Why do you see a dentist?
Is it because you think you should?
Are you worried about loosing your teeth?
Do you want a beautiful white smile?
Everybody sees a dentist for their own reasons. Today I would like to talk a little about what every dentist should do first and foremost – Protect and restore your whole body health.
This seems like an obvious “duty” of a dentist, as there is nothing more important than your body. BUT, I see new patients weekly that have many fillings, crowns, veneers, you name it but their oral health, and consequentially their body health, is very poor. When I explain to them that we need to take a step back and look at the infections, including the gum disease, first, they are surprised – nobody has mentioned this before and they just had their teeth cleaned not too long ago, and everything was fine. How sad is that.
All new patients in my office go through a very thorough exam and presentation. Then I present treatment plans based in a simple 3 step process:
1: Infections: Gum disease, bone infections, hopeless teeth, etc.
2. Decay: Tooth decay, fractures, broken fillings, etc.
3. Esthetics and Function: Veneers, nightguards, etc.
I never veer from this order as that would be unethical. It seems that #1 above, especially gum disease, gets neglected most of the time. It is no surprise that the #1 reason for malpractice lawsuits is the failure to diagnose periodontal (gum) disease.
So, after you had a consultation with your dentist make certain #1 above comes first, your health depends on it!
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34979552/ns/health-pregnancy/
Gum Disease, the silent killer…This sad story, posted today on MSNBC, is a wake-up call for all of us. Gum Disease, and its associated bacteria, are deadly in more ways than we can imagine. This article discusses the new study that shows that the bacteria found in untreated gum disease has spread to inside the unborn baby.
Bleeding gums are a strong warning sign that something is wrong. Only your dentist is able to diagnosed and treat gum disease.
All you own in this world is your body. Take care of it and it will take care of you. Ignore it and bad things will happen.
Over the last 10 years I have been researching natural alternatives in Dentistry, continuously seeking the healthiest form of treatment for my patients. Just repairing the problems that I encountered with my patients teeth seemed futile. It is not enough to just “fix what broke.” WHY did it break in the first place? WHY are your gums bleeding?
WHY are your teeth loose? WHY do you need a root canal? These are the questions I spend most of my time on. All too often our society seeks the MAGIC PILL to fix the problem. You can get a pill for anything and everything these days. Why? Because it is instant gratification and big business. As DOCTORS we need to look beyond the pill and “FIX THE PROBLEM first”. This does not mean that you do not need any medication, it means we need to find out why you may need the medication first and try to correct it.
For 2010 IDEAL DENTISTRY is expanding its focus on what we have quietly provided all along, ORGANIC DENTISTRY.
You may ask “What is Organic Dentistry?”, and rightfully so.
Organic Dentistry (my definition): Dental Products, Procedures, and Philosophies that focus specifically on re-establishing and maintaining the most natural environment in the mouth.
What makes IDEAL DENTISTRY Different?
We’re passionate about our organic approach to dentistry. Ideal Dentistry helps patients achieve an overall feeling of well-being using safer, less intrusive practices and products. Our passion for the organic approach to improved quality of life goes beyond the dental office and is seen in everything we do, even at home.
We don’t pontificate. We innovate.
Experience and credentials you can trust.
Care of teeth and gums and YOU. At Ideal Dentistry, we whiten and repair damaged teeth, create beautiful smiles, treat the gums and provide other dentistry services but do so believing that the mouth is the gateway to the total health of your body, mind and spirit. We focus on identifying the cause of the problem before trying to blindly repair it.
An engaging and interactive approach to patient care.
One visit to Ideal Dentistry and you’ll know you’ve come to the right place. There is a reason why our office won the 2009 Health Care facility of The Year award from Contract Magazine. This national competition sought out health care facilities that delivered an environment that is environmentally green and centered around building a comfortable patient experience. We are very proud of our beautiful facility and invite you to come visit anytime.
Today I saw a new patient, let’s call him Tom to protect his identity. Tom has been seeing a dentist routinely for the past several years. Nobody had pointed out any problems to him. Tom was getting “regular” cleanings, which his insurance covered. Now, after a thorough new patient exam, it is very clear that Tom has significant gum disease, the #1 reason for tooth loss!
If left untreated, Tom would most certainly loose many teeth not too long from now. It is also important to note that Tom is in his 40’s and not aware of any problems. Seeing Tom every 6 months with his generalized gum disease is what I call “supervised neglect”.
This frustrates dentists like myself. Had I seen Tom 5 years ago he would have a significantly better prognosis. Now we need to quickly treat his gum disease to get it under control, then manage it for the rest of his life. Even then, he has lost a lot of bone and will never have an easy time taking care of his teeth. Tom already has multiple health issues that are exacerbated by periodontal (gum) disease. Diabetes, heart disease, and many other killers are closely linked to gum disease.
We as dentists need to look at the person first. Teeth are part of the person – you treat the whole body, not just the one hurting tooth. Insurance companies limit what dentists can do in too many ways. That is a whole different blog entry. If you rely exclusively on your insurance company to cover what is needed, then you could end up like Tom. If Tom decides to only do what the insurance company will cover at this point, then Tom will loose his teeth. Does that sound fair? I don’t think so. You own your mouth, you own the gum disease, you loose the teeth and have to face the consequences. Insurance companies do not care.
At Ideal Dentistry you come first. It does not matter who you are, you will receive the same treatment that I would choose for myself. You deserve it. Tom will be given the same options I would accept for myself if I was in his shoes. Let’s see what happens…
