What is holistic dentistry?
Holistic dentistry focuses on a person as a whole. We don't just look at your teeth and your gums. We look at your mouth as a part of your body. As you know, your mouth is the beginning of your digestive system. When we do our exam, before we even look at your teeth, we make sure that we don't see any markers of inflammation or any precursors to systemic diseases.
Holistic dentistry also focuses on our environment. We make sure that our office doesn't add any pollutants to your system. We respect the environment and respect your body. Every time we clean our office, we clean it with you in mind. We don't use any harsh chemicals. We don't use any fragrance. We don't use anything that can potentially harm your immune system. We also use very high-quality, biocompatible dental materials. We make sure there is no BPA in our materials and no BPA derivatives that a lot of materials are trying to hide. We recommend specific products that will benefit your overall health. And we make sure that everything we do in the office benefits you and doesn't harm you.
How does a holistic dentist look at oral health?
A holistic dentist, as I mentioned before, looks at your mouth as a part of your body. Very often, I talk to people about their hormones, their diet, and some vitamin deficiencies. A lot of patients bring the concerns that we discuss in our office to their own physicians, doctors, or naturopaths, and they can explore them a little more. A lot of deficiencies in minerals or vitamins can actually manifest in your mouth first, before anyone else notices them. We can see all the imbalances, and we can talk about them.
What is biological dentistry?
Biological dentistry is dentistry that is completed with your whole body in mind. Everything we do is very minimal and very conservative. We're not trying to change anything in your mouth. We're trying to restore the function that we are designed to have to begin with. Anything we do in your mouth is very conservative. We think it through. We know the final destination before we even start our journey. The goal of biological dentistry is to mimic what was given to us by nature.
What types of treatments are offered by holistic and naturopathic dentists?
The types of treatments that are offered by holistic and naturopathic dentists include therapy with ozone. It's water and gas. We also do saliva testing to check your biomarkers for inflammation, to see what kind of microbiome you have, and then we can customize a treatment plan for you that is based on the idea of restoring the balance in your mouth to prevent any future disease.
Is holistic dentistry rooted in research?
Holistic treatment and holistic dentistry in general are rooted deeply in research. The research papers are not sponsored by any organizations, and we actually use research from many different countries. Yes, everything we do is supported by evidence-based clinical research.
Is holistic dentistry safe?
Holistic dentistry is not only safe, it's actually safer than traditional dentistry because we eliminate a lot of toxins. They can become a burden on your body over time.
What is a holistic alternative to dental implants?
A holistic alternative to dental implants would be possibly placing ceramic implants or maybe doing nothing. Everyone's body is different. First, we have to make sure that you have a healthy foundation to support any choice that you're going to make.
Is holistic dentistry part of general dental care and covered by insurance?
Holistic dentistry is a part of your general dental care. We do bill your insurance for the procedures that we provide, but we can add some elective procedures like ozone therapy or saliva testing. Unfortunately, your insurance is not going to cover those, but it's very important that you take care of your health yourself. Most holistic dental treatments are covered by your insurance, just like general dentistry.
Can children see a holistic dentist?
I encourage parents to look for a holistic pediatric dentist for their kids because it's important that we start treating our teeth right from the beginning, because, to be honest with you, every time we touch a tooth, we have to retouch it. Everything we do as dentists needs to be replaced. If we start with a healthy mouth and healthy teeth, maybe we can avoid that cycle of constantly redoing and retouching the teeth.
What is the experience like in a functional holistic dental office?
The experience in a functional holistic dental office is very similar to the experience in a general dental office. It looks pretty much the same from the outside. What makes us different is what we use and how we treat your body and our clinic in terms of eliminating toxins or any other burdens on your immune system. But when you walk in, you might not even notice the difference until we start having some deeper conversations about your oral health.
How does holistic dentistry eliminate toxins?
One way holistic dentistry eliminates toxins is through the way we clean our office and our equipment. We don't use any harsh chemicals. They can actually linger on surfaces for quite some time, and every time the patient or one of the providers touches the surface, it can potentially be absorbed through their skin and affect their whole body. The way we clean our office is with very natural but medically graded solutions. You can actually come and see the way we make them. It is very effective. In fact, a lot of hospitals use that system.
How do you approach amalgam silver fillings?
Another way we care about toxins and ecology in general is the way we approach amalgam, or silver fillings. Every time we remove the silver fillings in your mouth, we use a lot of precautions, and it makes it a little bit different of an experience, but we want to make sure there is no amalgam vapor being generated. You can stay safe, I can stay safe, and everyone else in the office can stay safe during the process.
How does holistic dentistry minimize ecological impact?
Holistic dentistry tries to minimize the ecological impact of our office as well. When we remove amalgam silver fillings, they actually have mercury in them. We try to catch the vapor at a lot of different points so it doesn't go into the environment or the water system. We also try to use less plastic. We use a lot of bamboo and glass around our office.
At GloWell Dental, you come first. Whether you need dental care or simply have questions, call us at (586) 203-3057 or email [email protected] to schedule your visit. Our team is here to help you every step of the way.