What if we told you that gum disease is linked with all sorts of other health issues such as heart disease, diabetes, pneumonia, birth defects, and chronic respiratory illness? If that were true—which it is—wouldn’t you want a dentist who doesn’t just look at your mouth, but instead looks at your whole body and health at once? That is the guiding principle behind natural dentistry.
Read more below from Dr. Lerner at The Center for Holistic Dentistry to learn about natural dentistry and whether or not it’s right for you.
What is Natural Dentistry?
All dentists are aware of the oral-systemic link (a fancy way of saying how your oral health relates to your overall health), but different dentists and dental offices can be more or less committed to dental practices that consider your whole body. The goal of natural dentistry is to work holistically with your body’s natural functions of everyday life and healing. Natural dentistry is also called holistic dentistry or biocompatible dentistry. This means that natural dentistry doesn’t just preserve your oral health but can actually help you be healthier overall.
Natural dentistry uses minimally invasive procedures that do not harm the natural flow of your body’s healing process. Holistic dentists consider how a dental treatment will affect your whole body before deciding on a treatment plan. Many natural dentists provide metal-free fillings as they are concerned with mercury toxicity, and often provide safe removal of old metal amalgam fillings.
Natural or holistic dentistry considers your health history, your diet and lifestyle, your emotional well-being, and your environment when offering dental diagnostics, treatments, and lab work. We carefully consider the materials used for their biocompatibility with your unique body’s chemistry.
Natural dentists believe in the power of prevention. It’s easier to avoid a problem before it starts than to try and treat it later. They will regularly screen for gum disease and oral cancer as well as ask about any other health concerns you have. The goal is to determine the root cause of your problems, rather than just treating your symptoms to help you achieve your best health for the rest of your life.
Is Natural Dentistry Right for Me?
If you’re wondering if natural dentistry is right for you, here are a few questions you should ask yourself in the decision-making process.
- Do you prefer natural alternatives to traditional western medicine?
- Do you prefer to buy organic food?
- Are you concerned with toxins?
- Do you think prevention is the best medicine?
- Do you value natural, chemical-free products?
- Do you believe a poor diet is the root of most health problems?
If you answered yes to any or all of the above, you may want to consider switching to a natural dentist or holistic dentist that aligns with your values.
Finding a Natural Dentist
Whether or not the word “natural” or “holistic” is in the name, many dental offices treat the whole patient, not just the teeth. If you want to find a natural dentist, it’s most important to ask thorough questions of the dentist you visit. Ask about how their practice works with the body’s natural functions and how treatments interact with your lifestyle and environment.
At The Center for Holistic Dentistry, we would be more than happy to answer those questions for you. You can also search for holistic dental care on the Holistic Dental Association website. This is a group committed to improving natural dental practices and patients’ lives through holistic dentistry.
We know there is a lot of skepticism surrounding buzzwords like “natural” nowadays, but knowing what you now know about natural dentistry, we think it’s safe to say it’s no scam. Natural dentistry simply seeks to care for the whole body, rather than just the teeth using the most biocompatible materials and treatments possible.
If you’re interested in natural dental care in Yorktown Heights or have any other questions, make an appointment to see us soon!
Sources
http://periolinks.com/2015/09/29/elevating-dental-care-to-whole-health-care/