Why are 'holistic' dentists on the rise? They treat the whole body, not just teeth

When was the last time your dentist recommended meditation and eating kale as a way to a healthier mouth? Suggested a daily probiotic? Or had a cranial sacral therapist give you a treatment in the chair?
We didn't think so.
But these are exactly the services you might find at the office of a holistic dentist, also sometimes called a biological or integrative dentist. The Holistic Dental Assn. has 267 active members nationwide. The numbers are growing for a few reasons, including acknowledgment that the teeth and gums should be considered vital to the rest of the body, and vice versa; also, concern over the effect mercury amalgam fillings might have on a person's health. "The growth is definitely patient-driven," said Dawn Ewing, executive director of the International Academy of Biological Dentistry and Medicine, a network of dentists..

Holistic dentists fill cavities, clean teeth and make bridges and implants. But they also are rooted in the concept that when treating teeth, you must consider the entire body — diet, lifestyle, mental and emotional health. Most also seek to use technology that minimizes exposure to harmful chemicals — for the patient, staff and doctor, as well as the environment.

"Conventional Western dentistry tends to decapitate you," says Dr. David Villarreal, a biological dentist who practices in Newbury Park. (Holistic dentists all have either a degree of doctor of dental surgery or doctor of medical dentistry.) "Most treat your mouth as an independent entity, which just doesn't make sense to us. What's the first thing a horse veterinarian does?" Villarreal asked. "They look in the horse's mouth, which tells them a lot about the horse's body and health.".....................