Franklin Plaza Family Dentistry

10/05/2025

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DPO5RGrjeb4/?igsh=MXdtd3JqdTgyYXhzcg==

08/20/2025

Dr. Levy was an instructor of Drs. Nanda & McCartney at the University of Iowa College of Dentistry. Please take the one minute to watch this (non-Tik Tok) video.

Fluoride is a naturally occurring element that is often added to water to prevent cavities, a practice that has recently come under scrutiny. Steven Levy, Wr...

08/16/2025

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1BC6oRvrmv/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Scientists are beginning to suspect that Alzheimer’s disease might not only be a problem of aging brains — it could actually start in an unexpected place: the mouth. Emerging studies point to chronic gum disease as a possible trigger for a chain reaction leading to Alzheimer’s.

In a landmark 2019 study, researchers at the University of Louisville discovered Porphyromonas gingivalis — the bacteria responsible for long-term gum infections — inside the brains of people who had died with Alzheimer’s. Even more concerning, they also found toxic enzymes from these bacteria in the brains of people who had never shown dementia symptoms, suggesting the damage might have begun years before any memory problems appeared.

When scientists infected mice with this gum bacteria, it didn’t remain in their mouths — it traveled to the brain, increased the levels of amyloid-beta proteins linked to Alzheimer’s, and triggered inflammation. They also tested a new drug, COR388, which lowered the amount of bacteria in the brain and reduced amyloid buildup in mice — an early sign that this approach might help slow or even prevent Alzheimer’s.

Although experts caution that it’s still too soon to say gum disease directly causes Alzheimer’s, the findings are significant. They challenge the long-held belief that dementia leads to poor oral health — instead, oral bacteria may be quietly entering the brain and causing damage long before memory loss begins.

📄 Research Reference
PMID: 30746447
PMCID: PMC6357742

08/16/2025

Getting to the root of the problem.

05/20/2025

Please join us in welcoming our new team member, Angelica. Angelica is currently a dental assistant trainee working towards her certification.

05/10/2025

05/08/2025

Stay tuned….

12/25/2024

A very merry Christmas to all our patients and their families. 🎄🎁🎄

12/03/2024

This is the 4th year FPFD is participating in the Animal Rescue League of Iowa’s Tree of Life campaign. We are a drop off site for the much needed items.
See the link below and have items delivered directly to our office.
Happy Holidays! 🐈 🎄 🐕

https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/264F4IVFVAWFN?ref_=wl_share

12/02/2024

Are you losing your dental insurance at the end of the year? Will your dental benefits be decreased in 2025?
We can help!
There are still a handful of dental appointments available for December. Call Michelle this week at 515-277-0222.
New patients welcome.
Ignore your teeth and they’ll go away. 🦷 🪥 🦷

09/16/2024