Caring for your oral health is the first vital step towards overall wellness. As advocates of holistic dentistry, we applaud your decision to prioritise dental health. However, even well-intentioned efforts can backfire if you make certain mistakes. Avoid these 4 common pitfalls to maximise your oral and systemic health:

1. Unsafe mercury filling removal

Silver amalgam fillings contain mercury, a toxic heavy metal that poses potential health risks with accumulation over time. When removing amalgam fillings, it’s crucial your dentist takes precautions to prevent swallowing or inhaling mercury exposure during the procedure. Ensure the dentist is fully trained in the SMART protocol (Safe Mercury Amalgam Removal Technique).

Ask if they will isolate the tooth with a rubber dam to contain vapour and particles. Verify they have an external oxygen supply to prevent inhaling mercury vapour. Ensure they follow Mercury-Safe protocols for collecting, storing and disposing of amalgam waste after removal. Dentists and dental staff must avoid scraps of amalgam and vapour from entering waterways or the environment after disposal.

These protective steps significantly minimise mercury exposure risk during and after removal. However, removing a source of chronic mercury exposure provides long-term health benefits by halting potential leakage into the body.

2. Inadequate dietary support before and after mercury removal

Deciding to remove the mercury amalgam fillings from your mouth is an excellent step in improving oral health. Yet, at the same time, it’s essential not to ignore your diet and its effect on your mouth’s pH. Adopting an anti-inflammatory diet high in antioxidants and key nutrients before and after amalgam removal supports natural mercury detoxification pathways.

Key dietary focus areas include:

– Increase Produce: Boost intake of dark leafy greens, vegetables of all colours, low-sugar fruits, berries, and citrus. These provide antioxidants to bind mercury and support its excretion.

– Choose Clean Protein: Wild-caught fish like salmon and sardines, pasture-raised poultry and eggs, legumes, nuts and seeds offer vital amino acids. Avoid poor quality factory farm meat and fish.

– Avoid Processed & High Glycemic Foods: Cut out refined grains, added sugar, unhealthy oils, and chemical additives that promote inflammation. Stay away from anything white – white rice, bread, pasta and baked goods.

– Supplement Wisely: Take probiotics for gut support, omega-3s to reduce inflammation, extra antioxidants like vitamins C and E to trap free radicals from toxin exposure, and anti-inflammatory spices like turmeric.

Consulting an integrative nutritionist or naturopath for professional dietary guidance based on your unique health profile is recommended. Don’t go it alone.

3. Choosing a dental treatment based on price alone

Seeking large discounts with dental tourism or importing cheaper crowns and implants from overseas may save money initially. It’s doubtful that these cheaper offerings will be made to Australian standards – which means you may be putting a dangerous metal in your mouth to suck on for years.
Imported metal-based crowns, bridges, partials, and implants often contain a hazardous mix of nickel, cadmium, cobalt, lead, and other heavy metals that can accumulate in the body with detrimental effects. Research also shows the metals corrode over time, leaching ions into surrounding tissues and blood vessels. This provokes chronic inflammation and can trigger autoimmune reactivity in those susceptible.

Instead, opt for the highest standard ceramic, composite and zirconia materials from a metal-free dental practice in Australia to protect your long-term health. While more expensive upfront, these non-toxic alternatives won’t corrode or provoke adverse reactions down the track. They also look more aesthetically pleasing than dark grey metals in your smile!

4. Frequent acidic beverage consumption

Many patients have heard that drinking lemon water and apple cider vinegar early in the morning provides fantastic health benefits – from fighting diabetes and supporting weight loss goals to boosting digestion and detoxification. However, due to their highly acidic nature, most are unaware that frequent consumption erodes tooth enamel over time. This effect is worsened by drinking first thing upon waking when saliva flow remains low overnight.

Enamel erosion triggers tooth sensitivity and eventually decays into the dentin layers beneath when left unchecked. It also destabilises resin-based fillings and cements, shortening their longevity. Don’t panic, and avoid your morning health tonic altogether! Just implement smart precautions:

– Rinse with Baking Soda: Swish a diluted baking soda solution briefly after finishing acidic beverages. This helps neutralise lingering acidity and prevent damage.

– Wait to Brush: Delay brushing teeth for at least 40 minutes to allow remineralisation of softened enamel.

– Drink with a Straw: Bypass the teeth to limit direct contact between acidic liquids and enamel surfaces.

– Limit Frequency: While providing benefits, restrict acidic drinks to 1-2 times per week rather than daily.

With education and smart choices, you can avoid common oral health pitfalls. We offer personalised guidance to help you achieve whole-body wellness through evidence-based holistic dental care. Contact us today to discuss your health goals!

Keep Smiling,
It’s good for You!

Dr David Cowhig, the founder of the Dental Wellness clinics, is a pioneer in holistic metal free dentistry & aesthetics, providing scientific-based biological dentistry. We support you as an individual and take into account the variety of factors that can lead to dental and oral health problems. We believe passionately that creating health and beauty around us is an integral part of life and you will feel these qualities in our dental care. You can find us at The Gap in Brisbane, focussing on holistic aesthetic total metal-free dentistry.

Contact Dental Wellness on 07 3511 1399 or email reception@dentalwellness.com.au.

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