An Interview with Dr. Jeffrey Hillman of Oragenics

By Deacon Keith Fournier
5/14/2010
Catholic Online

In 2008, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the faith in the Catholic Church issued their instruction on the “Dignity of the Human Person.” It began with these words, “The dignity of a person must be recognized in every human being from conception to natural death. This fundamental principle expresses a great ‘yes’ to human life and must be at the center of ethical reflection on biomedical research, which has an ever greater importance in today’s world.”

The instruction offers “a word of support and encouragement for the perspective on culture which considers science an invaluable service to the integral good of the life and dignity of every human being. The Church therefore views scientific research with hope and desires that many Christians will dedicate themselves to the progress of biomedicine and will bear witness to their faith in this field. She hopes moreover that the results of such research may also be made available in areas of the world that are poor and afflicted by disease, so that those who are most in need will receive humanitarian assistance.”

As someone who believes deeply that the Catholic Church gives a great “Yes to Life” I am “on the lookout” for men, women and organizations who view science this way. One of the often repeated fallacies one reads in the media is that the Catholic Church opposes Stem Cell research. The truth is the Church opposes deadly stem cell research such as research on human embryos which always results in taking the life of the embryonic human person. It is immoral to take innocent human life even if one can then use parts of the human person who has been killed to develop a potential cure for another.

The Church wholeheartedly supports research on Adult Stem Cells and cells derived from fetal cord blood. Neither type of stem cell research results in the taking of innocent human lives. They also show tremendous promise! As an example of the encouragement of life affirming stem cell research, a spokesman for the Vatican recently made known their strong support for the research being conducted at the University Of Maryland School Of Medicine using adult stem cells.

As a father of five grown children and grandfather to six, I am well aware of the many needs involved in raising healthy children.  That includes their moral, emotional, spiritual and physical health. Of course, their physical health includes their oral hygiene. Research shows the connection between overall health and good oral hygiene.  As a 55 year old man who lost my father to heart disease, I am sensitized to that subject. I was surprised years ago to find the connection between oral and heart disease.

Dental disease is a quiet, yet growing, national epidemic.  New studies, including recently-published reports from the Mayo Clinic, confirm that periodontal disease and poor oral health are linked to heart disease, diabetes, osteoporosis, and other illnesses.  American Dental Association studies show that three out of four of Americans are affected by periodontal disease at some point in their lives. My friend, Catholic Online’s own Dr. Denton, has taught me much about an integrative approach to health which respects the unity of the human person, body, soul and spirit. He has helped me understand the connection between overall health and what he calls “beautiful living.”

I recently became interested in the science of probiotics which respects the amazing curative qualities of our own body. There are both good and bad bacteria in our systems all the time. The good bacteria are the most effective way to minimize the damaging effects of the bad bacteria. We have seen the application of probiotics in the growing number of products, including yogurt, which promote overall digestive health.

Recently I read of an extraordinary application of probiotics in oral health. It was developed by Dr. Jeffrey Hillman, D.M.D., Ph.D. It is the result of more than 25 years of research which began at the Harvard-affiliated Forsyth Institute in Boston and continued at the University of Florida. The technology has only recently become available for the general public. It provides what is called Replacement Therapy for preventing dental caries or cavities.

I sought an interview with Dr. Hillman through a mutual friend. He gladly assented. I found this him to be humble, self effacing, approachable and genuinely committed to good science at the service of the human person and the common good. His academic and professional credentials are extraordinary. However, what really impressed me was his dedication to his work. He told me “People tend to take a simple approach to oral care in our culture. We think in terms of killing all of the bacteria that are present in the mouth. But it’s just not that simple; the human mouth contains many … types of bacteria, including some that are helpful to us.”

It made a lot of sense to me. As the interview progressed I saw the myriad of applications of the Doctors discovery. He holds over a dozen patents and has spent his career trying to alleviate suffering. He told me “tooth decay is the most common infectious disease in the world.” I had never really considered that fact. Now, every morning as I brush my teeth I think of it.

I was intrigued when the good Doctor told me he was inspired by Louis Pasteur. Like Pasteur, Dr. Hillman is serious about the potential of science to lessen human suffering. The faith of Pasteur drove his scientific genius toward the good. Above his tomb in the Pasteur Institute are engraved these words “Happy the man who bears within him a divinity, an ideal of beauty and obeys it; an ideal of art, and ideal of science, an ideal of country, and ideal of the virtues of the Gospel.” It is reported that Pasteur died with a rosary in his hand after listening to the life of St. Vincent de Paul.
Dr. Hillman was impressed with the scientists’ genuine humanism and Pasteur’s discovery that there are good bacteria which might one day be used to fight bad bacteria. Pasteur’s scientific discoveries have led to many scientific advances.  Dr. Hillman told me that his idea of expanding probiotic science, the use of good bacteria to combat the bad, in the arena of oral health care was “like a light bulb going off in my head.” He has dedicated over thirty years to this project.

