Creatine is one of the most widely researched and commonly used dietary supplements in the world. While creatine is often associated with athletes and strength training, it actually plays an important role in the normal functioning of the human body.

Creatine is a naturally occurring compound produced from the amino acids glycine and arginine. This process takes place primarily in the liver, kidneys, and pancreas. Once produced, creatine travels through the bloodstream and is stored in tissues that require large amounts of energy, particularly skeletal muscle. Approximately 95% of thebody’s creatine is stored in muscle tissue, while the remaining portion is found in organs such as the brain.

Inside cells, creatine is converted into phosphocreatine, which acts as an energy reserve that helps regenerate Adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the main source of energy used by the body. ATP fuels nearly every biological process in the body, including muscle contraction, nerve signaling, and cellular repair.

Although the body naturally produces creatine, it can also be obtained through foods such as red meat and fish. Supplementation with creatine monohydrate may help increase creatine levels in the muscles and other tissues, potentially enhancing the body’s ability to produce energy during intense physical or mental activity. As a result, creatine has been widely studied for its potential to improve athletic performance, support muscle growth, promote brain health, and possibly benefit certain medical conditions.

Benefits of Creatine

Improved Strength and Exercise Performance: One of the most well-established benefits of creatine supplementation is its ability to improve strength and high-intensity exercise performance. When muscles contain higher levels of phosphocreatine, they can regenerate ATP more quickly during exercise, allowing individuals to perform slightly more in short bursts of activity. Creatine supplementation may help individuals perform additional repetitions during resistance training, increase power output during sprinting or explosive movements, and recover more quickly between sets of exercise. Over time, these improvements in training capacity may lead to greater gains in muscular strength and performance.

Increased Muscle Mass: Creatine supplementation has also been associated with increases in lean body mass. This effect occurs through several mechanisms. First, creatine allows individuals to train harder, which can stimulate muscle growth over time. Second, creatine increases water content within muscle cells. This process, often referred to as cellular hydration, can help create an environment that supports muscle protein synthesis and growth. Because of these effects, creatine is often used by athletes, recreational lifters, and individuals seeking to improve body composition.

Support for Aging and Muscle Health: Loss of muscle mass and strength is a natural part of aging. This condition, known as sarcopenia, can increase the risk of falls, mobility limitations, and reduced quality of life. Research suggests that creatine supplementation combined with resistance training may help older adults improve muscle strength, physical performance, and functional mobility. Additionally, by supporting energy production in muscle cells, creatine may help counteract some of the physiological changes that occur with aging, thereby improving everyday activities such as walking, climbing stairs, and maintaining balance.

Cognitive Function and Brain Health: Creatine also plays an important role in brain function. The brain requires large amounts of energy to perform tasks such as memory formation, attention, and decision-making. Creatine is present in brain tissue and contributes to energy metabolism in neurons. Because of this, researchers have begun investigating whether creatine supplementation may help support cognitive performance.

A review of creatine supplementation and cognitive function found that creatine may improve certain aspects of cognition, including memory and attention, particularly under conditions of increased mental demand. These benefits may be related to creatine’s ability to support ATP production in brain cells. Some research also suggests creatine may help maintain cognitive performance during sleep deprivation, when the brain’s energy supply becomes strained. Creatine is currently being studied for potential therapeutic roles in neurological conditions and neurodegenerative diseases, suggesting that its benefits may extend beyond physical performance.

Safety and Misconceptions

Despite decades of research supporting its safety, creatine supplementation is still sometimes misunderstood. Several misconceptions persist regarding its effects on kidney function, hydration, and overall safety.

Kidney Function: One of the most common concerns is that creatine supplementation may damage the kidneys. However, current scientific evidence does not support this claim in healthy individuals. A review published in BMC Nephrology analyzed multiple studies evaluating the effects of creatine supplementation on kidney function. Researchers found that creatine supplementation led to only a slight increase in blood creatinine levels — a normal byproduct produced when the body breaks down creatine in the muscles. The study also found no significant change in glomerular filtration rate,a more reliable indicator of kidney health. These findings suggest that the increase in creatinine observed during supplementation reflects normal metabolic processes rather than kidney damage.

Common Side Effects: Generally, creatine is well-tolerated when taken at recommended doses. The most commonly reported side effects are mild and may include temporary water retention, mild gastrointestinal discomfort, and slight weight gain due to increased muscle hydration. These effects are typically temporary and often resolve as the body adjusts to supplementation.

