Healthier, Safer Dental Care in San Diego

Dentistry should be safe for the whole body.

If we breakdown dentistry and only look at the teeth, then traditional dentistry does a great job of treating the problem. For instance, if you have cavity, dentists have been trained to numb the tooth, drill out the decay, and fill the tooth. Or, if you have tartar buildup, any dentist or dental hygienist can remove the debris.

Where most dentists fail is in three main areas: 1) educating the patients in preventing these common problems, 2) forgetting to understand the long-term effects of what they are doing and 3) realizing the “whole-body” aspects of dentistry.

This is where a holistic dentist or biological dentist distinguishes him or herself from traditional dentists.

Some metal fillings are great because they restore the tooth back into function (chewing) after it has been softened because of tooth decay. But what if that filling made the remaining tooth weaker… like in the case of an amalgam filling where the enamel is undercut to keep the filling in place. What if that metal (mercury) filling leaks a toxic poison that slowly absorbs into the body including the brain, kidneys, and liver? If that same filling causes alzheimers, parkinson’s and lou gehrigs disease, would you still choose to have one of those fillings placed? Would you question the associations or governmental agencies that state that these fillings are “safe”?

Or, are you going to find the good information on your own, perhaps on the internet?

It can be hard to find the information you need… that’s exactly why I have created this website. Of course, this site does not have all of your answers… but it does answer some of the most common questions.

You can also come to our office or call us. Our San Diego dentistry office is proud to help people from the area become better informed about holistic dentistry. We specialize in safe mercury free dentistry and mercury extraction services.

Mercury Free Dentistry

The Dangers of Mercury (Amalgam) Fillings and What it Means to You.

For decades dentists have been placing “silver” fillings to repair cavities and halt tooth decay. Despite the common “silver” moniker, these fillings contain very little silver at all. Instead, they are a mixture of metals that create an amalgam. One of those metals is arguably the most toxic metal on Earth: Mercury.

Every day around the world dentists continue to place fillings that contain mercury despite the proven links between mercury and dementia, birth defects, Alzheimer’s, and more.

So why, if these fillings are so toxic, are they still placed in patient’s every day? The answer is simple: economics.

There are 4 major reasons why a dentist still uses mercury fillings.

1. Mercury fillings are easy to do for a dentist. It is not as technique sensitive than say a composite or plastic filling.
2. Mercury fillings are covered by most insurances.
3. Customers or patients will pay for these fillings because they are cheaper.
4. Mercury fillings last a long time without any physical symptoms.

None of the reasons should trump your long-term health and the long term health of other patients that visit the dentist (mercury vapors can remain in the air up to 30 minutes after a filling is placed, so if you visit the dentist after someone had a filling placed, you could be inhaling toxic mercury vapors).

That’s why we never place amalgam fillings at The Center for Natural Dentistry in San Diego. In fact, we’ve gone above and beyond “not placing” these fillings — we have developed one of the most comprehensive amalgam removal programs in the nation. We employ safety techniques used in fewer than 1% of dental offices in America, ensuring that the removal of your amalgam “silver” fillings are removed safely every time.

To learn more about the dangers of amalgam fillings and mercury toxicity, please take a look at our resource center by clicking one of the following links:

Mercury Toxicity and the Dangers of Amalgam Fillings

Mercury Vapors and The Smoking Tooth Video

Safe Mercury Removal: Protecting Yourself and Your Future

Are Your Teeth Poisoning You?!

Alzheimer’s? Dementia? Birth Defects? Cancer?

Find out why the government has been keeping the dangers of your fillings a secret… and what you can do to protect your long-term health!

Contact us today to request your copy!

Sealing Out Tooth Decay

What are dental sealants?

Sealants are thin, plastic coatings painted on the chewing surfaces of the molars and sometimes premolars (or bicuspids).

Sealants are put on adult molars that start to appear on kids when they are 6 years on up.

