Teeth are not an organ in isolation. This page explains what holistic dentistry means, what matters in a dental restoration, what you yourself can contribute to healthy teeth and what saliva reveals about the risk of caries.
What does holistic dentistry mean?
“Holistic” already says it: we do not look at a disorder in isolation, but always in connection with the whole organism. In an organism, the whole is more than the sum of its parts. If we switch off a symptom of a disorder, that is far from meaning that we have also switched off the factor causing the disorder.
An everyday example: if you are driving your car and a red warning light comes on, you know that there is a fault somewhere. You now have two options. Either you look for the cause of the fault and eliminate it, or you cut the wire that feeds the red light. The light then no longer burns. However, there is a high risk that the fire will then break out in another, more important place.
Applied to the teeth, this could mean: a painful nerve can be taken out, and then the tooth no longer hurts. But the nerve had a function in the organism as a whole, namely an alarm function, signalling that something is wrong somewhere. So it would make more sense than killing the nerve to find out the cause of the pain and remedy it: for example, to detoxify the liver or correct the hip, in conjunction with other specialists.
What matters in a dental restoration
No new irritation zones
In holistic dentistry it is important that a dental restoration does not create new irritation zones. For example, amalgam must be removed carefully, without placing an additional burden on the body. Non-vital teeth must not be created, and finally the materials used must be well tolerated.
Well-tolerated materials, metal-free where possible
The materials used in dental prosthetics are of great importance. It is not possible to do without foreign materials. But they can be tested individually for the patient, discussed with the patient and selected. The aim is metal-free treatment.
Heavy metals, among them especially the mercury from amalgam, threaten our health more than ever. Mercury sometimes diffuses from amalgam fillings into the surrounding tissue and is deposited there as a source of danger. It is therefore not enough simply to replace such fillings with metal-free composite or ceramic fillings. The toxins must be eliminated.
Craftsmanship, bite and radiance
Not least, skilled craftsmanship is also a prerequisite for the dental restoration to be a success. In the end the bite, that is, the ability to chew, must be right again. Good chewing is the basis for optimal digestion. The right diet is one thing, good digestion is the other, for staying healthy and fit.
Cosmetic considerations also play a part, because misaligned teeth disfigure the whole face. After a successful restoration, the patient must be able to laugh properly again. The whole personality emerges strengthened from a successful restoration. That is holistic dentistry.
What you yourself can contribute
Not only the dentist should think holistically, but the patient too. You too can contribute substantially to healthy teeth and to keeping burdens from the teeth to a minimum.
Toothpaste and sensitive skin
When brushing with an electric toothbrush, have you ever noticed how the toothpaste suddenly starts to run out of your mouth, over your lips and over your chin? If you have sensitive skin, you should pay attention to this. Toothpaste is good for the teeth and also serves to whiten them. In addition, most toothpastes contain fluoride, which can irritate the skin. It is therefore entirely possible that the skin on the chin or around the mouth becomes irritated over time and reacts with a rash. In such a case, what is needed is not a dermatologist but a different toothpaste. Or you simply make sure that the toothpaste stays in your mouth.
Saliva and acid buffering capacity
Healthy saliva must not only be alkaline. It must also be able to withstand acid loads, that is, to neutralise them. The chart shows three curves. The horizontal axis shows the titration steps, that is, the increasing amount of acid added to the saliva.
- Red line: healthy saliva that withstands acid loads.
- Green line: a good initial pH value which, however, falls sharply into the acidic range even with the smallest acid load. Patients with this saliva constellation develop dental problems and caries more quickly.
- Blue line: a curve in between.
The procedure:
- In the laboratory, about 3 ml of saliva are collected in a container.
- Immediately beforehand, the teeth must not have been cleaned with toothpaste.