Conclusion

Creatine is one of the most thoroughly studied dietary supplements available today. Its role in cellular energy metabolism makes it valuable not only for improving athletic performance but also for supporting muscle health and potentially enhancing cognitive function. Research consistently shows that creatine supplementation can improve strength, increase lean muscle mass, and support training performance. Emerging evidence also suggests that creatine may benefit brain health and cognitive performance, particularly during periods of increased mental demand.

Despite common misconceptions, current research indicates that creatine supplementation is safe for healthy individuals when used at recommended doses. Mild increases in serum creatinine are expected due to normal metabolism and do not appear to reflect impaired kidney function. As scientific understanding continues to grow, creatine may prove to be one of the most versatile supplements available for supporting both physical and cognitive health.

This article is intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider before starting any new supplements.

For more evidence-based information on supplements, medications, and patient-focused health topics, RX Compound Centre in Columbia, Tennessee, is always available to answer your questions. Call (931) 388-3999 or visit rxcompoundcentre.com.

DANIEL BRUNNER is a fourth-year pharmacy student at the University of Tennessee College of Pharmacy, interning at RX Compound Centre with DR. JONATHAN BAIN, PharmD, BCCCP, BCPS-AQ, the head pharmacist and owner of RX Compound Centre.

The post More Than Muscle appeared first on Williamson County Living.

PHOTOS PROVIDED

Bone and Joint Institute of Tennessee is proud to welcome John D. Dockery, MD, board-certified in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R), to its growing team of specialists. With more than 20 years of experience in physiatry and musculoskeletal medicine, Dr. Dockery brings advanced expertise in non-surgical spine care, interventional spine, and physical medicine and rehabilitation.

A Tennessee native, Dr. Dockery earned his undergraduate degree from University of

Tennessee, Knoxville, and his medical degree from Emory University School of Medicine. He completed his residency in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at University of Alabama at Birmingham, where he received advanced training in musculoskeletal and rehabilitation medicine. His addition strengthens the organization’s commitment to delivering comprehensive, patient-centered orthopaedic and spine care across Middle Tennessee, including expanded access to physiatry and advanced interventional spine services in Spring Hill.

Non-Surgical Spine Care and Physiatry Treatment Approach

Physiatrists specialize in diagnosing and treating conditions that affect movement, function, and quality of life, with a strong emphasis on restoring mobility and improving function without surgery. At Bone and Joint Institute of Tennessee, Dr. Dockery provides personalized, evidence-based treatment plans designed around each patient’s functional goals, lifestyle, and long-term recovery.

Care may include a combination of diagnostic evaluation, therapeutic exercise guidance,

non-surgical treatment options, and advanced interventional procedures. This integrated

approach ensures treatment is focused not only on restoring movement and function, but also on improving strength, mobility, and overall quality of life. Dr. Dockery is highly trained in advanced image-guided spine and musculoskeletal procedures, including kyphoplasty and basivertebral nerve ablation using the Intracept Procedure, allowing for precise identification and treatment of underlying spine conditions. These minimally invasive techniques improve diagnostic accuracy and support targeted care for conditions such as degenerative disc disease, spinal stenosis, herniated discs, vertebral compression fractures, chronic vertebrogenic low back pain, and nerve-related pain, including sciatica

His procedural expertise includes kyphoplasty for vertebral compression fractures, Intracept Procedure for vertebrogenic low back pain, epidural steroid injections, facet joint injections, medial branch blocks, and radiofrequency ablation. These minimally invasive treatments are designed to improve mobility, restore function, and support long-term recovery.

Dr. Dockery has performed an exceptional volume of kyphoplasty and Intracept procedures in recent years, placing him among a very small number of physicians nationally with this level of procedural experience. His expertise significantly expands access to advanced, minimally invasive spine procedures within Middle Tennessee and surrounding communities. By combining conservative treatment strategies with advanced interventional options, patients benefit from a comprehensive, non-surgical approach to spine and musculoskeletal care that prioritizes long-term outcomes and quality of life.

Expanded Interventional Spine and Non-Surgical Spine Services in Spring Hill

In response to increasing regional demand for spine and physiatry services, Bone and Joint

Institute of Tennessee Spring Hill location is expanding and renovating its Spring Hill location. This investment includes a dedicated interventional spine suite equipped with fluoroscopy (C-arm) technology, allowing for precise, image-guided spine injections and advanced interventional procedures to be performed on-site.

