by Brighton Dental San Diego
The 20th century saw many new scientific and technological advances, but the latter part of the century brought a return to a more holistic way of thinking, with a renewed understanding of the intimate nature of mind, body and soul and the idea that every part of the body influences every other part.
Holistic (or Biological) dentistry means understanding that what happens in the mouth affects the rest of the body, and what happens in the body influences the health of the mouth. The first part of this equation means not only understanding that decay can contribute to ill health, but also that materials used to restore teeth can also impact the rest of the body. The second part recognizes that problems in the mouth sometimes stem from problems in the rest of the body. Homeopathy is just one tool in the biological dentist’s toolbox.
Homeopathy is a healing method based on fundamental ideas of healing. Homeopathic remedies are based on plant, animal or mineral products that are repeatedly diluted and shaken until there is no detectable traces of the original substance. There are two main theories behind homeopathy. The first is that a substance that causes a symptom in a healthy person can be used in minute doses to heal a sick person exhibiting that symptom. The goal is to stimulate the body to heal itself. The second theory is that the water retains a kind of memory of the substance. Homeopathy does not work by killing germs or even by directly relieving symptoms, but by encouraging the body back to a state of balance in which it can heal itself.
Another major tenet of homeopathy is that every patient is unique, even when presenting with identical physical symptoms. Where a traditional dentist would see two patients with identical toothaches and treat them both the same, the holistic dentist will notice that one patient is not afraid to express how much pain the tooth is causing and takes comfort in sympathy, while the other patient may be more stoic, only seeking treatment as a matter of practicality, and doesn’t want sympathy, just wants to be back to business as usual. The best treatments for these two individuals will include constitutional as well as pathological homeopathy.
Pathological homeopathy is what you would expect, recommending treatment aimed specifically at the ailment. Constitutional homeopathy is a little more complicated and involves looking at such factors as the patient’s body type, disposition, temperament and behaviors. This is how two individuals with very similar complaints can end up receiving distinctly different treatments.
San Diego residents interested in homeopathic dental treatment should visit http://brightondentalsd.com