I'm 71 years old, and I just added something new to my longevity protocol: NAD+ injections.

Yes, injections. A small needle, everyday of the week, right into the belly fat. If that sounds extreme to you, stick with me. Because the reason I'm doing this might be the most important thing you read today.

What Is NAD+ and Why Should You Care?

NAD+ stands for nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide. Don't worry about pronouncing it. Here's what you need to know: it's a molecule found in every single cell of your body, and your cells cannot produce energy without it.

NAD+ powers your mitochondria. It fuels DNA repair. It activates sirtuins, the so-called “longevity genes” that researchers like Dr. David Sinclair have been studying for decades.

And here's the problem. By the time you hit your 60s and 70s, your NAD+ levels may have dropped to half or less of what they were in your 20s. Some researchers believe this decline is one of the core drivers of aging itself. Less NAD+ means less cellular energy, slower repair, more fatigue, foggier thinking.

I'm running a long-term experiment on myself. My goal is to live to 200 in peak health. Letting one of my body's most critical molecules quietly drain away is not part of the plan.

Most people think about dental health the same way they think about getting an oil change. Something you do because you're supposed to. A maintenance task. A checkbox.

That thinking could be costing you years of your life.

The research is now clear: your oral health is one of the most powerful — and most overlooked — predictors of how long and how well you live. At 71, running my own longevity experiment and tracking every biomarker I can get my hands on, I've come to treat my mouth the same way I treat my heart, my brain, and my mitochondria. As a system that needs active protection.

Here's what the science says — and what I'm doing about it.

The Mouth-Body Connection Is Real

For decades, dentistry and medicine operated in separate silos. Your dentist handled your teeth. Your doctor handled everything else. That model is now officially obsolete.

Certain pathogenic oral bacteria — particularly Porphyromonas gingivalis — have been linked to systemic inflammation and a variety of chronic diseases including Alzheimer's disease, cardiovascular disease, respiratory diseases, and even pancreatic cancer. These bacteria don't stay in your mouth. They enter your bloodstream, travel to your organs, and cause damage far from where they originated.

Oral bacteria have literally been found in arterial plaques and brain tissue. Let that sink in. The bacteria living in your gums can end up in your heart and your brain. This is not a theory. This is what researchers are finding when they open arteries.