Straight to the Mouth with Dr Maria Papavergos

You might know it, but will you do it? The journey towards developing healthy behaviours is not straight forward. In this episode, Prof Tim Newton, Professor of Psychology as Applied to Dentistry, reveals some important considerations when it comes to making meaningful change happen. Tim shares his expertise on the role of the dental professional and the individual on how to effectively motivate and maintain healthy behaviours, with strategies for children, anxious patients and everyone. We discuss: the key elements of changing people's behaviour the importance of the individual's role in maintaining oral health how to be an effective coach, to help people adopt healthy behaviours  different drivers for motivating towards healthy habits the power of teamwork and a personalised approach  how we can effectively engage with and motivate children addressing the needs of the anxious patient. This conversation is brimming with information, a must-listen. With thanks to my sponsor: Luvbiotics - my favourite probiotic-powered dental care range. Please use code MARIALUVS for 50% off your first order. Valid until 31/03/2026.

When you think of fertility, you may not consider the impact of your mouth, but the bearing of the oral microbiome on the journey from preconception to parenthood should not be overlooked. In this episode, I have the privilege to tap into the expertise of Dr Nauf AlBendar, medical scientist and founder of The Womb Effect, to extract the evidence on the role of oral health on the reproductive pathway. We discuss: how the mouth is the portal to the body and how dysbiosis in the oral microbiome can hinder reproductive function in both men and women the impact of diet and lifestyle on oral health and fertility how oral health contributes to pregnancy complications and shape the developing baby's oral microbiome the differences between vaginally delivered and C-section babies in terms of their microbiomes how we can optimise development of healthy pioneer species in the early years, through diet and lifestyle This is a fascinating conversation, I hope you enjoy listening.  

The microbes in our mouths are more powerful than you may think; the oral microbiome is the gateway to full body health and saliva is our secret agent when it comes to diagnosing, preventing disease and delivering personalised care. In this episode, I have the pleasure of speaking to Dr Victoria Sampson, functional dentist and researcher, who unpacks the science behind saliva, explains how we can nurture our oral microbiome and unwraps why assessing the composition of bacteria and genetic profile from our saliva can help optimise our health outcomes.  We covered: the importance of the oral microbiome and the benefits of nurturing our good bacteria the role of nitrate-reducing bacteria in cardiovascular health and how we can support them the role of probiotics in the oral environment  the role of saliva and its importance in oral and overall health genetic differences that can modulate your risk of oral disease the role of saliva testing and possible future applications.   I hope you feel inspired by this conversation, as much as I did. With thanks to my sponsor: Luvbiotics - my favourite probiotic-powered dental care range. Please use code MARIALUVS for 50% off your first order. Valid until 31/03/2026.    

It happens to half the population, yet still mystifies many of us and meets us unprepared; the menopause. The more we know, the better we can support women through this life stage. This episode opens up the conversation about all things menopause as Dr Kuki Avery, GP and Menopause Specialist, shares her expertise on how hormonal changes affect body, mind and mouth and what women can be doing to feel empowered and harness their health during this journey. We discuss: what happens to a woman's body during the menopause. how bone health is impacted and what we can do to prevent osteoporosis. the importance of vitamin D. how hormonal changes affect the mouth and how symptoms in the mouth can be managed. the impact of dry mouth on oral health. how changes to diet and lifestyle can be transformative when it comes to menopause symptoms and navigating the menopause journey. This is an important conversation, not to be missed. With thanks to my sponsor: Oralieve - products to moisturise and soothe a dry or sensitive mouth. Please use code TLD30 for 30% off their products.

Ancient wisdom resonates with many an applicable science, not only when it comes to our health but how we conduct our lives. In this episode, I have the privilege to talk to Sophie Maclaren, leadership consultant, looking through a scientific lens as to how to thrive personally and professionally, in mind, body and emotions. We discuss: the characteristics professionals need to cultivate to thrive in practice how to counteract our overstimulated minds becoming conscious of ourselves and our patterns of behaviour and how to translate these into personal flourishing how to practice positivity and balance negative bias the link between empathy and burnout experienced professionally practices for human flourishing and redefining a 'break' tools to help patients manage stress in the surgery setting and in their own lives This conversation is enlightening. I hope you enjoy listening.

When we think of nutrition, how often do we consider our mouths? Nutrition is often overlooked when it comes to oral health, yet is one of the foundations to health. In this episode, I have the pleasure of speaking to Nicola Moore, registered nutritional therapist, with her down-to-earth, evidence-based approach, sharpening the focus on nutrition when it comes to our mouths and its wider impact on the rest of the body. We discuss: what a healthy diet looks like and how to navigate through the noise reframing snacking and making positive choices being mindful of sugar, identifying hidden sugars how we can modify our taste and how to make some positive dietary swaps This is a wonderfully informative conversation, I hope you enjoy listening.  

The breath and airway health are often taken for granted, but have you ever considered how you breathe may impact your mouth and the rest of your body? In this episode, I am delighted to be joined by Dr Aoife Stack, general dentist and myofunctional therapist, to unpack the science behind the breath and airway health, to understand more about it as a tool to support not just our mouths, but also our sleep, wellbeing and long term health. We discuss: the importance of the breath and airway health the differences between mouth breathing and nasal breathing the importance of nasal breathing in its stimulation of nitric oxide and it's impact on the wider body how the shape of our mouths can impact breathing how we can harness the breath as a tool for stress management and to improve our airway health what is sleep-disordered breathing and what signs should we be aware of if mouth-taping is a good idea. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did. With thanks to my sponsor: https://www.oralieve-direct.co.uk Please use code TLD30 for 30% off their products.

The mouth is integral to health, yet often overlooked and not well understood. In this episode, I am delighted to talk to Professor Iain Chapple MBE, professor of periodontology, to explore the mouth as an organ and why it is critical when it comes to full body health.  We discuss: the condition of periodontitis and how it impacts the rest of our body. the breakdown of what inflammation is the difference between acute and chronic inflammation. the hierarchy of evidence and understanding its value. how the oral microbiome impacts the gut microbiome. the role of periodontal pathogens in Alzheimer's Disease. how oxidative stress is implicated in chronic inflammatory disease and the impact of diet on your risk of developing these diseases. Iain's secrets to supporting your oral and systemic health. I hope you enjoy this conversation. Thanks to my sponsor:  https://luvbiotics.co.uk/ Please use code MARIALUVS for 50% off your first order. Valid until 31/03/2026.