They are “installed” by dental hygienists or dentists in dentists’ offices, clinics, and sometimes in schools. Getting sealants put on is “relatively” simple and painless.  I say “relatively” because it depends on the child’s cooperation, size of the mouth opening, the size of the tongue, and the patience of the “installer.”

Sealants are painted on as a liquid and quickly hardened with a “curing light” to form a shield over the tooth… more specifically the grooves or fissures of the teeth

Who should get sealants?

Most kids should get sealants placed especially during the adolescent ages (6-12) because of the lack of oral hygiene experience and because of the poor diet exhibited by most children this age.

Any adult or teenager should have dental sealants placed if they are prone to decay or may have the potential for decay.

Do Sealants last forever?

The rule of thumb states that nothing lasts forever.  Depending on what you eat and how you eat, sealants can last up to 20 plus years.  But for the most part, the attrition from the teeth and food wear them away.

Why get sealants?

The most important reason for getting sealants is to avoid tooth decay.

If you think toothbrushing does the trick to ward off decay, you are wrong.  There isn’t a toothbrush bristle made to clean the grooves and pits of teeth (and there will never be one).

Decay starts because of bacteria (strept mutans), a tooth, and an environment.

Sealants keep the environment in the grooves of the teeth different.

Having sealants put on teeth before they decay will also save time and money in the long run by avoiding large fillings, crowns, or caps used to fix decayed teeth.  And because these dental services are quite an investment, you should consider getting sealants done especially if you like saving your money for the fun stuff in life.  (unless you think lying in a dental chair is fun)

A healthy virgin tooth is the best tooth to have however age, oral hygiene, and access to dental services are indeed factors.

If you feel you can control these factors and keep the environment rich with “anti-cavity” factors, then perhaps you don’t need sealants.  

However, placing sealants as insurance against tooth decay and major dentistry may be the best bet for most.

Why do back teeth decay so easily?

Back teeth (aka Molars) are bigger by nature.  They’re bigger to handle the force the jaws make when chewing foods.

Because they’re bigger, they have deeper pits and fissures (grooves or valleys).  These deeper areas harbor more bacteria to do their nastiness.  

Back teeth are also more difficult to clean and are often neglected when brushing, flossing, or doing any oral hygiene plan.

Should sealants be put on baby teeth?

I do feel that sealants should be placed on baby teeth because some of them have to stay in until kids are 12 or 13.  It is when these baby teeth decay where you find problems and other dilemmas.  

The question then becomes, “if baby teeth end up coming out eventually, why spend money on saving them?”

What every dentist and pediatric dentist would say is that these baby teeth are “placeholders” for the permanent adult teeth.  Think of the adult teeth as “growing in the womb” and they need to go the full term in order for things to work out well.

If you take out baby teeth either because of decay or necessity, you are asking for trouble that can last months, years, decades, or even lifetimes.

Ever seen a grown up with really “jacked-up” teeth?  Well…it is likely that they had decay as a child, had to get their baby teeth extracted, and the permanent teeth didn’t grow in well.  Yes… it is a domino effect.

Bottom line:  seal baby teeth.

The problem is, When do you do them.  Most dentists don’t like doing dentistry on really young children.  Plus dental insurance does not pay for sealants on baby teeth even though it seems logical to do it.  Which brings me to the next point..

Does insurance pay for sealants?

The short answer is, some do and some don’t.  It is up to the plan your employer selected.  Most insurance companies have different plans and it is up to the employer  to select the right one for their company.  Often times, the decision maker will select the cheapest one…  the one that doesn’t cover sealants or most services.

What if a small cavity is accidentally covered by a sealant?

The decay will not spread because it is sealed off from its food and germ supply.  But if the sealant wears off, the decay may get activated because it is now exposed to the environment.

Are sealants new?

No, sealants have been around since the 1960s. Studies by the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research and others led to the development of dental sealants and showed that they are safe and
effective.

Talk to your  encinitas dentist about protecting your teeth today.