If you are like most people, you obviously believe that all dentists are the same. There are actually two kinds of them; those that use conventional methods and those that practice holistic dentistry. The conventional ones are only focused on offering dental solutions. For instance, if you have a toothache, they will just pull out or fill the teeth without taking time to find out what could be the underlying cause. A holistic dentist, on the other hand, will first look for the root cause of the pain and also consider how the problem affects the rest of your body. Continue reading below to learn why it’s better to be attended by a holistic dentist in Littleton, Colorado.

1. It Covers Overall Health

A holistic dentist approaches oral issues differently. They don’t just treat what they see and be done with the patient. No. They dig deeper with the intention of finding out if the current oral condition might affect other areas of the patient’s body. For instance, they understand that gum disease can cause infections that end up affecting the heart and contaminating the blood. They also understand that poor oral hygiene can trigger diabetes and cause high blood pressure in pregnant women. And since the dentist doesn’t want the condition to happen again, he will advise you to quit some toxic habits such as smoking and the use of illegal drugs. But when you seek treatment from a conventional dentist, they will simply offer remedy for the symptoms and ignore the underlying causes. What this means is that you will continue to suffer from the same dental issue over and over until the damage can’t be remedied.

2. Reduced Exposure to X-rays

When you visit a dentist and report certain symptoms, they will definitely ask you to go for x-ray imaging. While x-rays help in helping experts unmask things that can’t be seen with naked eyes, the procedure comes with an equal measure of side effects. For a start, the procedure exposes your body to radiation. Research actually shows that radiation can affect an unborn child. Besides that, it increases the chances of contracting cancer in future. Dentists that practice holistic dentistry normally use digital x-rays. This equipment is much better than their predecessors because they don’t expose you to radiation.

3. It Focuses on Non-surgical Procedures

Conventional dentists rush into using surgical and other invasive procedures to treat oral conditions such as tooth decay and gum disease. During these procedures, natural dental elements are removed and replaced with artificial ones. For instance, conventional dentists use drilling tools to remedy early symptoms of tooth decay. The problem is that the drilling action removes the enamel of your teeth, which in return causes you to suffer from sensitivity.

On the other hand, a holistic dentistry approach focuses on leaving natural elements of teeth untouched. Some of the commonly used procedures include:

·         Air Abrasion: In this zero-drilling procedure, pressurized air is used in the elimination of tooth decay.

·         Ozone therapy: This method uses oxygen and pure water to clean the mouth thoroughly. It’s recommended for patients that have been diagnosed with gum disease. The advantage of this approach is that it’s able to penetrate deep into the areas that are not easy to reach and eliminate the bad bacteria.

·         Laser therapy: This technology is usually used for sterilizing the root canal in patients suffering from gum disease. Since it’s basically a light that goes beyond the gums, the procedure is hardly painful.

4. It’s Educative

A session at a holistic dentistry clinic makes you feel comfortable. This is because the sessions are normally interactive. The dentist will first engage you in chat that is meant to enlighten him on other areas of life. For instance, he will ask you whether you have been getting quality sleep or not and whether you have concerns that need to be addressed such as headaches. The other advantage is that the dentist teaches you how to take good care of your dentals by doing simple procedures such as flossing and brushing teeth after every meal. They will also advise you on what to consider when shopping for oral care products and the things to avoid.

5. Mercury Free Procedures

The majority of conventional dentists use products that contain traces of mercury when scaling or filling teeth. The problem is that mercury is bad for your overall health. Research shows that it can trigger brain disorders by affecting the neurons that control its functions. Holistic dentistry focuses on keeping patients safe from being exposed to this toxic chemical substance. This is done by installing a mouth dam that prevents mercury from being swallowed. In addition to that, the dentist offers an alternative source of oxygen so that the patient doesn’t have to breathe through the mouth. The fillings are kept intact by spraying the mouth with cold water. Moreover, the resulting particles are immediately removed using a suction pump.