Avoiding Root Canal

Root canal teeth are frowned upon in the holistic community. For those in the know, endodontically treated teeth are a source of chronic low grade infection and can create a stress on the entire immune system. Statistically, it has been shown to have a correlation with autoimmune diseases and some types of cancers.

As an integrative dentist, I have had many patients come to me throughout the years looking for an alternative to root canal. Conventional dentistry says that the only other choice to root canal treatment is extraction of the tooth. And this may be true if the nerve is irreversibly infected. But for many cases, root canal can be avoided altogether.

 

Photo credit Creative Commons: Larry Shaw

An Amino Acid to Prevent Dental Disease

A recent study (published in PLOS ONE), has found that the amino acid L-arginine destroys the bacteria which cause cavities and gum disease.

L-arginine is a common amino acid found naturally in red meat, poultry, fish, soy and certain dairy products. It helps rid people’s teeth of destructive biofilms that cause poor oral health.

 Foods with Arginine

Photo credit Creative Commons:  Poultry India

Dental biofilms cause the formation of dental cavities, gingivitis and periodontal disease. According to the NIH, 92% of adults (age 20 to 64) of the American population have dental cavities; and according to the ADA, nearly 50% have moderate or severe periodontal disease.

Curing Candida Naturally

Candida (yeast) infections are on the rise; mostly due to side effects from medications, poor diet and alcohol use.

It is one of those sneaky diseases that develops over the years, presenting with symptoms that are vast and non-specific. I would have to say that over 80% of my patients have some degree of this fungal infection, many of who believe it is something else going on in their body.

Candida Overgrowth (Thrush)

Photo credit Creative Commons: MariaJosse2

Small amounts of the Candida fungus are usually present in the mouth, digestive tract, and skin of most healthy people. It is normally kept in check by other (good) bacteria and microorganisms in the body. However, illness, stress, medications and poor diet can disturb this delicate balance, causing the fungus Candida to grow out of control and create a vast array of diverse symptoms.

Here is a basic list of Candida overgrowth symptoms:

Rebuilding Bone Naturally

As a dentist, I have seen many patients with significant jaw bone loss. This is not a good thing as it is a marker for loose teeth and eventual tooth loss. Sometimes it may be associated with the usual symptoms of periodontal disease and you should  read our previous post Floss First! for further clarity. But other times, the periodontal health looks fairly normal with minimal pocketing and no bleeding.

Bone Loss around Teeth

Upon seeing this bone loss, my primary question to the patient is “Have you had a bone density test?” And if they have had one, they already know that they have a bone density challenge (osteoporosis or osteopenia). If they haven’t had one yet and they do go, it is not surprising to find that they are usually low on the bone density scale.

Mercury-Free vs. Mercury-Safe

Recently at a dental meeting, I met many colleagues who promote their practice as mercury-free. As such, they believe that they are also mercury-safe since they no longer place amalgams within their practice. Although this sounds good in theory, the reality is significantly different. These mercury-free dentists have no safety protocol in place, and as a result, are exposing their patients, their employees and themselves to a heavy load of mercury aerosol each time old amalgam fillings are drilled out.

When looking for a dentist to replace your silver mercury fillings, it is important to look for a dental office that is mercury-safe, not mercury-free.

Eggshell: The Forgotten Health Food

Tooth regeneration seems to be a big topic in the holistic dental community. As the work of Dr. Weston Price gets more popular, people are looking outside conventional dentistry for natural ways to restore their teeth.
Eggshell supplementation may very well be part of the solution. 

Eggshells and Eggshell Powder

Eggshell powder is a natural source of calcium and 27 other minerals.

Nighttime, Perchance to Sleep

Due to my many publications on alternative health, I was recently contacted by a health magazine for my ideas of unusual ways for adults to get a better night's sleep. And since many of the patients I see are dealing with this problem as well, I thought it would be worth sharing here.

Here are the most common ways to get better sleep.

Aluminum Toxicity

Aluminum toxicity is rampant.  

 

Considering that many neurological diseases are on the rise, this is not a surprising statement.  Aluminum is not a heavy metal like mercury or lead, but its effects can be just as devastating.

Aluminum can accumulate in the brain, causing seizures and reduced mental functions (Alzheimer’s for example).  It is easily absorbed through the digestive tract, lungs and skin, and from there, is dispersed to all major organs and body parts.

A Fluoride Anniversary

It has been 70 years since the United States first started adding fluoride to the municipal water supplies. Many legal battles to remove this toxin from our drinking water are in progress, but still this noxious chemical endures as a staple in our daily diet. 

Most   developed nations in the world have rejected fluoridation, including  97% of western Europe. The United States, which fluoridates more than 70% of its water supplies, is an exception to this rule. According to the British Fluoridation Society, there are more people drinking artificially fluoridated water in the United States than all other countries combined. That last bit of information can really make you think. 

So, after 7 decades of fluoridation, what are the statistics? 

Durian. The King of Fruits

I like to consider myself adventurous when it comes to finding unusual and exciting health-promoting foods to eat. So when the holidays aprroached and my son asked what I would like as a gift, my ususal answer would have been chocolate, preferably raw and dark. But being that he works in the Chinatown area, I asked if he would surprise me with one of those unusal looking fruits that the supermarkets sell down there. 

I basically have no idea what they are named and even less of an idea what they taste like. But I figured if it’s fruit, it couldn’t be so bad. 

Well this is what he brought me: a durian, also named the King of Fruits.  

 Durian

Photo credit Creative Commons:  Hafiz Issadeen

It is about the size of a large cantaloupe and has these very pointy sharp spikes on it.  Sort of like an armadillo without legs. (Best to wear a glove when handling, as the pokey spikes can be quite painful when touched.) My son said it came with a warning of smelling horrible when opened and the taste could be questionable. 

Ice Cream: Is It Real?

When cleaning out the refrigerator to make room for the upcoming holiday meal, I came across a most unexpected surprise.  This one came in the form of a science experiment.

A container of ice cream was discovered in the freezer. It had been left by the house sitter about a month ago.

Not wanting to make a big leaky mess in the garbage can, I attempted to wash the contents down the kitchen drain by running hot water over the contents. Simple enough one would think, but apparently not. After a minute or so of doing this, it was obvious that the ice cream would not melt.

So I took a blob of what was left in the container, put some on a plate and waited to see how this would play out. 

Here is my original photo after the hot water run:

There is some liquid in the dish, most likely due to the hot water that it had just been under.