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DENTAL HEALTH
Natural Support For Healthy Teeth And Gums
Problems
with the teeth and gums are a frequently overlooked cause of symptoms
elsewhere in the body. Such dental-associated problems can range from
cardiac irregularities associated with tooth and gum infections to
neurological disorders associated with mercury toxicity from amalgam
fillings. In addition, the mouth acts as a mirror to the rest of the
body. Loose or demineralized teeth strongly suggest bone
demineralization (osteoporosis) elsewhere.
Further, many holistic dentists also disapprove of root canal
procedures which leave bone in the gum without a blood supply. They
site compelling evidence that such unvascularized bone acts as a foci
for bacteria. In Chinese medicine, the mouth is seen as an important
site for the remainder of the body. Amalgam fillings, which contain a
mixture of metals, are felt to interfere with the flow of energy ( “chi”)
through the meridians they cross. I once had a patient who began
having serious heart problems shortly after having an amalgam filling
placed in a tooth the was in the heart meridian.
From both a conventional and an holistic perspective, it is known
that health of your teeth and gums have a profound effect on the rest
of your health.
DIET AND LIFESTYLE
- Practice good nutrition.
The teeth need adequate calcium, magnesium, boron and other bone
nutrients to stay healthy. Sugar, white flour and other
acid-reacting foods can damage the teeth, especially with failure to
brush promptly after eating them. (They are no great shakes for the
rest of your body, either!)
- Practice good dental hygiene.
You’ve
heard it before from your momma and your dentist. Now you’ll
hear it from me. Take good care of your teeth and gums by regular
brushing, flossing, and using gum massage when appropriate. Here are
some “holistic”
ways to care for your mouth:
1) Brush. Baking soda makes an excellent, pure dentifrice. Add a
drop or two of essential oil of peppermint to an ounce of soda and
mix thoroughly for added flavor. Table salt can be added (just a
pinch) once per week for extra whitening power. (Don’t
use salt daily, however. It is too abrasive). Soda acts to
neutralize the acid bacteria in the mouth that cause cavities.
2) Floss daily. Flossing removes bacteria-feeding debris between the
teeth that brushing alone may miss. The new Teflon-coated dental
tape is ideal for those who find that regular dental floss breaks
off between the teeth.
3) Check-ups: twice per year. A full-mouth x-ray is probably
unwarranted every check-up, but is certainly needed every 1-2 years
to check for infection under crowns, etc. Be sure your dentist uses
a metal thyroid shield and body shield before taking x-ray pictures.
- Have a dental exam and cleaning twice a year.
If you have been diagnosed with a new-onset heart irregularity, be
sure to have a dental exam. Gum or tooth infections shed bacteria
that can damage the heart valves and possibly even the muscle
itself. If you do have an infection and the dentist recommends an
antibiotic, it may be wise to take it. Some studies have shown a
lower incidence of heart problems in people who have taken
antibiotics for any reason. Again, an unrecognized source of harmful
bacteria may be the culprit in such cases. Be sure to take
pro-biotic (gut bacteria) replacement, such as
Suprema-Dophilus, to keep the
“good”
gut bacteria healthy while taking any antibiotic.
PRIMARY SUPPORT
-
Maxi Multi: 3
caps, 3 times per day with meals. Optimal (not minimal) doses of
antioxidants (ACES), calcium, magnesium, boron, bioflavonoids and B
complex vitamins are particularly important for good dental health.
-
Grape Seed Extract:
50-100 mg, 3 times per day.
ADDITIONAL SUPPORT
For gum disease
-
CoQ10: 50-100 mg per day with
meals. CoQ10 has shown impressive results in treating gum disease.
(CoQ10 is also an important heart nutrient).
-
Essential oil of myrrh
rubbed onto sore or bleeding gums with a Q-tip. Myrrh is both an
anti-infective and a soothing agent.
For loose teeth
-
Cal-Mag Amino: 1 cap, 3
times per day in addition to the 1,000:500 mg from Maxi Multi (Basic
Program).
Preparation for dental work:
Beginning 2 weeks before planned dental work
Just after dental work
- Continue above supplements for an additional two weeks.
-
Bromelain: 1-2 caps, 3-4
times per day between meals. Continue for 2 weeks or until all
dental work is healed.
DR. MYATT’S
COMMENTS
Finally, a caution about having mercury amalgam fillings removed.
Although there is evidence that the metal, especially mercury, in
dental fillings can cause neurological damage, there is also evidence
that having amalgams removed can exacerbate neurological problems. If
you believe that your dental fillings may be having an adverse effect
on some aspect of your health, get a hair analysis first to determine
mercury levels.
Hair mineral analysis
is one of the least expensive screening tools for high body mercury.
It is considered to be an accurate test for this purpose. (But not for
nutritional mineral determination). If mercury levels are high, you
may want to try oral or IV chelation as a solution in lieu of having
amalgams removed. In my years of practice, I have seen a handful of
patients with neurological diseases get worse when their filling were
removed. I have not had a single patient become noticeably better from
having fillings removed, although I have heard anecdotal stories to
this effect.
Remember that the overall health of the body is reflected in the
mouth and vice versa. Take good care of your general health, and your
teeth and gums will benefit. Take good care of your teeth and gums and
your overall state of health will benefit. Or, as your momma probably
told you, “watch
your mouth”!
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