These enhancements improve procedural accuracy, enhance patient safety, and streamline care delivery by enabling patients to receive advanced spine injections and specialized procedures, such as kyphoplasty and basivertebral nerve ablation, closer to home. The expansion significantly improves access to non-surgical spine care, physiatry, and interventional spine services for patients in Spring Hill and surrounding Middle Tennessee communities, supporting more efficient coordination of care among orthopedic surgeons, physiatrists, and rehabilitation specialists.

Collaborative Spine and Rehabilitation Care

Dr. Dockery will play a key role in advancing the institute’s interventional physiatry and spine care program by expanding access to highly specialized procedures that are not widely available in the region, including kyphoplasty and the Intracept procedure.

He will collaborate closely with orthopaedic surgeons, rehabilitation specialists, and clinical teams to ensure coordinated, multidisciplinary care that supports optimal patient outcomes. He will treat a wide range of conditions, including chronic neck and back pain, herniated discs, spinal stenosis, sciatica, vertebral compression fractures, degenerative spine conditions, and vertebrogenic low back pain.

To learn more about services at the Spring Hill location or to schedule an appointment with Dr. Dockery, visit boneandjointtn.org/spring-hill or call (615) 791-2070.

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Women’s health is a lifelong journey. From adolescence and pregnancy to midlife transitions and menopause, women’s healthcare needs naturally evolve. No matter the stage of life, Williamson Health is committed to helping women live their healthiest lives.

“As women mature, their health needs continue to change,” said Michele Simpson, chief marketing and communications officer for Williamson Health. “Every woman’s journey is unique, and we strive to meet women where they are with exceptional, personalized care.”

That commitment has earned national recognition. Williamson Medical Center, the system’s flagship facility, recently received nine 2026 Women’s Choice^® Awards for patient experience, obstetrics, comprehensive breast care, and overall women’s services. CareChex^®ranked the hospital among the top 10% nationwide for medical excellence in women’s health, Forbes included it in its inaugural Top Hospitals 2026 list, and Newsweek named it among the World’s Best Hospitals for 2026.

With high-quality care close to home, Williamson Health’s physicians and advanced practice providers are ready to support women of all ages.

Young Adults: Building a Healthy Foundation

“Young adulthood is a critical time for establishing the habits that support lifelong health,” Simpson said. “Regular checkups, proper nutrition, and physical activity all play an important role.”

Primary care providers monitor key health indicators and help identify concerns early. Beginning annual gynecological visits also helps young women build relationships with trusted providers who can offer guidance and preventive care, laying the foundation for long-term wellness.

Williamson Health offers convenient access to proactive care through the diverse group of primary care physicians in Williamson Health Medical Group, as well as two OB/GYN practices — Vanderbilt Franklin Women’s Center and Women’s Group of Franklin — affiliated with Williamson Medical Center.

Mid-20s and 30s: Family Planning and Preventive Care

During this stage of life, many women focus on building careers, starting families, and maintaining overall wellness. Preventive care becomes especially important, including annual exams, reproductive health services, and routine screenings such as Pap smears for cervical cancer.

For expectant mothers, Williamson Medical Center provides nationally recognized obstetrics (OB) and neonatal intensive care units (NICU), along with comprehensive maternal support. Recent upgrades to Labor and Delivery and Postpartum Recovery include spacious, modern rooms designed for comfort.

Michael DeRoche, M.D., and Chelsea Clinton, M.D., Williamson Health’s maternal-fetal specialists, offer guidance to women facing high-risk pregnancies or pregnancy complications. Additionally, Williamson Health’s Urogynecology and Pelvic Health team can help women dealing with complex gynecological conditions or sexual health issues, such as pelvic organ prolapse, incontinence, endometriosis, fibroids, and more.

40s and 50s: Managing Midlife Changes

Hormonal shifts in the 40s and 50s can bring perimenopause, menopause, and a variety of physical and emotional changes. Health priorities include managing symptoms, maintaining heart and bone health, and staying current with recommended screenings. “It’s important that women begin yearly mammograms at age 40, and all adults should begin colorectal cancer screenings at 45,” Simpson said.

Williamson Health’s Turner-Dugas Breast Health Center, nationally recognized by the Women’s Choice Awards, provides expert, compassionate care for women diagnosed with breast cancer. Additionally, convenient access to the Williamson Health Outpatient Imaging Center ensures rapid results, reducing anxiety and expediting treatment.

