Your oral health is a key element to your overall health. This includes the oral microbiome. When the oral microbiome is imbalanced, it can negatively affect your health and increase the risk of disease, inflammation, and other symptoms.
Taking care of your oral health should be a daily endeavor, and holistic dental care is an option over conventional dentistry. This is a holistic approach to dental care that involves addressing lifestyle, nutrition, physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health as well. Holistic dentists use toxin-free materials that are safer than other modern-day dental materials.
Let’s take a deeper look at holistic dentistry, the importance of the oral microbiome, issues with conventional dentistry, and the primary strategies that holistic dentists use.
What is holistic dental care?
Holistic dental care is alternative, complementary, and natural dental care. It is sometimes called biological dental care, natural dental care, progressive dental care, alternative dental care, integrative dental care, or biocompatible dental care.
Holistic dentistry approaches oral health from a broad view of your overall health. It considers your entire body and your general health. Your diet, lifestyle, and overall health affects your dental and oral health, and your dental and oral health affects your whole body as well. It has become increasingly popular because of its holistic approach to dental care and the oral microbiome as a part of your overall health.
Holistic dental care differs from conventional dentistry in many ways. Conventional dental care focuses solely on diagnosis and treatment of teeth, gums, and jaw whereas holistic dental care focuses on your total health and you as a person.
What to expect with holistic dentistry
Traditional dental care mainly focuses on brushing, flossing, and filling. Brushing and flossing are critical for prevention and care, and fillings are sometimes necessary to prevent further damage. But there is more to holistic dentistry.
Holistic dental care emphasizes the effects of nutrition on the oral microbiome and oral health. Alternative strategies used may include nutrition education, nutritional strategies, dietary supplementation, and minimally invasive treatment options.
Holistic dental practices offer digital x-rays and other safer diagnostic alternatives to regular x-rays used at traditional dental clinics. This reduces your exposure to radiation twice a year. Radiation can increase your risk of cancer and other health issues.
Holistic dentists use composite fillings rather than amalgam because of toxicity issues. They opt not to use root canals due to the chemicals and safety concerns. They advise against using fluoride toothpaste and opt for herbal toothpaste and mouthwash.
The importance of the oral microbiome
Your oral microbiome is part of your entire human microbiome. Your body is home to many species of bacteria and other microbes. We live in a symbiotic relationship with them. Many of them are healthy microbes that help us thrive. Other bacteria and microbes are harmful to our health. These beneficial and harmful microbes need to stay in balance inside your body, including your oral cavity.
Your oral microbiome is important for your oral and dental health and the health of your entire body. Poor oral care and an imbalanced oral microbiome are linked to oral disease, diabetes, obesity, and cancer.
The oral microbiome and chronic disease
Your mouth contains many bacterial organisms. Beneficial bacteria help carry ionic minerals from your saliva to your teeth. They aid remineralization and transport molecular oxygen to your gums. They also help protect against harmful microbes, environmental toxins, and infections.
Harmful bacteria and other pathogens can damage your oral health. When there is an imbalance in favor of harmful pathogens, it can disrupt the homeostasis of the oral microbiome. Plaque is one sign of an imbalance.
Your oral microbiome mostly consists of aerobic bacteria that need oxygen to live. A well-oxygenated and balanced environment offers a thin, clear, and protective layer of biofilm. In an imbalanced environment, this biofilm changes into a layer that eventually turns into plaque. Other signs of an oral microbiome imbalance include cavities, gum disease, tooth decay, bleeding gums, bad breath, and pain.
Oral microbiome imbalance can be the result of poor dental hygiene, low pH in the mouth, a diet high in carbohydrates and refined sugar, and chronic stress. Holistic dentists will want you to address these issues.
Problems with modern dentistry
Holistic dentistry avoids certain materials and procedures that are used in conventional dentistry.
Root Canals
Root canals are performed in certain circumstances such as a cavity that is too deep for a regular filling, a crack close to or hitting the gum line, and issues that cause infection, damage, tooth erosion, gum disease, or other inflammatory risks. The objective is to eliminate the source of the pain and save the remaining tooth to avoid extraction. This procedure removes the soft center of the tooth called the pulp. The pulp is made up of nerves, blood vessels, and connective tissue that allow your tooth to grow and thrive. After a root canal, the tooth is usually capped with a crown to avoid the risk of cracking and further damage.
Root canal treatments have been around for hundreds of years. Early in the 20th century, many dentists believed that root canals could increase the risk of future health complications and trigger chronic diseases or sepsis. However, with the development of x-rays and other diagnostic tools, modern-day dentistry deemed root canal treatments safe. According to the ADA, root canals are safe and are commonly used in traditional dentistry.
However, there are many issues with root canals. There are technological limitations, including toxic fillings, imperfect seals, instrument breakage, inflammation, missing an infection, and other diseases. It is impossible to kill all the pathogens inside a tooth. Bacteria can exist in teeth after a root canal even in asymptomatic patients.
Root canals may result in secondary infections and provide a safe harbor for pathogens. Even when a tooth is completely sealed creating an oxygen-free environment, anaerobic bacteria may still thrive. These bacteria are also called inflammophilic because they love inflammation. They can secrete endotoxins to your body increasing vascular permeability and increasing your risk of disease.
In addition, root canals can result in asymptomatic, chronic, and systemic inflammation that causes serious health problems. Oral infections exacerbate chronic diseases, including arthritis, peptic ulcer, inflammatory bowel disease, and more.
Amalgam/silver fillings
Getting fillings is a common dental procedure. Dental amalgam has been used for over 150 years. It is a mix of liquid (elemental) mercury and powdered alloy created by silver, copper, and tin. Elemental mercury makes up over half of the weight of amalgam fillings and helps bind the other particles together.
