Christina McKenzie

Nov 21, 2024 | rdhmag.com | Tracee S. Dahm |Christina McKenzie

“Trust your gut,” and “You are what you eat.” While science discovers new things every day, some expressions or observances from a long time ago are still true today. These two age-old expressions are deeper than one may realize, and they could even help someone struggling with mental illness find the right treatment. Here I’ll highlight the connection between gut bacteria and depressive disorders.

Jun 23, 2023 | rdhmag.com | Sonika Masih |Christina McKenzie |Lynnette Engeswick |Whitney Crist

The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) reports that approximately one in five US children has special health-care needs,1 which it defines as “any physical developmental, mental, sensory, behavioral, cognitive emotional impairment or limiting condition that requires medical care.” There is a direct correlation between the severity of such patients' health status and the likelihood that their dental needs are not being met; increasing awareness can improve dental hygienists'...

Jun 21, 2023 | rdhmag.com | Christina McKenzie

Gut health is a trending topic. With all the new information about the bacteria that inhabits our colons (the gut microbiome) and how they impact our overall health and inflammatory responses, it’s no wonder dental hygienists are intrigued by this topic. But how exactly does the gut microbiome relate to oral health and vice versa? What exactly should we, as oral disease prevention specialists, know about the connection between oral and gut health?