Williamson Health’s Turner-Dugas Breast Health Center, nationally recognized by the Women’s Choice Awards, provides expert, compassionate care for women diagnosed with breast cancer. Additionally, convenient access to the Williamson Health Outpatient Imaging Center ensures rapid results, reducing anxiety and expediting treatment.

60s and Beyond: Staying Strong and Independent

Later in life, women often focus on managing chronic conditions, preserving mobility and bone health, preventing falls, and staying physically and mentally active.

Williamson Health offers tailored care, including routine screenings, chronic disease management, nutrition guidance, and support for healthy aging. Bone and Joint Institute of Tennessee providers and rehabilitation specialists are important resources for women who want to strengthen bone health and density, recover safely from injuries, or maintain the strength and mobility needed for daily life.

Williamson Health can help you navigate your health journey at every stage of life. Learn more at WilliamsonHealth.org.

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I have been on an insulin resistance soapbox with my patients for at least a decade. In extremely simple terms, insulin resistance is a super-tired pancreas that cannot keep up with the level of glucose in the bloodstream. I cannot count how many times I have uncovered insulin resistance, pre-diabetes, or even full-fledged diabetes in the unsuspecting patient. I frequently remind patients that, in today’s world, unless you’re intentionally supporting insulin sensitivity through your lifestyle and nutrition choices, you may be unknowingly overworking your pancreas.

Having elevated glucose in your bloodstream is about one of the most poisonous things you have lurking in your body. High glucose levels destroy tissues, cause cellular dysfunction, and lead to rampant inflammation. This is why the pancreas releases insulin when glucose levels rise, to bring them back down. Dr. Casey Means stated in her book Good Energy, “Refined added sugar causes astronomically more deaths and disability per year than COVID-19 and fentanyl overdoses combined. We need to see refined sugar for what it is: an addictive, dangerous drug that has been included in 74 percent of the foods in the U.S. food system and for which the body needs zero grams in a lifetime.” 

Currently, our country is in an insulin resistance and obesity crisis. If you have not yet read The MAHA Report, created by the Make America Healthy Again Commission, I would encourage you to do so. The link is provided at the bottom of this article for reference, but let’s review a few of the extremely sobering findings from the report. One in five children over the age of six is obese, 75% of American youth are ineligible for military service primarily due to obesity and Diabetes, and 70% of children’s calories come from ultra-processed foods. 

After examining the realities surrounding nutrition and chronic disease in our country, it’s time to look at the cultural shift in health that this new food pyramid brings. Its core message is refreshingly simple: focus on eating real food, defined as whole, unprocessed, non-modified foods. This shift would transform our country’s health crisis, and the new food pyramid promotes real food, which is a huge win.

No one can argue that ultra-processed food is healthy. In fact, after the introduction of processed foods in the 1950s, our rates of obesity have tripled. According to Dr. Casey, these ultra-processed industrial foods are chemically engineered to be addictive and make up nearly 70 percent of the calories that people in the United States consume today.

I encourage my patients to eat as many different whole foods as they can. I try to use simple suggestions, such as having as many colors on their plate as possible or making a 10-plant smoothie. I encourage shopping at the farmers’ market to support local farmers and try new foods. The diversity in whole foods feeds the microbiota (the trillions of bacteria living in our gut) and microbiome (the ecosystem of our GI tract). Eating as many colors as possible provides our bodies with essential phytonutrients that support cellular function and detoxification. 

The new food pyramid also prioritizes protein. Again, I encourage my patients to get protein from trusted sources as local and organic as possible. A steak from your local farmer via a cow raised on grass is completely different from a steak from a cow raised on corn in a feedlot. Protein is essential to helping us not overeat, maintaining muscle mass, and promoting cellular recovery. Realfood.gov provides appropriate portion sizes and daily protein recommendations based on your age and size. 

A note on fats. The new food pyramid advises using olive oil, butter, or beef tallow instead of seed oils. It still advises that this should be a very small percentage of daily calories consumed. When in doubt, use olive oil. It has been around for thousands of years and has stood the test of time. Personally, I look forward to seeing more unbiased studies on seed oils in the future, not biased by the food industry. 

