Blodgett Dental Care

10/14/2026

Wellness Wednesday: The mouth–breast connection
Your mouth is part of your whole body — and the lymphatic system helps connect the two.

Lymphatic vessels throughout the head and neck help move fluid, cellular waste, and immune-related material toward lymph nodes in the chest and underarm region.

That anatomy is one reason researchers continue to study how chronic oral inflammation and infection may influence health beyond the mouth.

Research has explored associations between oral bacteria, periodontal disease, chronic inflammation, and breast health. Scientists have also identified certain oral microbes, including Fusobacterium nucleatum, in tissues outside the mouth. These findings do not mean that dental infections or root canals directly cause breast cancer, but they reinforce the importance of looking at oral health as part of whole-body wellness.

From a biological dentistry perspective, we pay close attention to potential sources of chronic oral inflammation, including:
• Gum disease
• Tooth decay
• Infected or symptomatic teeth
• Root canal-treated teeth
• Jawbone inflammation

Especially during Breast Cancer Awareness Month, this is an important reminder that supporting overall health includes caring for the mouth, too.

At Blodgett Dental Care, we help patients take a deeper look at their oral health and understand how it may fit into their broader wellness journey.

Want to explore your oral health from a whole-body perspective? Use the link in our bio to learn more about our New Patient Experience and Dental Tourism process.

10/13/2026

Toxic Tuesday: Oral infection connected to breast cancer

Your mouth is not separate from the rest of your body.
Emerging research from Johns Hopkins Medicine is exploring how a common oral bacterium, Fusobacterium nucleatum, may play a role in breast cancer development and spread. This bacterium is often associated with periodontal disease and oral infections, and researchers are studying how it may travel beyond the mouth through the bloodstream and lymphatic system.

The findings suggest that oral bacteria may be able to influence tissues far from the mouth by contributing to inflammation, cellular changes, and immune stress.

While this research is still developing, it reinforces something we discuss often in biological dentistry: oral health can have whole-body implications.

From a clinical perspective, I have sent many extracted root canal-treated teeth for DNA testing, and Fusobacterium nucleatum is a microbe we frequently see in those reports.

This is why prevention matters.

Brushing, flossing, and regular cleanings are important, but whole-body oral health goes deeper. Chronic gum disease, decay, infected teeth, and root canal-treated teeth may all place ongoing stress on the immune system.

The mouth is a gateway to the body. What happens there matters.

If you want to better understand whether your oral health may be contributing to whole-body inflammation or disease risk, our team at Blodgett Dental Care can help you explore your options from a biological dentistry perspective.

Reach out through our website or call our office to learn more.

10/13/2026

"I first came to Dr. Blodgett because I had a pressing issue with an old root canal. But lucky for me, he does so much more than regular dentistry.

I’d had an ever increasing list of food allergies which was becoming a problem. First, I became allergic to dairy and wheat, then beans and corn and tofu, then other grains like oatmeal, then even plain white rice, certain fruit, etc.. If I ate any of those, I became.." says Grace on Google

★★★★★ I first came to Dr. Blodgett because I had a pressing issue with an old root canal. But lucky for me, he does so much more than regular dentistry. I’d had an ever increasing list of food allergies which was becoming a problem. First, I became allergic to dairy and wheat, then beans...

10/07/2026

Wellness Wednesday: How to Minimize Tooth Sensitivity

No one wants to leave a dental appointment with a tooth that feels worse than when they walked in.

In dental school, many dentists are taught the basics of restorative care: drill it, fill it, and if it hurts, eventually “kill it” with a root canal. But from a biological dentistry perspective, post-treatment sensitivity can often be prevented with the right techniques, materials, and patience.

Here are a few ways we work to make restorations more comfortable and predictable:

1. Isolation
Using a non-latex dental dam helps keep the tooth clean, dry, and protected during treatment. A clean field allows for better bonding and a more predictable result.

2. Gentle removal of old filling material
Going slowly and keeping the tooth cool helps reduce unnecessary trauma to the tooth’s nerve. Dental drills create a lot of heat and friction, so careful technique matters.

