Categories
blog Holistic Approach to Dentistry

The cost of Natural Dentistry: Is a holistic dentist more expensive?

west-kelowna-holistic-dentist

Finding a good dentist can be tough, especially if you want to opt out of the more traditional dental care choices like metal fillings and metal braces. While researching other dental treatment options, you might notice that holistic dentistry often pops up as an option, but most people don’t know what it actually entails. Holistic dentistry has many names, including natural dentistry, biologic dentistry, alternative dentistry, and green dentistry. 

Holistic dentistry follows different principles than mainstream dental care, and the results can be more, or less expensive, or not any difference at all. At any rate, holistic dentistry is focused on your overall health and without a doubt more healthful over time. However, many people are hesitant to change from traditional dentistry because they are worried about the costs of natural dentistry compared to regular care.

How does conventional dental care measure up with holistic dental treatments? Read more.

What exactly is holistic dentistry?

Holistic dentistry is more than just a fancy name for alternative dentistry. It’s an approach to dental care that views our mouths as part of our bodies, and believes in working with them on a holistic level. For example, rather than simply filling in a cavity, a holistic dentist like Dr. Shauna Palmer in West Kelowna, might recommend dietary changes or supplements to strengthen tooth enamel. 

The ultimate goal is to help improve your overall health by preventing further decay and gum disease through good oral hygiene. All in all, it’s about long-term prevention rather than short-term fixes.

What are examples of a holistic approach to dentistry?

Mercury Fillings Removal

Dr. Shauna Palmer: “We are frequently asked to remove our patients’ old amalgam fillings and replace them with white fillings. In my practice, I actually avoid using amalgam filling material – completely. But I’m also leery of removing old fillings because of the health implications to the patient, myself, and my team.”

Here’s why: Amalgam filling removal creates mercury vapors and particles. It’s extremely easy to inhale these vapors, which can then be absorbed into the body through the lungs. Removing these fillings incorrectly can expose my patients, my team, and myself to the potentially harmful effects of mercury. That’s why I decided to become SMART certified. This stands for SAFE Mercury Amalgam Removal Technique.

Ozone Therapy

Ozone cancels out (kills) the organisms that cause many health issues, including dental diseases.
Ozone is:  Antibacterial – Antifungal – Antiviral. 

The main difference is the side effects. While ozone has virtually zero, pharmaceuticals can have many adverse side effects, including: Abdominal cramps and diarrhea, Nausea and vomiting, Yeast infections, Headaches, and Allergic reactions (like swelling and itching) to name a few. The great thing about ozone therapy is that it’s not just good for your dental health – it’s good for your overall health!

Oral Cancer Screening

Oral cancer often isn’t discussed enough in conversations around dentistry and oral health. The lack of education and awareness is concerning. People over the age of 20 should get an oral cancer screening at least every three years and people over the age of 40 should be screened annually, wether symptomatic or not. 

Being screened is especially critical for people with high-risk behaviors, lifestyles and pre-existing conditions including: Smoking or chewing tobacco, Extra body weight, A family history of cancer. Oral cancer develops far less commonly in people under the age of 55. While this may be the case, it’s totally worth your time to receive annual screenings.

So … is a natural, biological, or holistic dentist more expensive?

When you look at the overall cost of oral healthcare, biological dentistry can actually be less expensive because it’s a longer lasting approach. Not just a quick dental fix. Holistic dentists often use less invasive and more conservative treatment plans, which can also keep costs low over a patient’s lifetime. Holistic dentistry can keep your body healthier, and your wallet happier!

Would you like to learn more about holistic dentistry? Contact Dr. Shauna Palmer, holistic dentist in West-Kelowna, BC.

Categories
blog Holistic Approach to Dentistry

How does holistic dentistry work?

A normal trip to the dentist for most of us often includes the usual routine. It starts with an examination and hygiene treatment, perhaps some x-rays, and typically concludes with a discussion on your oral care. But what if we told you a trip to the dentist could also include advice and guidance for many different aspects of your overall health and well-being? When it comes to holistic dentistry, we understand that the language may be confusing.  

Make a holistic dentistry appointment

BOOK NOW

What does ‘holistic’ mean?

Holistic-Dentistry-West-Kelowna-1

The term ‘holistic’ is defined as the understanding that the sections or components of something are inherently linked and interconnected as parts of a whole. Holistic dentistry is an approach to oral health that also encompasses many other areas of our health and well-being in order to provide care that extends beyond the confines of the mouth and throughout our entire selves.

The guiding principle of holistic dentistry is that by taking care of the entire body, along with proper dental care, our total health will improve and have a positive impact on our lives.

How does it work?

Holistic dentistry begins first and foremost with a focus on proper health and good habits for cleaning teeth and mouth. regular dental checkups and hygiene treatments are essential, along with all of the dental care practices you are already familiar with such as brushing, flossing and oral rinses.  In addition to these, holistic dentistry also places a great deal of emphasis on avoiding use of mercury in any dental treatments, such as fillings.

Holistic dentists will not use amalgam in any of their treatments, relying on alternative and non-toxic filling materials. Dr. Palmer is also trained in SMART – Safe Mercury Amalgam Removal Technique, very important in reducing mercury toxicity during removal of mercury fillings. Dr. Palmer also has training in the use of ozone therapy, which is a drug free treatment used in many areas of her practice to help with infections, TMJ problems and more.