Lastly, if you take nothing else from the new pyramid, take this away. Sugar is not on the new pyramid at all with excellent reason. If Americans could modify their intake of unnecessary sugar, we could make a shift in our health crisis. Critics want to highlight the controversial points, such as dairy and red meat being prioritized on the food pyramid, but let’s focus on the huge wins of this shift rather than getting lost in the weeds. 

STEPHANIE FENNEMA, PA-C, has been a Physician assistant for 20 years. She started her career at the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s surgical PA program and has never lost her love for surgery and sutures. She has functional medicine training through the Institute for Functional Medicine and spent nine years working alongside a functional medicine MD.

The post The Food Pyramid Gets a Makeover appeared first on Williamson County Living.

Spring invites renewal. Windows open, clutter clears, and many head outside to prepare gardens. Yet in all this external renewal, the most important garden gets overlooked: the one inside the body.

As a longevity specialist and founder of Hearth & Health, I learned that the gut microbiome — the trillions of bacteria living in the digestive tract — functions exactly like a garden. I came to understand this lesson years ago in my garden at the feet of the Blue Ridge Mountains—that in the same way soil nourishes a backyard garden, the gut microbiome shapes whether we thrive or merely survive.

The Lesson in the Dirt

Determined to grow beautiful organic vegetables, I planted with enthusiasm. But the garden failed miserably. Blight, mildew, and insects descended. I treated every visible problem as it appeared — spraying here, adjusting there — convinced that if I could just manage the surface chaos, everything would flourish.

Nothing worked. Then a local gardening guru delivered the hard truth. “It’s about the soil, Lori. You’ve got to build the soil.” No quick fixes or sprays. Just a redirection downward, beneath the struggling plants, into the dark earth itself. “What you see above the ground is just a manifestation of what’s going on below the surface,” I was told. “Stay focused and keep building your healthy soil.”

Following this advice, I stopped waging war against every visible pest. Instead, I worked with the rhythm of the garden itself. I added minerals to balance the soil, rotated crops to restore depleted nutrients, and composted kitchen scraps into rich organic matter. Layer by layer, season by season, I built an ecosystem, not a battleground.

Slowly, my garden was transformed. The plants reflected the care happening below, becoming resilient enough to fight off threats. That garden taught me the cornerstone of my work with clients: symptoms can’t be treated on the surface if the foundation beneath is broken.

The Body’s Internal Soil

As I explain to clients, your gut is the body’s foundation — the internal soil from which all vitality grows. Within your digestive system lives a vast community of trillions of microorganisms. This microbiome regulates your metabolism, produces 90% of your serotonin and other hormones, manufactures dopamine and GABA, and houses two-thirds of your immune system. Yet modern life assaults this ecosystem. Processed foods, chronic stress, poor sleep, antibiotics, environmental toxins, and sedentary lifestyles all erode microbial diversity. The result? A compromised soil.

Rebuilding the Foundation

The beautiful truth? The microbiome can be restored. The body has a remarkable capacity to heal when given what it needs. My approach starts with these foundational steps:

Eat for the microbes. A fiber-rich, colorful variety of vegetables and plant foods. Fiber feeds beneficial gut bacteria.

Include healthy fats. Avocados, nuts, olive oil, and omega-3 fatty acids reduce inflammation and support vitamin absorption.

Reduce irritants. Limiting processed foods, refined grains, and added sugars prevents feeding harmful bacteria and fueling inflammation.

Consider a quality probiotic. Unlike conventional probiotics that often don’t survive stomach acid, spore-based probiotics can reach the intestines and help restore balance.

Move regularly. Daily walking and strength training support gut motility and reduce stress.

Prioritize rest. Quality sleep allows the gut to repair and heal.

Eliminate toxins where possible. Choosing organic foods when possible, swapping conventional cleaning products for natural solutions, and replacing toxic personal care products with safer alternatives all support gut health.

Rethink antibacterial products. Antibacterial soaps don’t discriminate between good and bad bacteria. Instead, use regular soap and water for everyday cleaning so as not to kill the good bacteria.

Reconnect with nature. Time outdoors introduces beneficial microbes that support immune and gut function.

Lori Zabka is a Longevity Specialist and the Founder of Hearth & Health. For additional information, visit hearthandhealth.org or book a free connection call at (434) 227-8141. Follow on social media @hearth_and_health.

