Mouth-Body Connection

The mouth connects to the body.

In short

At Natural Smiles, the mouth-body connection means the mouth relates to the rest of the body through the bloodstream, the airway and the immune system. Dr. Litano reads a dental finding together with your full health history, looking at the brain, the airway, the heart, digestion and the whole body.

Reviewed by Dr. Carlo Litano, DMD Updated October 21, 2026

Five areas connected to oral health

Natural Smiles connects care to five areas of the body, described below.

Brain

Care choices that relate to the brain

The brain can be connected to focus, mood and sleep through the mouth and body.

Natural Smiles offers SMART mercury removal for old silver fillings, done under the IAOMT SMART protocol in a dedicated isolation room.

The practice also offers metal-free zirconia ceramic implants from Swiss Dental Solutions, along with BPA-free ceramic composite fillings that contain no mercury.

Fluoride-free cleanings and sealants, along with a full health history at intake, round out this group of choices. These choices do not promise a change in focus, mood or sleep.

Services that relate to this area

Airway

Choices offered for airway health

The airway can be connected to breathing, oxygen and energy through the mouth and jaw.

A 3D CBCT scan shows the airway beside the teeth and jaw, giving a view used to plan care.

Sleep apnea screening sorts a case as simple snoring, airway crowding, or apnea that belongs with a physician. Diagnosis belongs to physicians and sleep studies, and findings travel with the referral in writing.

Airway orthotics are custom oral appliances made from digital impressions and adjusted over follow-up visits, planned alongside a physician. NightLase offers short Fotona laser sessions for snoring, after screening, without an appliance, surgery or anesthesia.

Services that relate to this area

Heart

Choices offered for heart health

The heart can be connected to circulation and overall health through gum health and the mouth.

Natural Smiles offers fluoride-free cleanings and laser periodontal therapy for gum health.

PRF and ozone therapy are used in healing after certain procedures. Gum disease and heart disease share risk factors such as smoking, age and diabetes. Research has not shown that gum disease causes heart disease, and no evidence shows that treating gum disease prevents heart disease.

Dr. Litano reads dental findings alongside the full health history before planning care.

Services that relate to this area

Digestion

Digestion and oral health

Natural Smiles says oral health can relate to nutrient absorption and gut health.

Natural Smiles reads a dental finding alongside the full health history, before any treatment plan begins. Digestion relates to nutrient absorption and gut health in the practice's five-area view of oral health.

The treatment plan can include nutritional support, written down and reviewed at follow-up visits. Vitamin D testing is available ahead of some surgeries and read together with the full health history.

Fluoride-free cleanings are offered as part of microbiome-aware care at Natural Smiles.

Services that relate to this area

Whole body

Posture, growth and immunity

Natural Smiles says oral health can relate to posture, growth, and immunity across the whole body.

Natural Smiles takes a full health history before any treatment begins. Posture, growth, and immunity are part of the whole-body view the practice brings to oral health.

Dr. Brittany Nalley sees children and families for gentle visits, offered as holistic pediatric care for the children. Fluoride-free prevention is available for the whole family through fluoride-free cleanings.

Dr. Carlo Litano, DMD is on the board of directors of the Holistic Dental Association.

Services that relate to this area

How Natural Smiles plans care

Care at Natural Smiles follows three steps, in order, before any work begins.

Full health history

Natural Smiles starts with a full health history at intake. Dr. Litano reads this history alongside any dental finding before planning care. This step comes before any scan or treatment plan.
3D CBCT scan

The practice uses a 3D CBCT scan to plan care, including a view of the airway. This scan comes after the full health history and before the written treatment plan.
Written treatment plan

Natural Smiles writes a treatment plan with priorities and sequence. The plan includes a cost estimate in writing before any work begins. This plan comes last, after the full health history and the 3D CBCT scan.

Limits of biological dentistry

Biological dentistry is not an officially recognized dental specialty. Natural Smiles complements medical care and does not replace it.

Where a finding belongs to medicine, Natural Smiles refers the patient to a physician. On request, the practice coordinates with the physician managing the patient’s care and shares findings directly.

An association between the mouth and the body is not proof of cause. Dr. Litano reads dental findings alongside the full health history, and diagnosis for the body stays with physicians.

Questions about the mouth-body connection

The mouth-body connection is the idea that the mouth connects to the rest of the body through the bloodstream, the airway and the immune system. Dr. Litano reads a dental finding together with the patient’s full health history. The practice looks at how oral health can be connected to the brain, airway, heart, digestion and the whole body.

Gum disease is linked to heart disease and to diabetes, though research hasn’t shown that gum disease causes either condition. Gum disease and heart disease share risk factors such as smoking, age and diabetes. No evidence shows that treating gum disease prevents heart disease.

Biological dentistry does not replace a physician or a dentist’s regular training. Biological dentistry is not an officially recognized dental specialty and complements medical care. When a finding belongs to medicine, the practice refers the patient to a physician.

At a first visit, Natural Smiles takes a full health history and a 3D CBCT scan that shows the airway along with the teeth and jaw. The scan is used to plan care. The practice then prepares a written treatment plan with priorities, sequence and the cost estimate before any work begins.

Sleep apnea screening at the practice sorts a case as simple snoring, airway crowding or apnea that belongs with a physician, and diagnosis belongs to physicians and sleep studies. The practice offers airway orthotics, custom oral appliances planned alongside a physician, and NightLase for snoring after screening.

Pages that go further

These pages on the Natural Smiles website cover this topic from different angles.

Schedule a first visit at Natural Smiles

Natural Smiles invites you to schedule a first visit and start with the full health history.

Schedule visit

The mouth connects to the body.

Five areas connected to oral health

Care choices that relate to the brain

Choices offered for airway health

Choices offered for heart health

Digestion and oral health

Posture, growth and immunity

How Natural Smiles plans care

Full health history

3D CBCT scan

Written treatment plan

Limits of biological dentistry

Questions about the mouth-body connection

What is the mouth-body connection at Natural Smiles?

Does gum disease cause heart disease?

Does biological dentistry replace a physician or regular dental training?

What happens at a first visit to Natural Smiles?

Does Natural Smiles treat sleep apnea?

Pages that go further

Schedule a first visit at Natural Smiles

Dr. Litano's Holistic Dentistry Guide