What is Holistic Dentistry… and Why Should You Care?

Episode 16 of Dangers in Dentistry, originally aired on KPRZ in San Diego.

Holistic dentistry. It’s a term that gets tossed around a lot. But what does it actually mean? Is it just another fad or way to charge more? Well, this episode of Dangers in Dentistry will give you the answers you need to make an informed decision.

Holistic dentistry is science-based dentistry that looks at the mouth’s affect on the whole body. Rather than focusing on the topical problem, we seek out the root cause and develop treatment based on the idea that what goes into the mouth affects the body.

Find out more about holistic dentistry in this week’s episode of Dangers in Dentistry, with America’s Holistic Dentist, Dr. Marvin.

Enjoy!
Dr. Marvin
San Diego, Encinitas Holistic and Natural Dentist

The Alternatives to Root Canals

We talk a lot about the alternatives to root canals typically the only alternative mentioned is extraction of the tooth. But is that really the only alternative? Surely there must be other options, right? This was the question posed by Sean after listening to recent podcasts (Root Canals, Infections, Formaldehyde, Oh My!).

The truth is, there are other alternatives depending on the situation. We’ll try to explain it all in detail, here.

First off, if you really need a root canal, then that means the damage has gone too far and you are having serious symptoms (toothache or swelling). At that point, the healthiest option is to extract the tooth and replace it.

Root canals, however, are often recommended for the wrong reasons (such as when a dentist has exhausted or ruled out other sources or causes for tooth pain). A common incident is when the bite is off and the problem tooth is sore and causing pain. Another common example is when the gums have receded and the tooth is painful because of exposed dentin. Of course, taking out the nerve will cut sensation or feeling to the tooth, but it by no means is the source of the problem is cured.

The reason root canals are so often recommended is because many dentists don’t spend enough time diagnosing the root cause of the problem. Diagnosis is time-consuming and inefficient. For every minute a dentist spends diagnosing the source of your dental pain, he or she loses money (because that time could have been spent seeing more patients). While many dentists will dedicate the time to properly diagnose problems, far too many take the easy route and make assumptions in order to quickly provide a solution. Root canals will most often remove the cause of the pain (again, because you’ve removed the nerve), therefore, root canal therapy is often recommended.

Now, if the dentist has properly diagnosed the cause of your problems and if you really have a true need for a root canal (infection or deep cavity), then the damage is too great to reverse. The healthiest alternative to a root canal is simply to take out the infection by removing the tooth.

Does this sound barbaric when you can “save” the tooth with root canal therapy? Probably at first. But what dentists are unaware of are the links between leaving an infected tooth in the body and other systemic illnesses (such as breast cancer). It’s called the focal infection theory. A better question would be, “Would you jeopardize your health to ‘save’ a tooth?”

If you have an infection or severe decay that has caused a deep cavity and a root canal is recommended, your only two options are extraction or root canal therapy. That’s why knowledge and prevention is of utmost importance: learn how to prevent decay and the spread of tooth decay and you’ll never have to deal with a root canal.

If a root canal is recommended to you, you should definitely get a second or third opinion to confirm the true need for the procedure. Unfortunately, too many dentists do root canals for the wrong reasons and you may have other, less “barbaric” solutions if you were misdiagnosed and don’t need to undergo the procedure.

If you already have a root canal and are wondering if there’s a link with that tooth and the rest of the body, view a tooth meridian chart (we have an interactive meridian chart here: Tooth Meridian Chart) or visit a natural or holistic dentist. A lot of times, extracting the problem tooth can help alleviate or eliminate problems (not always, so again, get a second or third opinion before taking action).

The short answer to the alternatives to a root canal question is… If you really, truly need a root canal, you have only two options: root canal therapy or extraction. However, there is always the chance that you have been misdiagnosed and have many, safer, more appealing options available to you.

Sedation Dentistry: What is it?

When going to the dentist, a lot of times you just sit in a chair and stare at the ceiling. That is of course if you are comfortable with the dentist or dental hygienist and know what is going on. For most people, dentistry is just something that has to be done. But as a patient, do we really need to remember the whole ordeal? Can we just sleep through the procedure and wake up with a mouth without cavities and filled with durable, pearly teeth?

You’re in luck because many dentists are getting trained to do oral conscious sedation dentistry.

What is Sedation Dentistry?

To be thorough, there are many forms of sedation dentistry but the one that comes to my mind is the dentistry where you sleep (or almost completely be knocked out) and wake up not only revived but also relieved that the visit is over.

The most common method of “sleep dentistry” is oral conscious sedation where the dentist gives you a script or the pills themselves. They’re mainly sleeping pills that make your really drowsy. While sleeping, the dentist will complete the necessary work. That’s it.

Sometimes, the drug has some amnesia effects that literally causes you to forget a lot of what went on. For me, that’s a bonus but don’t count on it working for everyone.

That brings me to another point. Because every person’s body is different, you may experience something very different than someone else. That is one of the challenges every dentist has when administering this type of dentistry. They must think, Do I give one or two or even three pills?

As a rule of thumb, the bigger the person the higher the dosage. But just like any drug or substance (take alcohol for instance) everyone reacts differently with sedation dentistry.

So if you are looking for a way to avoid the whining of the drill, or if you just want to “get it over with,” then consider sedation dentistry as your new option to google.

If you need to find a dentist that does this type of dentistry, just google “sedation dentist [your city]” and you’ll surely find one that will suit your needs.