Holistic Dentistry

Our Holistic Approach to Dental Care

Dr. Cori Crider and Dr. Kelly MacArthur are committed to holistic dentistry as the best way to care for our patients and keep them and our team as healthy as possible. First, we strive to treat the cause of a problem, not just the symptoms. This starts with proper nutrition, avoidance or elimination of toxins, and addressing any structural imbalance in the mouth. We feel it is important for you to understand how each aspect of your oral health affects you, so we take the time to educate you about gum disease, restoration and other treatment options. We also provide insight and answer any questions you may have regarding the tools and techniques we use for your care.

Holistic Dentistry

What is holistic, or biological, dentistry? It's a philosophy based on the concept that the mouth is a window to your overall health. Not just because of the foods you eat or other things you might ingest, but because the condition of your teeth and gums contributes significantly to the general health of your entire body.

Holistic dentistry encompasses a wide range of treatments, including your at-home oral care routine and diet. With holistic care, you go beyond treating cavities to treat your oral health as a significant factor in your overall wellness.

Balanced Care for Whole-Body Health

Holistic care reduces the body's response to triggers, or things that cause inflammation and stress in the body. Triggers can include pollution or exposure to toxins from the environment and exposure to free radicals, or disease causing agents found in the body. In holistic dentistry, we avoid using materials, such as heavy metals, that may trigger an immune response. By avoiding the immune response, your immune system is prepared to effectively fight the free radicals that cause illness and disease.

Biological dentistry uses unique tools to help fight chronic inflammation and disease. For instance, examining the saliva's bacterial balance provide valuable information that you can use to maintain healthy teeth and gums. For instance, the bacteria present in your saliva are useful in selecting the right oral care routine to use at home and can guide your dentist in choosing the best professional treatments to improve your overall health. Removing bacteria in the mouth, or detoxifying oral tissues, is a simple way to improve your overall health.

Why Holistic Care?

When you control the bacteria present in the mouth, you reduce the risk of those bacteria entering the bloodstream where they can cause an immune response. This immune response is usually inflammation. While inflammation may not seem harmful, the condition has been link to heart disease, chronic pain and a host of other health concerns that affect your ability to enjoy life to the fullest. Preventative care if one of the foundations of biological dentistry.

Preventative care includes regular cleanings to remove bacteria that cause gum disease, called periodontal disease. Periodontal disease usually starts as a milder gum disease like gingivitis.

The disease is usually controlled with regular checkups and cleanings that reduce your risk of developing chronic gum inflammation and minimize oral bone loss.

Bone degeneration caused by periodontal disease is a leading contributor to tooth loss, but this condition is easy to avoid with regular holistic dental care. Your holistic dentist can provide you with recommendations to improve your overall health to assist in reducing inflammation and disease in the body. For instance, your dentist may recommended foods rich in antioxidants to fight the symptoms of gum disease and other types if inflammation.

Integrative Approach

Our team takes an integrative approach to your care, which means educating ourselves so we can educate you. We all must understand how the body's immune system might be affected by dental care. It's important for us to collaborate with the rest of your medical team – which may include naturopaths, chiropractors, medical doctors, specialists, acupuncturists, and more. We've incorporated the use of BPA and latex-free materials, become mercury-free and mercury-safe, and incorporated treatments such as ozone therapy for non-invasive care and wonderful results.

Benefits of Holistic Care

Holistic care is designed to promote better overall health by preventing immune responses in the body to the bacteria found in the mouth. Using safe, effective materials to treat dental issues, such as using mercury-free materials, promotes a healthy mind and body.

Another benefit of choosing holistic care is being able to rely on trusted treatments that have proven to enhance your overall health. Unlike traditional care providers, who usually work to relive a specific issue, holistic dentists work to improve your overall health to encourage excellent oral health. You can feel confident that your treatments a less invasive, less toxic, and more healing when you opt for holistic care.

Most importantly, holistic dentistry is about getting to know you as an individual with all your very unique needs and desires. Some of our patients have been amazed at the difference in how they feel as well as how their smile looks once they've undergone treatment with us!

Do you have questions about our holistic approach? Call our office now at (734) 572-4428 to learn more.