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Is a Holistic Dentist Necessary for Mercury Removal?

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I have a mouth full of silver fillings. Not only do I find out that they’re loaded with mercury (not from my dentist), but I’m also told because of how long I’ve had them they could start leaking and poison me (again not from my dentist). At first, I thought my sister was just trying to pull one over on me, but I looked it up and she’s right. Shouldn’t dentists have to tell patients before they put toxins in someone’s body?ย  I want to have them removed so I asked my sister. She said to find a Holistic Dentist covered under my insurance because they’re the only ones who know how to safely remove them. I checked and there isn’t one holistic dentist listed in my insurance book. Are they the only dentists who can do this?

Amanda

Dear Amanda,

Left image: silver amalgam filling. Right Image: mercury-free composite filling

First, I want to assure you that your dentist didn’t go into your fillings with the mindset of secretly putting toxins in your teeth. The truth is the American Dental Association (ADA) has and still does consider silver amalgam fillings perfectly safe. When your dentist placed them he likely felt exactly the same way.

Lately, more dentists are starting to see newer test results which make them wonder. Additionally, many are switching to a mercury-free practice and only doing white composite fillings for their patients.

There probably is a holistic dentist somewhere in your insurance plan. You don’t see them listed because they’re not actually a recognized specialty. It’s more a philosophy of practice where they strive to consider the whole body during treatment and not just the teeth. In your place, I’d do an internet search for holistic dentists in your area and then see which of them are on your insurance. You may also want to try the terms “natural dentist” and “biological dentist”.

If You Can’t Find a Holistic Dentist

Let’s say you do that and there truly isn’t one single holistic dentist in your area within a reasonable distance. That won’t mean you’re trapped with your amalgam fillings. The key is finding a dentist who knows how to do a sanitary amalgam removal. This process protects you from inhaling or swallowing any mercury or mercury vapors.

There are many mercury-free dentists who also know how to do that safely. So, that would be my next internet search. Again, it won’t be listed in your insurance book like that. You’ll do a search and then see who is covered by your insurance.

I hope this helps.
This blog is brought to you by Kalamazoo Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Susan M. Dennis.

Is Invisalign Rotting My Boyfriend’s Breath?

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Can you help my boyfriend? He got Invisalign several months ago and now I can barely stand to be close to him. His breath smells like death. I don’t know what’s going on. He’s starting to notice that I’m avoiding kissing him. I feel like if I do I’ll end up vomiting. That won’t be very flattering to him. I don’t know if I should just come straight out and tell him or not. First, I thought I should find out what’s going on. Surely not everyone who uses Invisalign ends up with breath that can melt flesh. Help me.

Leena

Dear Leena,

A woman placing her Invisalign aligners

It’s great that you want to help your boyfriend. And you’re right, they shouldn’t make you feel like you’re dating a rotting corpse. It sounds like your boyfriend is skipping some important steps in his Invisalign hygiene plan. Here’s what he should be doing.

Keeping Your Invisalign Aligners Fresh and Odor Free

  • Never eat or drink with them in. It’s one of the few times you’re allowed to remove them, so take advantage of it.
  • It’s equally important you brush your teeth before you put them back in. Otherwise, the bacteria gets trapped and festers.
  • Make sure you’re also brushing and flossing twice a day in addition to brushing after meals.
  • Stay hydrated. Your saliva is a great protector of your teeth. It doesn’t get to your teeth as easily. It’s important you drink a lot of water throughout the day
  • Clean them daily with a soft toothbrush or Invisalign cleaners.
  • Keep up with your dental visits.

Talk to your boyfriend. Every good relationship relies on the partners being honest with each other in a kind way.
If it turns out he’s doing all of those things properly then there’s something else wrong. It could be decay that needs to be dealt with or an illness. Sometimes strep can cause a horrible smell. He’ll need to see his doctor.

Best of luck to both of you.
This blog is brought to you by Kalamazoo Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Susan M. Dennis.

Do I Need a Holistic Dentist to Get Rid of Lyme Disease?

