A Personal Story: Breast Cancer and The Meridian Chart

This is the powerful story about the links between your teeth and the rest of your body… this one discusses breast cancer and root canals as well as the tooth meridian chart and 3D cone beam scans.

Please excuse the audio (and my exhausted look)… I filmed this after a long day of seminars. The story is good enough that I decided to share it despite the poor quality of the video.

Dangers of Dental Mercury – Still Ignored by the FDA despite Recent Warnings

“Exposure to mercury can have serious health consequences,” says Charles Lee, M.D., a senior medical advisor at FDA. “It can damage the kidneys and the nervous system, and interfere with the development of the brain in unborn children and very young children.”

In its ongoing effort to protect the American public from exposure to dangerous levels of mercury, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently issued an updated warning about skin care products, which may contain mercury, specifically anti-aging, skin-lightening beauty lotions and creams. These products are manufactured primarily in other countries and sold illegally in the States—often in ethnic shops and neighborhoods, and made available to consumers online. Studies on the subject of mercury in beauty products observed by the FDA showed that some of the tainted creams have been found to contain mercury levels up to 131,000 times the acceptable limit of mercury.

You don’t have to use the product yourself to be affected, says FDA toxicologist Mike Bolger, Ph.D. “People—particularly children—can get mercury in their bodies from breathing in mercury vapors if a member of the household uses a skin cream containing mercury.” Infants and small children can ingest mercury if they touch their parents who have used these products, get cream on their hands and then put their hands and fingers into their mouth, which they are prone to do, adds Bolger. From this statement it appears that the FDA is becoming more and more informed on the very real dangers mercury poses to the human body. Now, we have to wonder when the FDA will come around to recognizing the same level of danger posed to patients undergoing dental treatments that result in the use of silver amalgams containing seriously high levels of mercury.

The Evidence is Glaring

It isn’t a matter of the FDA not being informed on the scientific evidence behind the danger of dental amalgams; it’s more a matter of their persistence to ignore the facts. The International Academy of Biological Dentistry and Medicine (IABDM), the International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology (IAOMT) as well as the Holistic Dental Association (HDA) all acknowledge critical scientific studies stubbornly overlooked by the FDA, American Dental Association (ADA) and other upholders of the status quo.

The Scientific Advisory Board of the IAOMT stated in a report, aimed at informing and advising the FDA, (authored by noted scientists Boyd Haley, Thomas Burbacher, Louis Chang among others); “Chronic exposure to mercury, even in minute amounts, is known to be toxic and poses significant risks to human health. Current scientific evidence clearly demonstrates that dental amalgam unnecessarily exposes dental patients to substantial amounts of mercury vapor, particulates and other forms and is therefore not a suitable material for dental restoration.”

Furthermore, “It is incompatible with current valid scientific evidence to continue to endorse or otherwise condone the use of a permanently implanted material in teeth that continuously emits a very potent enzyme inhibitor and metabolic toxin. Moreover, mercury’s damaging influence on the developing brain makes dental amalgam an entirely inappropriate material for use in children and women of childbearing age.”

The ADA: In Cahoots with the FDA

By the efforts put forth by the IAOMT and several others notable crusaders against dental mercury use, the facts have been exposed and the FDA is fully informed and aware of the issues. What is one of the biggest factors keeping the FDA’s apparently y stubborn blinders firmly in place? One would have to suspect that the American Dental Association (ADA) is largely to blame.

The alternatives to amalgam based products are economically sound for consumers and quite often less expensive than their mercury based counterparts.  By and large amalgams cost more than glass ionomers, some ceramics and many other non-mercury based products.  In fact, amalgam costs are identical to composite, which is used for smaller cavities, although composite can be slightly more expensive depending on the size of the cavities.  But when you consider the alarming environmental and health catastrophe caused by amalgam, then the real cost of continued amalgam use becomes ever so evident.

The Filling that Keeps on Giving

Sadly, mainstream dentists make more money by enforcing the ‘safe’ use of mercury amalgams.  In this way of thinking, damaged teeth represent money in the pocket rather than concern for the patient’s ongoing healthfulness. For example, aspiring dentists are encouraged to ‘drill, fill, and bill’, a well worn joke in dental school.  Another sinister element in the push to preserve mercury’s hold on the dental industry has to do with guaranteed repeat customers.  Amalgam damages tooth structure leading to fractures in the teeth and as a consequence – often leading to unnecessary root canal procedures, pro-mercury dentists continue to profit from amalgam implants long after the initial placement.

