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When you think about health, longevity and the interconnectedness of different chronic health conditions–are you thinking about how your teeth, gums and overall oral health contribute to your health?
Only in the last several years have people begun to pursue a holistic perspective on their oral health as it relates to the rest of their bodies. More and more information is available on the controversies of using fluoride, the hidden danger of mouth breathing and so many other topics.
With this information coming to the mainstream, we’ve noticed an increase of interest from patients and in turn have discovered it can be a bit confusing navigating and understanding holistic dentistry vs biological dentistry vs conventional dentistry. So this week, we’re here to break down the difference between the two and give you a great launching point to the world of holistic dentistry and when it might be helpful for you.
What is holistic dentistry?
The first important piece to remember is that holistic and biological dentistry are the same. Often the terms are interchanged and we’ve found that just confuses patients further trying to understand the two and how they’re different. They aren’t! Whew.
Holistic dentists focus on oral health as it relates to the whole person. The majority of dentists siphon their focus on oral health to the teeth only and don’t consider how treating the teeth can impact everything else.
Holistic dentists provide a unique perspective in areas like tooth extraction, root canals, mercury fillings and the use of fluoride treatments. For example, they consider how introducing materials like metal and mercury in fillings can impact the rest of your health. Are we adding to your body burden of toxic heavy metals? How is that going to trickle down and impact your everyday health?
When should you consider seeking a holistic dentist?
It’s time to look for a biological dentist as soon as you’re not satisfied with the answers you’ve been getting from your conventional dentist. Whether your primary concern is everyday oral hygiene or safe mercury amalgam removal, you should be in the hands of a provider that you trust to go the extra mile.
Some services that biological dentists provide that your conventional provider might not include safe mercury amalgam removal, mercury-free fillings, ceramic or porcelain crowns, ozone therapy, myofunctional therapy, fluoride free dentistry, and tongue and lip tie releases.
How do I find a holistic dentist near me?
We’re passionate about sharing local businesses far and wide with our community in Minnesota, so are a few holistic dentists in the area to get you started:
- Tooth by the Lake in Hopkins, MN
- Wellspring Dental Health in Edina, MN
- Natural Smiles Dental Care in Shoreview, MN
- Pure Dental in Oakdale, MN
If you’re not local to the area, you can use the Holistic Dental Association’s directory found here, on their website for both dentists located in the US and internationally.
And we wouldn’t be doing our job if we didn’t leave you with some resources! Holistic dentistry is such a wide ranging topic and it can feel so confusing at first. We’ve linked below some of our favorite social media accounts, podcasts and books for you!
RELATED RESOURCES
Podcasts
- Ask the Dentist
- Getting to the Root of Oral Health with Dr. Staci Whitman (The Be Well Podcast)
- Getting to the Root of Oral Health & Holistic Wellness with Dr. Britney Green (Well Connected Twin Cities)
Books
- The Dental Diet by Dr. Steven Lin
- Heal Your Oral Microbiome by Cass Nelson-Dooley
- Teeth by Mary Otto
- Jaws by Sandra Kahn & Paul R Ehrlich
- Root Canal Cover Up by George E Meining
- Whole Body Dentistry by Mark A Breiner
Katie is our champion of member experience. You’ll meet her at our admin desk, or chat with her over the phone answering all your questions and making sure your patient care with us is seamless. When she isn’t running our office, she’s buried in a good book, shopping local vintage stores & baking delicious treats!
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