Safer and Healthier Alternatives to Root Canals and Other Common,
Yet Harmful, Tooth Restoration Techniques
May 03, 2014
Story at-a-glance
Root canal treated teeth tend to harbor harmful
microbes. Their toxic metabolic waste products can
attack your immune system and contribute to many chronic
diseases
If you suffer from any chronic disease, a “dental
revision” may help in your recovery
Dental revision involves removing toxic stressors of
oral origin, such as dead teeth, dead jawbone, metal
tooth restorations, and meridian-blocking implants
Dental implants slow energy flow along meridians. As
with root canals, your associated organs, glands, or
anatomical structures may functionally decline as a
result
Pro’s and con’s of alternative restoration options are
discussed, including safer materials and the
ramifications of various bridge options
By Carol Vander Stoep, RDH, BSDH, OMT
Viper venom is an efficient killer. Its swirls of toxic proteins
multitask. Some paralyze the nervous system of the victim by
blocking nerve-to-muscle messages. Others can misdirect messenger
hormones, dissolve tissues, or make blood so sticky the resulting
clots stop the heart, or thin it to the point that the victim
quickly bleeds out.
Just as surely, dead or dying human teeth can harbor similarly
lethal agents working on at least as many levels throughout your
body. The sophisticated multi-level attack of oral microbes, their
metabolic waste products, and their interaction with dental
materials can similarly give rise to an immune system crash, which
can manifest in a multitude of disguises. Is a root canal procedure
a gamble you really want to take?
Economics versus Health: There Is Always a Price
The complexity of interactions and time delay before oral toxins
express noticeable symptoms, compared to fast-acting snake venom,
work well for the institution of dentistry and dental insurance
companies, but it does not bode well for you.
Institutions are by nature invested in the status quo. The
insurance industry's business model is no different from most other
business models – it values their bottom line over your health. We
are left on our own to tease out root causes of disease.
It is only after the scare of cancer, the exhaustion of chronic
fatigue, a nervous system derailment causing Parkinson's tremors,
Multiple Sclerosis (MS), or Bell's Palsy, or even autoimmune issues
such as lupus or ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease), that some people make
the difficult decision to consider a "dental revision" to help their
body recover.
A dental revision is no less than removing all possible toxic
stressors of oral origin – dead teeth, dead jawbone, heavy metals
like mercury, nickel, and chromium, gum disease therapy, and often,
removing meridian blockers like implants.
A dental revision may seem like a drastic and expensive step, but
what is the cost of poor health to which these contribute? You can
escape to clean mountain air or the ocean's cleansing waves, but you
can never escape your internal environment.
The two
lab reports in this file1
are but two examples of DNA sequenced microbial profiles found in
the jawbone socket of an extracted root canal treated tooth, and in
cavitations. The root canal treated tooth showed no clinical or
physical signs of failing. These interesting lab reports also
connect the pathogens with their waste products' target tissues.
What Is a Root Canal?
A root canal is an embalming procedure dentists perform on a
tooth. Root canals are designed to keep a dead tooth mechanically
functioning in a live body.
Teeth die as a result of trauma (including sometimes, the trauma
of a high speed drill creating too much heat or sucking the organic
material from the microscopic tubules that assist in keeping it
alive), or from microbial invasion from deep decay or gum disease
into the pulp that nourishes each tooth. The following video offers
key considerations about root canals.
It is no longer a huge secret that root canals crank out
microbial metabolic toxins. Even some root canal specialists
(endodontists) are starting to "own" it. For instance, they
acknowledge that "condensing osteitis" around a root-canal treated
tooth is common.
As the video above mentions, condensing osteitis is a thickening
of the bone around a dead tooth as your body tries to wall off the
infective toxins seeping from it. On the other hand, the American
Association of Endodontists (AAE) position statement2
on the matter (2012) states that:
"…the practice of recommending the extraction of
endodontically treated teeth for the prevention of NICO [painful
jawbone death due to poor blood supply], or any other disease,
is unethical and should be reported immediately to the
appropriate state board of dentistry."
And yet, according to a 2006 study published in the Journal
of Evidence Based Dental Practice:3
"[A] recent evidence-based review of the outcomes of both
treatment modalities noted that if evidence-based principles are
applied to the data available for both treatment modalities, few
implant or endodontic outcome studies can be classified as being
high in the evidence hierarchy."
