Discover the many benefits of holistic dentistry.
Holistic medicine has been in practice for centuries—and for a good reason. Holistic medicine considers your whole person, inclusive of your body, mind, spirit, and emotions. Holistic practitioners aspire to provide services that enhance optimal health and wellness. And it is no different when it comes to holistic dentistry. Holistic dentistry goes beyond guiding you towards a beautiful smile.
Though your smile is vital, perhaps more important is that you have a healthy mouth. When tooth decay, gum disease, and other oral maladies occur, they can have a detrimental impact on your entire body. While all of this makes sense, it is only natural for you to have some questions about holistic dentistry. We’ve taken a stab at answering your most common ones.
What is holistic dentistry?
As we implied earlier, holistic dentistry considers how oral health affects your entire body and vice versa. Holistic dentistry seeks to treat oral problems by considering that all aspects of your health (including your physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being) impact your oral health. However, it’s important to note that not all dentists refer to this type of medical practice as holistic dentistry. Some dentists will refer to it as alternative dentistry, biocompatible dentistry, functional dentistry, integrative dentistry, natural dentistry, progressive dentistry, and complete health dentistry. Though some of these terms can be a bit misleading, they are commonly used when referencing holistic dentistry.
Perhaps used more commonly than others is “functional dentistry.” This approach to dental care emphasizes the prevention of oral diseases by being aware of oral microbiome management, sleep-disordered breathing, and dietary recommendations. Further, functional dentistry seeks to use non-toxic or less-toxic materials when treating dental issues. This kind of practice also educates itself on the root causes of oral problems and recognizes that the mouth’s health reflects overall health. At Ada Smile Place, we believe the concepts of functional dentistry should be applied whenever possible when treating our patients.
How is holistic dentistry different from traditional dentistry?
It’s important to note here that holistic dentists must have a degree in dentistry, and we’ll touch on that a bit further in just a bit. Holistic dentistry still incorporates traditional dentistry when treating patients. However, where traditional dentists focus primarily on your teeth, gums, jaw, and the areas of the head or neck that are affected by the mouth, holistic dentists look at all of those things in light of the rest of your body and overall health. The belief here is that it is vital to recognize that all areas of health are connected.
What are some examples of treatments in holistic dentistry?
This is an excellent question because, again, just like a traditional dentist would, a holistic dentist will encourage you to maintain good oral hygiene practices. This means you will be prompted to brush twice a day and floss daily. But dentists who focus on your complete health also generally provide the following dental services:
- Dental checkups and cleanings
- Composite fillings and other normal dental services
- An understanding of your overall health situation
- Alternative treatment for head, jaw, and neck pain
- Treatment for sleep and disordered breathing issues
- Nutrition education to ensure you are eating tooth-friendly foods that are good for your overall body
- Education on oral and whole-body health connections
A great example to help you understand the concept here is to consider if you have gingivitis. Your traditional dentist will discuss nutrition to a degree and will seek to use a traditional course of action to treat your gums. But a dentist that focuses on your complete health will spend extra time with you, emphasizing the importance of good food choices for your oral health.
Do holistic dentists have a degree in dentistry?
As we said, we would come back to this vital question. And the answer is, yes, holistic dentists must successfully obtain a degree in dentistry. However, dentists who focus on your whole health will also spend time keeping up with all the latest research on oral and whole-body health connections.
To explain this further, to become a licensed dentist, you must obtain or do the following:
- A bachelor’s degree
- A four-year DDS (doctor of dental surgery) or DMD (doctor of medicine in dentistry) degree
- Pass the National Board Dental Examination
- Have a clinical examination conducted by your state or regional board of dentistry (where applicable)
Why Ada Smile Place Is the Best Dentist Near Ada, Oklahoma
If you are interested in this health-oriented type of dentistry and have been searching for a complete-health or “holistic” dentist near you in Ada, OK, we are happy to tell you that your searching has paid off. The Ada Smile Place team takes a holistic approach to traditional dentistry and works with patients to complement their total and complete health. So if this sounds good to you, don’t hesitate to request an appointment.
We look forward to meeting you.
