A holistic dentist is a dental professional who practices alternative dental treatments with a holistic approach. Holistic dentists believe that there’s a direct link between your oral health and general health. So, before treating your dental conditions, they always evaluate all your symptoms that present not only in the oral cavity but also in your whole body.
Holistic dentists try to find the cause of your medical condition and treat you accordingly, and when beyond their dental expertise, they would refer you to a physician.
What does a holistic dentist do?
A holistic dentist is a type of general dentist who focuses on:
– Preventive care: giving you guided oral hygiene instructions about correct brushing and flossing; habit – – – intervention and dietary modification: educating you on how to replace unhealthy habits with healthy ones.
– Diagnosis and treatment of oral conditions like tooth decay, gum diseases treatment, dry mouth, etc.
How is a holistic dentist different from a general dentist?
They may not prevail over fluoride application but recommend using in-house or home paste content of amorphous phosphate calcium (ACP) instead.
Amalgam fillings:
Amalgam contains a heavy metal called Mercury which is toxic and harmful to health. So, holistic dentists recommend replacing amalgam fillings with BPA-free composite bonding or ceramic onlays.
Due to the bonding ability of composite resin to the natural tooth substance, composite fillings are more conservative to the tooth structure as they don’t require excessive drilling of the tooth to require adequate retention. Holistic dentists are concerned about the biocompatibility of dental materials they use to treat their patients. They restore the decayed teeth with composite or ceramic restorations, free from harmful substances, as in Amalgam.
Root canal treatment:
Holistic dentists prefer removing extruded root canal material or toxic root canal materials containing chloroform, formaldehyde, etc. They will ensure that the root canal obliteration and insulation are adequate to prevent bacterial leakage. They ensure there is no perforation or deficits caused as a result of root canal treatment.
Alternative medicine:
Unlike general dental practitioners, holistic dentists introduce you to new treatment modalities like acupuncture, aromatherapy, ayurveda, herbology, homoeopathy, hypnosis, and meditation. They may use natural remedies before and after their treatment.
Some holistic dentists perform Ozone therapy to eradicate oral infections like tooth decay. Ozone therapy is becoming popular in dentistry because it’s a minimally invasive approach to removing infections. It also ensures fast and optimal healing. Although, there is little evidence to prove this.
Why should you choose a holistic dentist?
A dentist should meet your oral and general health needs like any other medical field. You can consult a holistic dentist for a variety of reasons. Holistic dentistry is an excellent option if alternative medicine interests you. Since they are qualified dentists, they can combine natural dental/medical treatment with complementary therapies.
They will approach utilising surgery only as a last option if you. Before recommending surgery, they monitor your health to ensure it is progressing as expected.
Finally, a holistic dentist may be suitable if conventional care doesn’t improve your problems.
