These days, it seems like dental offices are a dime a dozen. If you are searching for a skilled, reliable, and compassionate doctor to care for your oral health, you have many options. You might choose a general dentist, a family dentist, a specialist, or even a holistic dentist. While the vast majority of dental professionals have their patients’ best interests at heart, holistic dentists are unique in several ways. Let’s talk about what a holistic dentist is and how you can benefit when you visit one.

In discussions about preventing cavities, things like brushing and flossing are often mentioned. Certainly, such habits play a vital role in fighting the formation of dental decay. But what else can you do? Research suggests that a few simple additions to your diet might protect your teeth. Let’s talk about some things you can consume that may lower your risk of developing cavities.

The Oral-Systemic Connection

A new paradigm between dentistry and medicine is now developing regarding patient care. As the oral-systemic connection is more clearly understood, dentists who are trained in diagnosing oral and periodontal disease will play a greater role in the overall health of their patients. Many times, the first signs of unnatural systemic health conditions reveal themselves in changes within the oral cavity.

Periodontal disease and chronic dental infection are associated with a doubled risk for heart attack. (39) The presence of periodontal disease before age 50 is the strongest predictor of mortality (no matter what the cause). (40) “The persistence and/or severity of periodontal disease is the strongest predictor of the presence and extent of advanced arterial disease of any risk factor yet identified.”