Dentsply Sirona: Chew your spinach!

In this year’s series of interviews for the EFP Partner newsletter, the EFP is looking at the link between lifestyle, nutrition, and oral-health synergies and systemic health, which is now hardly disputed. From diabetes to cardiovascular problems, what goes on in the mouth does matter for the rest of the body. So, how are the EFP and its partners dealing with this?

In this interview we talk to Dr Rainer Seemann, Vice President and Chief Clinical Officer at Dentsply Sirona.

Dentsply Sirona has a plethora of scary-looking implements on its website!  From preventative instruments such as ultrasonic inserts, scalers, and polishers to endodontic drills and implants, it covers just about everything that a dentist needs whatever the state of a patient’s mouth.

And that is important because the mouth that all these prod around is systemically linked to the rest of the body.  The last decade has seen compelling evidence to prove this.

Dr Rainer Seemann believes: “Oral health must be viewed as an essential component of whole-person healthcare. As a community of dental professionals, researchers, healthcare providers, and industry partners, we have a shared responsibility to translate this growing body of evidence into action.”

So how does he lead his organization in executing that responsibility?

“Dentsply Sirona is actively engaged in advancing awareness, education, and interdisciplinary collaboration. A great example is our involvement with the Harvard School of Dental Medicine Initiative to Integrate Oral Health and Medicine. Through initiatives like this, we help promote a more integrated approach to healthcare that brings dentistry and medicine closer together for the benefit of patients.”

Indeed, Dr Seemann sits on the board of this Harvard initiative and is very proud to do so.

Education is paramount

He certainly bangs the drum for doctors and dentists to come out of their silos, but also believes prevention is key and that education is paramount.  “Many patients still visit the dentist only when symptoms appear. Diseases such as periodontitis, which is associated with cognitive decline, Alzheimer's disease, and certain types of cancer can progress unnoticed for years. We must help people understand that healthy gums are fundamental to both oral and overall health.”

What about educating people about nutrition as well as general oral health?  Is it as simple as sugar bad, fresh fruit good?  Nothing is simple!

Dr Seemann explains: “One of the strongest arguments for integrating oral health into broader healthcare is that oral diseases and many systemic diseases share the same risk factors. Smoking, unhealthy diets, excessive alcohol consumption, chronic stress, lack of exercise, and poor sleep all increase the risk of both oral and general health problems.”  He warms to his theme. “Nutrition is far more complex than we once believed. For many years, dietary advice was often reduced to simple messages such as ‘eat low-fat’ or ‘increase protein intake’. Today, we have a much deeper understanding of the intricate relationships between nutrition, the microbiome, and overall health.”

The oral microbiome, the bacteria inside our mouths, is now seen as playing a vital role in general health and this, for Dr Seemann, is key.  “Certain oral bacteria convert dietary nitrate, found in vegetables such as beetroot, spinach, and leafy greens, into nitrite. After swallowing, this nitrite is further converted into nitric oxide, a molecule that is essential for vascular health, blood pressure regulation, and many aspects of metabolic function.”

Food provides nutrition, of course, but this shows it is doing much more than that and where does food first go?  The mouth!

“Nutrition should move beyond classifying foods as simply ‘good’ or ‘bad’. What matters most is the overall dietary pattern and how it supports a healthy and diverse microbiome, reduces chronic inflammation, and promotes long-term health.”  Dr Seemann adds: “By taking this broader perspective, we can better understand the important connections between nutrition, oral health, and overall wellbeing.”

Three-pronged strategy

Dentsply Sirona has a three-pronged strategy to help practically with the whole issue of oral and systemic health.

“First, we support research, education, and interdisciplinary initiatives that strengthen the integration of dentistry and medicine,” says Dr Seemann, citing the Harvard connection as proof.

“Second, we help clinicians deliver preventive, evidence-based care through innovative technologies, high-quality products, and digital solutions. From digital diagnostics and treatment planning with solutions such as our intraoral scanner and our cloud-based platform.” He adds: “Our goal is to help oral-healthcare professionals to diagnose earlier, treat more effectively, and support better long-term outcomes for their patients.”

And the third prong?

“Third, we are committed to raising public awareness of the importance of oral health. Through our support of initiatives such as FDI's World Oral Health Day, we work to educate patients and policymakers about the critical role oral health plays in overall wellbeing.”

Innovation is also key and Dentsply Sirona is at the forefront of developing new products as AI and science improve. Dr Seemann believes strongly that “it’s not simply about creating better products; it's about solving real clinical challenges and improving health outcomes. By combining advances in materials, diagnostics, digital technologies, and data-driven insights, we can help clinicians deliver more predictable, personalized, and preventive care.”

As we can see, the connections between mouth health and general health are huge.

“This is also why broad, interdisciplinary initiatives such as the Harvard School of Dental Medicine’s Initiative to Integrate Oral Health and Medicine and FDI’s World Oral Health Day are so important. They help raise awareness, foster collaboration between medicine and dentistry, and ultimately support a more holistic approach to patient care.”

That is the aim for now, though those scary instruments remain!