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Holistic alternative dentistry differs from traditional dentistry by considering your overall health, not just the health of your mouth.

The dentist that performs this type of dentistry spends additional time with you, the patient, as compared to your usual dentist. This is because he wants to become completely knowledgeable about your whole health history, not just your dental history. This is to ensure that he can effectively attend to all of your dental concerns.

The idea behind this approach is that any dental health care should be concerned with the whole health condition of the person and not just about his teeth and gums. This is because the practitioners of this medicine believe that everything is interconnected. For instance a set of misaligned teeth can lead to digestive problems. Gum diseases, on the other hand, can be a sign of some form of heart problem. So the diagnosis of a certain dental problem can actually lead to finding out more about other health concerns that are beyond the mouth and the teeth. A good deal of this practice is that a dentist will not use or prescribe anything to his patient if it has a small chance of negatively affecting any other body part. So if it is not good for the rest of the body, even if it would fix the dental problem, the dentist will not recommend it and instead would find a better solution.

Most holistic dentists are against the use of fluoride, as they believe it can be harmful and indeed toxic in moderate doses. They support the view of several studies that fluoride added to water has little health benefit.

Your dentist South Yarra might even provide you with nutritional suggestions because his main goal is to make sure your overall health is in very good condition. This may involve providing you with suggestions on your daily diet and also with the vitamin supplements you should be taking for optimal health. Aside from these he would of course provide the usual dental services such as: root canal therapy, dental implants, laser dentistry, and even teeth whitening.

Homeopathy is a necessary component of holistic alternative dentistry. First aid homeopathy can be used in the post management of dental procedures. Another type called the acute homeopathy is used for health issues that will eventually improve independently. And finally there is the constitutional homeopathy which is used to deal with the whole person, because this aspect of health is really as significant as the good condition of the mouth in holistic dentistry.

The holistic dentist will of course treat every aspect of the health of the teeth. One oral problem that many people are suffering from is the receding of the gums. This is when the bone and the gums move farther from the tooth. The common cause of this condition is very poor oral hygine as well as too much grinding or clenching of the teeth. Your dentist might suggest that you take a regular dosage of vitamins C and D to counter the effect of this dental condition.

Aside from these concerns, your dentist, if he is practicing alternative dentistry, might even be concern with the amount of stress your body is experiencing on a daily basis. This is because of the belief that stress has a major impact on our total body wellness, often on the negative side. That is why your dentist would interview about this subject and he might connect it with any dental concern you might be having. And of course he would also make the necessary recommendations on your brushing and flossing methods as well as on your toothbrush and toothpaste selection.

These are just a few of the things that you can expect should you go for alternative dentistry practice. A dentist Melbourne might be practicing this type of dentistry and he might have the best solution to your dental problems.

Gum disease or periodontal disease inflicts over half of the adult population. This common oral problem develops from the buildup of plaque, where harmful bacteria reside. Bacteria in plaque causes infection of the gums making them swell, easy to bleed when you brush, and appear red. This is the first stage of gum disease more commonly known as gingivitis.

Gingivitis is often painless which makes it unnoticeable. This result in a gum disease called periodontitis, a worse infection where bacteria corrode the bone structures that support teeth, giving way to tooth loss.  At this stage, the patient may notice swelling in the gums as well as bleeding, sores and discharge. The patient most likely suffers bad breath and pain in the gums.

Several causes of gum disease include poor oral hygiene, smoking, excessive alcohol intake, and nutrition deficiency.

What is the link between nutrition and gum disease?

Our body needs adequate amounts of nutrients to combat infection, such as gum diseases.
To strengthen the immune system, a person’s diet should include plenty of antioxidants such as vitamin C and flavonoids. The diet should also include other essential nutrients that are particularly helpful in fighting gum disease such as calcium.

Some types of food promote the growth of bacteria and this fact shows how nutrition and gum disease is related. Foods rich in sugar and starch and sticky foods contribute to bacteria buildup.

Here is a quick guide on proper nutrition and gum disease prevention:

Go for whole foods, which offer many nutrients instead of processed or refined foods
Limit your sugar consumption by avoiding snacks such as pastries, cakes, soft drinks and sweetened fruit juices.
Always include fiber in your diet such as whole grain bread and cereals, broccoli, peas, and fruits like pears and oranges
Get enough supply of vitamin C, flavonoids, vitamin A, vitamin E, vitamin D, vitamin B-complex, Co-enzyme Q10, calcium, potassium, selenium, magnesium, zinc, iron and phosphorus.
Enhance your diet with health supplements

To prevent gum disease effectively, proper nutrition should go together with  proper dental care. Always remember to brush your teeth at the least two times every day, rinse your mouth with water or a good mouth rinse after meals, floss your teeth once a day, and schedule regular checkups with your dentist.

Nutrition and gum disease treatment

The combination of proper nutrition and gum disease treatment is vital because
while proper nutrition does not actually treat gum disease, it significantly helps in speeding up the process of healing and preventing recurrences.