Ozone Therapy as Treatment in Dentistry

In the past few months we have received several questions about ozone therapy for dental problems. A few patients have even installed ozonators in their homes to help with various medical conditions.

While I can’t speak of ozone in other medical fields, ozone therapy in dentistry is coming of age. It is used to disinfect teeth with cavities and is used to disinfect the root canal prior to filling it. While their is promising research to suggest it works, the difficult question is how long will the tooth or root canal stay disinfected.

Ozone treatment for cavities: There are currently three ozone machines that can disinfect tooth decay beneath the enamel. Certain protocols call for two or three one minute applications to kill the bacteria. Heavy remineralization therapy is also recommended.

Ozone treatment for root canal therapy and disinfection: The same ozone machines are being used to disinfect roots after cleaning out the nerves and blood vessels. There’s a problem with this scenario however. Root canal therapy is like putting a cork on an infection. Many bacteria are persistent and can flourish in the harshest conditions, including a root canal.

Dentin in teeth are made of tubes called dentinal tubules. If you line up the tubules end to end for the average tooth, it would extend 3 miles. What that means is that we expect a disinfection procedure during root canal therapy to clean 3 miles of tubes that may contain bacteria. Studies have shown that ozone (and laser therapy in dentistry) can disinfect canals and keep them clean for about a year. But after that first year, bacteria finds a way back into the tubes. These bacteria can change from aerobic to anaerobic bacteria. Since there’s no blood flow after filling the root canal space, there’s no way for the body to fight these bacteria. They produce toxins and can release these toxins out of the root (although not through the root canal).

Also, after you fill the root canal with gutta percha or even biocalex or endocal, there’s no way of going back in to re-disinfect the tooth without “opening the tooth” once again. Who would want to have this procedure — root canal therapy — done every year?

You also have to consider what’s happening to the bacteria surrounding the tooth root and in the bone. People, including dentists, forget about the tissues surrounding the tooth, instead focusing on what they can see, the teeth. These infections are sometimes more harmful than the bugs in the dentinal tubes. The abscess or infection in the bone can get into the bloodstream and travel elsewhere. It can also cause disturbances in the meridians (causing problems in distant organs).

Ozone and laser therapy do little to help with these infections (cavitations).

The only incidence where I’d routinely use ozone or lasers for root canal therapy is when the immune system is working 100% efficiently, the tooth can’t easily be replaced, there’s no infections around the root or if it is a front tooth (central incisor). Even then, I’d still recommend an extraction for long term health reasons. (and none this speaks to the potential side-effects of ozone therapy, which are still being researched and discovered).

In summary, ozone and lasers would be good for beneath the surface cavity disinfections, but not for long term root canal disinfections. The technology is promising but if overall health is your primary goal, the avoidance of root canal therapy through prevention is the key. Or if your choice lies between root canal therapy or extraction, choose extraction.

The Links Between a Healthy Pregnancy and Your Healthy Teeth

Episode 17 of Dangers in Dentistry, originally aired on KPRZ in San Diego.

We all know that mercury is dangerous for a developing fetus or young child (which is why the FDA warns against pregnant and/or nursing women consuming certain types of fish). But what about mercury that may already be in your mouth?

If you or someone you know is pregnant or nursing, you need to know the truth about the affects of mercury fillings during pregnancy (hint: if you’re thinking about becoming pregnant, visit the dentist before). You also should know about the affects of pregnancy on your teeth (for instance, did you know that many women develop tooth decay problems during and/or after pregnancy?).

Get the inside scoop on pregnancy and your teeth 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.

Healthy Alternatives to Halloween Candy

Every year children of all ages get dressed up, grab their basket, and run from door to door asking the neighbors for sweet, chewy, sugary, candy. And with all the loot that’s handed out, it’s a wonder that tooth decay and childhood obesity are more rampant than they already are.

If you’re looking for a healthy alternative this year to hand out on Halloween night, we have a great list of ideas to choose from. The article below was originally posted on Palmetto Health’s website and has some great suggestions for healthy alternatives to Halloween treats.

