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🦷 🎓Integrating Lifestyle Medicine Principles into Periodontal Practice

Kate Reading RDH BSc Cert LM | Lisa Knowles RDT BSc Cert LM

11/09/2026

One of our favourite things about being members of the BSDHT is having Dental Health land through the letterbox and catching up on all the fabulous articles… 🦷🤍
But NEVER in a million years did we imagine we’d be opening it to find an article we wrote — on a topic we feel so incredibly passionate about! 🥹
Today feels like a pretty special career highlight, and we genuinely couldn’t be more grateful for the opportunity to share our passion, our experiences and something that means so much to us.
A very proud (and slightly surreal!) moment. ✨ Thank you to all those who have helped us along this journey 🫶🏻
Here’s to more moments like this! 🥂🤍

08/09/2026

Why are dental hygienists so well placed to talk about diabetes, obesity and heart health?

Join us online on Wednesday 30 September, 7pm to 8pm, for Aligning Lifestyle Medicine with Periodontal Practice, a CPD session exploring how lifestyle medicine principles can support both oral and systemic health.

Hosted by Lisa Knowles (Dental Therapist) and Kate Reading (Dental Hygienist), the session will cover the six pillars of Lifestyle Medicine and the evidence behind them, the relationship between these pillars and periodontal disease and other oral health conditions, and how to apply this thinking to patient assessment, education and preventive periodontal care.

This session is suitable for dental therapists, hygienists, nurses and dentists, and maps to GDC outcomes A and C.

Spaces are limited, so book early to secure your place: https://ow.ly/abTq50Zu7u9

18/08/2026

‘No health without oral health.’
Oral health is an essential part of overall health — and prevention starts with the dental team.
Dental hygienists and dental therapists play a vital role in preventing oral disease through personalised prevention, periodontal care, oral health education, behaviour change support and early identification of disease.
Our role goes beyond simply treating the mouth. By taking a lifestyle medicine approach, we can help people understand the links between oral health, nutrition, smoking, stress, sleep, physical activity and wider health — empowering patients to make sustainable changes.
Prevention. Education. Empowerment. Connection.
Because a healthy mouth is part of a healthy body. 💚

11/08/2026

When you’re under chronic stress, your body releases more cortisol. And cortisol doesn’t just make you feel wired and tired; it actively suppresses the immune cells your gums depend on to fight bacteria and repair tissue.
Here’s what that means clinically;

🔹 Slower healing
🔹 More inflammation and higher risk of gum disease progression
🔹 A shift in your oral microbiome that favours the “bad” bacteria which is linked to periodontitis
🔹 Reduced effectiveness of treatments.

It's all part of the discussion don't you think?

22/07/2026

Yes, definitely. Two things change it for me:

1. Recall interval; under-slept patients with existing perio history are seen at 3 months because I’ve seen how much slower healing and attachment gain is when someone’s chronically sleep-deprived, and usually its not just the only lifestyle factor we flag.

2. The conversation… instead of just reinforcing brushing and interdental cleaning, we will gently flag the sleep-inflammation link and ask if they’ve noticed patterns with stress, snoring, or energy. If there’s a red flag for something like OSA, that’s a further referral.

It’s changed how I see non-compliant patients too, a lot of what looks like poor home care is actually a downstream effect of a body that’s under too much load to prioritise it.

📚Marruganti, C., Luthra, S., Hussain, S.B., Suvan, J. and D’Aiuto, F. (2025) ‘Healthy lifestyles and better periodontal health: Results from two large population-based surveys’, Journal of Periodontal Research, 60(2), pp. 144–153

10/07/2026

Your oral health is connected to your overall health.
Research continues to show that the health of your gums is closely linked to your nutrition and overall wellbeing. A balanced, nutrient-rich diet may help reduce the progression of gum disease and support better treatment outcomes.
This growing evidence highlights the importance of a holistic approach to healthcare, where dentists and medical professionals work together to support the whole person—not just their teeth.
A healthy mouth is an important part of a healthy body. 💙. https://www.efp.org/press-media/how-your-diet-affects-your-gums-new-findings-from-europerio11/
HealthySmile WholeBodyHealth

07/06/2026

Recharging under blue skies ☀️

Kate and I have been soaking up some much needed time away with our families and honestly, a little sunshine and fresh air does wonders (we always say lifestyle is medicine 🤣

But while we’ve been resting, our minds haven’t stopped. Behind the scenes, we’ve been quietly planning some really exciting things coming up over the next 6 months or so and we cannot wait to share what’s coming.

Periodontal education that goes beyond the clinic.
Stay close ♥️

08/05/2026

Your smile is more than oral health — it’s social health too.

One of the core pillars of Lifestyle Medicine is social connection. Human connection impacts mental wellbeing, physical health, longevity, and quality of life.

Research has shown that loneliness can be as harmful to health as smoking 15 ci******es a day.

As dental hygienists, we see firsthand how oral health can affect confidence and connection. Gum disease, missing teeth, bad breath, or discomfort can make people feel self-conscious, causing them to withdraw socially and avoid interactions, events, or even smiling altogether.

That’s why dental hygiene is about so much more than teeth.
It’s about helping people feel confident enough to laugh, speak, eat, smile, and reconnect with the world around them.

Every conversation, every prevention appointment, every act of support matters.
Healthy mouths can help build healthier, more connected lives.

07/05/2026

POV: youre over 40 and your GP invites you in for an NHS health check.

Blood pressure. Cholesterol. HbA1c. QRISK score. Lifestyle questions. Family history.

The kind of information that gives a clearer picture of what is happening beneath the surface.

And it made me think…

This is exactly the kind of conversation we believe should be happening more often in periodontal practice.

At Periolife Align, we don’t see gum health in isolation.

Periodontal disease is not just about plaque, bleeding gums or pocket depths. It sits within a much bigger picture: inflammation, blood sugar regulation, cardiovascular risk, stress, sleep, nutrition, smoking, alcohol, menopause, medication and metabolic health.

Your mouth can tell us a lot about your general health.

And sometimes, your general health helps explain what we are seeing in your mouth.

That is why our approach to periodontal care includes lifestyle medicine principles alongside evidence-based dental therapy. We want to help patients understand the “why”, not just treat the symptoms.

Because prevention is powerful.

Whether it is a GP health check, a periodontal assessment, or a lifestyle conversation, these appointments are opportunities to spot risk early, support better choices and improve long-term health.

Over 40 check complete.

Now back to building a model of periodontal care that connects the dots.

01/05/2026

Happy Dental Hygienist and Therapist Day to all our amazing colleagues 🤍

Today is a lovely reminder to celebrate the work we do, not just in disease management, but in educating, supporting, motivating and empowering our patients every single day.

We’re so grateful to be part of a profession that makes such a meaningful difference to people’s oral and general health, confidence and overall wellbeing.

To every hygienist and therapist showing up with care, skill, patience and passion, you are so appreciated.

And to the colleagues we get to work alongside, thank you for inspiring us, supporting us and continuing to raise the standard of care in our profession.

Happy Dental Hygienist and Therapist Day ♥️
We should be so proud of what we do.

Lisa & Kate x

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