Dr. Jonathan B. Levine is the primary to confess that expectations aren’t notably excessive when individuals go to the dentist.
“This occupation not solely wants reinvention, it wants rebranding,” he informed The Put up. “I say to you, ‘a dentist’ — what do you consider? Needles, ache? Not nice experiences.”
The issue is, common dental visits aren’t nearly making your pearly whites look their whitest. Strong analysis hyperlinks poor oral and gum well being to every part from coronary heart illness to diabetes to Alzheimer’s — that means taking excellent care of your tooth is essential to dwelling a protracted, wholesome life.
So right here comes that rebranding: Dr. Levine’s Smile Home payments itself not as only a dentist’s workplace however a dental longevity clinic — and so they’re ensuring sufferers come again by offering facilities like weighted blankets, streaming companies and complimentary head and jaw massages.
Pearly whites, longer life
“While you hearken to the longevity specialists,” Levine stated, “they speak about these pillars of longevity: sleep, vitamin, health, mindfulness. And I speak about a fifth pillar, which is oral well being.”
That’s as a result of oral well being has been repeatedly related to well being in different elements of the physique. For those who’ve bought gum illness — which is brought on by plaque buildup from poor oral hygiene — your probabilities of having coronary heart illness, a stroke, diabetes, dementia, pneumonia, rheumatoid arthritis, preterm start and even some cancers all go up.
“Guess what? The micro organism that causes irritation within the mouth … leads to all these areas within the physique that trigger these illnesses,” Levine defined.
P gingivalis — which he calls “the primary dangerous boy within the mouth for power irritation” — doesn’t simply keep in your mouth. “It leads to interstitial cells of leaky intestine, within the amyloid plaque of Alzheimer’s, within the carotid artery of cardiovascular sufferers, on and on and on,” he stated.
The menace is definitely lethal: A 2021 research discovered that COVID-19 sufferers with gum illness have been 3.5 instances extra more likely to want the ICU — and 4.5 instances extra more likely to want a ventilator.
There are many issues linked to your dental well being in much more instant methods, too. Grind your tooth at evening? It might be inflicting your complications and tinnitus. Have issues together with your airway? It may very well be responsible to your dangerous sleep.
The lesson is that skipping dental care may very well be having painful and harmful ripple results — a sobering actuality for the two-thirds of People who don’t floss and the 100 million that skip their annual checkup.
So whereas biohackers like Bryan Johnson flip to lots of of capsules and shockwave remedy, the actual key to dwelling to 100 would possibly simply be a greater dental checkup.
A mouthful of invaluable information
To that finish, one of many issues that basically units Smile Home aside is its “Mouth Mapping” bundle, which they describe as a “blueprint” of your oral well being. At $1,195, it consists of 3D imaging, a CBCT chew and jaw evaluation, a saliva take a look at and an aesthetic evaluation — along with a standard cleansing.
The 3D imaging offers a brilliant closeup have a look at your tooth and gums, detecting points like enamel put on, bone loss and indicators of clenching.
The CBCT lets the docs determine issues your airway and bone construction — together with TMJ, chew misalignment and points with palatal tissue, which is expounded to loud night breathing.
Outcomes from the saliva take a look at present your mouth microbiome, together with ranges of micro organism that elevate your threat for tooth decay, dangerous breath and even intestine points.
Lastly, the aesthetic evaluation will help you resolve on companies like whitening, aligners and veneers — much less about dwelling longer, extra about wanting good whereas doing it.
After the entire assessments, your outcomes are damaged down so that you don’t simply know what that you must do, however truly perceive why that you must do it.
“Our aim is to assist actually illuminate what’s occurring in your mouth, so sufferers go away with readability, with an understanding and like a transparent path ahead,” defined Cody Levine, the dentist’s son and a co-founder of Smile Home.
However whereas data is energy, it’s the pampering that seals the deal. Their Smile Bar consists of companies like TMJ Botox, crimson gentle remedy to calm irritation and assist gum well being, and even massages to ease rigidity and TMJ ache.
“I would like individuals to really feel like, ‘That is the best expertise I’ve ever had. I sit up for my subsequent appointment,” he stated.
The bougiest dentist
My first appointment at Smile Home was for my second cleansing of 2025. (Sure, I’m very accountable — I’m The Put up’s Wellness Editor, in spite of everything. By no means had a cavity, child!)
I used to be smiling even earlier than I bought there. The net consumption kind asks you to verify off most well-liked facilities, together with a number of completely different drinks, the usage of a therapeutic massage chair or weighted blanked, guided breathwork, and leisure choices like Netflix, Hulu and augmented actuality glasses.
After a couple of minutes within the ready space — which has a homey really feel and really Instagrammy light-up mirror — I used to be handled to a head and jaw therapeutic massage. Sufferers can guide a extra intensive 30-minute one for $150, however a mini rub is on the home.
I went by the entire Mouth Mapping course of, which was straightforward peasy for 4 assessments. The CBCT took a few minutes, and the 3D imaging was much like getting fitted for my Invisalign.
Then got here the dreaded a part of the check-up: my cleansing. However from the second I satin the chair — therapeutic massage button on — I used to be legitimately impressed at how completely different this was from what I’m used to.
I used to be draped with a weighted blanket, given a pair of sun shades to dam out the sunshine being shined in my face, and handled to a beneficiant swab of lip balm round my mouth to cease my lips from drying out.
The second that just about made my eyes bulge out of my head? The dental assistant requested me if my gums have been delicate — and after I stated sure, she utilized a numbing gel. It by no means occurred to me that that was an possibility — and it’s an understatement to say I’ve by no means felt so pampered on the dentist.
After the cleansing, I additionally bought a rundown of what all my scans confirmed. I’ll admit, regardless of my group at The Put up operating a number of tales in regards to the significance of flossing for decreasing stroke threat, stopping most cancers and averting dementia, I’m… an inconsistent flosser.
However for the primary time, somebody actually broke down for me — with visuals — what that’s been doing to my mouth.
Brushing twice a day cleans the floor of my tooth, however finally ends up pushing junk down into my gums. That’s prompted a little bit of irritation alongside my gum line — which may be very slowly consuming away on the base of my tooth. In massive, enlarged scans on a TV in entrance of me, I might see the distinction.
And if that’s what I can see — what might it’s doing in the remainder of my physique that I can’t see?
It’s been two months since my appointment, and I feeling a bit smug to say I’ve flossed each single evening since then. I hope they discover at my follow-up.
