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.