Is a Root Canal Right for Your Situation?
Image shows a root canal treated tooth anchoring one side of
a bridge, an implant anchoring the other side
No doubt about it, losing a tooth can be emotionally charged. I
think it is one reason dentists work so hard to perfect tooth
embalming procedures. The decision tree for considering tooth
replacement is complex, and the solutions all involve compromise.
There are a lot of hop off places for people to enter into De Nile.
Examine your own health status, priorities and philosophies and
go with your best solution. "I have three root canals?
What do I do now? Are all root canals toxic? " Probably.
Eventually. Yet people have varying abilities to sustain the stress
of toxins – and of course that ability varies over time.
Some biological doctors may recommend a root canal if a patient
has a strong immune system, great genetics, and superior lifestyle.
They suggest if one's immune system crashes it can always be
extracted later. But we are besieged by so many unavoidable immune
system challenges in today's world; I'm personally moving further
and further away from the idea of assaulting my immune system with
avoidable challenges.
Proper Diagnosis Is Key for Failing Root Canals and Cavitations
Since health effects of root canals and cavitations are similar,
and one can arise from the other, I'll digress to talk about
cavitations for a moment. The existence of cavitations, also known
as ischemic osteonecrosis (death of bone due to lack of adequate
blood supply) when there is no pain present, and NICO when there is
pain, seems to equate to a religious belief. Do cavitations exist or
don't they?
The preferred answer might depend on if you have skin in the
game. Root canal specialists, state dental boards, and insurance
companies cast aspersions on their existence, and (as noted above)
even threaten to take away a dentist's credentials should they
acknowledge cavitations and recommend surgically treating the dead
bone or extracting a root canal treated tooth to prevent them. Like
the huge disservice of the domestic cooking oil manufacturers'
vilification of tropical fats decades ago, the stance of these
special interests may equally hurt public health.
Part of the problem is that diagnosis is difficult. Typical
dental x-rays can no more accurately diagnose cavitations than they
can accurately diagnose subtle root canal pathology. They show only
the most obvious cavitations. CT scans are excellent if all metals
are absent from the mouth, but they are expensive and come with the
added price tag of high radiation exposure.
There is no definitive way to judge how infected a root canal
treated tooth or cavitation is, but a traditional camera-imaged
thermogram, which many also use to detect early stage breast cancer,
can offer some guidance. Thermographic images display infrared heat
emissions, with each color gradation indicating different heat
emissions. High-heat emissions are suggestive of inflammation, which
may indicate root canal toxicity or a cavitation—even if you're
asymptomatic. You can read more about the use of thermography on
PositiveHealth.com's website.4
Regulation Thermometry
A new type of system, the AlfaSight™ 9000, offers a more
comprehensive and precise thermograph than the more widely known
digital-imaging camera thermography mentioned above. This more
objective thermometry system delivers a functional physiologic
assessment of your body's bio-regulation system and offers insights
into underlying dysfunction that both precedes and provokes
developing disease processes.
Infrared measurements of skin temperature at over 100 points on
your body including your head, torso, and back, taken both before
and after exposure to a cool ambient room temperature assess how
your body regulates temperature stress via the autonomic nervous
system. Connected organs, glands, and other tissues influence the
capillary blood vessel bed beneath each skin point location. Changes
indicate either clear or blocked channels.
Scientific evidence shows that internal physiological
abnormalities and dysfunction affect skin surface temperatures and
that, therefore, skin temperatures and behavioral responses can
reveal information about associated organ function. Medical clinics
worldwide have studied, correlated, and validated over 40
temperature patterns that define regulation incapacities, called
signature recognitions. Alfa Thermodiagnostics' AlfaSight™ 9000
captures these signature patterns and provides a vivid integrative,
computerized summary report5
that illustrates a system-wide overview and detailed dental, breast,
and prostate evaluations.
Other Diagnostic Tools
Cavitat. Just as seismologists use acoustic
energy to look for oil and obstetricians image fetuses with
ultrasound, some dentists use a Cavitat to explore 3D images of
cavitations in jawbone. As with first generation Thermography,
it requires a skilled clinician and there is room for error. In
the process of gaining FDA approval, tests using the Cavitat
showed that 94 percent of old extraction sites were positive for
bone lesions. Perhaps not surprisingly, Aetna Insurance
discredited cavitations and the Cavitat. As Dr. Wes Shankland
states in an open letter:
"Aetna Insurance Company contacted other insurance
companies and reported that jaw bone cavitations did not
exist. Aetna Insurance Company also informed others that the
Cavitat was inaccurate and those who used this device were
'quacks.'"
