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Holistic Dental Care

Standing in a unique and unusual position, many people are coming to me now to be supported with their dental health and needs. I have worked 20 years in general and pediatric dentistry as an R.D.A. and I am a Holistic Health Educator, herbalist and Color Therapy practitioner with many years of training in the alternative healing arts. Bridging the best of the conventional with alternative approaches is what many people are asking for now.

Questions about fluoride, protective sealants, amalgam (silver) fillings, root canals, gum treatments, homecare … are on everyone’s mind! And it’s no wonder...with so much conflicting and controversial information available to us!

There are no easy answers to most of the questions; the bottom line is: it’s a personal choice. What do you feel comfortable with after hearing all “sides”?

I always tell my clients: ”This is what I personally would do if it would be my mouth, but how do you FEEL about the different options explained to you?

How do you FEEL about the different materials and products after hearing conflicting information about them? I truly believe that everyone of us has an innate wisdom that we draw from in all aspects of our lives. Something in us either resonates with or rejects an idea, material, situation …. it’s our guidance system, if we chose to listen and trust it.

I can share my understanding and what I have seen in terms of information on materials, procedures, products…and then you will have to chose for yourself what your guidance system is resonating with or what it rejects…..it will depend on the situation in your mouth, how you feel about it and that will be different from person to person…..and there is no simple ”right” answer that fits every situation.

Having said all this, I can share some information on some of the most frequently asked questions:

Brushing technique: Most of us have been told it’s good practice to brush right after each meal; actually that is not such a good idea, because our mouth turns into an acidic environment, helping to start the digestive process and the enamel and dentin are in a more vulnerable state to be damaged by brushing. This has become especially noticeable in dental professionals….brushing right after lunch and snacks ….it’s not cool to have lettuce sticking on your teeth while smiling at your patient and talking about how to keep your teeth clean and healthy!!

Brushing right after a meal can be especially damaging after acidic foods like salad dressings, orange juice, tomatoes … it is best to rinse your mouth out with water after you have eaten something and wait 30-40 minutes before brushing …as your mouth has turned more alkaline again!

Brushing twice a day is for most people sufficient; floss once a day.

Fluoride: This is the toughest one! Conventional dentistry will fight you tooth and nail on that. If they don’t push it with all their might, dentists are told they are practicing below standard!! So expect a conversation with the entire staff if you do not want it in your or your children’s mouth! There has been a lot of information and research out that very strongly speaks against fluoride: it has been linked to lowered IQ , ADD, ADHD. Research has shown that it penetrates the blood/brain barrier in rats…..there is much more to say about not using fluoride, but that connection spoke to me the loudest…especially when the biggest target for getting fluoride treatments are our children. Furthermore, to take it out of the water, you will have to either distill the water or get a reverse osmosis filter (700.-) to successfully remove it. So there it is: my guidance system told me to stay clear as much as I can!! There is a lot of information out and you can either contact me for the articles that I have or Google it to your hearts content and see where it all sits in you…...there are herbs, flower essences and color therapy that hardens the enamel. Strengthening all of our digestive organs has a huge impact on our teeth and gums as well!

Many people are not aware that all our teeth are connected to organs or areas in our body….very similar to the points in our feet and hands used in Reflexology. Support the organ connected to the tooth and you are supporting the healing of that tooth!!

Much love, health and peace to you all…..Rupam Henry  11/11/06

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