Dentistry involves caring for the teeth, gums, mouth, jaws, and facial structures. However, dental medicine is a vast field with various specialties including general, family, pediatric, and cosmetic dentistry. Holistic dentistry has gained ground in recent years as a form of conservative, yet comprehensive field of dental medicine.
When it comes to choosing a dentist for your family, a holistic dental practice in Chapel Hill offers a great alternative to conventional dentistry. Keep reading to learn what holistic dentistry is, how it differs from traditional dentistry, and how you can benefit from holistic practices.
What is holistic dentistry?
Also called natural or biological dentistry, holistic dentistry is an alternative to traditional dental care. While a holistic dentist provides oral health care, he goes a step beyond just the mouth. A holistic dentist takes a whole-body approach to dental care. This includes understanding how your oral health impacts your physical, spiritual, and emotional wellness.
Holistic dentists acknowledge that certain treatments, materials, and medications have an effect on the patient’s body, not just the mouth. Treatments are selected based on their health, safety, and effectiveness. Additionally, biological dentists focus on prevention and using conservative methods to minimize any potential risks and preserve oral and overall health.
Biological dentist vs. traditional dentist
Both traditional and holistic dentists attend dental school and participate in continuing education courses to stay up-to-date on current practices. Their goals are to protect their patients’ oral health. Holistic dentists may incorporate traditional practices. However, their approaches, treatments, and materials often differ.
Approaches to dentistry
The biggest difference between holistic and conventional dentists is their approach or dental philosophy. Traditional dentistry focuses on dental health and diagnosing and treating issues with the teeth, gums, and jaws.
Holistic dentistry understands the interconnectedness of the body, that connection between oral and overall wellness. There is more of a focus on how problems and their treatments affect the whole patient.
Dental treatments and technology
Dentistry as a whole relies on principles of brushing and flossing for oral health. Dental fillings are used to protect and restore teeth that have been damaged or weakened by tooth decay.
However, holistic dentists use variations of these practices and incorporate therapies and technologies that are natural, conservative, and/or minimally invasive. Conservative measures, which promote natural, quick healing, are preferred to more invasive treatments, which come with higher risks.
Additionally, holistic dentists do not perform root canals. Root canals are considered unsafe due to the chemicals used and the inability to fully cleanse the canals. This leaves the possibility of bacteria being locked in the tooth and bone causing more serious complications later. Holistic dentistry offers safe alternatives to root canals to preserve a healthy, live tooth.
Biological dentists do use ozone therapy and regenerative dentistry to promote faster, more natural healing throughout the body. Ozone therapy is used in treating gum disease, tooth decay, tooth sensitivity, dry socket, and more. Ozone helps to eliminate pathogens, increase circulation, and restore oxygen modulation bringing many benefits to the body.
Regenerative dental procedures restore, renew, or replace damaged tissues, bones, and teeth through advanced treatments. These treatments include platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) and carbon dioxide (CO2) laser therapy. PRF speeds wound healing and tissue regeneration through growth factors found using the patient’s own blood, which is spun in a centrifuge. PRF decreases swelling and speeds healing when used with extractions, bone grafts, and dental implant placement.
CO2 lasers have been used in dentistry for years. They have numerous uses including soft tissue surgeries and periodontal therapies. Lasers provide an alternative to more invasive drilling and oral surgeries. This minimally invasive treatment brings faster healing and decreased bleeding, swelling, and discomfort.
Dental materials and technologies
Just as treatments are selected based on their benefits for the whole patient, materials and technologies are given the same consideration. Holistic materials are selected based on their biocompatibility, meaning they are safe or compatible with the body.
Before using certain materials, your holistic dentist can do a biocompatibility test, such as the Clifford Materials Reactivity Testing (CMRT). This is done to assess any sensitivities or allergies to materials. Biocompatibility testing allows your holistic dentist to provide safe, individualized dental care.
Holistic dentists prefer the use of natural materials and avoid heavy metals. They may offer metal-free dental implants to replace missing teeth without the risk of metal sensitivities. Zirconia dental implants are white so they look more natural, and they are safe.
Dentists who are SMART-certified can safely remove amalgam fillings which contain mercury and are harmful to your overall health. Mercury filling removal is performed by following the precise protocol laid out by the International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology (IAOMT). This ensures the safety of the patient, dental team, and the environment. These fillings are replaced with a tooth-colored composite which is strong, safe, and looks more like the natural tooth.
Benefits of holistic dentistry
Because of its approach for the whole patient and not just the oral cavity, holistic dentistry offers many advantages over traditional dental care. Some of the benefits of holistic dentistry include the following:
Uses biocompatible, non-toxic materials
As mentioned above, holistic dentists deeply consider their materials before using them. The CMRT testing allows them to customize each patient’s treatments to ensure the safest, most effective results.
Even for patients without allergies, the use of natural, non-toxic materials is beneficial. Metals and chemicals can have negative effects on the body; plus they leave a grayish appearance in your mouth. By avoiding these materials, your dentist ensures your treatments do not have long-lasting repercussions on your overall wellness. Materials used by holistic dentists are safe, durable, and aesthetically pleasing.
Treats patients with minimally invasive procedures
Although holistic dentistry may be considered an alternative dental medicine, you are not sacrificing quality. Instead, you get high-tech, high-quality procedures that are customized to your needs. Instead of invasive drilling or oral surgeries, many procedures can be performed with conservative or minimally invasive alternatives.
Digital imaging, CAD, and CO2 lasers are just a few of the state-of-the-art technologies you may find in a holistic dental office. These technologies and treatments allow patients to avoid unnecessary invasive procedures while helping them keep their natural teeth and healthy smiles.
Focuses on the whole patient
When you sit down with a holistic dentist such as Dr. Mensah, you can trust that he is getting to know you as a whole person. Instead of focusing just on your mouth, he wants to know about you, your history, your medical health, and your emotional wellbeing. This allows him to develop a personalized treatment plan that focuses on diagnosing and treating your oral health.
Holistic dentists often take a preventative approach and look beyond the symptoms for an underlying cause. Your physical and emotional health are considered when preventing, diagnosing, and treating oral health concerns.
Find a holistic dentist in Chapel Hill, NC
At Integrative Holistic Dentistry, our compassionate dental team takes the time to get to know our patients to develop trusting relationships. We aim to empower our patients to take an active role in their oral and overall health by helping them make informed decisions. We utilize natural, yet advanced therapies to help you achieve a healthy, beautiful smile for life.
Take control of your health today. Book an appointment with a holistic dentist in Chapel Hill. We look forward to meeting you!