The American Dental Association says that amalgam fillings are safe. They are cost-effective and durable. However, there are problems.
Dental amalgam silver fillings can be harmful to your health. Every time you chew, a small amount of mercury will escape from the filling. Drinking hot tea, coffee, or other liquids or eating hot foods will also enable the escape of mercury vapors from your silver filling.
Even low-grade mercury toxicity is problematic especially when it’s long-term and chronic exposure. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), mercury toxicity can lead to a list of health issues, including headaches, migraines, insomnia, fatigue, tremors, nerve damage, respiratory problems, respiratory failure, and kidney problems. In addition, amalgam fillings may increase your risk of headaches, migraines, brain fog, fatigue, fibromyalgia-like symptoms, chronic pain, digestive issues, and other chronic symptoms and health issues.
Fluoride
Fluoride is commonly found in our soil, water, and foods. Conventional dentistry says that it helps reduce the risk of cavities. As a result, fluoride is added to tap water in many cities. It is added to toothpaste. And, many dentists offer fluoride treatments such as prescription fluoride toothpaste to remineralize your teeth.
However, high fluoride exposure may increase your risk of cognitive problems. Prenatal fluoride exposure can increase the risk of hyperactivity, lower IQ levels, and cognitive problems. Other research found that fluoride, aluminum, and sodium in water may increase the risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Fluoride may also increase the risk of cancer.
Fluoride may also increase the risk of hormonal health issues, hypothyroidism, and diabetes. Fluoride may affect the pineal gland and puberty. Low-level fluoride in water may help insulin sensitivity suggesting that higher levels may contribute to insulin resistance and the risk of diabetes.
The development of cavitation
The development of cavitation is another risk of conventional dentistry. Cavitation is a hole in the bone that can develop when the tooth has been extracted but it doesn’t heal. When the periodontal membrane is left behind after the extraction, the healing is usually incomplete leaving a spongy space or a hole in your jaw bone.
While many dentists can see cavitation as a problem, cavitation can present a serious issue. Inside a cavitation, anaerobic bacteria can grow and produce toxins. Cavitation may increase your risk of chronic inflammation, chronic fatigue, chronic pain, digestion problems, and other chronic health issues.
Methods used in holistic dental care
Choosing holistic dental care over traditional dental care will help you avoid the problems listed above. They use much safer techniques that can help to improve your dental, oral, and overall health. Here are the primary methods used in holistic dental care:
Non-fluoride-based dental care
Holistic dental care uses non-fluoride-based dental care. This includes fluoride-free toothpaste and tooth products. In addition, many holistic dentists recommend the use of oral water irrigation with a hydro floss irrigator. Using a hydro floss is effective for plaques, gingivitis, and calculus. Research showed that it can inhibit plaque 64 percent more effectively than other irrigators.
Safe mercury removal techniques
Removing amalgam fillings safely is very important. Going to a conventional dentist can be problematic. Many will drill the filling out, which enables mercury-filled particles to remain in your mouth. This may increase the risk of toxicity and long-term health issues.
Holistic dentists use the Safe Mercury Amalgam Removal Technique (SMART) protocol to safely remove any silver dental fillings you may have. Holistic dentists use an amalgam separator to collect mercury amalgam waste. They have a high-volume air filtration system in place, such as an oral aerosol vacuum, to remove any amalgam particles and mercury vapor that may be generated during the removal of the filling.
The dentists and assistants wear protective gowns and covers, non-latex gloves, face shields, and hair coverings to avoid the spread of mercury particles from patient to dentist. This also helps prevent the spread of infections. Patients are protected with a full-body impermeable barrier and a non-latex dental dam around the tooth. Dentists use a saliva ejector under the dental dam and an oral aerosol vacuum to lower mercury exposure.
Holistic dentists recommend charcoal, chlorella, or other similar natural absorbents for both rinsing and to be taken orally before the removal of the filling to reduce toxicity. They use the same after the procedure to eliminate the chance of toxicity. They may also use ozonated water.
Dental ozone therapy
Holistic dentists also offer dental ozone therapy to reduce bacteria, pathogens, and infections. If you are dealing with tooth decay, dental ozone therapy can disinfect your entire mouth during your dental procedure to reduce the risk of further issues. Dental ozone therapy can reduce deterioration in periodontal disease. And ozone therapy is beneficial in dental and oral medicine.
Advanced laser therapy
Holistic dentists also use advanced laser therapy. The laser may be used for prevention, treatment, restoration, growth modulation, wound healing, and dentinal hypersensitivity in holistic dental care.
Advanced laser therapy can help to cut both hard and soft tissue more easily than conventional methods. This technique is safe and causes less pain and discomfort. You will require no shots and feel no pain. There is less harm to your soft tissues, less risk of bleeding, swelling, cracked tooth, discomfort, and sensitivity.
Platelet-rich fibrin therapy
Platelet-rich fibrin therapy (PRF) may be used for cavitation in holistic dental care. Platelet-rich fibrin therapy can reduce the risk of infections, lower inflammation, and accelerate healing after dental surgery, such as wisdom teeth or other teeth extraction. Platelet-rich fibrin can reduce pain, improve wound healing, and reduce the risk of dry sockets. Platelet-rich fibrin therapy can reduce pain levels, periodontal probing depth, and dry sockets after molar extraction.
Final thoughts
Your dental and oral health is an integral element of your overall health. Your oral microbiome and dental health affect your entire body. If your oral microbiome is imbalanced and you have dental health issues, it can harm your overall well-being and increase the risk of inflammation, symptoms, and disease. Holistic dental care uses safer strategies, including safer yet modern technology, toxin-free herbal care, detoxification strategies, and nutrition and lifestyle recommendations.