In an ideal world orthodontic books would also all be airway health books. But, sadly, we don’t live in an ideal world. I’ve said for years that the ultimate goal of all orthodontic treatment should be to optimize airway health instead of lining teeth up and making them fit like gears.   Articles I’ve written and lectures I’ve given haven’t moved the needle nearly as much as I would have liked.

In the ideal world of my imagination the best dental books, dental education books, and orthodontic guides don’t really discuss teeth! They discuss airway, poor rest oral posture, the causes of facial imbalance and reduced airways, the chronic disease epidemic in our world, and how our lifestyles in all industrialized societies contribute to these issues. The future of dentistry will be very bright when dental knowledge focuses on addressing the causes of poor facial balance, malocclusion, tooth decay, airway dysfunction, and the systemic connection of oral problems to the entire body.  

Here is a short list of books I think should be required reading for every dentist, particularly anyone wanting to treat causes rather than chasing solutions in the dental version of whack-a-mole. Many of these books are also very readable for the general public with an interest in health. Please notice that not one mentions teeth or even dentistry or orthodontics in the title.

1.  Nutrition and Physical Degeneration by Weston Price. Price toured the world in the 1930’s and observed primitive societies all over the world where the parents had no tooth decay and no malocclusion, and yet their children suffered from both. This book should be required reading for every dentist. I’ll say no more. 
2. Good Energy by Casey Means. This is a powerful new book which sheds light on the impact of our lifestyle and our entire healthcare system. Interestingly, she quotes from Price’s book rather extensively and credits his work with a lot of the current information which people actually think is new. This is a great book for anyone, but particularly for someone wanting to treat airway issues.
3. Shut Your Mouth and Save Your Life by George Catlin. Catlin was a Philadelphia attorney who gave up law and became a very famous Western artist and photographer living among Native Americans in the 1830’s. The book was first published around 1860 and describes the facial changes which occur with open-mouth posture.   It is available in paperback on Amazon for about $13 .
4. Breath by James Nestor is published in 37 languages and was at least #6 on the NYTimes bestseller list in 2020. This book has raised awareness worldwide about proper breathing.  
5. The Oxygen Advantage by Patrick McKeown  This book is critical to understand the importance of nasal breathing. Patrick has become a close friend of mine, a patient of mine, and I believe is the leading authority on breathing in the world. Understanding this book is critical since nasal breathing is the end point goal of all airway treatment. 
6. The Breathing Cure by Patrick McKeown. This is a far more in depth look at the many chronic health problems affected by poor breathing. It is exhaustive and more advanced than “The Oxygen Advantage”.
7. Sleep Wrecked Kids by Sharon Moore. Sharon is a very bright SLP in Australia who is part of an online group that I’ve been involved with for 4+ years. Her book is masterful and a great resource for parents to understand the importance of proper rest oral posture.
8.  Pottenger’s Cats by Frances Pottenger, M.D. Pottenger followed up on Weston Price’s work with experiments on cats which essentially confirmed the strong relationship between an environmental cause of altered growth. The Price-Pottenger Foundation has existed for years and promotes both of these books.
9. The Invisible Rainbow by Arthur Furstenberg describes the impact of electrical fields on our health.  You will not be happy when you read this book as you realize you pretty much cannot escape what is happening. Having said that, it is very important to understand.
10.  The Hacking of the American Mind by Robert Lustig, M.D. Rob is a pediatric endocrinologist and a lawyer. This book describes why we are so unhealthy as a society.  
11.  Metabolical by Robert Lustig M.D. This is his third book which I’ve told him personally is “…the best book I wish I had never read”. When you read it you may well agree with me.   Reading this is critical for those wanting to advise families on proper diet.
12. Winning the War Against Allergies and Asthma by Ellen Cutler, D.C. This is a unique, non-invasive approach to addressing allergies which is far more effective than traditional allergy shots in my experience. Hopefully you can find a practitioner of her approach in your area. We have seen dramatic changes in this regard. My wife has benefitted greatly from this non-invasive approach.
13. Is Your Tongue Killing You? by Joy Moeller, RDH (Myofunctional Therapist). Joy is my dear friend, and we collaborated on treating probably hundreds of patients over the years.    Knowledge about myofunctional therapy with a knowledge of soft tissue ties, including tongue ties, is essential to help patients. I have contributed a chapter in this book.