3. Air abrasion and ozone
Air abrasion helps smooth and clean the tooth surface before bonding. Ozone gas can then be used to support a cleaner dentin surface and help reduce microbial load in the tiny pores of the tooth.

4. Proper bonding and layering
Composite fillings can shrink slightly as they cure, which may create stress inside the tooth. Placing material in small, layered increments helps reduce that stress and supports a more comfortable restoration.

The goal should never be “fill it and hope for the best.”

The goal is to restore the tooth in a way that protects its structure, supports comfort, and respects the biology of the body.

Ask your dentist what steps they take to minimize post-treatment sensitivity.

To experience the BDC approach, reach out through our website to reserve your New Patient Experience.

10/06/2026

Toxic Tuesday: Root canals are not healthcare. They are sick-care.

A while back, we helped a woman who traveled to us from Los Angeles after years of searching for answers.

When she was 19, she had a traumatic accident while playing on a see-saw with friends. She was launched off one end and landed on her face. All four of her lower front teeth died and were treated with root canals.

Within 10 years, all four root canals had failed.

Those same teeth were then treated with apicoectomies, a procedure where the gums are opened, bone is removed, the root tips are cut off, and filling material is placed into the ends of the roots.

For more than 20 years after those root canals, she struggled with fatigue, depression, and migraines.

Along her health journey, she began to wonder whether these dead teeth could be contributing to her symptoms.

In today’s image, you can see both the X-ray and the extracted teeth. Notice the darkness inside the root systems. From a biological dentistry perspective, this raises serious concerns about what can happen when dead teeth remain in the jaw for years.

This is not about fear. It is about informed consent, whole-body health, and understanding the long-term impact of dental decisions.

Tomorrow for Wellness Wednesday, we’ll share how these infected teeth were removed, ceramic implants were placed using guidance technology, and a custom temporary bridge was fabricated with digital CAD/CAM technology — all in a single visit.

If you are considering replacing dead or root canal-treated teeth with a biological tooth replacement option, reach out through our website to learn more.

Our Dental Tourism process helps make traveling for care simple and supported.

10/02/2026

"Thank you to Dr. Blodgett and his whole team for providing me with the most excellent and exceptional dental care possible! From the moment I placed the phone call to get my dying tooth evaluated, Dr. Blodgett and his team were caring, kind, thoroughly competent, informed, and deeply compassionate. Dr. Blodgett and his whole team took the time to really listen to me and to allay any concerns. Because I had read about.." says Cary on Google

★★★★★ Thank you to Dr. Blodgett and his whole team for providing me with the most excellent and exceptional dental care possible! From the moment I placed the phone call to get my dying tooth evaluated, Dr. Blodgett and his team were caring, kind, thoroughly competent, informed, and deeply...

09/30/2026

Wellness Wednesday: Maintaining your natural smile through root canal removal

One of the biggest concerns patients have when removing dead or infected root canal-treated teeth is, “Will I still be able to smile afterward?”

At Blodgett Dental Care, the answer is often yes.

Using advanced CAD/CAM technology, we can design and create custom all-ceramic provisional teeth that help maintain a natural-looking smile while the body heals.

Here’s how the process works:
We begin by digitally scanning the patient’s original smile. After the affected teeth are removed, the extraction sites are grafted with L-PRF, a concentration of the patient’s own immune cells and clotting factors.

This helps support healing and creates stability for the next step.

From there, we use the digital scan to design “copy teeth” that closely match the patient’s natural smile. These provisional teeth are milled from ceramic, polished to a smooth, glass-like finish, and bonded to the neighboring natural teeth.

One of the most beautiful parts of this technique is that the provisional teeth can be shaped to gently extend into the gumline, allowing them to look like real teeth emerging naturally from the gums.

The result? Infection removed. Smile maintained.

If you are considering removing root canal-treated teeth and want to preserve the appearance of your smile during the healing process, our team can help you explore your options.

Use the link in our bio to learn more about our New Patient Experience and Dental Tourism process.

