Traditional dentists are taught to look for disease in the form of tooth decay and gum disease and to treat what they find as a purely physical thing.
Holisitic Dentistry is an extension of care that is informed by a broader philosophy than orthodox dentistry and begins from the first moment you walk in the door. A holistic dentist pays attention to your feeling state from the moment you arrive until the moment you leave, with the goal always in mind that you leave feeling you’ve had a good experience.
Holistic dentists look at the whole body and integrate the best practices of dentistry with the philosophies of complementary medicine and progressive medical systems. Using this approach they are able to treat presenting symptoms while ensuring the underlying cause of the disease is also addressed; be that lifestyle, emotional or psychological.
Some people have a fear of the dentist or have had worrying experiences with dentists in the past. Holistic Dentistry addresses this by always communicating clearly about what is happening and presenting all the options that are available to you.
For people that have an acknowledged fear of the dentist nutritional supplements may be offered prior to an appointment to assist the patient’s coping mechanisms.
Pain is managed using the same traditional local anesthetics available to orthodox dentists, but care is taken to avoid products that contain adrenaline as they can cause distress for some patients. In some cases homeopathics are given to improve the immune system, reduce the risk of inflammation and to speed recovery time also.
Where the use of antibiotics is required supporting medication is also prescribed to counteract any negative side effects of the treatment.
