As a leading periodontist, Dr. Beck-Mayo is obviously concerned about the oral health of her patients, but that’s not her only concern. Dr. Beck-Mayo is committed to ensuring the overall health and wellbeing of everyone who visits her office. That is why she provides cutting-edge, salivary diagnostic testing in her San Diego office. This testing can identify several genetic markers that can significantly increase your risk of developing serious health conditions including cardiovascular disease (heart disease) and diabetes, allowing you to proactively reduce your risk of severe complications like heart attack, stroke, and even some types of cancer.
About Salivary Diagnostic Tests
Salivary diagnostic tests, such as oral HPV testing and genetic inflammatory markers, are of interest to many San Diego periodontists, doctors, and patients for a variety of reasons. First, there’s the overall ease of performing this noninvasive testing. All a patient needs to do to complete a salivary diagnostic test is to swish and spit. The sample is then sent to a lab for analysis and the results can be life-changing. Secondly, it’s a non-invasive collection method, meaning you don’t need prick, poke or cut to get the desired tissue sample. Finally, the wide range of information that can be extracted from such a simple saliva sample is growing every day. The impact on improving the quality of life for her patients, is one reason why Dr. Beck-Mayo is committed to staying on the forefront of scientific developments in salivary diagnostic testing.
The Benefits of Using Saliva as a Diagnostic Fluid
Salivary diagnostics are beneficial for a variety of reasons, including some of the following:
- Saliva contains many of the same compounds that are found in human blood (such as enzymes, hormones, antibodies, antimicrobial constituents, and cytokines) without the pricks and pokes required for blood collection, or the risks of infection or contamination associated with blood draws
- Saliva includes biomarkers, meaning that it can monitor both the oral and systemic health for San Diego patients
- Collecting a saliva sample is quick and painless
Convenient, Point of Care Testing in Our San Diego Offices
In medical speak, Dr. Beck-Mayo’s use of salivary diagnostics is called “point of care testing” or POC. This means that the test doesn’t occur in a laboratory, but at the comfortable and friendly office where you receive your routine treatments. Imagine if, during your routine periodontal maintenance cleaning appointment, you could receive salivary diagnostic testing to find out if you are at risk of developing serious medical conditions. With salivary diagnostic testing by Dr. Beck-Mayo’s and her team, you can!
The Future of Dentistry, Happening Now at Dr. Beck-Mayo’s Office
Experts in salivary diagnostics predict that POC testing at the dentist or periodontist office is the wave of the future. They envision a time – not too far from now – when you’ll be able to quickly be tested for a variety of common illnesses with ease and comfort, often earlier than you would via a blood sample, all while sitting in the dental chair. Well, in San Diego, the future is already here! Offering a variety of salivary tests, Dr. Beck-Mayo is providing her periodontal patients with an extra level of care to treat the whole self – not just the teeth.
We understand that salivary tests are new and that you are likely curious to learn more about the procedure and what it could mean for you. That’s why we’re here to help! If you have any questions about the salivary diagnostic tests offered by Dr. Beck-Mayo, call our San Diego office today to schedule a consultation and get all your questions answered (858) 635-6700.