In an effort to keep the profits rolling in, the ADA has pressed its enormous influence on Congress, the Food and Drug Administration, state dental boards and corporate media in an effort to cover up the dangers of amalgam’s mercury.  How did they accomplish this?

By popularizing the misleading term “silver fillings” so consumers would think amalgam is made mainly of silver when it actually contains twice as much the mercury as it does silver.
By mounting an aggressive campaign to silence competitors and critics of this outdated style of dentistry, focused directly on dentists who openly recognized the dangers of mercury amalgams

Help Stop the Use of Dental Amalgam

The ironic twist that a substance as toxic as mercury has been allowed to be implanted into the mouths of unsuspecting men, women and children for so long points directly to the ties between the FDA and the ADA – a situation that consumers need to be made aware of so that action can be taken to keep Americans safe from poisonous mercury products at the dental office.

In order to do that the FDA needs to be forced to listen to its own experts and scientists.  You can help to make that happen by simply calling your congressman or congresswoman and urging them to contact the FDA to make the changes needed to eliminate the use of dental mercury.  To find the name of your member of Congress simply visit their website then call Congress at 202-224-3121 and ask for your state member’s office.

More information:

Mercury Exposure Information: http://www.mercuryexposure.info/
Banning Mercury Amalgams: http://www.fda.gov/downloads/AdvisoryCommittees/CommitteesMeetingMaterials/MedicalDevices/MedicalDevicesAdvisoryCommittee/DentalProductsPanel/UCM236379.pdf

How You Can Prevent Chronic Health Issues

If you knew you could prevent a heart attack or stroke by doing one simple thing every day, twice a day would you do it? If you thought you could avoid developing serious lung diseases or ease existing symptoms of arthritis and diabetes would you think about changing your morning routine to include this simple exercise?

It might surprise you to realize that by simply brushing and flossing your teeth two to four minutes, twice a day you can support not only the health of your teeth, but the health of your entire body as well. Following up these healthy mouth routines with regular dental exams and cleaning visits is sure to keep your teeth and gums healthy for life. And to support what holistic and biological dentists have known all along, research is now indicating that by taking your oral care seriously, you may well prevent some very serious chronic health issues down the road.

Microbes Invade the Body to Create Serious Illnesses

Studies conducted at well respected institutions such as the University of Rochester Medical Center, the College of Dental Medicine and Columbia University – among others – point out significant correlations between gum disease and chronic health issues such as:

• Heart Disease
• Stroke
• Hardening of the Arteries (atherosclerosis)
• COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder)
• Pneumonia
• Diabetes
• Pregnancy, premature delivery & conception issues

Much of the research revolves around the discovery that harmful bacteria, bacteria normally held in check in a healthy oral environment, can multiply out of control in a mouth infected with gum disease or periodontitis.

In a healthy person, the introduction of harmful bacteria into the body from gum disease is normally purged by an active and strong immune system, but in certain people or under circumstances where the immune system is weakened or compromised, this process can lead to devastating consequences. Under these conditions harmful bacteria can enter the bloodstream and travel to vulnerable organs of the body, exacerbating existing health issues such as diabetes and lung diseases – or creating a cascade of events that lead to a ‘perfect storm’ for chronic health issues to develop such as pneumonia, heart attack or stroke.

Recognizing the Early Signs of Gum Disease

If your gums are sore, red and swollen or bleed easily when you floss, you may be one of many Americans with periodontal, or gum disease – some holistic dentists estimate that up to 90 percent of the population suffers from some form of periodontal disease.

In the mouth the tiny space between the tooth and the bone presents the perfect environment for bacteria to collect. Early on in gum disease this bacteria forms into a sticky film called plaque. If this plaque is not removed routinely with good home care techniques, and if the body’s resistance is low, then this bacterial plaque can eventually overwhelm the immune system. The earliest stage of gum disease is known as gingivitis, and left untreated this stage can quickly lead to periodontitis.

How We Can Help You Prevent Chronic Health Issues

Since the bacteria rising from gum disease may spread throughout the body to threaten more than just the teeth and gums, it is important to talk to your dentists about risk factors and treat any infected areas of your mouth as soon as possible.

In a person diagnosed with periodontal disease a holistic dentist will generally use deep cleaning, teeth scaling and root planing to break up bacteria and remove calcified tartar stuck to the teeth. The dentist will follow up this treatment with a tutorial on how to brush, floss and irrigate the teeth to effectively remove plaque and bacteria.

