Teeth

“The teeth are always involved” – Dr. Thomas Rau

Root Canals

Root canals are performed to treat infected roots of teeth and I didn’t think twice when I was told I needed a root canal.  The problem is that these treatments can leave behind infections that may be small but can’t be healed because blood can’t reach them.  Bacteria can be left and thrive in the roots or dentin tubles which are about 3 miles long.  It gets really interesting when people who are ill – look at the tooth-meridian chart and realize that a lot of the symptoms they have in the rest of their body – correspond to teeth where they have had root canals or tooth extractions.  Is there a connection to root canals and breast cancer?  How could that be?  In Chinese medicine each tooth is associated with an energy meridian, tied to specific organs and systems. 

In breast cancer Dr. Rau has documented that a large percentage of cases are accompanied by chronic low-level dental infections, called foci.  Women should be made aware of which teeth are on the breast meridian and can therefore affect their breast health.  They are teeth #2,3,14,15,20,21,28,29. 

Wisdom Teeth Cavitations

Jaw cavitations can occur after tooth extractions when the socket doesn’t heal correctly and becomes infected.  The most common jaw cavitations are from wisdom teeth extractions.  After addressing Lyme disease and parasites I was still chronically fatigued and couldn’t figure out why.  I had always blamed a lot of my digestive issues on my appendectomy.  I was having really significant heart palpitations and even wound up in the emergency room once.  Continually looking for solutions -I journeyed to see Dr. Haskell at his clinic in Salt Lake City.  He looked at my blood under a darkfield microscope and rated the bacteria/spirochetes in my blood a 7 out of 10.  After filling him in on all my dental issues he determined that the bacteria was mostly likely coming from my mouth which he confirmed using a bio-meridian tool.   My next stop was Dr. Rehme a biological dentist in St. Louis.  After doing a 3D cone scan he diagnosed cavitations in all 4 of my wisdom teeth – he described cavitations as a piece of rotting wood left in the socket.  As soon as Dr Rehme cleaned out my cavitations my health improved dramatically.  My heart palpitations – gone, digestion – improved, fatigue gone!.  I returned to Dr. Haskell’s Clear Health Centers Clinic.  He rechecked my blood under the darkfield microscope – my bacteria level had dropped dramatically from a 7 to a 3 as a result of having my wisdom teeth cavitations cleaned out.    Anyone who has ever had Lyme disease should be aware of cavitations as a potential hiding spot for Lyme bacteria.  Cavitations are now being recognized as a piece of the Lyme puzzle – having them cleaned out can have a huge impact on overall health.

Orthodontic Extractions

I believe that teeth removed for orthodontic reasons are another potential source of jaw infections that is often overlooked. While many people in the integrative world know to ask if you have ever had any root canals no one ever asks if you had teeth removed for braces.  Most likely when the teeth were removed the periodontal ligament wasn’t – setting up a potential problem down the road.  I had 4 teeth removed for braces – and  several of those areas were where underlying infections occurred. So if you had teeth removed for braces I believe that at some point it is in your best interest to get a 3D cone scan to check for possible infections.

Mercury Fillings

Mercury amalgam fillings are now recognized as having an adverse effect on overall health.  The unstable mercury leaches into the body causing heavy metal toxicity.  Heavy metals wreak havoc on immune function and cause endless inflammation.  I was lucky enough to have had a dentist who was ahead of his time and had the foresight to remove all of my mercury fillings over 25 years ago.  Thank you Dr. Zedeker.   If you have mercury fillings and are having health issues you should consider having them removed by a biological dentist.  According to Dr. McBride swallowing mercury from amalgam fillings and other toxins from dental work can over time lead to gastritis – or inflammation of the stomach lining.

Implants

While implants may not cause problems for some – for others they can be problematic down the road.  While my body rejected my implant immediately – other people can become reactive over time.  According to Dr. Rau implants made of titanium can be a source of focal inflammation. “Many patients are not initially sensitive to titanium in their mouths but become reactive over time.  Not surprisingly, about 50% of all such implants fail within a decade”.  If you have to get an implant chose zirconium not titanium.

Partials

I have been asked “what should I do if I have to have a tooth removed.  Your options are an implant (which some biological dentists won’t even do), a bridge where the adjoining healthy teeth are ground down to stumps, or a partial which is a fake tooth that you take out at night.  Having done all three I would opt for possibly the most inconvenient – but also the least invasive -a partial.

BIOLOGICAL DENTISTS

The impact of teeth on overall health is recognized by biological dentists.  When seeking out a dentist or oral surgeon ask them if they offer or incorporate these methods in their practice.

Ozone: ozone water and ozone gas are effective in killing pathogens

Platelet Rich Plasma(PRP) and Platelet Rich Fibrin (PRF):  although this option is expensive I think it is worth it. The growth factors in the platelets accelerate wound healing.  All that is required from you is a simple blood draw – your blood is then spun using a special technique to make the platelets.

Tooth extractions: If getting a tooth extracted ask if they remove the periodontal ligament when doing an extraction.  This is important since it helps to prevent bacterial growth and infection in the extraction site.  If the dental office has no idea what this is – hang up and find another dentist who does.

3-D Cone Scan: this is a panoramic image offering high resolution with little radiation that allows the dentist to diagnose failing root canals and cavitations.

TESTING FOR DENTAL MATERIALS

It never occurred to me to ask what materials the dentist/oral surgeon was  putting in my mouth.  Is it possible that if I used one of the following labs prior to getting an implant the results would have shown that my body would have a reaction to the titanium used in the implant– and that I would have saved thousands of dollars on a failed implant.   If you are having health issues and have had dental work or are considering new dental work that involves implants/crowns/bridges etc you could opt to having a lab test to check for material compatibility. Below are 2 labs that offer testing.

• BioComp – Biocompatibility Testing & Dental Toxicity    biocomplaboratories.com
• Clifford Consulting & Research ccrlab.com

Cleaning Teeth

Toothpaste:  use a toothpaste that is fluoride free and sulphate free.

• Davids toothpaste – davids.com (my current favorite)
• Activated Charcoal toothpaste – mymagicmud.com (great but messy)
• Good natural products including toothpaste: weleda.com.
• Of course is doesn’t get more natural than baking soda – which is a great way to clean your teeth.

Oil Pulling

Refer to the oil pulling section for more info.  For popular oil pulling kits check out www.skinnyandcompany.com

Resources:

For an in-depth look at root canals on health you can read the Root Canal Cover-Up by George E. Meinig

For the link between dental health and nutrition check out the Weston A Price Foundation www.westonaprice.org

The Holistic Dental Matrix by Nicholas Meyer- a great book on how your teeth effect your overall health on what state of the art tools are available.

Recommended Dentists for Ceramic Implants & Cavitation Treatment