Considering a Holistic Approach to Your Dental Care?
Here’s Why It’s Important

Going to the dentist every 6 months is a pretty standard part of life for most of us. It’s something that has been regularly reinforced in our minds since we were just small children, and we in turn are now passing on this good oral health care habit to our children. However, there are many other aspects of our well-being that can be impacted by our dental health, and the reverse is also true. Dental concerns can most certainly have notable effects on other areas of our health care.

This is why there has been an increase in the popularity of a holistic approach to dentistry. More and more patients are realizing how important it is to view the body as a collection of interconnected systems, and how easy it is for negative effects that take place in one of those systems to influence other systems as well. This is why taking a holistic approach is so important, as it recognizes this interconnectedness and looks at all factors in order to provide a complete view of potential causes and possible remedies.

In this article, we’re going to dive in to why you should consider holistic dentistry as a way to help improve your oral health and overall well-being. The effects are proven, and the surge in popularity of this approach to dental care is showing no signs of slowing down. Let’s start by taking a high-level view of how holistic dentistry is different.

More Than Just Dental Care

In the simplest terms, a dentist who uses a holistic approach will take a much more active role in understanding the various elements of your lifestyle that impact your overall state of health. This includes many different things that you may not typically associate with a normal conversation with your dentist, such as taking a deep dive in to your diet and exercise regimes.

This aspect of your health is particularly relevant to dental health, as your diet will dictate the quality and quantity of essential vitamins and nutrients that are entering your body that are required for the development of healthy teeth and gums. In addition, your level of physical fitness is considered, as your metabolism and cardiovascular system can have significant impact on the overall health of your body’s bones and tissues. Holistic dentistry will include an evaluation of these elements and provide guidance and recommendations for you.

A holistic approach also looks at elements of your lifestyle that may be negatively impacting your health, such as excessive alcohol consumption or the use of tobacco in any form. Both of these lifestyle habits can significantly affect your oral health and contribute to the onset of such conditions as gum disease and are even linked to the development of oral cancers. Dentists that use a holistic approach will caution you on the dangers of these habits and work with you to develop strategies to reduce and remove these harmful habits from your lifestyle.

Works in Tandem with Other Healthcare Efforts

Furthermore, a holistic approach to your oral health recognizes the importance of considering other treatments or therapies that you may be undergoing for other issues related to your overall health. Certain medications or therapeutic treatments can have side effects on your body that include your teeth and mouth, and these must be communicated to your holistic dentist in order to ensure they are providing care that works in tandem with those efforts.

Holistic dentists essentially work in partnership with the other treatments that you are undertaking and help to ensure that any potential complications are minimized and that synergies that can be obtained through multiple treatments are maximized for the overall benefit of the patient.

As part of your dental care, holistic dentists will regularly consult with you on your overall health and well-being in order to stay in tune with the ongoing progress of any other treatments that you happen to be undergoing. This is important as the medications or biological effects of your other therapies can influence the best course of action for any dental care that you may need. These combined efforts provide the best possible outcomes for both treatments and reduce the risk of any potential complications.

Proactive Steps to Reduce Future Risks

Another benefit to a holistic approach to dentistry is the long-term thinking that goes in to every aspect of your oral care. It’s not just the procedures and treatments that are considered from a long-term perspective, either. Everything is scrutinized, including the materials and products used in your treatments, in order to ensure the greatest benefit to the patient, now and in the future.

For example, one of the most well-known aspects of holistic dentistry is regarding the use of mercury amalgam in dental fillings. Holistic dentists do not use mercury amalgam in any of their treatments, and actively take steps to remove and replace mercury fillings that may be present in their patients from previous treatments.

The dangers of mercury toxicity are well-documented, and since there are many alternative non-mercury materials that can be used to effectively fill a cavity and repair teeth, there is absolutely no need for mercury amalgam to be used in any dental treatment. If you are unsure if any previous fillings you’ve received may contain traces of mercury, it’s recommended that you seek the advice of a holistic dentist to start the process of having them removed and replaced.

In addition, holistic dentists regularly perform what are known as dental compatibility screening for their patients. The purpose of these tests is to identify how your body could potentially react to a wide variety of materials used in your dental care. This precautionary testing helps dentists and patients avoid any unforeseen negative effects resulting from a biological incompatibility with certain dental materials.

These are just some of the many ways that holistic dentists work to take proactive steps to prevent potential risks or complications down the road. They’ll work with you to help build up your body’s defenses against preventable ailments through proper nutrition, attentive health care, and early treatment of any problems that do arise.

Getting Started with Holistic Dental Care

Beginning your journey down the path to this different style of dental care is easy, and you can get started today. If you feel that you could benefit from a holistic approach to your dental care, the best thing to do is to contact the team here at Georgian Dental® and schedule a free, no-obligation consultation. During this consultation, you will have all your questions answered and receive a detailed explanation of how holistic dentistry will work as part of your health care regimen.

We are confident that you’ll be pleased with how simple it is to start thinking holistically about your overall health and well-being, and that the benefits that holistic dentistry offers will help contribute to a better quality of life for you. The harmony that can be achieved between the different facets of your lifestyle through holistic health care is well worth the time, and people from all walks of life have made a positive change in their lives as a result.