Integrative Health Blog

4 Key Reasons to Choose a Biological Dentist

Posted by admin on Tue, Oct 27, 2020

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The health of your oral cavity extensively affects the overall health of your body. 

Stated in another way, you cannot have a healthy body without a healthy mouth. Biological dentists promote dental treatments to build health and wellbeing, using non-toxic dental materials and recognizing that the mouth is an integral part of the body.

How does the health of your mouth impact your overall health?

Infections of the teeth, gums, jaw bone and tonsils

Studies have shown that plaque in the mouth results in ongoing inflammation which contributes to periodontal (gum) disease, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, even heart attacks and dementia. Jaw bone infections (cavitations) and oral cavity microbes will spread to other parts of the body. Studies suggest the oral bacteria enter the bloodstream resulting in inflammation that can affect organs and tissues throughout the body. Without a healthy mouth your immune system will become compromised in its ability to fight these infecting microbes.

Toxicity or incompatibility of dental materials placed in the mouth

There are several regularly used dental materials which are potentially toxic.   Mercury in “silver fillings” is the most toxic of these materials.   It is a powerful neurotoxin and chronic exposure to mercury vapor from amalgams may affect overall health, particularly in those with an allergy to mercury.   Toxicity and allergenicity must both be considered when placing dental restorations as both will challenge the body.

Mercury fillings implanted in your mouth or under crowns can outgas large amounts of mercury vapor, and negatively impact the digestive, detoxification and immune systems and contribute to a chronic inflammatory condition in the bowel and the body.

The physical orientation and contact of the jaws and teeth

The position of the jaws and teeth can affect chewing, swallowing and proper breathing. Misalignment of the teeth and jaws affects the bite and makes teeth more prone to damage and decay.  In severe cases misalignment will affect speaking, breathing and your gums. What is little known is that jaw misalignment can affect posture and the alignment of the spine and pelvis.  It is critical for a biological dentist to understand how impactful the mouth is to overall health.

The effects of these three factors (toxic materials, oral infections and tooth and jaw alignment) may affect other areas of the body such as the spine, cardiovascular system, immune system and more.   When unraveling a person’s chronic health problems the health of the mouth must be considered.

This brings us to the importance and relevance of biological dentistry.  Biological dentists look at these oral conditions and how to treat them not only for their mechanical resolution, as a conventional dentist would, but how a patient’s health is affected before, during and after treatment.

4 Important Reasons to Consider Biological or Holistic Dentists

1. Biological Dentists Treat the Whole Person

Holistic or biological dentists consider the whole person and your overall health status prior to any procedure.  Your health history, diet, stress level are all critical to consider.

The dentist must be aware of how toxic or bio-incompatible dental materials may hurt their patients, how oral cavity infections may spread to every part of the body and how the bite affects their structure, immune and nervous systems. They look beyond the mouth to the health of the whole body. Tooth decay prevention should consider a patient's microbiome (probiotic population), oral hygiene, the immune system and biochemical balance. It is important to note the use of fluoride is controversial. NIHA dentists choose to avoid fluoride but leave the ultimate choice to the patient.

Dental treatment should be safe and effective while minimally impacting the rest of your body.

2. Biological Dentists Use Non-toxic Dental Materials, Compatible with Human Bodies

We use non-toxic materials such as metal-free implants and ceramic fillings that are bio-compatible, safe and effective- and will not adversely affect the human body. We can test to see which material may be more immunologically compatible to your system prior to dental restoration or implants.

National Integrated Health Associates' dentists have been pioneers for mercury-free and mercury-safe dentistry for over 25 years, and use mercury-free dental materials that are compatible to your body and will not disrupt the immune system.

3. Alternatives to Mercury

If your mouth is a source of toxicity with mercury fillings– you should consider that it is harder to detoxify and support your immune system with mercury restorations in the mouth. How your body handles toxicity of any type is highly individualized. Some will have a good genetic and detoxification capacity to temporarily handle mercury toxicity.    Others, and this includes many people with chronic disease, will have limited capacity to get rid of this “bad stuff,” which will have accumulated over time.

Removing the source of mercury is only the first step in alleviating the body of this toxic metal. The second step is to remove or reduce the accumulated toxins in your body. If your physician recommends mercury filling removal, or you have decided that your amalgams should be removed, we use state-of-the-art equipment and the scientifically validated safest protocol to protect you, the dentist, our support staff and the environment. Once the mercury is removed, your integrative doctor or health coach can help you with simple-to-implement strategies for your step-by-step detoxification program.

4. Natural Options for Healing

What natural options can be incorporated into treatment? Many biological dentists incorporate important disciplines in nutrition, homeopathy, naturopathy and osteopathy.

We can provide natural options during dental treatments such as immune-boosting and natural pain relief supplements as well as non-pharmaceutical options to calm the body and relieve anxiety before and after dental surgery.

It is important to know that the dentists at National Integrated Health Associates (NIHA) work closely with the physicians, chiropractors and acupuncturists in the same clinic setting.   This allows dental patients at NIHA to receive the highest quality integrative dental treatment.

Dental Health: A critical component for overall health

For the healthiest outcomes patients should educate themselves about the importance of dental health, then find a holistic, biologic dentist who will listen and treat according to biological dental principals, i.e. the mouth as an integral part of the whole body.   Of course biologic dental principals must include the delivery of excellent dentistry. 

The goal of biological dentistry at National Integrated Health Associates  is to use the most safe, effective, non-invasive treatment for your oral health and overall health while supporting the body’s innate capacity to heal.

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Topics: holistic dentistry, biological dentist