A “Holistically Inclined” Approach to Dentistry

Holistic because we believe the health of the mouth and our overall health cannot be separated. The term biologic may apply because we strive to find new and better ways to help individuals get and stay healthy, and always seeking materials and techniques that are as biocompatible as possible, while at the same time providing for durability, longevity and conservatism.

The term holistic emphasizes the importance of the whole and the interdependence of its parts. Relative to the practice of dentistry, there is no recognized specialty that would allow one to be called a holistic dentist thus the use of the term holistically inclined approach to the practice of dentistry.

We must remember the same blood that flows through the brain, heart, liver, muscles, etc also flows into the teeth and gums. No part of the body functions alone and independent instead functions as a whole. This is also true at a cellular level, thus to think that an infected tooth or gum around the tooth can influence things at a cellular level throughout the body, truly raises the importance of how we care for our mouth.

Even with this understanding, we often times see the medical system moving away from the holistic approach to a more “parts” orientation, where more and more treatment is directed at the symptoms of disease rather than its cause.

So when we approach the practice of dentistry from a holistic/biologic point of view it just makes sense that the patient be invited into all discussions that must be made in developing appropriate treatment plans. To the degree the patient is involved in deciding what treatment will be rendered and specifically what techniques and materials will be used, the greater the chance that the patient will have control over what is being done and placed in their bodies.