On many occasions I have received emails asking me about holistic or biologic dentistry and whether or not I am a holistic dentist. Although I will not brand myself as a holistic dentist, I do understand and appreciate the concept of holistic dentistry, and am open to providing holistic style dentistry to any who ask. To learn more about my position on holistic dentistry, please read on, or feel free to contact me and set up a consultation to see if my services can fit your desires.
Challenges With Holistic Dentistry
The main reason I will not brand myself as a holistic dentist is there are too many variations of holistic dentists. There does not seem to be a set guideline for holistic dentistry, more just a concept. As a result, there will be holistic dentists who focus more on basics like replacing amalgam fillings to reduce mercury exposure, have a fluoride free practice, etc. On the other extreme, there are holistic dentists who will not perform root canal treatments and recommend such treated teeth are extracted immediately, and that the body has to be balanced and energies allowed to flow evenly through the body, etc.
The challenge with the variations in holistic dentistry is, which is right? In my opinion, if you take holistic dentistry to the extreme that it is sometimes taken, holistic dentistry is riddled with contradictions. For example, those who propose never doing root canal treatments due to the entrapment of bacteria that can cause perpetual attack on the body, seem to fail to take into account that this can occur with fillings as well, and therefore, teeth should never receive fillings. Similarly, extremists only want to use “bio-compatible” materials, but will still use plastic fillings, or use cements and bonding agents that are similar to plastic fillings, and may one day be determined to contain toxins, like what was previously found with some plastics containing Bis-Phenol A.
So the dilemma evolves, if you follow holistic dentistry to its extreme, teeth should never be fixed, only removed when they have problems. And teeth should never be replaced as that would involve materials not designed to be in the body. However, removing someone’s teeth and not replacing them would leave them with the complexity of trying to eat a healthy diet. Failure to eat a healthy diet poses a whole number of health risks that can far outweigh the risks from fixing teeth with non-biological materials. So the question remains, where is the balance?
The Schau Dental Stance
Due to the challenges with defining a “right” version of holistic dentistry, I have decided to stick with more mainstream dentistry that is science based, while slowly modifying techniques and materials to more natural methods on dental treatment. At the same time, work to balance the holistic dentistry principles with practicality and reasonableness as evidenced through science. This is tricky to do as both “modern” dentistry and “holistic” dentistry have their strengths and weaknesses, and the best form of dentistry involves a blend of both working together. Unfortunately, science is not there yet to define the best style of dentistry, and a lot of dental practices and research is biased due to strong opinions or financial motives rather that pure science and desire to do what is right.
So when it comes to what type of treatment I perform on my patients and with what materials, etc, I leave a lot of that up to my patients. If a patient of mine requires some treatment, and they want an alternative form of treatment done that they have heard about, I research the proposed alternative. I do my best to sift through the available information to try and discover the science behind the treatment option and determine the risks and benefits compared to standard treatment with as little bias as possible. I will then discuss my findings and thoughts with the patient and come up with a treatment plan that will work for them. If the desired treatment falls out of my comfort zone for skill level, I will help the patient find someone who can provide the treatment. In the rare case I am asked to provide treatment I believe violates my moral and ethical standards, and will truly do more harm than good to a patient, I will refuse to provide that service (fortunately for those tending to more holistic dentistry, this would be a rare occurrence, and one I have not experienced yet).
In Conclusion
Ultimately, the decision for type of treatment one is to receive is up to the individual patient. It is my job to educate to the best of my abilities and knowledge, and provide the best care that I can in an ethical and safe manner. I will not judge my patients for their decisions or beliefs, rather be open to new ideas and theories that may be different than the norm as there is often a better way of doing things. In the end, each patient needs to be content that the work they are having done is the right treatment for them. At Schau Dental, we do not want any patients regretting the treatment decisions they make, rather we want patients to feel they have made a good, well informed decision about their treatment.
So if my stance on holistic dentistry sounds like it might fit with what you are looking for, contact us and set up a consult appointment so we can get to know each other better.