Your dental experience should improve the health of your entire body, not just the health of a few teeth. The connection between your health and your smile is a key part of holistic dentistry and should be valued as part of your dental work.
Here at Radiance Family & Cosmetic Dentistry, we take a whole-body approach to dentistry. We create a relaxing environment where we care for your mouth as part of your overall well-being.
What is Whole-Body Dentistry?
Whole-body dentistry, or holistic dentistry, can involve many different things. Some of what our office uses to enhance our whole-body dentistry approach include:
- Removing Amalgam Fillings: Our office knows that certain outdated dental practices can harm your overall health. That is why Dr. Rath safely removes mercury fillings.
- Providing Metal-Free Fillings: Our fillings are made of body-safe resin, that is long-lasting and tooth-colored. We replace fillings and can place new ones.
- Caring For Our Patients’ Overall Health: The mouth can indicate issues in other parts of your body, so we take careful care to investigate signs your health may be struggling.
- Collaborating with Other Providers: If you need sleep apnea testing, struggle with smoking, or need dietary assistance, we can recommend you to doctors who can help you improve your body’s and smile’s health.
- Preventative Care: We treat issues in your smile before they can impact other parts of your body. This includes emergency dentistry—emergencies don’t last long with quick, comprehensive care.
The Benefits of Holistic and Whole-Body Dentistry
A more holistic approach to your care has many benefits, which is why Dr. Rath focuses on it in her practice.
Long-Term Health
One of the most important aspects of whole-body dentistry is preventative care. Regular cleanings, exams, and early intervention help prevent cavities, gum disease, and more serious health complications. Preventing these issues ensures that your smile stays healthy for as long as possible.
Biocompatible Materials
Holistic dentistry prioritizes safe, non-toxic dental materials that support your overall health. This means avoiding materials like mercury fillings and instead using composite or porcelain restorations that are gentle on your body and long-lasting.
Addressing the Root Cause of Dental Issues
Instead of just fixing symptoms, whole-body dentistry looks at why problems occur. This could include evaluating diet, lifestyle habits, or underlying health conditions that may contribute to decay, gum disease, or bite misalignment.
By addressing the root cause, treatment becomes more effective, and may not need to be repeated.
Supporting the Immune System
Chronic inflammation from gum disease or infections in the mouth can put stress on your immune system. By maintaining a healthy mouth through regular cleanings, periodontal care, and restorative treatments, we can lessen how much bacteria you are exposed to and lower inflammation.
Improving Overall Health
Since oral health is linked to conditions like heart disease, diabetes, and inflammation, taking care of your teeth is a critical step in protecting your entire body. We are here to help you have the healthiest mouth possible and to educate you on the connection between your smile and your body.
Removing Damaging Restorations
Amalgam or mercury fillings can be harmful to your entire body. Trace amounts of the amalgam can wear off from a filling or restoration, causing distress to your body as it enters the bloodstream. Some patients report severe distress such as nausea, bleeding gums, or fatigue, while other patients opt to remove amalgam before any problems become noticeable.
Dr. Rath offers safe and effective removal of amalgam fillings. Her approach lessens the exposure rate of any mercury dust that may occur during removal. Our office uses rubber dams around the mouth and high-suction vacuums to safely remove any fillings that may be harming your smile or your body.
The Benefits of Removing Your Mercury Fillings
Removing old amalgam fillings not only improves the appearance of your smile but also helps protect your long-term oral health.
- Reduce Mercury Exposure: Amalgam fillings can release small amounts of mercury over time—especially when chewing or consuming hot foods and drinks. By replacing them with composite or porcelain fillings, you can minimize potential long-term mercury exposure.
- Prevent Tooth Cracks and Fractures: Metals expand and contract with temperature changes, which can weaken the surrounding tooth structure. Over time, this can lead to small fractures or cracks.
- Limit Tooth Sensitivity: Amalgam fillings can also strain your enamel as it expands and contracts, leaving you with sensitive teeth. Replacing mercury fillings can lessen pain or sensitivity in that tooth.
- Reduce the Risk of Hidden Decay: Mercury fillings do not bond directly to the tooth, which can create small spaces where bacteria and plaque accumulate. This increases the risk of decay beneath the filling, which often goes undetected.
