A few days ago, I was honored to have been interviewed on the air by Heather Dane who has a talk show on holistic lifestyles and how we can better take care of our health naturally.
Heather has been treated in my office for mercury filling removals and I truly admire her passion for educating others about the benefits of holistic living.
You can listen to the broadcast here.
The Mercury Controversy and Why It is Bad for Your Health
Our discussion on the show started with the controversy of the use of mercury fillings. Mercury fillings have been used since the 1800s. They served a purpose back then, but are dangerous to use now. Mercury is a neurotoxin, affecting your brain, organs and health. Mercury fillings are made of 50% mercury.
What most people don’t know is that the greatest danger of mercury is the vapor it releases. This vapor is highly dangerous when inhaled. The risk of mercury makes it removal tricky and dangerous. When you want your mercury fillings removed, be sure to find a dentist who is certified in the safe removal of mercury fillings and has a certain, safe set of protocols. These protocols include the use of HEPA filters, mouth guards, cold water spray, rubber dams, essential oils and proper protective gear over clothing.
It is important that the mercury removal is safe for the patient as well as the rest of the office. This is where a good air filtration system comes in useful. When mercury fillings are removed, a large amount of vapor goes into the air. An unhealthy amount of mercury also gets released into the mouth.
The Danger of Fluoride
Next, our conversation went to discussing the use of fluoride in tap water. I caution my patients to avoid drinking tap water because of the fluoride that is in it. Fluoride was first used in the tap water in Grand Rapids, Michigan with the belief that the added fluoride would prevent tooth decay.
Since then, it has been found that fluoride is a cumulative toxin, with increasingly negative side effects when combined with other chemicals. In some instances, fluoride is worse for your body than arsenic.
It isn’t fluoride that prevents tooth decay, but one’s diet. Therefore, by drinking tap water, you’re consuming unnecessary and harmful chemicals. Instead of drinking tap water, some of the water filtration systems such as Berkey Filters, and MultiPure Under-Sink Reverse Osmosis and Carbon System. When filtering your water, you also take away healthy minerals, so it’s important to add extra minerals into your filtered water.
Fluoride is also a common ingredient in toothpaste. I don’t use any fluoride toothpaste in my dental office. I personally recommend Holistic Dental Herbal Gum & Tooth Powder, Dental Herb Company Tooth & Gums Paste, Jason Sea Fresh, and Perio-Paste. When looking for a toothpaste avoid ones that also have SLS, glycerin, artificial flavors, chemicals and coloring.
The Connection Between Oral and Overall Health
I brought up the Meridian chart that I talk about regularly and which I have in my dental office. The Meridian chart shows the connection of your oral health to the health of the rest of your body. Each tooth and area of the mouth is connected to specific organs of the body.
I also brought up the Chinese concept of Chi which describes different energy pathways that are in the body. It was found that 80% of chi (or energy) disturbances affecting the body occur in the oral cavity.
Realizing the interconnectedness of my patients’ oral health and overall health, I pay extra close attention to each patient’s condition and often catch dental issues that would otherwise go unnoticed at a conventional dental office. When patients go in for a teeth cleaning at a holistic dentist, they also get an in-depth examination.
The Difference of a Holistic Dentist
Heather Dane then picked up on the importance of caring for yourself and that only you you’re your body. Holistic dentists will work with you and will listen to what you say.
She elaborated her point by describing her own, personal experience at my office. She needed four mercury fillings removed. Instead of Novocain, I use septacane, lycodine and carbocane for pain reducers. She, however, had a bad reaction to septacain. We had her take a muscle test and decided that carbocane would be better. This worked because her body was overly sensitive to epinephrine.
It was summed up that holistic dentist care for the whole patient, every patient. Heather illustrated the point that each patient is different and should be treated as such.
If you want a dentist who is concerned about your dental and overall health, be sure to check into holistic dentistry. For any questions, you may have, don’t hesitate to contact me.
Recently, our office took a trip to Las Vegas. We had a great time in “Sin City”, but we also strengthened our team! We learned ways to work better and run the office more efficiently.
providing better service as a team.