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My big goal for 2018 is to finally get healthy. That will include learning to exercise and eat right. But, it will also (hopefully) mean finally kicking the butt of this Lyme Disease. I was talking to a friend about my goals and she said some celebrity from a Housewives show had to go to a Holistic Dentist in order to get rid of her Lyme Disease. Should I switch dentists?

Carolyn I.

Dear Carolyn,

A woman lying in a field of flowers

I think your friend is referring to Yolanda Hadid from Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. She’s been struggling with recovering from Lyme Disease. I understand many are finding it difficult. In order to take steps toward healing, one of the things she did is to remove everything from her body which could be considered a toxic substance. For Ms. Hadid, that included her breast implants and her silver amalgam fillings.

I haven’t seen the episode (or any episode) so I couldn’t tell you more about her specific case, but there have been a lot of similar questions as a result of her decision from dental patients around the world.

Why Remove Amalgam Fillings?

The first is why did she need to remove the fillings. You may or may not have been aware of the ingredients in old silver fillings, but the largest ingredient is mercury. We know mercury to be a toxic substance. I will say the American Dental Association (ADA) still considers amalgam fillings to be perfectly safe and quote studies to back them up.

Some patients and dentists take issue with those studies saying they only test the fillings in static situations and life isn’t like that. Others patients just don’t feel putting (or keeping) mercury in their mouth is worth the risk, especially if they start to leak or crack. As a result, more and more patients are opting to have them removed and replaced with white composite fillings which are mercury-free.

Do You Need a Holistic Dentist to Remove Amalgam Fillings?

The answer to that is yes and no. What you need is a dentist with the tools and knowledge of a Holistic Dentist who can do what is known as a sanitary amalgam removal. While most dentists will just drill out the filling and replace it, that leaves the patient at risk for swallowing mercury-laden pieces or inhaling the mercury vapors.

To prevent that, Dr. Dennis uses a rubber stopper dam and other equipment to isolate your tooth and keep you from swallowing or inhaling anything toxic. This helps protect you. Holistic dentists know how to do this and have the equipment.

However, not everyone has a holistic dentist in their area. If you find that to be an issue where you live, try looking for a mercury-free dentist. Many of them also know how to safely remove amalgam fillings. Be sure to ask what their procedure is, though. Don’t just assume because they only place white fillings, they know how to remove the older fillings correctly.

This blog is brought to you by Dr. Susan Dennis.

Dental Work Allergies

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I have had a number of unexplained medical problems including joint pain, fatigue, and unexplained hives. My doctors ran a bunch of tests that told us nothing. Eventually, they said I’d feel better if I exercised more. I did that and while I lost some weight (yay!) it didn’t help with the other things. I went back and the doctors hinted it was in my head. I was frustrated and realized I was on my own. I starting doing a bunch of research. There’s a whole lot of conflicting information, but one thing which kept coming up is the dangers of certain dental material. Several of the articles suggested getting a Clifford’s test. It took me a bit to find a doctor who did the test but I finally did. It turns out I’m allergic to a lot of metals and other dental materials. I think I may finally have the answer I’ve been looking for but my dentist doesn’t “believe in” the Clifford’s test. He said it’s a scam. Yet, I saw the physical reaction. I’d like to at least test the theory. Is there a dentist who works with patients who have allergies such as mine? I have a lot of dental work. I’m thinking if I remove them and switch them for something I’m not allergic to I’ll know if it works or not.

Karen

Dear Karen,

Woman lying in a field of flowers

You want a holistic dentist

This has been quite a trial for you. It has been the experience of many that if doctors can’t figure out what’s going on after what they consider a reasonable effort, some of them will blame the patient or say it’s “in their head”. Fortunately, not all caregivers, both in the medical and dental field, are so prideful.

In your situation, I’d look for a holistic dentist. This isn’t a specialty. It’s more of a philosophy of treatment. They consider your whole body and not just your teeth. If you have a sensitivity to any material, they’ll work around it.

Finding an Holistic Dentist

Because there is not a recognized holistic dentistry specialty, it’s not always simple to find one. I’d start by just doing an internet search under one of these three terms:

There are additional benefits as well. You’ll be glad to know that, even though there are some differences as to how they flesh out their philosophy of treatment, all of them are mercury-free dentists. Additionally, they all know how to do a sanitary amalgam removal. So, when you get rid of your silver fillings in order to get them replaced with white composite fillings, you won’t have to fear any exposure to the mercury or mercury vapors. They know the correct procedure and will protect you from any toxins. This is especially important given your allergies.

