“I think the biggest challenge for dentists is to step away from the restorative model and look at the medical model…let’s treat this like a disease proper, let’s figure out what the cause of the disease is and fix that instead, and that’s what really motivated me 20 years ago,” says Dr. Kim Kutsch, explaining what led him to shift his focus as a practicing dentist—away from the restorative model of dental health he was taught in school, and toward the medical model of dental health, which could actually hold promise for giving people long-term dental health.

Dr. Kim Kutsch discusses in detail the four main risk factors he’s identified over the years in his practice: dry mouth, diet, biofilm, and genetics. He explains why dry mouth puts people at a much higher risk for developing cavities, how the typical American diet and habits of eating are reducing the body’s ability to protect the teeth, the mechanism of biofilm formation, and how genetics play a role in people’s predisposition toward developing cavities—which might explain why some people can go their whole lives with poor dental hygiene and zero cavities, while others can try everything in the book and still get new cavities every year. Dr. Kutsch shares surprising facts about a variety of practical issues we all encounter each day, and how to mitigate them.

Press play to hear the full conversation and learn more about his practice by visiting https://carifree.com/.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed