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Sodium bicarbonate (chemical formula NaHCO3), more commonly known as baking soda or bicarbonate of soda, is a naturally occurring substance in the human body. In addition to its many well known uses for household and deodorizing purposes, baking soda has also been recommended for use in soaking baths and mouth rinses. It is helpful in removing poisons from the body and for chelating ionizing radiation. It has also been shown to kill off harmful bacteria by creating an alkaline environment. Taken orally or by injection, it has even been credited with treatingcancer and destroying tumors. Among other important functions that it fulfills, bicarbonate in the mouth buffers & neutralizes plaque acids (a major cause of tooth decay), kills germs (helping to heal periodontal infections), and destroys unpleasant odors, thus helping to eliminate bad breath. Sodium bicarbonate tends to maintain a pH of 8.1 (7 is neutral) even when acids (which have lower pH) or bases (which have higher pH) are added to the solution. This is good to know, in light of the fact that most people have acidic saliva contributing to cavities and gum disease. In other words, sodium bicarbonate should raise any saliva pH that is lower than 8 which will contribute to better dental health. (see our blog on Saliva pH) Additionally, sodium bicarbonate, due to its slightly abrasive consistency, works as a mechanical cleanser of teeth and gums. And this may explain why Julia Roberts has the famous beautiful smile. "I brush [my teeth] with baking soda. [My grandfather] would put a big heaping mound of it on his toothbrush. He had only one cavity in his entire life." (https/au.lifestyle.yahoo.com/new-idea/news/star-watch/article/-/14632031/julie-roberts-i-brush-my-teeth-with-baking-soda/ ) With its high pH and disinfectant and antiseptic properties, rinsing or brushing your teeth with a baking soda solution is likely to reduce the amount of harmful oral bacteria by killing off acid-loving flora and alkalizing your mouth. For oral purposes, here are some easy ways to use it: • As a toothpaste: Wet toothbrush and dip bristles in baking soda to brush your teeth. If you have sensitive teeth or need a different flavor, mix baking soda with your regular toothpaste or coconut oil or peppermint essential oil to brush. • As a mouth rinse: Gargle with half a teaspoon of baking soda mixed with water to kill bad breath (this mix also relieves canker sores). • For gum infections: Mix baking soda with hydrogen peroxide to make a paste. Use instead of toothpaste. Avoid using hydrogen peroxide if you have silver mercury fillings. They will react. A few words of caution about baking soda should be taken into consideration before using it in any of the above mentioned remedies. As with any procedure, it is always possible to overdo it. If you find that your gums feel dry or abraded after use, you may be using too much baking soda or using it for too long a time in the mouth. It is an alkaline substance and it can burn the gums if overdone. Always ask your dental health provider for guidance before undertaking any new dental protocol. Also, consult your physician before using baking soda if you have high blood pressure or a heart condition. If you like this post you may also like: Saliva Secrets: pH Toothpaste: Poison or Panacea

Oral rinses have been around for centuries. They have been as simple as salt in water or as convoluted as mixed herbs in a vinegar base. But it was during the 19th century that alcohol was added to mouthrinse to fight germs and bacteria. Listerine was probably the forerunner in that category, but bear in mind that before it became a mouthrinse, it was originally used as an antiseptic for surgical procedures and to clean floors. Photo credit Creative Commons: Heather Flowers Fast forward to the present, and we find that mouthwashes haven’t changed much in the past 100 plus years. Listerine is still popular with its 27% alcohol content. That is pretty significant when you realize that alcoholic drinks range from a low of 3% (beer, wine) to about 40% (whiskey, rum). It is not unusual to hear stories of people who actually have gotten drunk by drinking alcoholic mouthwash. (It is definitely a poor man’s way to have an alcoholic drink for less money.) As a holistic person, the major problem with using alcoholic mouthrinses is the concern with increased oral cancer rates, due to the contact with the soft tissues of the mouth. There have been studies showing that people who use alcoholic mouthwash daily, have the same oral cancer rates as those who imbibe alcohol daily. The question then is why you would put this carcinogenic substance in a mouthwash. Sure it may kill a few extra germs, but does the benefit outweigh the risk? I think not. There are better choices. The basic thing to keep in mind when using these rinses is: is it poison? Just like we have already expressed in My Secrets to Regaining Health, if something goes in your mouth, chances are pretty good that you will end up swallowing it. This applies to mouthwash as well as toothpaste. So what are our choices? Well there are many options for natural mouthrinses. Health stores have a big selection to choose from. But even that may be confusing. The bottom line is to use anything that is nature based, mostly with herbs and plants. For now, I’m sticking to oil pulling with coconut oil. Just add a few drops of mint oil or oil of oregano, and you should be good to go. It not only acts as an effective mouthwash, but also can detox your body through the mouth meridians, and supply you with essential fatty acids sublingually. No mouthwash from any store will do that. If you like this post, you may also like: The Flaws of Fluoride Toothpaste: Poison or Panacea My Secrets to Regaining Health

Several years ago, I wrote a short book My Secrets to Regaining Health. It covered many of the simple techniques that I employed to get past the chronic Lyme disease that plagued me for eight years. It was written to help the many patients that were coming to me to specifically find out what I had done to achieve this. Lyme disease is a tick-borne illness that is affecting greater numbers of people than ever before. It is caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi and is transmitted to humans through the bite of infected blacklegged ticks. It can also be transmitted through saliva, blood and other bodily fluids. Typical symptoms include fever, headache, fatigue, and a characteristic skin rash called erythema migrans. (Here is a good link on Lyme disease symptoms: http/www.cdc.gov/lyme/signs_symptoms/ ) If treated early, the cure is easy. However it is an insidious disease, so many times it may not be properly diagnosed until it is in its late stages. At this point, infection can spread to joints, the heart, and the nervous system. It is most often diagnosed based on symptoms, physical findings (e.g., rash), and the possibility of exposure to infected ticks. Laboratory testing can be helpful but rarely accurate. As a survivor of chronic Lyme disease, I know firsthand that residual symptoms of post Lyme are many and stealthy. Dentally, it can wreak havoc in your mouth creating many neurological, muscular and chronically painful oral problems that may involve more than just teeth. Here are some of the dental complications with Lyme disease: • Heavy plaque buildup • Bleeding or infected gums • Increased number of cavities, especially cavities occurring quickly and invasively • Unusual sensitivity or achiness in teeth with no obvious cause • Neurological problems in the mouth, such as a tingly tongue or numb areas on the cheek, lips or tongue • Bone pain in the jawbone • Joint pain in the TMJ • Facial nerve palsy • Masticatory muscle pain For years after Lyme, I always had on and off phantom dental discomfort in certain teeth that no dentist could explain the reason for. Call it “sensitive teeth” or possible cracks in the teeth or maybe sinus problems. Now that we have ozone in the office, I decided to give myself microbaric ozone treatments to see if it might help with the some of these lingering dental symptoms. To my surprise, after the 2nd treatment, I developed a bullseye rash on my palate, a sure sign that Lyme bacteria were indeed still harboring somewhere in my mouth. I have since done the treatment a few more times and bullseye rash only appeared once more. Microbaric Ozone Therapy And even though it has been almost 20 years since I have gotten out from under the chronic Lyme disease merry-go-round of never ending antibiotics and experimental medications, I know for sure that the Lyme parasite is still living quietly in my cells. Everyone has parasites of some kind living in them. Luckily my immune system is now strong enough to keep it under control. If you like this post, you may also like my book: My Secrets to Regaining Health

Most people are aware that there is a strong correlation between periodontal (gum) disease and heart attacks. Bringing this a step further, one can see that there may also be a strong correlation between bone loss and overall heart disease. Since most periodontal disease involves not just gum inflammation and pocketing, but also loss of the bone height supporting the teeth, we can assume that this bone loss, along with the gum inflammation is involved with the heart attack as well. According to a recent PubMed study, Correlation between Osteoporosis and Cardiovascular Disease, patients affected with osteoporosis, have a higher risk of cardiovascular diseases than subjects with normal bone mass. For years we were told that this may be due to bacteria getting into the bloodstream and causing blood clots (stroke or heart attack) in the blood vessels, but there may be a bigger culprit to consider. It has been found that low bone densities are strongly associated with high calcification of the blood vessels. Via nutritional deficiency, minerals are deposited in the lining of arteries instead of the bones. This can be seen on standard x-rays, where dense calcium deposits in the aorta are seen juxtaposed to thin, calcium depleted vertebrae. Calcification may even form around the heart valves, leading to decrease blood flow and thickening of the arterial walls. An additional study has shown an almost six time greater risk of heart disease in people with osteoporosis. When we consider that the people of our country (USA) probably eat more dairy and take more calcium supplements that anyone else in the world, one has to wonder why osteoporosis and heart disease is rampant. We may be getting all the minerals we need but apparently, these minerals are being deposited in the blood vessels, not the bones. This is most likely due to Vitamin K2 deficiency, the necessary nutrient that deposits the minerals in the bone and reduces vascular calcium deposits. It is almost impossible to get enough from food, so it is best to supplement.

In case you haven’t noticed, it is getting more and more difficult to find natural health information through the usual search engines. In June 2019, Google began a new algorithm to change ranking results in their search engine. Many “holistic” and “natural” websites have been excluded from the page one listings thereby making it more difficult to find the health information and/or practitioner that you are seeking. Some of the most popular sites, such as Dr Mercola, Dr. Axe and even IAOMT, cannot be found on page one when searching for information on holistic medicine or dentistry. In some cases, they cannot be found at all, unless you specifically look up their website. Even with that, some pages of these wbsites have been blocked to keep specific information out of the public knowledge. This seems to be particularly happening with ant-vaccine sites. Mike Adams at Natural News wrote an interesting commentary on this here. In addition, QuackWatch seems to consistently come up on page 1 of Google search, which further undermines alternative/holistic health issues. It seems that the only way to get around this is to use a different search engine. There are many to choose from, but I am personally using DuckDuckGo with good comprehensive results. Feel free to share any information in the Comment section below that may be useful for those looking for answers.

I just got the nicest compliment. I was returning from the airport recently, taking the Express bus back to the city, and got carded when requesting the senior citizens discount. The guy just couldn’t believe that I was over that certain age. And just last week, I was at a dental meeting, and a classmate (from 40 years ago) of mine, approached me to see if it were really me. He said that he walked by a few times to be sure, because I looked too young to be me now. As the years go by and the wrinkles creep in, the skin sags and the posture weakens. It takes focus and dedication to stay healthy. Looking younger than your years, is just a side effect of that dedication. I have always tried to have a healthy lifestyle, and it has been challenging. There are so many toxins to deal with on a daily basis. Toxic people, toxic food supply, toxic air (I live and work in the city), toxic electrical (EMF and Wi-Fi) and most of all working in toxic dentistry (high mercury). I do a lot to detox daily and apparently it has paid off. You can look through my many blogs to get the gist, or you can purchase my book My Secrets to Regaining Health to get a better understanding of this philosophy. Conventionally, surgery, Botox and dermal fillers are the most common choices to eradicate wrinkles and sagging. And these procedures are becoming more common in many dental offices. For those with sensitivities, side effects can be chancy and sometimes deadly. So if you are looking for natural ways to age gracefully, these choices are not on the list. There are other options. Facial Acupuncture Which brings me to Facial Acupuncture for Facial Rejuvenation. A simple non –toxic way to create a “facelift” without the surgery. As far as I know, we are the only dental office offering this, and honestly, I believe we have it handled really well. Since we take into account your many other health concerns that can be addressed with an integrative approach. This would be a basic list that we can review to enhance the outcomes from facial acupuncture • Exercise, including Face exercise • Increase antioxidants • Face massage • Exfoliation • Using healthy skin creams with no toxic chemicals • Detoxification • Drinking appropriate amounts of water • Get enough sleep so that the body can actually heal Facial acupuncture has been around for centuries. It will open the meridians to your face and other parts of your head, creating a clarity of mind that will never be possible with conventional methods. Surgery, Botox and fillers will create blockages in the meridians, and may ultimately create future health problems. Actually according to this article in Psychology Today based on a recent PubMed study, Botox will change your brain activity, and not in a good way. Ongoing research, however, has revealed an unintentional and rather alarming consequence: Botox injections in the forehead and face rearrange the brain’s sensory map of the hands. What's concerning is that clients typically come back for regular injections, because the limited paralysis the toxin induces lasts only two to three months. The ongoing question is whether repeated treatments over a period of years result in permanent changes to one’s brain. As an integrative health practitioner, I always look for the healthiest and simplest ways to heal and stay well. If we can physiologically stay young while chronologically aging, so be it. Facial Acupuncture is one part of the solution. For further information please check out our webpages on Acupuncture and Facial Rejuvenation Acupuncture

While our country is in the middle of an unprecedented healthcare challenge, we here at The Brand Wellness Center wanted to reach out to you in hopes that you, your family, and loved ones are all well during the COVID-19 pandemic. More than ever, we want to reaffirm our commitment to provide you with information and support to help you maintain and even improve your well-being. For almost 40 years, our focus has always been on your overall health as it relates to your oral health. We wanted to share with you what we are doing to keep our immune system strong to resist all infections inclusive of the Coronavirus. 1. Strengthen the immune system • Vitamin D (2000 -5000 IU), C (2-10 grams in divided doses) and A (5000 mg) daily • 50 mg Zinc Quercitin • Colloidal silver liquid (sublingual for 60 sec and then swallow) • Mushroom extracts • Melatonin (1 -5 mg) take 2 hours before bedtime (counteracts the cytokine storm) 2. Detox daily • Body brushing (improve lymph flow) • Daily green juice • Sweat (sauna, exercise, etc.) • Salt baths (Epsom salt will work) • Oil pulling (sesame is best for fever/infections) 3. Avoid all processed food, especially those with sugar added. A teaspoon of sugar will lower your immune system for 5 hours. 4. If you have an active infection (Coronavirus or not), we highly recommend that you see your primary care physician for a proper diagnosis and treatment. Aside from that, I would continue with the basic protocol listed above and add in the user of a nebulizer with hydrogen peroxide. This paper explains the technique and why it is helpful. Even though our office is closed, we are still picking up messages and responding to calls and emails. If you are in need of a referral for dental or medical, please contact the office and we will advise as necessary. We look forward to seeing each of you soon. Stay healthy. Stay safe. Dr. Brand and Team

Dear Dental Family, We hope this letter finds you and your family in good health. Our community has been through a lot over the last few months, and all of us are looking forward to resuming our normal habits and routines. While many things have changed, one thing has remained the same: our commitment to your safety. Infection control has always been a top priority for our practice and you may have seen this during your visits to our office. Our infection control processes are made so that when you receive care, it’s both safe and comfortable. The great news is that we have been a biological dental office for many years, so many of these safety protocols that the American Dental Association has recommended, we already have had in place for years. Our office follows infection control recommendations made by the American Dental Association (ADA), the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). We follow the activities of these agencies so that we are up-to-date on any new rulings or guidance that may be issued. We do this to make sure that our infection control procedures are current and adhere to each agency’s’ recommendations. You may see some changes when it is time for your next appointment. We made these changes to help protect our patients and staff. For example: · Our office will communicate with you before your appointment to ask some screening questions. You’ll be asked those same questions again when you are in the office. · A Sneezeguard has been installed at the Reception desk area for your protection. · Your temperature will be taken while in the Reception room. If it is higher than 99.2 degrees F, you will not be seen and will be asked to reschedule your appointment. · A Pulse Oximeter reading will be taken while in the Reception Room. If your blood oxygen levels are low, you will not be seen and will be advised to see your physician for follow-up. A low blood oxygen level is a symptom of asymptomatic COVID infection. · We have hand sanitizer at the reception area. Please use when you enter the office. · You may see that our Reception room will no longer offer reading material since those items are difficult to clean and disinfect. Please enjoy the ambiance of the waterfall and relaxing music. · Once you are in the treatment room, we give you an ozone mouth rinse to reduce the microbes in your mouth. · We use ozone water in our dental units. Not only does that give us zero colonies of bacteria and viruses in our units, but it also keeps ALL of our waterlines sterile. · During any treatment we use a dentairvac.com aerosol control system that sucks up all of the aerosols that your mouth or the dental equipment may put out. · We have a surgically clean air sanitizing unit centrally located in the office with individual air purifier units in each treatment room. You may notice that our air feels and smells exceptionally clean. · Appointments will be managed to allow for social distancing between patients. That might mean that you’re offered fewer options for scheduling your appointment. · We will do our best to allow greater time between patients to reduce the number of patients in the reception area at any one time. · We have also updated our personal protection gear, so we may look a little unusual when you see us. We have done a great deal to create a safe environment for our patients and team members. It will feel a bit...different. But it's all for YOUR benefit as a patient. You don't have to feel anxious that you will catch some disease from our office. Many other dental offices are scared to go back to work because they still don't have the PPE (Personal Protection Equipment) they need. But OUR office has had the right PPE for years because we are a biological dental office. We have already been doing it for a long time. We look forward to seeing you again and are happy to answer any questions you may have about the steps we take to keep you, and every patient, safe in our practice. To make an appointment, please call our office at 212 947-0073, email us at successddds@gmail.com or contact us through our website TheBrandWellnessCenter.com As per the New York State mandate, we expect to reopen on Monday, May 18. Please call the office to set up your appointments, as time slots may be limited Thank you for being our patient. We value your trust and loyalty and look forward to welcoming you back and seeing your beautiful smiles again! Sincerely, Dr. Brand and Team