His father told him “If we can succeed in preventing tooth decay we can apply it to other bacteria,” and he set about to do just that. In our extensive interview he explained it to me, a non-scientist, in this very understandable way, “The human body is extraordinarily complex. There are 1,000 or more different types of bacteria. They don’t want to hurt us. We feed them, we clothe them, and we take them to the movies. There are relatively few bacteria which can hurt us. We are simply helping the body by improving on the marvelous design, to prevent them from doing so.”

Doctor Hillman has patented his discoveries and now makes it all available in a line of oral health care products for adults and children.  I also heard of the unique business relationship which has been entered into to distribute the products. The Florida-based biotechnology company Oragenics, Inc., (OTCBB:ORNI) and RICCI PHARMA, a recognized health products company with offices in Rome and Slovakia, have entered into a distribution agreement that the parties anticipate will provide Oragenics’ proprietary oral care probiotic products, EvoraPlus® and EvoraKids^TM, to RICCI PHARMA.

RICCI PHARMA will then  have exclusive distribution rights through Duc in Altum, a foundation whose humanitarian projects are inspired by the social teachings of the late Pope John Paul II. Duc in Altum’s honorary chairman is the Polish Pope’s former private secretary for over 30 years, Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz, currently Archbishop of Krakow. The foundation, whose projects are known by the Holy See and encouraged by Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, is expected to further promote Oragenics’ products with the Church’s capillary network of health services.

When the interview ended I was happy to have discovered one more dedicated medical professional promoting science at the service of the human person and the common good.

The Neater Feeder

One of the common complaints of pet parents is the mess that pets make at mealtime or when drinking. Bowls tend to tip over or sit too low and leave pets with a soggy food mess.

Bumped bowls are notorious for ruining floors and leaving little water behind for thirsty pets. Some dogs are even such messy eaters and drinkers that food and water ends up splattered on the walls behind dishes, as well as on surrounding floors.

Not only is the mess of regular food dishes a problem for pets and their parents – spilled water and soggy food are breeding grounds for harmful bacteria that pets can easily ingest.

Out of these needs, the Neater Feeder was born.

The Neater Feeder is designed with protective walls to contain splashes and spills from an inadvertent kick or an excited pet. This revolutionary system holds spilled food in an upper reservoir while spilled water flows down a gentle slope through a patent-pending filtering system.

The spilled water drains into a lower reservoir that can safely contain more than an entire bowl of spilled water keeping it off the floor until you are ready to dispose of it. Keeping the spilled food in the upper reservoir, off the floor, not only saves you work, but also keeps it clean for reuse.

Is the Neater Feeder for You?

Check out this video to get a great view of how the Neater Feeder works!

Pampered Pets

Global Pet Expo Shows We Love to Love
Our Pets

My pets are well loved, for sure, but after spending the better part of the week at the Global Pet Expo at the Orlando Convention Center in Florida, I can tell you I’ve learned a thing or two about the way people love to love their pets, and apparently that’s with premium foods, treats, toys, gadgets, apparel and luxury accommodations.

At the show, I’ve seen everything from “pack and play” style dog crates to doggy beds large enough and comfy enough that I’ve actually considered curling up on them to give my feet a much-needed rest from the show floor.

I’ve seen hundreds of gourmet treats and foods, literally thousands of the most fascinating toys for pets of all kinds, and the fanciest (and sometimes most innovative!) collars and leashes I could have ever imagined. I’ve even come across some of the coolest grooming products.

Mostly what I have seen, though, is that we, not just as a nation, but as a global society, sure do love our pets. That, my friends, is a great sight to see.

After the tragedy of 9-11, Mike Leon, owner of Leon Engineering and designer of the super nifty Bike Tow Leash decided that it was time to give back. As an avid dog lover, the answer of just how to do that was clear – to take in and help train therapy dogs.

I met Mike yesterday at the Global Pet Expo with the dog he’s been working with for the past two years, Penny Lane, who generally goes by Penny for short. Mike was thrilled to chat with us about his amazing pal, Penny.

Meet Penny!

Some of my favorite stories about Penny include her invention of her own type of video game – working the ice maker on the refrigerator so she can access ice whenever she wants to chew on it (which is apparently a lot). “We just have to remember to leave it set to ‘ice, ‘” Mike explained, noting that Penny has gotten more than her fair share of showers when the setting has been on “water.”

