Know More About Holistic Dentistry
When we hear the term 'holistic' is being used in the field of dentistry, we know that it deals with the wellness of the whole body and not just the oral cavity itself.
Obviously, the health of your teeth and gums are closely related to the rest of your body.
This is one of the basic principles of holistic dentistry and practicing experts will explain this view to all patients because it's important that they believe it too.
You may have heard of instances where people have been fatally ill after an infection that occurred in their mouth - this is because disease-causing germs often gain entry to the body through your mouth.
An infection can easily spread to the entire system through the blood vessels connected to the oral cavity.
Past and ongoing research supports the connection between gum disease and heart disease, diabetes and even pregnancy.
Every dentist knows and understands this link but some of them are not trained to address the long-term effects of oral health on the whole body.
This gap is what holistic dentistry hopes to fill.
So what are the basic differences between traditional dentistry that most of us are accustomed to, and holistic dentistry? Some of the so-called traditional dentists may incorporate holistic methods, such as those involving the face and neck, to provide better care for his patients and vice versa.
The true holistic dentists will perform all their work acutely conscious to the fact that what they are doing should be beneficial to the whole body and not just correcting problems of the teeth and the gums.
This is where the differences can be seen and some of them are outlined below.
Mercury fillings - In traditional dentistry, mercury fillings are used because they are long-lasting and certified by the American Dental Association (ADA) and the national Food and Drug Association (FDA) as safe and stable (negligible amounts are assumed to leak into the body).
Dentists also prefer them because they are usually easy to position when compared to composite fillings.
But holistic dentistry does not authorize the use of mercury, considering that even tiny amounts can be toxic to the body and risky to overall health.
Holistic dentists will also be extremely cautious when removing mercury fillings due to this reason.
Root canals If a tooth cannot be saved by a normal filling, more often than not, a traditional dentist will suggest a root canal treatment (also known as a root filling).
In this process, an infected, badly decayed tooth which is dying or already dead can be kept intact for many years, without any problems.
It is a treatment that has a long history and a high success rate.
Most patients consider it the best option because they can keep their natural teeth.
However, holistic dentists are not in favor of this procedure because it cannot be a success unless the bacteria are completely removed (100%, and not 99.
9%).
Research has shown that such sterilization is impossible leading to the assumption that over a long period, patients who have been treated this way are at risk of developing health complications such as breast cancer and heart disease.
Further, chemicals such as formaldehyde used for this sterilization process can also be toxic to the body.
Another differing issue is fluoride, which reduces cavities when applied to teeth regularly in the form of toothpaste or, less frequently, as gel.
Based on the view of holistic dentists, ingested fluoride can lead to cancers and bone problems.
So next time you opt for teeth whitening in NC, consider your options and choose a dental practitioner whose principles are similar to your overall health considerations.
Obviously, the health of your teeth and gums are closely related to the rest of your body.
This is one of the basic principles of holistic dentistry and practicing experts will explain this view to all patients because it's important that they believe it too.
You may have heard of instances where people have been fatally ill after an infection that occurred in their mouth - this is because disease-causing germs often gain entry to the body through your mouth.
An infection can easily spread to the entire system through the blood vessels connected to the oral cavity.
Past and ongoing research supports the connection between gum disease and heart disease, diabetes and even pregnancy.
Every dentist knows and understands this link but some of them are not trained to address the long-term effects of oral health on the whole body.
This gap is what holistic dentistry hopes to fill.
So what are the basic differences between traditional dentistry that most of us are accustomed to, and holistic dentistry? Some of the so-called traditional dentists may incorporate holistic methods, such as those involving the face and neck, to provide better care for his patients and vice versa.
The true holistic dentists will perform all their work acutely conscious to the fact that what they are doing should be beneficial to the whole body and not just correcting problems of the teeth and the gums.
This is where the differences can be seen and some of them are outlined below.
Mercury fillings - In traditional dentistry, mercury fillings are used because they are long-lasting and certified by the American Dental Association (ADA) and the national Food and Drug Association (FDA) as safe and stable (negligible amounts are assumed to leak into the body).
Dentists also prefer them because they are usually easy to position when compared to composite fillings.
But holistic dentistry does not authorize the use of mercury, considering that even tiny amounts can be toxic to the body and risky to overall health.
Holistic dentists will also be extremely cautious when removing mercury fillings due to this reason.
Root canals If a tooth cannot be saved by a normal filling, more often than not, a traditional dentist will suggest a root canal treatment (also known as a root filling).
In this process, an infected, badly decayed tooth which is dying or already dead can be kept intact for many years, without any problems.
It is a treatment that has a long history and a high success rate.
Most patients consider it the best option because they can keep their natural teeth.
However, holistic dentists are not in favor of this procedure because it cannot be a success unless the bacteria are completely removed (100%, and not 99.
9%).
Research has shown that such sterilization is impossible leading to the assumption that over a long period, patients who have been treated this way are at risk of developing health complications such as breast cancer and heart disease.
Further, chemicals such as formaldehyde used for this sterilization process can also be toxic to the body.
Another differing issue is fluoride, which reduces cavities when applied to teeth regularly in the form of toothpaste or, less frequently, as gel.
Based on the view of holistic dentists, ingested fluoride can lead to cancers and bone problems.
So next time you opt for teeth whitening in NC, consider your options and choose a dental practitioner whose principles are similar to your overall health considerations.
Source...