I like to consider myself adventurous when it comes to finding unusual and exciting health-promoting foods to eat. So when the holidays aprroached and my son asked what I would like as a gift, my usual answer would have been chocolate, preferably raw and dark. But being that he works in the Chinatown area, I asked if he would surprise me with one of those unusual looking fruits that the supermarkets sell down there. I basically have no idea what they are named and even less of an idea what they taste like. But I figured if it’s fruit, it couldn’t be so bad. Well this is what he brought me: a durian, also named the King of Fruits. Durian Photo credit Creative Commons: Hafiz Issadeen It is about the size of a large cantaloupe and has these very pointy sharp spikes on it. Sort of like an armadillo without legs. (Best to wear a glove when handling, as the pokey spikes can be quite painful when touched.) My son said it came with a warning of smelling horrible when opened and the taste could be questionable. Not one to shy away from a food challenge, I went online and did my research. Durian is native to Malaysia and Indonesia and remains a divisive figure in the world of food. It is actually banned on Singapore subways solely for its smell. It’s the kind of food that you either hate or you love. No in-betweens. Health wise, it is highly full of minerals, antioxidants and fat. Lots and lots of fat. Actually, it can make the avocado seem like a low-fat food by comparison. After watching a few videos on durian, I put a slice through the outside rind and pulled the fruit into sections. Smell? Not bad, maybe a little like dirty socks. Taste? Would you believe creamy sautéed onions in a butter-cream cheese spread? If I had a bagel handy, I would have smeared it on and made a meal. I gave a small taste to other family members, and the general consensus was that it was pretty tasty. No one objected to the smell or flavor. Actually, we all thought it was so good, that we are already planning to buy another one soon. Benefits of Durian:  high in energy, minerals and vitamins. 100 g (1/4 pound) fresh fruit carry 147 calories  the fruit is made of soft, easily digestible flesh composed of simple sugars like fructose and sucrose that when eaten replenishes energy and revitalizes the body instantly  contains a relatively high amount of fats among the fruits but is free from saturated fats and cholesterol  rich in dietary fiber; it helps bind and eliminate cancer-causing chemicals from the gut  is a good source of antioxidant Vitamin C (helps develop resistance against infectious agents and scavenge harmful free radicals)  is an excellent source of B-complex vitamins; a rare feature among fruits  it contains a good amount of minerals like manganese, copper, iron and magnesium  is a very rich source of potassium, an important electrolyte inside cells and body fluids that help control heart rate and blood pressure  it contains high levels of the essential amino acid, tryptophan; plays a vital role in sleep induction and controlling epileptic events As you can see, the durian is a highly nutritious fruit which, when eaten in moderation, will provide the body with many minerals, vitamins and good fats. Eating two to three seeds of durian at one sitting is sufficient, but because durians can become so addictive, people tend to eat more than they should. I know I have. So if you are looking to add a little adventure to your already healthy diet, durian may be worth investigating. It definitely is now one of my go-to fun foods. Give it a try and see if you like it as well. If you like this post, you may also like The Benefits of Raw Chocolate Seaweed Salad Anyone?

Hi all! The time is right and we are back. Our blog has been silent for over two years and now is the time to speak. There are certain things concerning dentistry that I have observed during this time that deserve mentioning: 1. Postings about mercury and fluoride are no longer being censored on social networks. 2. Postings about “the shot” or politics are constantly being removed or censored. 3. Everyone is concerned about long-term effects of the C jab or the actual illness. 4. People are losing their jobs/income/dental insurance and not coming in for routine dental care. 5. Dental health has deteriorated. Either due to prolonged mask wearing, poor dental home care (people are emotionally depressed due to world events and less focused on cleaning their teeth). This list is concerning since your dental health is a reflection of your entire body health. If the teeth and gums go downhill, it is just a matter of time before your systemic health will follow. For those who have not yet returned to our office since 2020, let me assure you that we are alive and well. Our staff is smaller but we know exactly what we are doing and still get the job done. Personalized care is still our highest priority. The only thing that has changed is You. Many of you have had to deal with the shot, the illness, or the aftereffects of having either. Some have had to figure out how to keep their job with the endless jab demands required. Others have had to deal with the loss of friends and family from this entire situation. So whether you got the shot or not, we hold no judgment. Your entire health is important to us. As a Naturopath, acupuncturist, nutritionist as well as a dentist, I can help you keep your teeth and health as long as possible. The time for “waiting until the world gets better” is over. Your dental and body health need attention now. Call for an appointment (212 947-0073) and we will be happy to help you as best we can.