If you’ve stumbled upon this blog, you might be wondering – what is holistic dentistry? In this article we will give you a short summary of what holistic dentistry is and a list of approaches that differentiate holistic dental practices from traditional dental practices.

To start things off, the word holistic comes from the word “Wholistic” meaning “the whole.” Holistic dentistry is an alternative form of dentistry that treats dental care with the whole body in mind. As a holistic dental practice, we firmly believe that dentistry plays an important role in overall health. We educate patients and provide treatment designed to achieve optimal dental health with a bigger picture in mind – improving overall health and wellness. Traditional dentists sometimes have a more narrow view of dentistry – they can tend to view the mouth as a separate entity from the rest of the body.

There are many studies that show the link between dental health and overall health. Proponents of this link consider the mouth as a gateway to the rest of the body. The thought is bacteria and harmful micro-organisms originating in the mouth can spread to the rest of the body through the digestive track and bloodstream, causing infections and other health problems. For example, some studies have concluded there is a link between gum disease and heart disease, primarily driven by inflammation.

Now that you know a little more about holistic dentistry, here is a list of approaches a holistic dentist will take to provide dental care with the whole body in mind.

•  A holistic dentist will not place mercury-amalgam fillings (also referred to as silver fillings)
•  A holistic dentist generally does not use fluoride in any treatment
•  A holistic dentist supports biocompatibility testing to ensure the materials they use will not cause a reaction when placed in the body
•  A holistic dentist will often use digital x-rays to minimize a patient’s exposure to radiation

There are scores of websites and articles online that detail the basis for the holistic approaches in the list above.

If you have questions about anything you’ve read in this article or would like to know more about our holistic philosophy, feel free to contact us and we would be happy to answer your questions.