In this episode of Your Mouth Matters, Dr. Rebecca Taylor sits down with functional neurologist Dr. David Lee to talk about primitive reflexes - automatic movement patterns that babies are born with to support their early survival and development. These reflexes are meant to integrate as the brain matures. When they don’t integrate completely, the nervous system can remain in a stress-based pattern that influences far more than movement.

Dr. Lee explains how retained primitive reflexes can show up in ways as varied as mouth breathing, clumsiness, poor posture, sensory overwhelm, emotional reactivity, chewing and speech challenges - even plateaus in orthodontic or myofunctional care. Dr. Lee also shares his developmental “pyramid” model, describing how reflexes and core stability form the foundation for balance, eye tracking, coordination, focus, and emotional regulation.

This conversation offers a broader understanding of why some children routinely struggle with breathing, attention, handwriting, posture, or big feelings - and why addressing neurological foundations can make meaningful, lasting change possible.

Learn more about...

• Dr. David Lee & Alight Functional Neurology: https://www.afncwa.com
• Dr. Taylor & Green City Dental: https://greencitydental.com
• O2dontics: https://o2dontics.com

When sleep problems crop up, they don’t always point where you'd expect.

Snoring, restless sleep, morning headaches, brain fog, anxiety, high blood pressure - these are often treated as separate issues, rather than separate  issues with a common root. In this episode, Dr. T sits down with Chad Seeber of Sleep Group Solutions to talk about what’s often overlooked in conversations about sleep: the airway.

They explore why dentists are uniquely positioned to spot sleep-related breathing problems, how sleep apnea and upper airway resistance can quietly shape long-term health, and why sleep issues labeled “mild” still need to be addressed. The conversation connects oxygen, stress physiology, and fragmented sleep, and explains why better diagnostics can make the difference between guesswork and predictable results.

If you’ve ever been told your sleep study was “nothing to worry about,” struggled with fatigue despite doing all the right things, or wondered why airway health keeps coming up in the dental chair, this episode offers a clearer way to connect the dots.

For more info about...
Sleep Group Solutions: https://join.sleepgroupsolutions.com/
Green City Dental: https://greencitydental.com
O2dontics: https://o2dontics.com

In a recent episode, we talked with Dr. Mary Bourke about why chewing matters so much for children’s development. In our latest episode, we hear from someone who works with such issues clinically: myofunctional therapist Tiffany Washburn.

A chiropractor, as well as a “myo” therapist, Tiffany brings a unique perspective to how mouth and face muscle patterns can affect everything from sleep to breathing to jaw growth - even to behavior. She explains why tools like the Myo Munchee work so well. She also shares what parents and practitioners should understand about the underlying muscle coordination that can make such a big difference.

Tiffany also offers clear guidance on recognizing early signs of dysfunction, from persistent dribbling and open-mouth posture to gagging on age-appropriate foods and difficulty managing solid textures.

Dr. Taylor shares her own experience with her three-year-old daughter, including how just two weeks of consistent work eliminated ear pain that doctors couldn't explain and resolved a persistent thumb-sucking habit. The discussion explores how early orofacial muscle patterns take root and how addressing them early can prevent a cascade of issues that often don’t fully appear until later childhood or even adulthood.

Listen, and you’ll get practice guidance across the developmental spectrum. Expectant mothers will learn ways to support optimal oral motor development from the start. Parents of young children will learn the milestones to watch for and when to seek support. Practitioners will gain insight into why understanding muscle function is essential for truly preventive care.

Get the foundational patterns right, and you can change a child's entire trajectory.

For More Info about…
Myo Munchee: https://myomunchee.com
Tiffany Washburn’s practice: https://www.myospir.com
Green City Dental: https://greencitydental.com
O2dontics: https://o2dontics.com

What if some of the "superfoods" you've been told to eat more of - spinach, almonds, sweet potatoes, beets, and more - actually steal minerals from your teeth and bones? 

In this latest episode of Your Mouth Matters, Dr. Rebecca Taylor sits down with Sally K. Norton, Ivy League nutritionist and author of Toxic Superfoods, to talk about one of the most overlooked contributors to chronic health issues: oxalates. These naturally occurring compounds can quietly accumulate in your body over years, contributing to everything from dental cavities and gum disease to joint pain, fatigue, and vision problems. 

