Questions to Ask your new Dentist

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Life is a process of relationship. There is no life without relationship. So relationship is the basis of human existence. Relationship is the most important thing in life. Do you see the truth of that, not verbally, not intellectually, but actually with your heart and mind?

Can you be aware, alert, so that you are watching your relationship and are learning from that awareness how you respond, what your reactions are?- J. Krishnamurti

Forming a Right Relationship with Your Dentist

Your mouth is more than just a beautiful smile; it is the gateway to your body and your health. Your oral ecology, including cleanings, previous dental work, fillings, extractions, root canals, and cavitations are serious subjects that deserve thoughtful and well-informed consideration.

Your teeth, gums, jaw bone, lips, palate, tongue, and cheeks are intimately connected with the rest of your body, so it is important that you find an intelligent and compassionate dentist who practices with the leading edge of optimal dental options and will help you decide with discernment. 

My goal is to help empower you to create a right relationship with your mouth and with a dentist. When researching a prospective dentist, the dentist’s website should be informative (beyond bleaching and veneers), and when you call the dental practice it is good to ask about the finer details of dentistry.

To help you make an informed decision, ask your dentist the following questions before agreeing to an appointment.

Questions to Ask a Prospective Dentist

Do they use water filters that screen out bacteria and tap water toxins?

The water used to rinse your mouth may be laden with harmful bacteria as bacterium stagnates in the waterlines!

Do they do Biocompatible Testing on a patient by patient basis to check compatibility with dental materials?

The dentist can test your blood to find out what dental materials your body can accept. About 60% of dental materials will suppress your immune system.

Do they use ozone and/or lasers for cleaning areas of the mouth, receding gums and newly filled teeth? Do they use phase contrast microscopes?

These microscopes allow them to take bacteria from the gum line to determine the health of the gums long before periodontal disease sets in.

Is it a mercury-free dental practice?

Do they have a full protocol for removing amalgam fillings? Is the dentist properly trained in the removal of mercury?

A comprehensive protocol includes dental dams, oxygen supplied to patient, vitamin C, and an air filtration system placed near the mouth to suck up mercury vapors.

More than a weekend course or continuing education class, the Hal Huggins Institute has developed a detailed protocol and training that will keep you and the dentist safe as mercury is removed.

Do you they use digital x-rays?

Digital exposes you to 90% less radiation than traditional x-ray machines.

  • What is their position on root canals?
  • What is their position on sealants?
  • What is their position on fluoride?
  • Do they develop a nutrition plan for patients? 

Do they use intra-oral cameras?

Intra-oral cameras transmit an image of your mouth to a screen so that you and the dentist can look at your mouth together.

I recommend that you begin your search by looking for a Biologic Dentistry practice in your area, calling the Hal Huggins institute is a great place to start. There are quite a few in North America that offer full service screenings, employing both dental and medical practitioners.

They are highly skilled at evaluating the physiological and energetic relationship between your mouth and the rest of your body. Beyond the traditional drill and fill dentistry, they work with you to pinpoint any underlying cause or issue you may have instead of selling unnecessary, and possibly harmful, dental work.

“Do not leave your health in your dentist’s hands and assume all will be fine.”- Hal Huggins, DDS

Article by Nadine Armetis, Guest Blogger for the BodyMind Institute