I did a holistic interview with a naturopathic doctor, Michelle Peris, for the Rebel Health Podcast. We had a great conversation about overall health, well being, holistic dentistry, and how a holistic dentist fits into your overall health care team.
To listen to the full podcast, click here!
If you don’t have the time or a quiet space to listen to the podcast right now, here are my favourite takeaways from the interview:
What does a holistic dentist do?
A holistic dentist works to understand how your teeth and mouth relate to your body and overall health. As an example, many warning signs show up in the mouth first before they show up the rest of the body. As a holistic dentist, I am the first line of defence to help prevent larger issues from occurring, as well as ensuring proper oral health care.
What warning signs can show up in the mouth?
Diabetes has a huge impact on the gums. Cardiovascular issues can affect how you heal. After a cleaning or common procedure like tooth extraction, I look to see how your body responds to the treatment in an effort to catch and diagnose potential problems early. If I see any warning signs, I can make recommendations for you to go to the appropriate place to get help, whether that’s a doctor or to go get blood tests. This proactive approach is central to the practice of holistic dentistry.
What makes my approach to holistic dentistry unique?
I insist on understanding and knowing what’s happening before we talk about what treatment options are. So much so that I developed and implemented in my office, a process called the Seven Screenings. This process ensures the collection of important information like the health of your teeth and gums, health history, overall health, cancer screen results, and your belief systems.
Through this process, I can fully understand what’s going on in your mouth, your body, and most importantly, what it is that you want to achieve.
Can a dentist help with sleep apnea?
Yes! Many people don’t think to ask a dentist for help with sleep problems like sleep apnea, but we can absolutely help! CPAP machines aren’t the only solution. For mild and medium cases of sleep apnea, a sleep appliance can be used to bring your jaw and tongue forward while you sleep and increase airflow.
To read more about sleep apnea and sleep solutions, click here.
Don’t let your insurance coverage dictate what you do
There is a misconception about insurance coverage and this is it: If a service or treatment isn’t “covered” that means you don’t need it or it isn’t worth doing.
This is NOT the case. Don’t let insurance providers make important decisions about your health.
Insurers make money when you don’t do anything or you choose the “quick fix” which also happens to be the most inexpensive option.
This can be a recipe for disaster, long term. I see the negative impact on overall health in my older patients. They didn’t go with the recommended procedure to fix the problem (when it was still fixable) because it wasn’t covered by insurance. Now the cost is a lack of function and comfort.
Why I’m not concerned about sugar consumption
People are so much healthier than they used to be. The people I see in my practice tend to take really good care of their mouths – especially the kids! When I see cavities and decay, it is often the result of teeth falling apart from mercury fillings, or not receiving proper treatment in time, more than from sugar consumption.
Find a SMART certificated dentist to remove mercury fillings
There is a very specific way to remove mercury safely from your mouth and the dental office. Dentists who are formally trained in this procedure are SMART certified by the International Academy of Medicine and Toxicology.
If you have mercury fillings (also known as amalgam fillings) and are considering having them removed, learn more about the process, here.
Find a SMART certified dentist near you.
Find the full Rebel Talk podcast here.
If you have questions about holistic dentistry or would like to ask about your specific situation, get in touch with Oakville holistic dentist Dr. Agatha Bis by calling 905-338-6684 or filling out the form below.