea if there's early heart disease or diabetes in the family, you're planning pregnancy or joint replacement, or diagnosed with heart disease. A plaque sample is sent to Germany for bacterial DNA analysis. The dangerous bacteria levels identified can be treated. A subsequent test proves that the dangerous bacterial levels are reduced and healthy levels are re-established.