What is Holistic Dentistry?

Holistic dentistry as the name suggests goes beyond the conventional form of dentistry and adopts a more holistic approach. It takes various factors under consideration, such as the patient’s physical, emotional and at times even spiritual health. A holistic dentist focuses on all aspects of oral health and educate patient on how oral care plays an important role in maintaining the overall health of a person.

In the past several studies found that gum diseases were linked to the ailments of the heart, diabetes and pregnancy. However, traditional dentists were only trained to correct issues related to the mouth, they had little or no knowledge about the long term effects of these on the body. This gave rise to the need of holistic dentistry and today it is one of the most popular fields of dentistry.

Although many dentists will claim to be holistic it’s very important to see which solution they suggest for a problem. Let’s take a look at some of the common dental issues and how they are addressed by traditional and holistic dentists.

Root canals

The most common solution offered by traditional dentists for a decayed tooth is a root canal. It is a tried and tested solution that is in practice for centuries.

Holistic dentists on the other hand believe that a root canal treatment won’t be effective unless the canal is completely sterilized and bacteria free. They will try to look for other solutions to the problem before suggesting a root canal.

Mercury fillings

Many traditional dentists will suggest mercury fillings simply because of the fact that they are easier to place and leak only a tiny amount of mercury.

Mercury is a toxin that can be harmful even in smaller amounts and holistic dentists are well aware of this fact. They are also known to put too much pressure on the teeth and make them weak. Therefore holistic dentists do not exceed any safety guidelines while placing or removing it.

Fluoride

Traditional dentists have been favouring the use of fluoride and still strongly recommend it in topical as well as ingested form. In fact they recommend fluoride drops to infants to keep cavities at bay.

Holistic dentist on the other hand argue against the use on ingested fluoride as too much of it can lead to cancer and several other bone related problems. A holistic dentist will suggest the best ways and quantity of using fluoride that is safe for you and your family.