Improving Oral Health with Holistic Dentistry: A Natural Approach to Gum Wellness
Holistic medicine and dentistry are becoming increasingly popular as people look towards prevention and a natural approach. Our dentist in Vero Beach, FL, feels passionately about this aspect of dentistry and extends this care to patients. Let’s take a moment to clear the air about this form of dental care to see if it could be right for you.
Holistic Vs. Traditional Dentistry
Holistic dentistry considers how your oral health affects the body and how the body, primarily how you care for it, impacts your oral health.
While all dental practitioners urge patients to care for their teeth to prevent problems, a dentist who implements holistic practices strongly emphasizes the importance of preventative care through lifestyle changes and their impact on overall health.
This type of dentist often will prescribe natural solutions, such as herbs and dental treatments that use biocompatible materials.
In holistic medicine, a practitioner often recommends other treatments rather than root canals. Some believe that the materials and cleansing have harmful long-term effects, and a dentist specializing in holistic care understands the need for treatments outside of it.
Traditional dentists require routine cleanings and exams and will even recommend the proper diet. However, they urge patients to receive fluoride during routine visits and may suggest a root canal or fillings with unnatural materials for cavities.
While a standard dentist stresses the dangers of gum disease for the heart, this type of dental care doesn’t revolve around the patient’s overall health and its impact on dental care and vice versa.
How Holistic Dental Care Specifically Helps Optimize Gum Health
Visiting our Vero Beach dental practice and requesting a natural approach can prevent gum disease from developing.
To accomplish this goal, we’ll recommend a diet plan that limits high-sugar foods that feed the harmful bacteria that could flourish and cause gingivitis — and worse yet — gum disease, among other suggestions.
A non-conventional dental approach may include patient education on ways to care for your teeth that don’t require fluoride. These, however, will still remove bacteria from the teeth and around the gum line to help keep your teeth strong and gum tissue healthy and infection-free.
A holistic dentistry approach recommended by our dentist in Vero Beach, FL, may include removing any current mercury fillings you have. Some studies, like this one, indicate a relationship between that metal and inflammation and its effect on the immune system.
If you request this type of dentistry, we can recommend rinses and oils that keep oral bacteria at bay and aren’t known to irritate the gums.
How We Can Use it to Treat Gum Disease
A conventional approach to gum disease includes a deep cleaning, complete with scaling and planning. While holistic dental medicine still incorporates this concept of treating below the gum line, using holistic techniques often means the tools are slightly different. Our dentist will use less invasive ones to minimize any trauma to the gum tissue.
Rinses, oils, and other similar techniques used for preventative measures are often part of this kind of care as well. And, like with prevention, we’ll recommend removing any mercury fillings and replacing them with a material such as composite resin.
Diet is also a vital component of a holistic approach to gum disease treatment. Staples include fruits and veggies high in vitamin C, foods naturally high in vitamin D, and ones known to reduce inflammation. These help boost immune function, reduce gum inflammation, and promote tissue healing.
Why Choose Holistic Dental Care
If you’ve been seeing a dentist for traditional dental care, you may wonder why you should opt for this approach for your gum or overall health.
Firstly, rather than considering treating gum disease or preventing it as an isolated issue, we look at how it affects your entire body and the role your overall health plays in the condition.
Other reasons include:
- Avoiding unnatural substances
- Improving overall health
- Opting for minimally invasive treatments
- Focusing on preventative care
When you visit our Vero Beach dental practice and opt for holistic care, we can use it for preventative care or treatment. We can better incorporate any current health conditions you have to create a highly customized, patient-centric approach to your healthcare.