Such negative and inaccurate publicity literally ruined
Cavitat sales. With no other recourse, Cavitat Medical
Technologies made a decision to file a federal lawsuit, in
Denver, against Aetna Insurance Company. Aetna lost and was
ordered to pay a serious judgment, but the damage was done.
EAV (Electro Acupuncture according to Voll).
An EKG measures electrical flow through your heart.
Expressed as a graph, it pinpoints heart damage, since current
does not flow through dead tissues. EAV works the same way. The
EAV test uses an ohmmeter to measure energy flow along meridians
at acupuncture points. If you understand meridians and you've
signed on to "Healing is Voltage," "The Body Electric" and
understand the science behind "Earthing", you know
low-functioning organs are low in negative ions.
This state hinders electron flow along your body's energy
meridians. Dr. WA Tiller, Professor Emeritus of Materials
Science at Stanford University, set out to discredit the EAV,
but became an advocate as his research verified organ
degeneration correlated with low conductance. In fact, it was
Dr. Tiller who mapped the Meridian Tooth Chart,6
which correlates each tooth with its associated organs, glands,
and anatomical structures on the same meridian. Infected or
diseased teeth, as well as dental implants, block electrical
conductivity on meridians and so can alter the health of other
organs located on the same meridian and vice versa.
The Dark Side of Implants
Perhaps you have decided you must extract your root canal treated
teeth to maintain or regain health—against the clear position stated
by the American Association of Endodontists above. You chose a
biological dentist who can help you avoid cavitations, and boosted
your immune system. How should you replace the space? Interestingly,
the more complex and biologically incompatible the option, the more
costly it is. Costs vary widely, as do longevity estimates.
Implants are essentially an artificial root screwed into your
jawbone, topped with an artificial tooth or used as an anchor for a
bridge or partial denture. Implants are displacing root canals
because they look, feel, and function very much like a natural
tooth, and do not interfere with normal oral activities.
They help maintain bone that normally dissolves over time after a
tooth is extracted. They can last a long time, and do not require
grinding down adjacent teeth, as a fixed bridge would require. But
you have to remember success is not measured only by tooth function,
but function within your body as a whole.
Here are a few important aspects of dental implants you must
seriously consider before making the decision to go forward with
this major investment. Dead tissues do not conduct energy, implants
therefore, whether titanium or zirconium, slow energy flow along
meridians. Your body must constantly compensate for this. As with
root canals, your associated organs, glands, or anatomical
structures may functionally decline.
Most people with a dental implant have other metallic dental
repairs present, which only exacerbates energetic chaos. In fact,
the implant screw and replacement tooth are usually different
metals. These two dissimilar metals within an electrolyte (saliva)
effectively turn your mouth into a battery. Additionally, if you
still have gold, mercury, copper, tin, silver filings, or
nickel-based crowns in your mouth, these will also contribute to the
galvanic currents being generated.
What You Need to Know About Titanium Implants
Most implants used today are made of titanium. So when your mouth
is functioning as a battery due to the dissimilar metals present,
there are resulting chaotic galvanic currents that continuously
drive ions from the titanium or its alloys, which include small
amounts of vanadium or aluminum. These metallic ions are then
transported around your body, around the clock, where they bind to
proteins and can wreak havoc with your health. Some people are more
susceptible to the resulting inflammatory, allergy, and autoimmune
problems than others. There is a blood test7
to help determine this sensitivity.
Though you're exposed to fluoride through many avenues, tap
drinking water and dental products remain your most significant
sources. If you drink tap water or use fluoridated toothpaste, it is
important to know that fluoride accelerates titanium corrosion in
the extreme (up to 500 microg/(cm2 x d)). Low pH values (acidity in
the mouth or a dry mouth) accelerate this effect profoundly.8
Of course, corrosion of the other metals also accelerates ion
release.
