Regular dental checkups not only ensure that your teeth are clean, healthy, and that you’re free of gum disease — they can also help keep tabs on your overall health. Oral health and whole body wellness are inextricably linked. The mouth is an entry point for many different types of bacteria, some good and some not so great. Poor oral hygiene can lead to gingivitis, cavities, tooth decay, and periodontal disease. Allowing your oral health to go by the wayside can be associated with clogged arteries, strokes, and coronary artery disease.
The sole purpose of oral hygiene isn’t to prevent yellowing teeth and bad breath — the importance of this daily habit goes much deeper. Poor oral hygiene can lead to a variety of diseases, including periodontal diseases. This has an association with cardiovascular issues, though there’s no evidence that one causes the other.
From a medical perspective, the oral cavity can be considered a window into the patient’s overall wellbeing. Systemic conditions, such as diabetes, pulmonary disease, kidney disease, and even pregnancy-related complications are suspected of having some form of interrelation with an individual’s oral health.
It’s generally accepted that treating one can have a positive impact on the other, such as with periodontitis to prevent toxins from being released into the bloodstream. This can cause artery inflammation and potential blockages. A patient’s mental wellbeing can be affected by their oral health as well, especially if they’ve become severely self-conscious of decaying teeth or chronic bad breath.
If you’ve never visited a holistic dentist before, you may be wondering how their techniques and treatments differ from those of a traditional dentist. Holistic providers have an expanded viewpoint when it comes to how oral health interacts with the patient’s overall wellbeing.
A few of the differences you may notice when visiting a holistic care provider are the use of biocompatible materials, digital X-rays, mercury-free fillings, and generally an opposition towards fluoride and root canal treatments.
Holistic dentists take great care to not cause additional health issues with the materials they place inside of a patient’s mouth. The goal is for the patient to leave the office on a journey to increased health and wellness. Amalgam fillings are not biocompatible for our bodies and there is growing concern around the long-term impacts and toxicity of having even small quantities of mercury in your mouth.
At All About Smiles, we want to help your body operate at its full capacity. Our care and attention to your oral health help to treat and prevent diseases that can cause systemic impacts on the rest of your wellbeing. Dr. Lewis Yu and Dr. Grace Liu approach dentistry with a prioritization on caring for the whole body by using trusted techniques, non-invasive treatments, and biocompatible materials whenever possible.
It all adds up to better health, smile, body, and spirit!