Connecting the Dots: Bridging Oral Health with Overall Wellness

Is your oral health telling a larger story?

Have you ever wondered if your dentist is focusing solely on your teeth or if they're looking at your overall health? There's a powerful connection between oral health and the rest of the body that we can't afford to overlook. What if I told you there's a way to bridge the gap between your mouth and the rest of your body?

You may be thinking, "I already go to a biological dentist. They use ozone, avoid fluoride, and are super careful about mercury. Isn't that enough?" Well, it's a great start. But sometimes, even the most well-intentioned biological practices can miss the bigger picture.

Oftentimes, even biological or holistic dentists' offices, when you look behind the scenes, are not that different from conventional dentists' offices. Sure, they may be using ozone, removing mercury, and not using fluoride; they may take things deeper and assess the oral microbiome and the airway. However, they don't always getting to the root cause of issues like cavities, demineralization, and gum disease or addressing the impact on the whole body from infections and heavy metals found in the mouth and/or teeth.

There can be powerful health outcomes when you take a two-pronged approach to your oral health, including biological dentistry and functional medicine.

How these two practices complement each other

Biological dentistry focuses on the mouth and maintaining the oral cavity and teeth health by considering the biological aspects of dental treatment. It emphasizes the avoidance of harmful substances, such as mercury fillings, and the implications of procedures like root canals. It's excellent for maintaining dental health, but it might not always delve into how oral conditions affect the rest of your body.

On the other hand, functional medicine adopts a comprehensive view, examining digestion, hormonal balance, cardiovascular health, toxic load, diet, lifestyle, and more. It looks beyond symptoms and instead seeks to treat the whole person.

Functional medicine and nutrition practitioners understand the crucial link between oral and overall health. They integrate their understanding that the teeth are physically connected to the entire body and through meridian pathways. They recognize a bi-directional relationship between oral health and the health of the body, and vice versa. A functional medicine approach assesses various health systems and underlying conditions, from digestive and microbiome health to hormone balance, immune health, the effects of underlying chronic infections, and environmental toxins and how these all impact dental health.

Chronic infections and toxicity can start in the mouth, leading to widespread consequences throughout the body, impacting inflammation and other systemic issues. And, chronic infections, toxicity, nutritional status, digestive health can lead to dental implications. There is bi-directional relationship between oral health and whole body health making it the important to address oral health within the broader context of overall wellness.

It's all connected!

How can I assess whether my current dental care practice is holistic?

When assessing whether your dental care practices are truly holistic, consider the following factors:

• First, see if your dentist is a member of IABDM or IAOMT and has SMART (Safe Mercury Amalgam Removal Technique) training. These organizations are dedicated to training biological dentists.

• Use of Natural Products: This is important when assessing and choosing a holistic or biological dentist. You'll want to know whether they use biocompatible and non-toxic materials for treatments, use natural remedies, and avoid harsh chemicals and toxins. Keywords to focus on here are the low-hanging fruit, looking for practices that use ozone, and avoiding fluoride.

• Patient Education: Look for practices that prioritize educating patients about their dental health and provide information on their products, recommended procedures, and how to maintain optimal oral health. Of course, emphasize the importance of regular check-ups.

• Preventive Care: I'm a big fan of preventative health across the board, and this also includes oral/ dental health. Holistic dentists should also emphasize preventive measures rather than reactive treatments.

• Whole-Body Connection: Assess whether the practice takes into account the connection between oral health and overall health.

• Open Communication: This goes for all healthcare providers. Holistic and functional-minded health professionals should encourage questions, make you feel safe to communicate your health goals and concerns and allow you to feel heard about your concerns and preferences.

• Collaboration with Other Health Professionals: Collaboration with other health professionals (like nutritionists, chiropractors, etc.) to ensure comprehensive care for overall health beyond the mouth.

• Diet and Nutrition Counseling: A holistic dentist understands the importance of diet and nutrition and how it can impact dental health. They may need to recommend working with a functional nutrition professional to provide personalized nutrition recommendations beyond "limiting" sugar.

What are the signs that my oral health issues might be affecting my overall health?

Dental cavities, ADHD, sleep apnea, obesity, diabetes, and hypertension have all become so common in America that most people don't stop to ask why this is. As a functional nutrition practitioner, I find myself constantly asking why.

• Why does my child have cavities?

• Why do I all of a sudden have an increase in cavities?

• Why does my child need braces?

• Why do I need a machine (CPAP) to sleep at night?

• Why is my tongue constantly coated with white film?

• Why do I have bad breath, even after brushing my teeth?

• Why are my child's tonsils chronically swollen?

• Why do my gums bleed when I brush my teeth?

• I have cancer; could my dental health be a contributor?

• I have digestive complaints; could my oral health be part of the issue?

We must start asking better questions to look beyond symptoms to understand WHY these modern-day medical problems we consider "normal" occur. Remember, common does not mean "normal"  

Building Your Healthcare Tribe

To really make strides in not only your dental health, but your overall wellness, an integrated approach is important. When building your healthcare tribe consider partnering with a functional medicine doctor, a functional nutrition practitioner and a biological dentist. Biological or holistic dentistry and functional medicine pair nicely as they contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of dental care, which is essential for addressing the nuanced relationship between oral health and overall health.

A functional nutrition approach offers a comprehensive look at health that complements holistic dentistry and can enhance dental health by assessing and addressing the root causes of your dental health concerns. This approach might include:

• Advanced Testing: comprehensive lab evaluations to uncover hidden health factors, including:

  • Hormonal imbalances impacting oral health

  • Digestive health, microbiome health and the gut-oral axis connection

  • Nutritional deficiencies affecting oral health

  • Chronic Inflammation and its impact on oral and systemic health

  • Low-lying infections such as EBV, Lyme, HSV, Strep, Staph, MARCoNS and more

  • Total Toxin burden such as heavy metals, glyphosate, mold, etc.

• Supportive Strategies to Support Dental Procedures such as deep cleaning and mercury removal.

• Personalized treatment plans that include

  • ensuring drainage and detox pathways are open and functioning properly

  • strategies that support and encourage healthy lymphatic flow and detoxification

  • nutrient status

  • minerals, & electrolyte replenishment

  • immune modulation

  • hormone balancing

  • proper toxin binding

  • personalized supplement recommendations

  • digestive function supports and microbiome balancing

  • diet, nutrition, and lifestyle modifications

Embrace a Comprehensive Approach

Working with a functional nutrition practitioner can enhance the effectiveness of your dental care, aligning it more closely with your overall health goals. Understanding the connections between your mouth and body can create a more compelling path toward well-being.

If you're ready to take control of your health through a holistic lens, Book a call with me, Eli, to start your journey toward deeper, long-lasting wellness. Together, we can develop a plan addressing the intricate relationship between your oral health and overall wellness. Let's embark on this journey to better health together!