One of the most critical aspects of our lives that impacts our total health, including our oral health, is our diet and nutrition. You can expect in-depth discussions with Dr. Shauna Palmer on your diet and will receive detailed explanations on how it can impact your overall health and well-being. In addition to these areas of your life, holistic dentists will also speak to you regarding other factors that can have significant impact on your overall health, and therefore on your oral health as well.

For example, smoking and heavy alcohol use are major contributing factors to our state of heath.  There are only a small number of dentists in Kelowna that offer holistic dentistry to their patients, as it requires a unique set of skills and training above and beyond traditional dental procedures.

If you feel that holistic dentistry is of interest to you, and you would like to learn about its many potential benefits in greater detail,  feel free to reach out to the team here at Dr. Shauna Palmer. Dr. Shauna Palmer is proud to offer complete holistic dental care and would be happy to explain the unique benefits that holistic dental treatments can offer you – contact us and learn more! 

We are committed to providing you with safe, holistic & effective treatments!

Don’t go for “maybe later”!

  • Stop searching for dental braces West Kelowna
  • Avoid feeling insecure and self-conscious
  • Escape being confused about all the options
  • Ditch wasting precious time not liking your smile
  • End worrying about future jaw problems


Choose a dentist who cares about your overall health!

  • Find clarity 
  • Experience full body dentistry
  • Let us embrace you in our community
  • Have a great overall health!
  • Live your best life!

Dr. Palmer can make your journey to a beautiful smile safe & easy! 

Make a HOLISTIC DENTAL appointment

BOOK NOW

Categories
blog Holistic Approach to Dentistry Kelowna Dentist Oral Health

A Holistic Approach to Healthcare in Dentistry

a-holistic-approach

What does ‘holistic’ mean and how does to fit into the healthcare world? According to the Cambridge Dictionary, the term ‘holistic’ refers to ‘dealing with or treating the whole of something or someone and not just a part.’ In healthcare, doctors and practitioners can choose to take a more holistic approach to their practice.

As a dentist in Kelowna, BC, I take a holistic and biological approach to treating my patients. As a proud West Kelowna dentist, I work to change people’s lives and not just their appearance. I focus on helping clients live better and more fulfilled lives, which starts with taking smiles and making them better.

What to Expect with a Holistic Dentist Approach

What does a holistic dentist practice look like? The holistic approach to dental care involves examining the tooth meridian as it connects to specific organs in the body. You can compare this to acupuncture medicine, which is centered on the belief that there is a meridian connection in the body and that two different points are always connected.

A biological dentist aims to treat patients in the safest and most natural way possible, while still achieving the successful outcomes that modern dentistry offers. Biological or holistic dentists look after the patient’s entire wellbeing by taking a physiological, whole-body approach to dentistry.

In my practice as a dentist in Kelowna, I implement holistic, homeopathic, and science-based principles into both the diagnosis and treatment of all my patients.


Fluoride-Free Treatments
A holistic dentist will take a fluoride-free approach to dental healthcare. At my office, we are completely fluoride-free.

The International Academy of Oral Medicine & Toxicology has made several preliminary determinations over the last 18 years all concluding that fluoride added to the public water supply delivers no discernible health benefits, and in fact, causes a higher incidence of adverse health effects.

Safe Removal of Amalgam Fillings (SMART)
We became a SMART Certified safe amalgam fillings removal practice because I believe in removing silver fillings in the safest and most effective way possible. SMART stands for Safe Mercury Amalgam Removal Technique – its goals and recommendations strongly align with the holistic dental care goals in my practice.

I believe that the people in my care will be exposed to less risk of adverse health reactions due to mercury exposure from the removal of silver fillings.


Alternative Pain Management
By taking a holistic dentist approach to my medicine and practice, I believe in alternative forms of sedation that are different from the drugs and narcotics most dentists use today. If you are looking for a dentist in Kelowna who believes in alternative pain management, I offer NuCalm technology, which has zero negative side effects. In just four simple steps, NuCalm will soothe your dental anxiety, keep you calm and allow you to face any dental treatment with ease and relaxation.



Collaboration With Other Healthcare Professionals
As part of my approach to patients’ healthcare, I love to collaborate with other healthcare professionals in order to ensure that my patients receive the most holistic approach to their treatment and diagnosis. We refer our clients to local Kelowna and Vernon health providers who we know and trust to bring the most value to our clients.

Local health partners include family doctors, general physicians, physiotherapists, neurologists, surgeons, and orthodontists, to name a few.


Symptoms and Conditions Treated Naturally by Dentists

Because I take a holistic and biological dentist approach at my practice, I treat a wide variety of conditions that might not normally fall under the traditional dentistry umbrella.

In my holistic dentist approach to healthcare, I offer treatments for snoring and sleep apnea including CPAP services, snoring devices, and sleep apnea treatments. Other common general practice offerings we tackle include periodontal disease (gum disease), pain care for TMJ/TMD, jaw pain, headaches, ear pain, migraines, cosmetic teeth makeovers, and dental treatments.

Other Holistic Practitioners

A holistic dentist approach to healthcare is not uncommon. In fact, many facets in the healthcare profession utilize a more biological approach to treating clients. Nutritionists, naturopaths, and chiropractors are just some of the other healthcare professionals who use holistic and biological healthcare as their foundation for diagnosis and treating patients.

I believe that holistic care provides the most successful outcome and the safest way to reach each client’s treatment goals.

If you are ready to find a new dentist in Kelowna who takes a more holistic approach to dental care, call my office or book an appointment today!