Sally shares her own journey from debilitating chronic illness to healing, which started by simply removing certain foods from her plate. As it turns out, trying to eat what she had understood as "healthy" turned out to be the worst mistake of her life.

For dentists and patients alike, this conversation connects dots that conventional medicine has missed. Oxalates can interfere with calcium balance, contribute to faster tartar buildup, weaken enamel, and make you more vulnerable to oral infections. If you've ever wondered why your clean diet isn't translating to better dental health - or why certain "good" foods seem to trigger strange symptoms in you - you will want to sit in on this conversation! 

_________________________

Sally K. Norton's book Toxic Superfoods: How Oxalate Overload is Making You Sick-and How to Get Better is available everywhere books are sold. The Data Companion to Toxic Superfoods is available at https://sallyknorton.com/toxic_superfoods/data_companion.

Sally’s latest project, the long awaited cookbook Sally’s Recipe Collection is filled with amazing recipes. It can be found at Shop.SallyKNorton.com.

For more information, visit SallyKNorton.com or follow Sally on YouTube and social media. She’s @sknorton and @toxicsuperfoods_oxalate_book (on Instagram), @BeFreeToThrive (on Facebook), and @BetterLowOx (on X)

Three out of four kids today will need orthodontic intervention. The "why" might surprise you: They're not chewing enough.

In our modern world of soft, processed foods, children are missing out on the jaw development that comes naturally from chewing - and the consequences go far beyond crooked teeth.

In this episode, Dr. Rebecca Taylor sits down with Dr. Mary Bourke, chiropractor, educator, and CEO of Myo Munchee, to explore why chewing is one of the most critical developmental movements for growing children. From preventing ear infections and supporting proper facial growth to establishing healthy sleep patterns and even preventing behavioral issues, the simple act of chewing plays a surprisingly profound role in whole-body health.

Dr. Bourke shares how her dentist father developed Myo Munchee in the 1960s after noticing a stark difference between ancestral jaw health and what he was seeing in his practice - a difference that appeared to come down to diet and the chewing demands of what people ate. You'll learn about the essential "chew, swallow, breathe" coordination that should be in place by age two, why tummy time matters for jaw development, how early intervention can prevent a cascade of issues that often don't show up until adulthood, and much more.

This conversation is packed with practical insights about developmental milestones that most pediatricians never mention!

For more information about Myo Munchee: https://myomunchee.com/
For more information about Green City Dental: https://greencitydental.com
For more information about O2dontics: https://o2dontics.com

Dental implants are often thought of as a simple fix for missing teeth - but not all implants or techniques are created equal. In this episode, Dr. Rebecca Taylor sits down with Green City Dental's Dr. Isabel Perez and Dr. Xavi Oliva, co-founder of CeraRoot to discuss how biological dentistry is rethinking the entire process - from the materials used to the way your body’s own healing potential is supported.

You’ll learn what makes zirconia implants different from traditional titanium ones, and why biocompatibility, infection control, and whole-body health all play a role in long-term success. The doctors explain how advanced tools like lasers, ozone therapy, and platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) create a cleaner, safer foundation for healing, while diet, stress, and gut health can make or break your recovery.

Whether you’ve been told you need an implant or you’re just curious about holistic options, this conversation shines a light on what truly sets biological dentistry apart.

For more about CeraRoot: https://www.cerarootclinic.com
For more about Green City Dental: https://greencitydental.com
For more about O2dontics: https://o2dontics.com

This week, Dr. T sits down with Jason Scoppa, DC, CSCP, CCSP, PAK, to talk about something that affects thousands of TMJ patients every day: the gap between dental treatment and body work. If you've ever wondered why your TMJ symptoms keep coming back despite treatment or why some patients get better while others don't, this conversation will give you answers.

Dr. Scoppa specializes in Sacro-Occipital Technique (SOT) chiropractic and has over 1000 hours of advanced training in TMJ, airway, and craniofacial dynamics. He explains why traditional chiropractic adjustments often fall short when it comes to treating TMJ issues, why the bite and cranium must be addressed together, and what happens when practitioners work in silos instead of collaborating. 

