When it comes to health and longevity, we obsess over what we eat, how we move, how we sleep, and how we manage stress, never realizing that one of the most powerful indicators of how well our body is functioning has been hiding in plain sight all along - our mouth. Most people brush twice a day, see their dentist once or twice a year, and assume their mouth is fine, not realizing that the mouth may be one of the clearest entry points into understanding inflammation, airway health, the gut, and long-term disease risk.
We dive deeper into this in Rooted in Wellness with Dr. Jonathan Levine. We also chat about the connection between gum inflammation and chronic disease, what mouth breathing may be doing to children and adults, and how oral health habits, diagnostics, and daily tools may be shaping far more than just your teeth.
Dr. Jonathan Levine is a prosthodontist with over 35 years of experience, holds nearly 30 patents on medical device delivery systems, and runs a clinical program at NYU. He is the founder of Smile House in New York City, a dental wellness center integrating advanced diagnostics and modern science, and the founder of the Glow Good Foundation, which brings dental education and care to underserved communities around the world. With decades of clinical practice, academic leadership, and innovation at the intersection of dentistry and medicine, he is one of the most qualified voices in the world to be having this conversation, and everything he shares in this episode is worth paying close attention to.
What's Discussed:
(05:32) Why the mouth “seeds the gut” and why the oral microbiome matters so much.
(09:38) How gum inflammation may be linked to heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimer’s, and systemic inflammation.
(09:38) “Leaky gums” and why the mouth may be working the way people talk about leaky gut.
(23:10) Saliva testing, oral biomarkers, and how dentistry may help catch chronic disease risk earlier.
(27:30) Why periodontal disease is often silent and how to spot the early signs.
(34:24) Why oral health may deserve a permanent place on your preventative care team.
(35:35) Oil pulling, oral bacteria, and what it really takes to support the oral microbiome.
(47:15) The truth about fluoride, dosage, and what most people misunderstand.
(52:54) Mouth breathing, facial development, and why this matters so much for children.
(1:00:48) Charcoal toothpaste, hydroxyapatite, whitening products, and enamel damage.
(1:10:55) Coffee, apple cider vinegar, acidity, and how pH affects the mouth.
(1:12:41) Pregnancy, perimenopause, dry mouth, and how hormone shifts show up in oral health.
(1:18:57) Dr. Levine’s ideal oral microbiome routine and how to build a stronger oral health game.
Listen on Apple Podcasts and Spotify and discover the one part of your health routine that could change everything else.
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Learn more about Dr. Jonathan Levine:
Website / Smile House: Smile House
Instagram: @drjonlevine
Smile House Instagram: @smilehousetribeca
LinkedIn: Jonathan Levine
GLO Good Foundation: GLO Good
Ireland