Most people associate going to the dentist with keeping their gums, teeth and cavities under control. There has also been a lot of talk about the connection between dental health and heart disease. But there are many additional connections with oral health and hundreds of other illnesses and diseases.
Some of the many other health issues that your dentist can find even before your doctor include:
- Acid reflux
- Osteoporosis
- Anxiety disorders
- Asthma
- Diabetes
- Oral cancer
- Eating disorders
- Rheumatoid Arthritis
- Lung conditions
Did you know that preventing gum disease may help prevent Alzheimer’s Disease? A study also found that men with a history of gum (periodontal) disease had an increased risk of developing pancreatic cancer.
Evidence suggests that maintaining a healthy mouth may be related to having a healthy body.
A healthy mouth will:
- Preserve your memory
- Reduce risk of infection and inflammation in your body
- Help keep your blood sugar stable
- Help pregnant women carry a baby to term
"Physicians are taking a more holistic approach to their patients’ overall health," says Sally Cram, DDS, PC, consumer advisor for the American Dental Association. And for good reason! In one recent study, people with serious gum disease were 40% more likely to have a chronic condition on top of it.
Years ago, people who had cancer would have never thought to go to a dentist to help them in their fight against cancer.
You may be 11 times more likely to develop breast cancer if you have had a root canal, older areas where former tooth extractions occurred (known as cavitations), or periodontal disease. Journal of Breast Cancer Research and Treatment conducted a survey of over 3,000 people and found that individuals with chronic periodontal disease had a higher occurrence of breast cancer. Other research indicated a strong connection between improper root canals, cavitations and breast cancer.
Research has shown that men with indicators of periodontal disease and prostatitis have higher levels of PSA than men with only one of these conditions. In one such study by Case Western Reserve University School of Dental Medicine and University Hospitals Case Medical Center, researchers selected 35 men, most of them patients who had mild to severe periodontitis and in some cases, also suffered from prostate cancer. All had not had dental work done for at least three months and were given an exam to measure their gum health. The results found that those patients with the most severe form of prostatitis also showed signs of periodontitis. There are numerous other studies that connect cavitations (formerly extracted teeth) as well as improper root canals with prostate cancer.
It appears evident that there is a strong connection between our overall health and the health of our mouth. It doesn’t seem to be enough anymore to just go to the dentist twice a year and get your teeth cleaned.
It seems more prudent that if you are experiencing any inflammatory, immunodeficiency, or other disease or illness, that you begin your treatment by seeking a holistic dentist who can assist you in finding those hard-to-find locations in your mouth that may actually be the trigger for your body’s inability to recover.
We have heard numerous stories of women who have adopted a multi-faceted approach to recovery from breast cancer which included a dietary and lifestyle change, but also identifying the underlying cause of infection and inflammation in their mouths that seeped into their blood stream for years, reducing their immune systems to the point of disease entering their bodies.
You will hear the same stories for men with prostate cancer.
Your takeaways from this should include:
- Keep your diet as clean as possible
- Search for a holistic dentist that can help you connect the dots with your illness and the inflammation and infection that may be lurking in your mouth or under your gums, or in old pockets where teeth were removed.
- Use a Hydrofloss machine daily. It uses water to floss your teeth. It is the best water-based floss machine we have ever found. It has been a life-saver for both of us.
- Continue to use quality probiotics and biocurcumin to maintain low levels of inflammation.
Five years ago, when Ann was struggling with breast health, she found a holistic dentist that identified an improper root canal placed over a mercury filling. Beside that, there was a cavitation that was filled with infection from a 30 year old wisdom tooth extraction. Once the dentist cleaned everything up, the breast issue disappeared. Sadly, last year, the breast issue returned, so Ann started by going to a different holistic dentist who immediately identified that same area as still being infected. He opened up the gum, saw the infection flowing through, cleaned it out and almost immediately Ann found relief in her breast. She was told it could return. There are miles of area below the gum that have the potential for infection and although we don’t understand it all, some people are prone to the re-currence.
Oral health can give you so much more than a pretty smile. It can truly be a life-saver. Brushing and hydroflossing are essential, but if that isn’t enough, go to a holistic dentist before you begin any conventional treatments because unless you find the source of the problem, anything else will be prophylactic and will likely never assist your body to fully recover.
We have attached a website for you to find a holistic dentist nearest you. This dental visit is definitely worth any drive you will need to make.
We have heard that health begins in the colon. We have heard that health begins in many other places. We truly believe that health begins and ends in the mouth. Whether you believe it or not, may determine how well your own health will improve.
https://iabdm.org/
http://www.hugginsappliedhealing.com/
www.healthworkscollective.com
