It’s typical for dentists to treat whatever issue appears in the mouth and not address the problem any further. By doing this, there’s no guarantee that the problem won’t happen again, costing you more time, more money, and leaving you without a real solution to your dental issue. That’s why your dentist in North Austin treats patients with holistic dentistry in mind.
By using this approach, you’re far more likely to reach the source of your problem and keep your oral and overall health in good shape!
A COMMON PROBLEM AMONG GENERAL DENTISTS
When you visit the dentist, do they ever bother to ask you questions about oral care at home? Do they ask about your diet and how much sugar you consume? Most patients don’t experience this philosophy when they visit the dentist because their only concern is getting your mouth cleaned, treated, and move on to the next patient. There’s little communication or relationship established, so the problem is allowed to continue.
While many dentists try to promote prevention whenever they can, they often fail to establish the direct cause of a dental problem. Holistic dentists take the entire body into consideration, as well as the daily habits the patient exposes their body to on a regular basis.
BETTER TREATMENT FOR DENTAL CONDITIONS
To give an example, your dentist won’t only treat a cavity with a filling or crown when it appears. After discovering it, she’ll ask the patient questions about their diet, ask about their current oral care routine, and confirm if they are more susceptible to decay than the average patient. This is typically the case if they have thinner enamel than usual.
Furthermore, your holistic dentist will create a treatment plan that’s unique to your case, not a one-size-fits-all solution. Another common problem dentists often leave untreated is chronic teeth grinding, also known as bruxism. This can occur due to a misaligned bite, anxiety or stress, or from poor habits that damage teeth, including tongue thrust, thumb-sucking into adulthood, or a damaged jaw during dental development.
HOW YOUR DENTIST CAN CATCH SYSTEMIC DISEASE
Keep in mind that your oral health can have a big impact on your overall health as well. This is just another reason why paying attention to the entire body matters so much. In fact, 90 percent of systemic diseases contain markers that appear in the mouth, so being aware of these symptoms is crucial to your holistic dentist in North Austin.
For example, symptoms in the mouth, such as swollen gums, ulcers, and enamel erosion can point to:
- Acid reflux
- Diabetes
- Heart and kidney disease
- Osteoporosis
- Oral or pancreatic cancer
Don’t settle for dentists that fail to search for the heart of the problem.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Dr. Candace Bruno earned her DMD degree from the Temple University School of Dentistry. Since then, she’s taken multiple continuing education courses from Spear Education on treating the mouth as a whole and taking all systems into consideration, such as the gums, bone, joints, and airway. This allows her to make a treatment plan that better caters to patients. To learn more about her practice, contact her through her website.