holistic dentistry

What is holistic Dentistry?

Holistic Dentistry is about considering a person’s dental health as an integral part of their general health.     Our philosophy is eat well,  breathe well,  sleep well, live well.  We extensively discuss the following aspects of life, as they all intrinsically relate to both general health and dental health.  The mouth can be considered to be the gateway to the human body.  Changes that occur in the mouth can have implications for the physiological and psychological behavior of the human body while disturbances in the functional processes of the human body can be observed by examining the mouth. These may include, sleep disordered breathing, chronic postural back and neck pain, and headaches and migraines.

The goal of Wholistic Dentistry’s goal is  to provide a high standard of care to patients, improving their quality of life, with a integrative  approach to pain management, dental and preventative health treatment.

Below are some of the aspects we consider in our integrative treatment approach.

Nutrition

Most of us know what food we should and shouldn’t eat, and are aware of the risks of consuming a highly processed high sugar diet.  Unfortunately the fast pace of daily life in the twenty first century sometimes makes it very easy to resort to fast food and packaged, ready to eat options.  Such food is nutritionally deficient and often contains significant amounts of added sugar as well as artificial preservatives and additives, all of which have negative health implications.

Food and drink rich in carbohydrate can create an acidic environment in your mouth leading to tooth decay.  A diet plentiful in filtered water, fresh fruit and vegetables and quality natural protein sources is crucial to achieving optimal general and dental health.

nutrition
breathing

Breathing

Breathing sustains life.  Nose breathing is a critical part of ensuring optimal health.  Many people who mouth breathe do so, subconsciously and have done so their entire lives.  Long term mouth breathing can be a symptom of sleep apnoea which can lead to medical problems such as heart disease and depression.

Mouth breathers are also more prone to decay as their mouths dry out during sleep leaving them more prone to tooth decay.  We work with our patients to help  them achieve better breathing patterns, often this may involve referral to other health professionals.

Stress management

Long term stress can cause tooth grinding and clenching  which can cause physical wear and damage to the teeth and nerves, fracture of the teeth can also occur. Meditation and regular exercise can help manage and reduce the incidence of stress.  In some cases,  regular incidence of  stress and anxiety may be the result of nutritional deficiencies. In cases of extreme or ongoing stress we recommend consultation with a trusted health professional

stressed man
medical conditions

Underlying medical conditions

Certain medical conditions can have impact on dental health by causing the mouth to dry which leads to tooth decay.  Stomach reflux produces an acidic environment in the mouth that can cause erosion of tooth enamel.  With individuals who may be predisposed to a high rate of dental decay we can assist with suggestions that will help reduce the acidity of the mouth and slow the incidence of cavities.

Posture and movement

Poor posture and dysfunctional movement as well as past trauma and injuries can cause muscular aches and pains.  In some people this can cause a misalignment of the jaw joints causing frequent headache experience, neck and shoulder pain.  Severe tooth clenching may also occur. Headache, neck, and facial pain can be assisted by working in conjunction with osteopaths, chiropractors or physiotherapists.  Sometimes a dental splint may be required to assist in correcting dysfunctional movement.

posture