What Happens to Your Body When You Neglect Your Oral Health
May 13, 2025
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Here’s what to expect from this episode:
I’ll be honest with you, this episode completely rocked my world. Like, jaw-on-the-floor, furiously taking notes kind of rocked. I sat down with Dr. Staci Whitman, a functional dentist who’s shaking up everything we thought we knew about oral health. And heads up: this is not your average “remember to floss” talk. We’re talking about something that most of us don’t even think about… but really, really should: how your oral health is impacting your entire body.
If you’ve been brushing, flossing, and still wondering why you (or your kiddo) keep getting cavities, this episode will connect ALL the dots. We talk about everything from how inflammation in your gums could be fueling everything from fatigue to gut issues, the sneaky way cavities may be linked to your diet and immune system, and why what’s not happening in your mouth may actually be hurting your hormones.
We also go deep on the fluoride debate—what the science really says and what we’ve been told to believe, how your gut and your mouth are surprisingly connected, and why the way we feed our kids today is setting them up for chronic oral health issues down the line. I even share some very personal aha-moments, like how I’ve been a lifelong mouth breather and had no idea how much it was working against me.
Plus, we get into the daily things you can do right now to stop tooth decay, support your microbiome, and truly understand what your body’s trying to tell you… starting with your mouth.
Whether you’re a parent, a wellness nerd (like me), or just want to stop dreading your next dental visit, this one is a must-listen. It’s long, but so worth it. You’ll walk away with a completely new perspective on your mouth and how it could be the missing link in your health puzzle.
Meet Dr. Staci Whitman:
Dr. Staci Whitman, a leading authority in functional dentistry, is on a mission to revolutionize oral healthcare. With a unique blend of scientific expertise and compassionate care, she’s dedicated to creating a cavity-free world. Dr Staci is board-certified in pediatrics, integrative dentistry, and naturopathic dentistry and is one of the only dentists in the world to have her Functional Medicine Certification from the Institute of Functional Medicine. She founded one of the leading Functional Pediatric Dental offices in the country where she takes a whole-body and holistic approach to her care. She is the co-founder of the Institute for Functional Dentistry, launching in summer 2025, and lectures globally on Functional Dentistry and the Oral Systemic Connection. She also is the co-founder of Feed Your Good Guys (Fygg) microbiome-friendly oral care.
With a passion for optimizing the oral microbiome, hormonal health, nutritional status, and sleep and airway health, she is a sought-after expert and educator with a heavy focus on preventative dentistry, cavity arrest and remineralization, and the oral-gut-brain axis. Dr. Staci passionately shares her knowledge and insights on creating happy teeth and healthy lives.
Topics covered on what happens to your body when you neglect your oral health:
- Why your mouth might be the root cause of your gut issues, inflammation, and even your sleep problems
- What to do if you (or your kid) brush and floss daily and still keep getting cavities
- The red flag symptoms in your mouth that could be early warnings of chronic disease
- When to worry about mouth breathing (yes, even if it only happens at night)
- What fluoride does (and doesn’t do) for your teeth and why the water you drink might be doing more harm than good
- What functional dentists look for that traditional dentists often miss
- Why inflammation in your gums could be sabotaging your energy, sleep, and even immune system
- How oral bacteria impact your child’s development and what you can do right now to support their health long-term
- The small, daily shifts that make a huge difference in preventing tooth decay
- What your oral microbiome is doing while you sleep and how to help it thrive instead of attack your teeth
Resources Mentioned:
- Access Dr. Staci’s Whole Body Provider Referral Sheet
- Grab Dr. Staci’s ‘Eat a Rainbow Chart and Tracker’
- Get 15% Off Fygg Products by using code ‘DANIM’ on checkout
- Dive into these books to help you go deeper and take action for better oral health:
- Register for my FREE Training, 3 Steps to Sustainable Weight Loss Without Sacrificing A Life Well Lived
- Want to lose fat, fix your metabolism and tone your body for a lifetime without sacrificing the foods you love? Sign up to my transformative 8 week course, The Macro Body Method
- Ready to reach your body transformation goals the right way without restriction, sacrifice, or even dieting? Apply for my 4 month coaching program, The Macro Accelerator
- Want to take the guesswork out of your nutrition and get a professionally tailored macro count to start transforming your body to look and feel your best? Grab your Custom Macro Assessment
Connect with Dr. Staci Whitman:
Connect with Dani:
- Have any questions for me? Reach out to me here
- Connect with me on Instagram @mindinmymacros
- Subscribe to the show on YouTube @mindinmymacros
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More about Mindin’ My Wellness:
The Mindin’ My Wellness podcast is for busy, motivated and health-empowered women who are ready to kick old dieting mentalities to the curb and step into transformed health to look and FEEL their best, without sacrificing a life well-lived. Each week, your host Dani Marenburg and her guests will share top tips on all things macros, movement, mindset and everything in between. You’ll learn simple, effective and sustainable tips you can take away from each episode and implement in your daily life to look and feel like the best version of you.
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