Holistic Dentistry Philosophy

The Holistic Dental philosophy hinges on preventive dentistry. When disease and damaging conditions are avoided, or at least caught at their earliest stages of development, your natural teeth and gums remain healthy, strong and beautiful. Beginning with your new patient evaluation, and continuing with each visit, Dr. Boesch and Dr. Shah rely on experience and technology to ensure your optimal health, while educating you about how to remain healthy and avoiding the conditions that damage your teeth.

We aim to improve your oral/systemic health relationship with every visit. Unlike fast paced corporate offices, we want to build lifelong relationships. Coming to work everyday is fun when we see a schedule filled with people we know, rather than just patients. Our team has a true passion for dentistry, thrives on teamwork and education, and is fulfilled by helping patients achieve & maintain healthy, beautiful smiles. We can’t wait to get to know you!

Oral Systemic Connection

Your overall health and your dental health work hand-in-hand to determine your quality of life. Oral health has been conclusively linked to a number of other health conditions including diabetes, heart disease, Alzheimers and obesity. Many of the bacteria that cause dental problems are the same bacteria that cause health problems. Meaning that the state of your oral health will influence the health of the rest of your body. Just as an example, did you know that 25% of all cases of acid reflux are diagnosed by a dentist and not by a physician? We can learn a lot about your overall health by looking in your mouth. By focusing on optimizing your oral health, you can directly impact your overall quality of life. Furthermore, the early diagnosis of dental problems may shed light on other health concerns before they advance.

Our Philosophy

My mother believes that there is a vitamin to fix almost anything wrong with you. In such, growing up I had a strong interest in health and nutrition. When I attended the University of Florida, my first major was in Nutrition & Dietetics (also received degrees in Microbiology and Zoology). I share the same passion as my Mom and after having taken multiple Biochemistry courses explaining how vitamins and minerals are used in our body. It all makes sense. I rarely take an Advil. I usually search for the reason for a headache or whatever the ailment is first and try to find a solution before reaching for a chemical compound.

When it comes to dentistry, I have never understood the practice of cutting out portions of diseased teeth. How did our profession get so backwards as to not teach prevention and ways to solve issues before they need to be surgically fixed? We will never push our philosophy down people’s throats, nor lecture a patient. However, if someone has an interest, I am happy to talk about nutrition and dentistry ‘til the cows come home. For those that know me, you will often hear me recommending a vitamin, mineral, or amino acid supplement for a condition. I love that there are cheap and easy ways to heal many medical issues.

One of the most exciting holistic parts of our practice has been the introduction of Healthy Start. Treating children with a BPA-free, Silicone-free mouthguard to improve their airway and straighten their teeth has been amazing! A holistic approach to ADHD, bedwetting, snoring, and so much more.

Fluoride. You can’t be a true “holistic dentist” if you believe fluoride is good. As much as I love the philosophy of holistic dentistry, I have yet to have a patient that uses fluoride-free toothpaste come in without cavities. It just seems inevitable; no fluoride=cavities. Fluoride is a vital component that makes up the structure of our teeth. It is natural within us. Yes, high does do us harm as with most things. With that being said, I respect any patient’s wishes to be fluoride- free and I will do everything to help them have a healthy mouth.

Oil pulling. Some believe that swishing with oil for 25 minutes can eliminate gum disease and the necessity for gum infection therapy. I have had a number of patients try it to no avail. The philosophy is that the oil pulls the plaque and bacteria off of the teeth. However, the oil cannot get below the gums where the infection is present. I highly recommend spending 3-5 minutes brushing and flossing and adding Xylitol to your routine, instead of spending 25 minutes swishing oil, wearing out your facial muscles. It takes less time and I think you will have a better result. Oil pulling can be used as an adjunct to get anything that might have been missed as there is some merit to it.

Xylitol is a natural sugar from birch trees that has been proven to kill the bacteria that causes cavities and gum (periodontal) disease! I highly recommend using Epic toothpaste with Xylitol. (We carry Epic products in our office for convenience or you can easily find them on Amazon.) They make a fluoride free version as well. If you are a gum chewer, definitely switch to Epic gum. Consuming 5grams per day has been shown to decrease the risk for gum disease and cavities! Just remember, as with everything else, you don’t want to overdo it.

If you have any questions about treatment options, please do not hesitate to call us!