Most Americans are familiar with the basics of oral health—brushing and flossing daily, regular dental exams, and eating a mouth-healthy diet to name a few—but what about dental wellness? Dental wellness starts with the understanding that the mouth is not an isolated, detached part of our body. It is but one delicately bonded and powerful piece of the whole puzzle called the human body. Distort one piece (mouth) of this puzzle and you affect all the pieces connected to that one piece, and in essence the whole puzzle (body). In other words, if we aren’t taking care of our mouth, our overall health can suffer the consequences.

Taking care of our mouth is about a whole lot more than just brushing our teeth. Implementing a proactive approach by using nontoxic restorative materials, correcting distortion in our oral cavity and preventing or managing periodontal disease are especially important to maintaining overall health. Here’s why it’s important, and what we can do to make it happen.

Periodontal Disease

According to the American Academy of Periodontology and the World Health Organization Report around 80 percent of adults over 35 suffer from periodontal disease. Periodontal disease is related to an increased risk of other serious medical problems such as fetal heart disease, stroke, low birth-weight babies, diabetes, asthma, rheumatoid arthritis and pancreatic cancer. However, it can be treated—and even avoided. 

One of the best all natural treatment for the prevention and control of periodontal disease is Perio Protect©. The Perio Protect device delivers medication directly to the source of the periodontal disease. The appropriate solution varies for individual patients but are typically naturally produced and biologically safe solutions containing less than 3 percent hydrogen peroxide. Hydrogen peroxide is a naturally occurring antimicrobial agent produced by sunlight on water, by bees when they make honey, and by the human neutrophil (leucocytes). Hydrogen peroxide produced by the neutorphils is used as an antimicrobial agent as part of the body’s own defense against bacteria and other pathogens. It does not cause the development of resistant bacterial strains as is common with antibiotics (common treatment provided by some dentist to treat periodontal disease). By using Perio Protect, most patients are able to avoid costly and painful gum surgery.

Metal Toxicity

The majority of people have more than three or four different metals in their mouth. These metals come from Amalgam “silver” fillings (50 percent mercury and 35 percent silver), crowns (caps), metal partials or even tongue rings. These mixed metals may not only be toxic, but may also cause galvanic reaction—producing electricity that flows through the body and interfering with signals from the brain. 

Research has shown that mercury—even in minute amounts—can damage the heart, brain, liver, lungs, kidneys, thyroid gland, pituitary gland, adrenal gland, cells, enzymes and hormones; plus suppress the body’s immune system. Mercury can also pass through the placental membrane in pregnant women and permanently damage the brain of the developing fetus. Research has shown that there is a continuous release of mercury vapor and abraded particles from amalgam fillings, and this release is increased up to five times by the act of chewing, brushing the teeth and exposure to hot liquids. The World Health Organization recently concluded that the daily intake of mercury from dental fillings exceeded the amount derived from air, water and food (like fish). For overall health, it is best to choose metal-free crowns and fillings. 

Balanced and Stable Skull Bones

The maxillae (upper jaw) is considered the base of the human skull and directly or indirectly articulates with 12 other cranial bones. If any of these cranial bones have structural distortions, the rest of the cranial bone will also have distortions. Maxillae distortion can result from crowding of the teeth, undeveloped jaws, a crossbite (lower teeth in front of the upper teeth), congenitally missing teeth, premature loss of teeth or a lost tooth. 

Today’s orthodontics treatment encompasses the cosmetic alignment of the teeth—in some cases through the removal of up to four adult teeth. In the early 1980s, Dr. Darick Nordstrom recognized the need to provide more than just an esthetic alignment of the teeth. He saw the need to correct the other structures that are attached to the teeth: maxillae (upper jaw) and skull bones. To correct these distortions, he designed and created the ALF (Alternative Lightwire Functionals) appliance, a light wire removal appliance that is fitted to the dental arches and applies continuous light force to the skull bone and teeth. Its purpose is to correct distortions of the skull; correct distortion of the maxillae; and correct the alignment of the upper and lower teeth to improve the bite.

Additionally, the ALF appliance will eliminate the need to remove adult teeth, thereby leaving the individual with a full set of teeth as nature intended.

Hitesh Rathod DDS is trained to diagnose, treat, and prevent diseases of the gums, teeth, and jaw. His office is located at 500 Coventry Drive, Phillipsburg, NJ. Call 908-454-5612 for more information.