As of today, this youtube video of white blood cells under attack by bacteria has had nearly 72,000 hits and counting…. . Why the fascination with this subject? Well first of all, a lot of people who stumbled on this video were probably searching for a video showing bacteria being attacked by white blood cells. That’s what people would expect to find – because that’s the job of white blood cells as part of the immune system, right?
The normal environment for white blood cells is the blood, so when neutrophils and leukocytes (white blood cells) are found in the mouth, they are no longer in the element for which they are designed. They are no longer effective and are vulnerable to attack by some of the more aggressive bacteria and microbes to be found in the mouth.
Among these types of pathogens and bacteria that will invade and kill white blood cells are spirochetes and amoeba. Using a high definition phase contrast microscope, it is possible to identify these pathogens and find the means to treat them. (Sometimes the treatment options are simpler than one might expect). However patients rarely expect to find the types of ‘critters’ in their mouths that are all too likely to be found there. And ‘seeing is believing’. Without visual proof it is sometimes difficult to understand the role of our mouths as a host for the very minute and complex life forms that can take up residence there.
Visual proof is what a phase contrast microscope with video can provide. Just last week Dr. O’Rielly presented some of his findings at the Continuing Education Academy of California’s Dental Convention. It is his hope that by continuing to lecture and educate on this subject, that microscope evaluation may become a more routine aspect of ongoing dental care.
Carey O’Rielly DDS has been a practicing dentist for 35 years. He went to USC Dental School and Duke University for his undergraduate degree. He grew up in Laguna Beach and now lives in La Costa with his wife Victoria, who runs his office.
He began his career by owning and operating a network of six offices in the San Francisco Bay Area. Presently he owns a private holistic practice in North County San Diego’s Encinitas.
Dr. O started looking for solutions to his health challenges that resulted from the stress and environmental toxicity that built up over a ten year period running his dental network. He has dedicated himself to learning about oral systemic problems and how dentistry can affect your health. He has applied what he has learned over the last twenty years to ensure he, his staff and his patients are protected from the chemicals and toxic materials found in most dental offices. He has produced an environmentally friendly office that is also peaceful and calm.
He is an expert on dental materials having looked at hundreds of biocompatibility lab tests over the years. He has identified the most bio-friendly materials to use in his practice and which dental materials can be used to replace metal fillings and crowns, including BPA free and fluoride free ‘white’ fillings. He also uses metal-free Zirconia or ceramic implants and PRF (platelet-rich fibrin) grafting materials which come from the patient’s own blood.
Dr. O’Rielly teaches C.E. courses on the systemic effects of gum disease. He is an expert in using phase contrast microscopy for analyzing dental infections, where he shows patients what kind of microbes, i.e. bacteria, amoeba, and yeasts like candida are populating the mouth and affecting the body as a whole.
He has an educational blog and is writing a book on dental health called ‘Hidden Dental Infections: Healing Root Canals and Infected Teeth with the Erbium Laser’ where he discusses dental nutrition, toxic dental materials and the effects of old root canals on inflammation and overall health.
