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Darlene. Thanks for the well-thought out article. As an holistic dentist (and former "traditional" dentist and dental school professor) I agree with you on many points and disagree on others. Without going into specifics on the various subtopics, I'll just point out a few things that make our holistic dental practice different. But before I do that, I think it should be made aware that the every dentist is different and to place one dentist in the "holistic" group and another in the "conventional" group is not a good way to segment all dentists. I'll admit that there are dentists who call themselves holistic (for marketing or differentiation reasons) and the only thing they do is not place mercury fillings. On the flipside, there are conventional dentist who perform complex, comprehensive dentistry that involves more than the teeth and gums... it involves the face, head, neck.... the whole body... hence the "wholistic" nature of what they do, yet they don't call themselves holistic. To say that a dentist is one or the other is not always accurate.

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In my practice, I have put more emphasis on a more natural or holistic approach to dentistry. Let's talk about natural first. You mentioned that you would use a more natural cleanser for your house. I use a more natural cleanser for the mouth (as you state that you do). I don't use alcohol or artificial sweeteners in the products we use with our patients.
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Do you use drugs to treat diseases? Or do you try to find a drug-less alternative? Many conventional dentists are ok with prescribing antibiotics and steroids to deal with infections. I avoid giving meds to decrease incidences of unwanted side effects and building antibiotic resistance.
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Sure... everyone promotes and advocates prevention... who doesn't? But time, money, insurance, and the bottom line dictates that preventive education is not being done... especially in a dental office where overhead eats at the profits as each minute ticks by. If indeed all dentists were good at preventing decay, gum disease, cancers, tooth loss, then why do people continue to have problems and need to visit the dentists twice a year? (Most of our patients don't need to visit us every 6 months because they properly care for themselves at home, eliminating the need for them to pay for our services every 6 months.) In our office we go much further than the traditional "floss, brush, rinse" education you get at most dental offices. We emphasize that disease can be prevented with proper nutrition as well as proper daily care and we spend plenty of time in that area. Also, to simply remind you to floss and brush for 2 minutes is an over-simplification of proper oral hygiene techniques -- again, this is typically done to save time and get more patients in and out of the office. Has a dentist ever explained to you that by brushing your teeth, the goal is not to brush the surface area but to lightly brush plaque away from below to gum line? Has your dentist explained that flossing is not about removing food particles from between the teeth, but removing plaque from below the gumline?

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Again... some dentists do put an emphasis on proper role hygiene and some dentists don't. All I can say is what we do with each patient.
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The word holistic is not a reflection of the practices and techniques used by the dentist, but of an overall philosophy of the role of oral care. The word itself comes from "wholistic" meaning "the whole." Truly holistic dentists will educate patients on the importance of overall health and how dentistry can play a role in the overall health.
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All dentists to some extent see the importance of the mouth in the overall health of an individual. For instance, studies have concluded a link between gum disease and heart health, diabetes, and pregnancies. However, many dentists are not trained in the long term effects of what dentistry does (or could possibly do) to the whole body. Hence the reason the field of holistic dentistry was formed. As I tell my patients, we do dentistry that is good for the body as well as teeth and gums.
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Here are some examples:
When it comes to teeth alignment, many dentists -- including pediatric dentists and orthodontists -- look at putting teeth into a position where they look good together. Other dentists look how smile looks in relationship to the face. Other dentists look at how the teeth come together and how it can affect the TMJ, the muscles, the cervical spine, and the rest of the body. Dentists have different levels of understanding... some just have a more holistic view than others.
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Materials: One key difference with holistic dentists is they use materials that are biocompatible... or healthy to the whole body. This goes deeper than simply removing amalgam fillings. For instance, there are several different types of composite fillings. Has your dentist ever checked to see which composition would work best with your body? Have you ever been offered a choice?
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To summarize, lumping all dentists into two categories doesn't really work. I understand the point of your article is to help your readers make an informed choice when they hear the hype surrounding holistic dentistry. Unfortunately, some "holistic dentists" use the label to capitalize on a trendy field. Some "traditional dentists" take a very holistic approach to how they care for your mouth and your whole body.
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For anyone who is looking to cut through the hype and make an informed decision, I would offer this suggestion: if you want a dentist who understands the vital role of oral hygiene in your overall health, ask questions that will reveal their philosophies. Questions such as "how do you determine which type of filling is right for me?" and "if I get cavities in one area of my mouth, can you tell me why?" should help (for the former, any answer that doesn't involve insurance or expense will typically reveal an holistic dentist. For the latter, you would be looking for someone who will talk about your bite and your nutrition... not someone who just tells you to brush better and eat less candy).
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Do truly holistic dentists exist? You bet. I'd like to think we are one such practice and I know of several others whom I've worked with in the past. Does the term generate a lot of hype that you need to cut through? Definitely. Find a dentist who has your overall health in his or her best interests and you've found a good, holistic dentist that you should book your appointment with right away.
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Hope that helps clear it up a bit. Thanks again for your article... it's a great primer on the "traditional/holistic" dentist debate!
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Dr. Marvin
The Center for Natural Dentistry
Encinitas, California
http://NaturalDentistry.us

October 7, 2009 - 2:37pm

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