The equivalent of complementary and alternative medicine for dentistry is what is pertinently referred to as holistic dentistry – or biocompatible dentistry, biologic dentistry, unconventional dentistry, alternative dentistry, etc. – in medical parlance. Holistic dentistry takes a very diverse approach to dental care. It simply considers the patient’s dental health in the context of their overall spiritual, emotional and physical health. It is usually unique and different in its own way.

Holistic Dentistry Defined and Explained

While holistic dentistry is only one of its kind dental practices, the holistic dentistry community is extensively known for its strong opposition on root canals which they believe may endanger the systemic health of the patient’s through the spread or trapped dental bacteria to the body, nonsurgical approaches to gum disease, and the use of amalgam which contains mercury and other potentially toxic materials in dental fillings. It is part of the alternative health movement.

Aristotle clearly defined the term “Holistic” and elucidated about it precisely “the whole is more than the sum of the parts”. In other words, and if what Aristotle remarked is anything to go by, holistic dentistry practices entail to treat the entire person as opposed to just treating a part of their mouth. Factual and reliable studies reveal that a half of the world’s population has, at least, engaged or sought after this kind of unconventional dentistry practice in their lifetime.

The main objective of practicing this type of dentistry is not just to treat your body fully, but also to restore your mouth with materials that are fully proven compatible with your specific body. The materials that a conventional dentist will place in your mouth can affect you wholly because the conditions in your mouth such as missing teeth, gum disease, decay and other serious dental problems can easily affect the general health of the body. Holistic dentistry aims to treat both.

Holistic Dentistry’s Safe Removal of Toxic Dental Materials

If you want to remove metal crowns and mercury fillings in your mouth, under extremely safe protocols and conditions, you should seek a holistic dentist. They are aptly trained to safely remove the aforesaid toxic materials in your mouth. Having a holistic dentistry work on your mouth simply means that you are overly protected against toxic residue and fumes that can endanger your body. If not removed properly, the said toxic materials get even more toxic.

That explains why holistic dentistry employs the use of natural remedies and products as part of the treatment as they are safer and kinder to the body. Natural products do not have side effects hence the body will react favorably on them. Among the remedies of pain that holistic dentistry uses are homeopathic and herbal remedies, natural toothpastes and mouth rinses.

Colgate Total Toothpaste has been on the market as a top-selling toothpaste for over a decade.  Recently released documents, however, discloses that triclosan, an active ingredient in the toothpaste, is linked to cancer cell growth and hormone disruption in lab animals.

Bloomberg News has reported that triclosan is currently under review by drug regulators.  Triclosan was first used in hospital scrubs in the 1970s, and since then has been used in a wide variety of products, from cleaning supplies to kitchen utensils, even in children’s toys and Colgate Total Toothpaste.  Our recommended alternative is to make your own toothpaste (see recipe).

Although the product was approved by the FDA well over a decade ago, the toxicology reports were kept secret until after a Freedom of Information lawsuit filed in 2013.  The FDA has published the report on its website.

The report is 35 pages long and shows that the FDA was concerned about some of Colgate’s claims regarding the chemical, not only claims of the safety of the product, but also claims that it can fight gingivitis and plaque.

Among the study results in the report were those showing malformations in the fetal bones of lab animals, but Colgate insists that these findings were irrelevant.  Colgate prefers to look at the studies done on children and adults that suggest triclosan is safe in small amounts.

The FDA determined, however, that Colgate had sufficiently evaluated the exposure of triclosan from exaggerated dosing and concluded that resulting levels were above the carcinigenicity advisory committee recommendations.

The FDA’s stance on triclosan is that it is not known to be hazardous to human health.  However, this does not definitively prove the product is safe.  While animal testing does not always give the same results as human testing, animal research does lead to concerns.  The FDA has responded to these concerns by reopening investigation into the chemical, though the agency along with the EPA both believe triclosan in toothpaste and handsoap is safe.

Scientists recognize that many people are suspicious of widely used chemicals, despite FDA approval, and that say that such suspicion is not necessarily wrong.  Much of the suspicion comes from the fact that in our culture we are exposed to many thousands of chemicals in a typical day.  While these chemicals are generally considered safe by themselves, they have a tendency to react with one another with unpredictable results.