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In today’s always-on world, stress seems to have become an accepted part of modern life. Between professional demands, family life, and the constant digital distraction, stress bombards us every day. Though it is most commonly linked to negatively impacting mental and cardiovascular health, stress’s effect on oral health is frequently overlooked—yet significant.

Dr. Cone, with OMS Nashville, is Dual-Board Certified, a Diplomate of the American Board of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery and the National Board of Dental Anesthesiology, and is very familiar with the effects of stress on oral health.

Stress can quietly manifest in the mouth long before patients realize anything is wrong. “Oral health is deeply connected to what’s happening elsewhere in the body,” Dr. Cone explained. “When stress becomes chronic, it doesn’t just alter sleep or mood—it shows up in jaw tension, inflammation, decreased immunity, and even infection.”

One of the most common stress-related conditions dentists and oral surgeons encounter is bruxism, or teeth grinding. Often occurring during sleep, bruxism can wear down enamel, fracture teeth and restorations, and place excessive strain on the jaw joint. Patients may wake up with headaches, facial soreness, or stiffness without immediately connecting those symptoms to stress.

One of the best ways to prevent grinding teeth at night is to wear a mouthguard while sleeping. Without treatment for teeth grinding, one can break or crack teeth or wear them down, which may ultimately lead to damage that cannot be repaired. Teeth may require surgical removal or dental implants to replace them.

Beyond grinding, temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders can also be exacerbated by stress. TMJ disorders include a variety of conditions affecting the joints that connect the lower jaw to the skull, as well as the muscles responsible for chewing. Symptoms may include jaw pain, stiffness, or clicking and popping sounds during movement. These issues arise when the jaw joints and the muscles of mastication (chewing muscles) are not functioning correctly together.

Advances in diagnostic techniques and treatment options have made TMJ disorders more readily identifiable and manageable. It should be noted that certain TMJ conditions can progress if left untreated, making early evaluation and appropriate care an essential role in preventing more serious complications. “The jaw is a natural place where people hold tension,” Dr. Cone noted. “When stress isn’t addressed, the constant muscle tension can lead to headaches, facial pain, and joint discomfort.”

Even though occasional periods of stress occur every day, prolonged daily stress can gradually undermine the body’s immune defenses. Cortisol plays an essential role in regulating the body’s inflammation, but when chronic stress disrupts that normal function, inflammatory responses can become out of control.

Over time, this imbalance may affect overall health and the condition of the mouth and gums, making the gums more susceptible to infection and slower to heal after dental procedures. This can increase the risk of periodontal disease, which has been linked not only to tooth loss but also to broader systemic conditions such as high blood pressure, gastrointestinal issues, or back pain, to mention a few.

A warning sign that is regularly overlooked is dry mouth, which can be caused by stress or by medications used to manage anxiety. With less saliva to naturally protect teeth and gums, bacteria can multiply more easily, increasing the risk of cavities and leaving the mouth feeling uncomfortable and dry.

At OMS Nashville, Dr. Cone takes a comprehensive approach—one that looks beyond isolated symptoms. “We encourage patients to see oral health as part of their overall wellness,” he said. “Sometimes treating the physical issue also means addressing the lifestyle factors contributing to it.”

That approach may include custom oral appliances to protect teeth from grinding, minimally invasive surgical procedures when necessary, and close coordination with general dentists and other healthcare providers. Equally important is patient education. Helping patients understand the connection between stress and oral health equips people to make life changes and adopt habits that go far beyond the dental chair.

Simple strategies—like improving sleep quality, managing daily stress, and maintaining consistent oral hygiene—can have a meaningful impact. Routine dental checkups are also an integral part, enabling early detection of potential issues before they become more serious.

In a time when holistic wellness is gaining more attention, oral health deserves a seat at the table. With proper oral care and awareness, it can lead to improved habits, lasting comfort, and a stronger foundation for overall well-being and oral health. As Dr. Cone emphasized, “The mouth is not isolated from the rest of the body—it is an integral part of overall health. When we listen carefully to the signs it provides, we often identify conditions that extend well beyond the teeth and gums. Routine dental care is critical to detect and manage oral disease early, often preventing the need for more invasive surgical intervention and reducing the risk of systemic health consequences.”

Dr. Cone joined OMS Nashville in 2020 and enjoys practicing a full scope of oral surgery, including wisdom teeth removal, dental implants, orthognathic surgery, facial cosmetics, TMJ, and oral pathology. To make an appointment, call (931) 208-0216 or visit omsnashville.com.

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