The word ‘holistic’ has many interpretations in society and quite a few misunderstandings. The word actually comes from ‘wholistic’, which is a philosophy that has your overall wellbeing at its core.
Holistic dentistry does most definitely look after your oral health, but in a way that benefits your entire wellbeing too.
We know that the condition of your mouth and any issues with it can have far-reaching effects. For example, we know that gum disease has an influence over heart disease and diabetes and can affect pregnancies. This is medical fact. Holistic dentistry has this kind of cause and effect at its core and ensures we always look at your overall health as well as just your mouth.
The holistic dentistry difference
So let us look at some specifics that makes holistic dentistry different from traditional dentistry.
Mercury fillings – Mercury was used for many years to fill holes in teeth and is still used in some states to this day. We learned at school that mercury is toxic and even though the ADA says it is safe, we don’t think so. As holistic dentists, we don’t use mercury and will happily remove mercury fillings and replace them with something much safer.
Fluoride – Fluoride has been popular in dentistry for decades. Many traditional dentists have advocated adding it to drinking water, into toothpaste and other products to help our oral health. It isn’t a magic bullet and there is increasing evidence that ingested fluoride can bring its own complications. There are safer, more naturally effective alternatives that we use to achieve the same goals.
Biocompatibility – Biocompatibility is a medical term for how acceptable a material is to your body. Mercury is not biocompatible because it is a toxin. Traditional dentists do not consider biocompatibility when treating patients. If it is approved, it is used. But not everything approved is completely healthy. Holistic dentists consider the wider picture and how the materials we use impact the body as a whole.
Procedures – A holistic dentist will always recommend a minimally invasive procedure over a simple one. We consider which solution will best benefit you and your overall wellbeing, regardless of how complicated or lengthy it might be. In essence, any procedure we recommend has to benefit both your oral and overall health and wellbeing. Only if it balances both will we recommend it.
Those are just four of the many differences between holistic dentistry and traditional dentistry. In essence, a traditional dentist will address your oral health directly. A holistic dentist will still do that but will also look at any underlying issues that causes those oral health problems and ensure any remedy works in harmony with the body while still being completely effective as a treatment.
If you would like to explore holistic dentistry further or would like to switch to an experienced holistic dentist, contact us here at Aesthetic Family Dentistry today!