Healthy Alternatives to Halloween Candy

The appearance of ghosts, goblins, and witches can only mean one thing — Halloween is just around the corner! With childhood obesity on the rise in the US — the rate of childhood obesity has doubled in the past 20 years — what can be done with the buckets of candy to be collected?

Nutrition and Halloween aren’t two words that are normally seen together, but it is possible to promote healthy eating habits during the Halloween season.

Here are some tips:

• Fill kids’ bellies with a nutritious meal before they head out for trick-or-treating. This way, they are less likely to fill up on empty calorie foods. Giving kids healthy foods first will reduce the chances of overindulgence.
• Pass out non-food treats such as those found at children’s birthday parties: pencils, note pads, bubbles, noisemakers, etc. If you have leftovers, these treats can easily be stored for use the following year. Just be sure not to pass out choking hazards to young children (coins, rings, etc).
• Granola bars, pretzels, cheese and cracker packs, sugar free gum, packets of instant hot chocolate, raisins, and nuts are some healthy alternatives. (Note that raisins and nuts are choking hazard for young children).
• If you must pass out candy bars, get the smaller fun sized ones. And only give one or two — not a handful — to your trick-or-treaters. Some candy bars have less fat and calories than others- read the labels before you buy.
• Ration the loot: Total restriction of candy isn’t healthy- anything that is restricted or denied tends to take on greater appeal. On the other hand, allowing your child to devour an entire bag of candy is a sure bet for a stomachache. Stick to small servings by only allowing your child one or two pieces of candy per sitting as a dessert after a healthy meal. A few days after Halloween, put the candy out of sight and out of mind You can ration out the treats later.
• Buy your Halloween candy at the last minute to avoid tempting yourself and other family members. Buy less than you think you will need.
• Beware of cavities: Halloween candy, as well as any sticky, sugary food, can easily promote tooth decay. Make sure children brush their teeth well after a candy snack and before going to bed.

Keeping in mind common sense, a little forethought and moderation, Halloween can remain good, scary, delicious fun for children and adults alike!

Brought to you by the pediatric residents at Palmetto Health Children’s Hospital.

You can read this article in it’s original form at http://www.palmettohealth.org/body.cfm?id=777

X-Ray Example of an Amalgam Filling and Tooth Decay

I recently had someone ask me to evaluate an x-ray taken by another dentist. As you can see (in the image posted below), there’s clearly an amalgam filling (the bright white spot). You can also clearly see the cavity just to the left of the filling. What you can’t clearly see is what decay is developing below the mercury filling. That’s one of the problems with traditional x-rays.

You can’t see small decay on radiographs.  By the time you see it (as with the decay in this particular image), the decay is large.  X-rays really only see minerals, so only when the tooth has been decayed to the point there are no minerals, then the x-rays will look different.  Waiting until that happens results in more pain and possible extractions (or root canals if you go to a dentist that believes in those).

CT Scans will more clearly show decay under the filling and other small areas of decay (and the patient isn’t exposed to the large quantities of radiation an x-ray produces).

However, based on the decay next to the amalgam filling, and because decay under a poorly placed amalgam filling is very common, there is an above average chance that there is currently decay under the filling, as well.

What else can this one image tell us? Because there’s a large cavity in the tooth beside the silver filling, the patient probably has a diet that is conducive to decay (acidic carb diet). To reduce the chances of future decay, changing to a diet that’s lower in acid (water such as Essentia can help: Essentia Water Review), rinsing your mouth regularly after eating, and adhering to a proper dental care regimen can make a world of difference.

Dr. Marvin

PS: Thanks to the patient for allowing me to reprint this image and show a good example of decay around an amalgam filling. If you have particular questions about the x-ray, please leave a comment and I’ll do my best to get you a good answer.

The Bright White Spot is an Amalgam Filling. There is Significant Decay Next to the Filling.

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