Among other things, you'll learn why "just adjusting the jaw" can actually make things worse, how cranial strain patterns get locked in during childhood (and orthodontics), and why the order of treatment matters so much. 

This is a candid conversation between two experts who've spent years refining their coordinated approach to complex cases, offering rare insight into what actually works - and why.

Dr. Scoppa is now seeing patients at O2dontics, as well as at his Bellevue clinic. Learn more about him and his approach at https://www.tmjspecialist.com.

Learn more about Dr. T &...
Green City Dental: https://greencitydental.com
O2dontics: https://o2dontics.com 

Most parents don't realize that mouth breathing, restless sleep, or behavioral struggles in their children might all stem from the same underlying issue: airway dysfunction. These problems often get treated as separate concerns—medication for ADHD, pull-ups for bedwetting, antibiotics for recurring ear infections—when the root cause is how a child breathes.

In this episode, Dr. Rebecca Taylor talks with Kelly DeMiro, a lactation consultant who has headed clinical support and training at MRC, the company behind the Myobrace system. Kelly has spent over a decade helping providers understand how early breathing issues shape everything from facial development to sleep quality to behavior. The conversation covers why proper breathing matters so much for growing children, how tongue position drives jaw development, and why traditional orthodontics often fails to address the functional problems that cause teeth to crowd in the first place.

You'll learn what warning signs to watch for, why daytime exercises matter as much as nighttime wear, and when additional specialists need to be involved. Kelly shares real cases of children whose ADHD improved dramatically once their sleep issues were addressed, and kids who avoided tonsil surgery simply by learning to breathe properly.

The key insight: if you catch these issues early—ideally before age eight—you can guide natural, healthy development instead of forcing corrections later. Whether your child already shows signs of airway issues or you're trying to prevent problems down the road, this episode offers practical guidance on what to look for and what you can do about it. Learn more about Myobrace at myobrace.com, or contact Kelly at branchburglactation.com

After a summer hiatus, Dr. T is back with some major life and practice updates! Between exciting personal milestones and significant growth happening at her dental practices, this episode catches you up on everything that's been happening behind the scenes.

From family transitions to expanding treatment options, Dr. T shares how she's navigating this season of change while staying committed to whole-body health through dentistry. She also discusses new developments in periodontal care, team additions, and an exciting collaboration that's bringing integrated treatment options to her patients.

Whether you're a long-time listener or new to the show, this episode sets the stage for what's coming next with Your Mouth Matters. Dr. T also opens up about the challenges of balancing it all and why she's more passionate than ever about the work they're doing.

Have a topic you'd like Dr. T to cover in a future episode? Send your ideas to [email protected]

Have you ever wondered why you struggle to fall asleep after scrolling through your phone or watching TV right before bed? The culprit might be hiding in plain sight—blue light.

In this illuminating conversation with Sam Nana, product expert at Block Blue Light, we dive deep into how artificial light affects your body's natural rhythms and overall health. Sam shares how the company's founder, Daniel Evett, transformed his own battle with chronic insomnia into a mission to create science-based solutions that actually work, unlike the cheap "blue blockers" flooding the market that filter as little as 5-15% of harmful light.

We explore the fascinating science of circadian rhythm—your body's internal clock that regulates sleep, hormone production, and energy levels. You'll discover why not all blue light is bad (you actually need natural blue light during daylight hours) and how different wavelengths affect your body throughout the day. Sam breaks down which specific wavelengths cause the most disruption to melatonin production and how properly designed glasses can target these precise frequencies.

Parents will be particularly interested in our discussion about children's heightened sensitivity to blue light and practical solutions for protecting developing minds. I share my own experience using these glasses with my toddler, who now actually requests them before screen time—with remarkable improvements in her bedtime routine.

Beyond glasses, we discuss whole-home solutions including specialized lighting that can transform your sleep environment without forcing you to abandon technology altogether. The conversation reveals how simple changes to your lighting could potentially address issues like insomnia, headaches, fatigue, and poor focus that many attribute to other causes.

Ready to transform your sleep quality and energy levels? Listen now and discover how managing your light exposure could be the missing piece in your health puzzle. Your future well-rested self will thank you!

Link for these products: https://www.blockbluelight.com/?ref=greencitydental