09/29/2026

Toxic Tuesday: Teeth are living organs, not inanimate objects.

Your teeth are designed to withstand a lifetime of chewing, pressure, and daily function. But when a tooth is repeatedly drilled, filled, crowned, or treated with a root canal, its natural structure can become increasingly compromised.

This is especially important when it comes to root canal-treated teeth.

Many root canal-treated teeth are later restored with a post, which is placed inside the canal to help support a crown. To do this, more tooth structure is removed from inside the root, and the post is screwed or bonded into place.

While this may seem like a strong solution, it can actually weaken the tooth over time.

When too much internal tooth structure is removed, the root may become more vulnerable to fracture. In some cases, the tooth can split, almost like a log.

Today’s image shows exactly that: a root canal-treated tooth with a post that contributed to a significant split in the tooth structure.

From a biological dentistry perspective, this matters because once a tooth fractures, bacteria and inflammatory byproducts can enter the surrounding bone space and create a larger oral health concern.

If your goal is to preserve your natural teeth and protect your whole-body health, it is important to understand the risks before agreeing to more invasive dental procedures.

At Blodgett Dental Care, we help patients look at the full picture — structure, biology, materials, infection, and long-term health.

Ready for a more comprehensive dental perspective?

Use the link in our bio to start planning your New Patient Experience or Dental Tourism journey.

09/23/2026

Wellness Wednesday: Attitude is everything!

I often think back to this patient from a few years ago because her attitude was truly unforgettable.

She had traveled to us from Tennessee through our Dental Tourism program after doing her own research and deciding she no longer wanted her body to host a dead, root canal-treated tooth.

Removing a front tooth is a big deal. It affects function, confidence, and the way we feel when we smile. But instead of feeling defeated, she brought so much positivity into the room.

After the tooth was removed, she asked, “Would it be okay if I take a selfie with my front tooth missing so I can share it with my family?” Of course, we said yes, and our team joined in on the fun.

Her health goals were clear: remove potential roadblocks to whole-body wellness while still protecting the beauty of her smile.

Because we reviewed her records ahead of time, we were able to prepare for her care before she arrived in Portland. This is exactly why our Dental Tourism process exists, to help patients travel with confidence and receive intentional, biologically minded care.

At Blodgett Dental Care, we believe dentistry can be serious, thoughtful, and health-focused while still feeling human, supportive, and even joyful.

If you are considering removing a dead or infected root canal-treated tooth and want it replaced with biologically compatible materials, reach out through our website to learn more about our New Patient Experience and Dental Tourism process.

09/22/2026

Toxic Tuesday: When a “dead” tooth may affect more than your mouth

Today’s story is about a patient who injured his front tooth as a child. After the trauma, the nerve inside the tooth died and root canal therapy was performed.

Years later, another tooth in his upper right jaw became painful and was also treated with a root canal.

Over time, he began experiencing chronic sinus and breathing issues. He shared that he had struggled for more than a decade with nasal congestion, constant drainage, throat swelling, and difficulty sleeping because he could not breathe well through his nose.

When we evaluated his oral health, both root canal-treated teeth showed signs of significant infection.

From a biological dentistry perspective, this raised an important question: could these hidden dental infections be adding stress to his whole-body health?

The teeth were removed using the BDC protocol, and the areas were grafted with his own healing cells using L-PRF, a concentration of his own immune cells and clotting factors. A temporary porcelain tooth was then created with the CEREC system and bonded to the adjacent teeth as an immediate, non-invasive replacement.

Within a couple of months, he reported that his sinus and lung symptoms had resolved.

He wore the temporary tooth for about two years and appreciated having an immediate solution while he healed. Eventually, he chose a more permanent option: a ceramic dental implant with a ceramic crown.

This is why we look beyond the tooth itself.

A root canal may appear stable from the outside, but if infection is present, it may be worth exploring how it could be impacting the rest of the body.

If you want to work with a dental team that understands the connection between oral health and whole-body health, reach out through our website to reserve your New Patient Experience.