Mike also shared that Penny’s tail is the world’s best fan. “Her tail has a lot of wind!” he said. “I can be sitting under a ceiling fan and not feel much air, then Penny comes over and starts wagging her tail and the wind picks up considerably.”

Penny is a total sweetheart – everyone who saw her in the aisle had to stop and give her some love. My friend Craig, pictured here, was no exception. He and Penny really hit it off!

Mike’s Bike Tow Leash is an awesome invention. According to his website, this unique new dog exerciser lets you exercise your dog in less time while covering the same or even more distance! Imagine, going more places; trail rides, camping, to the park and store with your dog a visible exercise partner and companion, simply by safely attaching the dog to your bicycle with the Bike Tow Leash.

The unique patented Bike Tow Leash mast prevents bike tipping from dog side pulls, reduces jolts and gently trains heel position. The resilient mast lets dogs catch up on turns away, notifies dogs of turns toward them and allows dogs to drop behind the bike to avoid obstacles. Perhaps best of all is that the mast is designed for dogs of all sizes.

Stop on over and check out Mike’s great invention, and know that in supporting this innovative business man, you’re helping support his efforts of giving back to the community as he works to train service dogs.

After blogger Mommy PR’s dogs ate a pack of her children’s EvoraKids oral care probiotics for children, we figured it was time to send some Teddy’s Pride Oral Care – probiotics specifically formulated for cats and dogs – her way.

Here’s what Mommy PR had to say about using Teddy’s Pride to freshen her dogs’ breath:

“Just launched this past October, Teddy’s Pride is the first all natural probiotic based breath freshener and teeth whitener for our pets!  Let’s face it they do not always have the freshest breath, and no matter how innocent they may look they are always seeking an opportunity to lick away at my kids faces.  It may just be me, but we do not have good luck trying to brush their teeth. We have tried the regular dog toothbrush and the finger brush, neither of which went very well!

Teddy’s Pride Pet Oral Care is an excellent product that is simple to use and gives me peace of mind that I am providing my pets with the best home oral care available!

I love that all you have to do is sprinkle it on their food – they don’t even seem to notice.  A wonderful change from trying to wrestle them to the ground and shove a toothbrush in their mouths!

I mean – does he look like he wants a toothbrush shoved in his mouth?

I am seriously hoping that during my next visit to the vet, there will be less of a lecture on caring for their teeth!  Plus after a week of regular use, I am pleased to say that I have not noticed any bad dog breath! We will certainly continue to use this product with our pets!”

Thanks, Mommy PR for the great review!

Click here, to read this review and many others on Teddy’s Pride Oral Care Pet Probiotics

How do I order Teddy’s Pride Oral Care Pet Probiotics?

EvoraPlus Available at the Store? Sa-weet!

EvoraPlus Oral Care Probiotics Available at Sweetbay, Hannaford Stores

For the many readers that live near one of the hundreds of Sweetbay or Hannaford supermarkets, you are just a quick trip away from having naturally whiter teeth and fresher breath starting today!

That’s right – our good friends at Sweetbay and Hannaford have EvoraPlus probiotic mints in the oral care section of all of their stores. There’s no need to wait for your product to arrive in the mail or to pay shipping charges when you have one of these great stores in your neighborhood!

How easy is that? The next time you are out grocery shopping, add a box of EvoraPlus to your shopping list and have a whiter smile for spring!

EvoraPlus is the first probiotic mint that helps maintain oral health while gently and naturally freshening breath and whitening teeth. Just at probiotics have long been used to maintain gut health, researchers have found that oral care probiotics can maintain healthy teeth and gums, whiten teeth and freshen breath.

As reported on Fox News, EvoraPlus is a revolutionary new approach to maintaining oral health and a wonderful addition to the brushing and flossing routine.

More about Sweetbay

Sweetbay supermarkets, with 104 locations in Florida from Naples to Gainesville, is known for carrying products of outstanding quality, variety and value for a one-of-a-kind shopping experience.

Sweetbay’s passion for delicious food is reflected in the inspiration for its name, the Sweetbay Magnolia (Magnolia virginiana), with its fragrant white blossoms and brilliant red berries. These beautiful plants are common to West Central Florida, as are Sweetbay stores.

The Sweetbay grows tall and strong, echoing the strength of Sweetbay stores and associates.  November 2009 marked a very special milestone in Sweetbay’s history as the store celebrated its 5 year anniversary.  On November 4th 2004, Sweetbay opened its first store in Seminole, Florida.

More about Hannaford

The history of Hannaford Supermarkets goes a little farther back – to 1883 – the year Arthur Hannaford started what would become the present-day Hannaford Supermarkets on the Portland, Maine, waterfront.