- Enhance the Appearance of Your Smile: Amalgam fillings are dark and noticeable, especially when placed in visible teeth. Over time, they can stain and discolor, making your teeth look darker than they are.
If you’re considering having your mercury fillings removed, Dr. Rath provides safe, effective mercury-free restorations that protect your oral health while enhancing the beauty of your smile. Schedule a consultation today to learn more about your options.
Metal-Free Fillings in Billings
Sometimes a cavity does happen, and that is okay. Dr. Rath offers metal-free fillings for new cavities and also uses them to replace mercury fillings. The dental resin from our office bonds directly with your tooth, preventing infections within the tooth as well as tooth sensitivity.
She places the resin in the hole left by the cavity, molding it to perfectly fit your tooth, and then hardens it with a UV light. Mercury fillings decay over time, releasing small amounts of mercury into your body and mouth, but if any of this material decays it is completely harmless.
Our fillings are also tooth-colored because a healthy smile is also a beautiful smile.
Preventative Care
Our general dentistry focuses on preventative care. Instead of reacting when a cavity happens, we try to prevent cavities with thorough cleanings and oral care education for our patients. We also do thorough oral cancer screenings at every appointment, because early detection can prevent serious damage or even save a life.
Learn more about our preventative care by visiting our page.
The Role of Periodontal Care in Whole-Body Dentistry
Your gums have a special role in the body. They help maintain and protect your teeth, but they also play a crucial role in your overall health.
Periodontal care is a key part of whole-body dentistry, as research has shown a direct connection between gum disease and systemic health conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, and even respiratory issues. By maintaining healthy gums, you’re not only protecting your smile but also supporting your entire body’s well-being.
The Link Between Gum Disease and Overall Health
Gum disease occurs when plaque and bacteria accumulate below the gumline, leading to inflammation, infection, and loss of bone density if left untreated. Chronic gum inflammation in the gums has been linked to:
- Heart Disease: Gum infections can increase inflammation in the bloodstream, contributing to cardiovascular issues.
- Diabetes Complications: Uncontrolled gum disease can make blood sugar levels harder to manage, worsening diabetic symptoms.
- Respiratory Concerns: Bacteria from the gums can enter the lungs, increasing the risk of infections or worsening conditions like COPD.
Preventing and Managing Periodontal Disease
Whole-body dentistry emphasizes prevention as the first line of defense against gum disease. Regular dental cleanings, periodontal screenings, and at-home care all play a role in keeping your gums healthy.
If early signs of gum disease are detected, non-invasive treatments like dental deep cleanings can help the situation before it damages your health long term.
Dealing with periodontal disease also lessens inflammation throughout the body, positively contributing to a healthier life.
A Dentist Who Cares for You and Your Smile
Dr. Rath will always take steps to improve your overall health, during every dental appointment. She wants you to leave her office feeling your healthiest.
Our diagnoses and treatment plans will take into consideration other health factors, such as diabetes, Alzheimer’s, other past diagnoses, and habits such as smoking. Many of those factors can change your oral health, making them an interconnected issue that may need to be addressed together.
Whole-body dentistry involves other members of your care team, such as your general health doctor, for certain cases. The mouth can allow us to detect the beginning signs of disease that is affecting your entire body. When you visit our office you can expect collaboration with other care members to elevate your health.
Can Your Mouth Help Us Detect Disease?
Occasionally, your mouth may show signs of damage before any other symptom of a disease shows up. We take these changes seriously, but we can’t diagnose any disease not directly related to oral health. If we have cause for concern we will communicate with you and recommend you to the proper doctor or specialist.
Call for Holistic Whole Body Dental Care in Billings, MT
If you are looking for a whole-health approach to your dental care, look no further than Radiance Family & Cosmetic Dentistry. We offer a comprehensive approach to your health, that treats your mouth like part of your body. Schedule a cosmetic consultation, amalgam filling removal, or tongue tie consultation with Dr. Rath today.
About Dr. Rebecca Rath
Dr. Rebecca Rath was born and raised in Billings. She earned her Doctorate of Dental Medicine degree from Oregon Health and Science University, and after graduating she practiced in community health centers and private practices in Oregon and Montana. Learning has always been an important aspect of her practice, and she has continued that learning at the prestigious Kois Center, a renowned institute for advanced dental education focused on comprehensive patient care. She works with her all-female team to bring you compassionate dentistry in Billings, Montana.