Treatment of oral bacteria with proper tooth cleanings, mouth rinses and good oral care at home can reduce the complication of chronic disorders. Contact our office to learn more about how we can help you to keep not only your gums healthy, but help to ensure overall good health for life.

For more information:

Microbiologists Discover How Cavity-Causing Microbes Invade Heart http://www.urmc.rochester.edu/news/story/index.cfm?id=3240

New Study Shows Gum Disease Can Extend The Time That It Takes For A Woman To Become Pregnant http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/230714.php

Healthy Gums May Lead to Healthy Lungs

http://www.perio.org/consumer/healthy-lungs.htm

Dentists Can Identify People with Undiagnosed Diabetes, Columbia Researchers Show

http://dental.columbia.edu/news/DentistsUndiagnosedDiabetes.htm

Dried Licorice Root Eliminates Bacteria That Cause Tooth Decay and Gum Disease

Research on dried licorice root released in January, published in ACS’s Journal of Natural Products, reports that two of compounds found in licorice, licoricidin and licorisoflavan A, may play a significant role in “treating and preventing tooth decay and gum disease.”

Stefan Gafner and his team of researchers point out that the dried root of the licorice plant is commonly used in traditional Chinese medicine, especially as a way to enhance the activity of other herbal ingredients, or as a flavoring. And herbalists and alternative health practitioners have long known of the many benefits of licorice including; to relieve respiratory ailments such as bronchitis, colds, coughs, congestion, sore throat, and allergies. In addition, it is used for stomach ailments including heartburn from reflux, inflammatory issues, skin conditions (eczema and psoriasis), minor skin infections, and liver problems.

The leading cause of tooth loss is gum disease and tooth decay which is best managed by good oral hygiene practices and regular trips to the dentist, but the discovery of the antibacterial properties of dried licorice root now offers an additional way to stave off these dental health issues. Before using the dried licorice root it is best to take stock of any other prescription drugs you may be using as it has been known to have adverse effects when used with certain prescription drugs.

Glycyrrhizin, one of the more common components found in licorice, has long been believed to contribute to its many therapeutic properties. Additional substances that have been identified in licorice include compounds called flavonoids and various plant estrogens (phytoestrogens). But to test whether the root could combat specific bacteria that cause gum disease and cavities, the researchers focused on the licorice compounds called licoricidin and licorisoflavan A, which tested as the most effective antibacterial substances. Together, these substances killed two of the major bacteria responsible for dental cavities and two of the bacteria that promote gum disease while the substance licoricidin honed in on and killed a third gum disease bacterium. The researchers also indicate that these substances could treat and quite possibly prevent oral infections.

For a list of precautions visit the Herb Library, and/or consult with your physician before taking licorice root supplements.

Chocolate Toothpaste… The Natural Alternative to Fluoride?

Theodent™ Toothpaste with Rennou™-- a Natural Alternative to Fluoride

If you were told you could brush your teeth with chocolate, would you do it? What if you were told that it was a natural alternative to fluoride? Well, we are not quite to that point yet, but we’re getting close: a new toothpaste purports to strengthen tooth enamel naturally by using — what else? — an extract from cocoa.

Theodent™ toothpaste claims to increase “the size of the surface unit crystals of your enamel by four times. Larger unit crystals make your teeth less susceptible to bacterial acid de-mineralization and keep your teeth healthy and robust.” (http://www.theodent.com/faq.html)

Research on the extract has been ongoing since the 1980′s, when clinical studies discovered a cocoa extract was beneficial in fighting cavities. It became more publicized when Arman Sadeghpour used the research as part of his doctoral thesis at Tulane University. Sadeghpour compared the effects of cocoa extract and fluoride on tooth enamel, discovering that cocoa extract can strengthen and enlarge the crystals that make up the tooth, resulting in stronger enamel.

Now Theodent™ toothpaste, utilizing a proprietary blend of the cocoa extract, is coming to the market. It will first be available on their website (http://www.theodent.com/) and at select Whole Foods locations. The toothpaste doesn’t actually taste like chocolate; it is mint-flavored. But developers hope to expand the Theodent line to include dental floss, mouthwash and, yes, a chocolate-flavored, sugar-free toothpaste for children.

What’s our take? I’m always willing to try new natural toothpastes. To be honest, it’s very difficult to make an effective natural toothpaste that is right for everyone (just look at some of the research we’ve done: What’s the Best Toothpaste?). We will be getting a few bottles soon and I will do some biocompatibility testing to see how this new “chocolate” toothpaste works with the majority of our patients. Stay tuned for  follow-up article on Theodent™ in the not-too-distant future.