“We have created a system where we are testing these chemicals out on the human population. I love the idea they are all safe, but when we have studies on animals that suggest otherwise, I think we’re taking a huge risk.” says UMass Amherst Professor Thomas Zoeller.

For more articles relating to dental health, visit http://biocompatibledentist.org

Few denture wearers have problems with upper dentures, but the opposite is true for lower dentures.  As many as 9 out of every 10 people with lower dentures are highly dissatisfied with them.  The most common problems are dentures that slip or move during speaking or eating, and pain on biting.  Many denture wearers have suffered in silence, believing it was just part of wearing dentures.

Until recently, the only solution to these problems was costly and invasive implant surgery.  This surgery was not only out of reach for many denture wearers due to the cost, but was unsuitable for many due to a lack of sufficient bone to support the implant.

With new, smaller implants supported dentures, comfortable, confident smiles and pain-free eating is within reach for most denture wearers.

Implant supported dentures from Brighton Dental use implants that are much smaller than traditional implants.  Placing these implants is much less invasive than traditional implants, requiring no stitches.  They are also much easier to place and much less expensive than traditional implants.  They can be placed in under an hour and the patient can walk out with their newly refitted dentures immediately.  These smaller implants also require less bone, so many patients who have been turned down for implants in the past are good candidates for this new procedure.

“Compared to procedures for larger implants, the narrow body implant procedure, available from several companies, is non-invasive and more convenient because the implants can be immediately loaded,” explains Gordon J. Christensen, DDS, MSD, PhD, who co-founded and consults for the highly respected Clinical Research Associates. “They can be placed less expensively because they are simple to place, and they cost less coming from the manufacturer.”  Traditional implants cost $7,000 or more, but with placing these new smaller implants and refitting existing dentures can all be done for as low as $1,500.

Nels Ewoldsen, DDS, MSD, a clinical researcher for DENTSPLY Prosthetics, says there is evidence to suggest that implants used on lower dentures to hold them in place may be able to help protect and maintain bone mass in the lower jaw.  Preserving bone becomes more important as denture wearers age.

“This is a minimally invasive procedure, and the process for securing the denture to the implants is less complicated than it is for any other small diameter implants currently marketed,” Ewoldsen says. “The fact that you can fit a denture to the Brighton Denture Comfort implants more simply, with less hardware, with fewer steps—in addition to the procedure being non-invasive—is what attracts me to it.”

Read more about Dr. Vinograd & Brighton Dental at DrVinogad.com

If you’re a registered nurse you could likely add a new skill to your list; botox administration. Of course, you will need to take the appropriate training courses to become certified in order to possess this new skill. The market has been increasing for the Botox industry and you can learn exactly what it is, how it is used, how it works and all about how to identify adverse reactions and side effects, to properly manage them.

Dentox’s approved training course will teach you how to assess the patient and understand their expectations; you would be surprised at some patients’ expectations and how unreasonable they are in reality. You will be educated in administering Botox injections with hands-on training so you’re more comfortable using the necessary equipment.

Designed for Nurses & Health Care Professionals

The course was designed with people like you in mind, and also other health care professionals who could benefit from adding Botox injections to their practice. You will have the option of choosing from one of several workshops scheduled among a variety of locations, including online courses that are available almost every weekend.

When you take the Dentox workshop you’ll leave the course knowing all about Botox and how to start using all the information you learned at once. Should you attend a workshop you can expect to endure comprehensive lectures during the morning hours and after lunch you will receive hands-on practice. They provide real-live patients to practice on, but also give you the option of bringing your own guest to practice on if that makes you more comfortable.

Botox, Dysport and Xeomin

While you will learn all about Botox and Type A compounds during this training course, you will also learn about (and how to administer) newer products like Xeomin and Dysport. Learning about all of the options will help you determine which might be most suited for your practice and the goals you have in mind.

Certificate of Completion

Once you’ve successfully completed the training course and have proven you know how to administer the injections appropriately, you’ll receive a certificate of completion; framing optional.  This certificate is beneficial for both you and your patients.

Source: http://dentox.com/botox-edu-news/botox-training-nurses/