With 171 stores in Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Vermont, Hannaford Markets represent the value of high-quality produce, meat and deli products; good prices and great value; and first-class customer service.

It is an honor to have EvoraPlus among the many quality items on the shelves at Sweetbay and Hannaford markets.

In the Spotlight

EvoraKids in Hygienetown

We’re very proud to learn that EvoraKids, Oral Care Probiotics for Children ages 3 -10, is in the product spotlight this week for Hygienetown’s digital newsletter and on the Hygienetown website.

Hygienetown’s digital newsletter keeps dental hygienists on the cutting edge of their professions.

Written for hygienists as a source of peer education, the Hygienetown website features monthly profiles of dental companies, forums for dental professionals to discuss certain subjects and a monthly poll on various hygiene topics, including Periodontal Therapy, Surgery, Oral Cancer and Clinical Presentations.

Hygienetown is a place for hygienists to share experiences, challenges and tips with others in their professions, as well as a place for hygienists to earn online continuing education credits.

EvoraKids is an innovative new product from Oragenics. This one-of-a-kind oral care probiotic chew contains the patent-pending ProBiora3 blend of probiotics that crowd out harmful bacteria and support tooth health.

EvoraKids reaches where toothbrushes and floss can’t – into the crevices on the pits and fissures in the chewing surfaces of teeth. Because it’s difficult to know how well children are brushing their teeth, EvoraKids offers parents peace of mind that they have taken the extra step needed ensure happier smiles.

The beneficial bacteria found in EvoraKids are natural residents in very healthy mouths. Using EvoraKids daily ensures that the beneficial bacteria have the upper hand in maintaining a healthy bacterial balance in your children’s mouths.

Our thanks go out to Hygienetown for the EvoraKids shout-out!

Meet Me on Lifetime!

O2 Media’s Hit Show The Balancing Act Talks Oral Care Probiotics

The Balancing Act’s host Beth Troutman sinks her teeth into a subject that will be sure to keep the viewers smiling – Probiotics. I’ll be joining her to discuss how probiotics have become and innovative new way to whiten your teeth and have truly fresher breath.

Beth and I will discuss the EvoraPlus™ probiotic mint that you take it twice a day for a whiter, brighter, better smelling smile.  EvoraPlus™ is 100% natural and works the way nature intended. It replaces the beneficial bacteria that’s a natural resident in healthy mouths.  EvoraPlus™ is safe and effective for the entire family, and provides the essential support for optimal gum and tooth health where it matters most — below the gum line.

These are the first probiotic teeth whitening mints, developed from 25-years of research. They help whiten teeth and eliminate bad breath while promoting gum and tooth health.  Utilizing the innovative new blend of oral care probiotics called ProBiora3.  To learn more on teeth whitening, check out www.evoraplus.com.

EvoraPlus All Over the Web!

Bloggers Rave About the Benefits of Probiotic Mints

Bloggers are catching wind of the hottest new oral care product on the market. Reviews for EvoraPlus probiotic mints are cropping up by the dozens weekly and the consensus is this product REALLY works!

Easy to Use!

On the My Family Loves It website, Heather writes that her dental hygienist has already noted that her gums look healthier. She also offered a valuable tip for moms on the go – keep your EvoraPlus in the car, in case you forget to take it in your rush to get out the door each morning. She also keeps a box in the bathroom, so it’s not difficult to remember to use it after brushing. “Once you get in the habit its a very simple step to keep your mouth healthy,” Heather writes.

100% Natural!

“Chubby Dove”  at Upside to Rainny Days writes: “I was excited to learn that this product is totally 100% all natural that means no artificial sweeteners, flavors or colors. 1 calorie per mint, 0 fat and 0 grams of sugar, EvoraPlus has a very pleasant taste, not overly minty; it is naturally sweetened with Xylitol.” She says she would definitely recommend EvoraPlus!

Probiotics Aren’t Just for Gut Health

The reviewers at Skin Care Beauty Blog were excited to note: “EvoraPlus represents the first-time probiotics, which have traditionally been used to support digestive and immune health, and applied for whitening teeth and eliminating bad breath while promoting gum and tooth health.”

No More Morning Breath!

At Bless Their Hearts Mom, Nicole says: “I found that they really DO take away bad breath. You know that morning breath that the entire human population wakes up with? Well what do you know, it’s bacteria caused. After only 3 days of taking Evoraplus, I found that mine, while not minty fresh-ha ha, was a WHOLE lot better!”

This is just a small spattering of the EvoraPlus blog reviews that are popping up everywhere on the Internet.  If you want to learn more about EvoraPlus, visit Linda the Tooth Fairy EvoraPlus on Facebook and EvoraPlus on Twitter to watch for great specials and discounts on oral probiotic mints.