This blog is brought to you by Kalamazoo Holistic Dentist Dr. Susan Dennis.

Allergies to the Metal in Dental Work

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I had two fillings and one restoration placed in my mouth. This was the first time I’ve had any substantial dental work done. My teeth had always been fine until recently. My husband lost his job and the dental insurance that went with it, so I put off going to the dentist for a couple of years until we were back on our feet. I had no idea how much those cleanings and checkups were helping. Since getting the restorations, I’ve been having sores in my mouth and feeling off-kilter. My dentist didn’t feel it was the dental work, so I finally went to a medical doctor. He sent me for an allergy workup and it turns out I’m allergic to nickel, cobalt, and mercury. I’m sure these things are in my dental work. The fillings are silver, so those may be the big culprit. My dentist assures me he’s never encountered a patient who has had problems from their dental work and still believes it is unrelated. Where do I go from here?

Maya

Dear Maya,

Woman lying in a field of flowers

I am constantly flabbergasted with dentists who are in denial about allergies. Your dentist is even ignoring the results of the medical tests you’ve had done. Yes, being exposed to materials you are allergic to can cause you to feel poorly and have reactions such as the sores you are experiencing. That seems like a no-brainer to me. I’m going to be blunt and say this is not the best dentist for you.

In your place, I’d look for a metal-free dentist. They will have the materials on hand you need to get restorations that won’t cause a reaction, such as a zirconia bridge or crown.

Your silver / amalgam fillings are going to be a bigger deal. You need a dentist who knows how to remove the amalgam fillings while minimizing the risk to you for swallowing or inhaling any mercury or mercury vapors. There are special materials which can be used such as a stopper dam, and water to keep the mercury from melting.

My suggestion is to look for a mercury-free dentist or a biological dentist. Most, if not all of them are metal-free. Even if they’re not metal-free, a biological dentist will bend over backward to work within your medical requirements.

This blog is brought to you by Holisticย Dentist Dr. Susan Dennis of Portage, MI.

Do Adults Need Fluoride Treatments?

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I have some dental exam questions. First, how often are dental x-rays needed for an adult? My dentist insists on doing them every six months, even though my insurance only covers once per year. Second, do adults really need fluoride treatments? Is it safe or detrimental for them? Third, would I be better off with a biological dentist?

Casey

Dear Casey,

woman laying in a field of flowers

There are some general guidelines when it comes to x-rays for dental care:

  • Bitewing x-rays: Once a year
  • Panographic x-ray or full series of x-rays: Once every five years

Most dentists adhere to these guidelines. A reasonable exception would be if someone is prone to decay or really struggling with their oral health. If that is not you and your dentist is still insisting on every 6 months, I would at that point talk directly to the dentist, not the staff. Tell him or her your insurance only covers it once a year and it is a financial hardship for you. If they still insist, which some will, then it will be time to find a new dentist.

As for fluoride treatments, once the teeth are fully formed, the benefits of fluoride diminish. It is typically given to children up to 14 years of age. There are some cases where it would be of benefit to adults. Some of those would be if the patient is undergoing cancer treatments, which can be devastating to teeth, or (like the x-ray situation) this patient is more prone to decay.

Fluoride and Dental Work

As to your question as to whether it is harmful to you, fluoride isn’t detrimental to your health. It can, however, damage any dental work (such as dental crowns or porcelain veneers) depending on the type of fluoride given. The most common fluoride is acidulated fluoride. This will etch the dental work, causing permanent damage to the glazing. If you have dental work you want to make sure your hygienist doesn’t use this type of fluoride.

Biological Dentists

Your question about a biological dentist, also called a holistic dentist, was a good one as well. The benefit to a biological dentist is they are more likely to listen to your wishes, especially about things like x-rays and fluoride. They’re also mercury-free, which many patients prefer these days.

This blog is brought to you by holistic Kalamazoo Dentist Dr. Susan Dennis.