"The amounts of tin released by the enhanced corrosion of
amalgam [in the presence of titanium] might contribute
measurably to the daily intake of this element; the corrosion
current generated reached values known to cause taste
sensations. If the buffer systems of adjacent tissues… are not
able to cope with the high pH generated around the titanium,
local tissue damage may ensue; this relationship is liable to be
overlooked, as it leaves no evidence in the form of corrosion
products."
While most people do not notice galvanic currents, others
experience unexplained nerve shocks, ulcerations, a salty or
metallic taste or a burning sensation in their mouth. Noticeable or
not, oral galvanic currents are commonly as high as 100 micro-amps,
yet your brain operates on 7 to 9 nano-amps—a current more than
1,000 times weaker. Given your brain's proximity to your mouth,
biological dentists are concerned the constant high and chaotic
electrical activity may misdirect brain impulses. These currents can
contribute to insomnia, brain fog, ear-ringing, epilepsy, and
dizziness.
The possibility that titanium implants may act as antennas that
direct microwaves from your cell phone and cellular transmission
towers into your body also deserves study. As Dr. Douglas
Swartzendruber, a professor at the University of Colorado has said:
"Anything implanted in bone will create an autoimmune response.
The only difference is the length of time it takes."
Titanium implants are certainly known to suppress important
immune cells such as your T-cells, white blood cells critical to
immune system function, and create oxidative stress as measured by
rH2 values (a measurement of oxidation-reduction potential under a
specific pH). Diseases associated with implants are not all that
different from those associated with root canals, and include a
number of different autoimmune and neurological disorders, such as:
Cancer
Multiple sclerosis (MS)
Alzheimer's disease
Parkinson's disease
Chronic fatigue
Fibromyalgia
Other complications of implanted titanium include occasional
facial eczema as your skin tries to detoxify the titanium ions.
Dental implants also have no fibrous "seal" to prevent microbial
invasion. If you make the decision to get a dental implant, it's
wise to use floss impregnated with ozonated oil around the neck of
each implant daily.
Alternatives to Titanium Implants
Zirconium implants are a newer innovation in dentistry and many
biological dentists now use them. These implants bypass some of the
problems of titanium mentioned above. They still block energy flow,
but at least they are electrically neutral, eliminating the
potential to interfere with your brain impulses. The implant itself
also does not contribute to electrical galvanic currents being
generated in your mouth. But you still need to be careful as the
artificial tooth that is ultimately screwed onto the zirconium
implant may have a metal base. Zirconium implants also release ions,
but at a much slower rate than titanium implants.
These implants seem to last quite a long time. One systematic
review showed that over the 10-30 year period studied, there was
only a 1.3 percent to five percent loss of implanted teeth in
clinically well-maintained mouths. For those with less optimal
maintenance, it was more like a 14-20 percent loss of implanted
teeth over that time. Don't even think about smoking though!
Endodontic literature has a very different slant on the benefits of
implants, of course.
Traditional Bridges Can Be Costly and Relatively Impermanent
First off, bridges don't last all that long. The average
bridge lasts eight years, with a range of five to 15 years. For this
reason, "permanent bridges" are no longer considered "permanent." A
traditional bridge is comprised of several units – the artificial
teeth and the abutments. Abutments are the crowns (caps) made to
cover the anchor teeth. The bridge is permanently bonded in place to
span a gap that replaces at least one missing tooth. Broken down or
completely intact, the abutment teeth to each side of the gap are
aggressively cut away to accept the covering crown.
Or should I say smothering crown? In my video above, I used an
analogy of a healthy tooth being like a fountain. A crown stifles
the natural nutritive, cleansing, hydrating flow of lymph. It can no
longer "breathe." Why do this to two good teeth that need no dental
work for the sake of one (or two) missing teeth? Some biological
doctors think these should be removed periodically so the underlying
teeth can be cleaned up.
If one of the supporting crowned teeth breaks or develops decay
or nerve damage, the bridge and its three or more crowns must be
removed and replaced. As a hygienist, I can tell you that most
people are terrible about cleaning around the abutment teeth and
under the artificial tooth. Margins are very susceptible to decay.
Again, I advise my clients to use ozonated oil around all crown
margins as an extra degree of caution. Good personal care is one key
to longevity. And once again, avoid smoking!
I am no fan of crowns as I explained in a
previous interview with Dr. Mercola. The more a tooth is
destroyed during restoration, the less able it is to withstand
chewing forces. Also, forces which once could transfer through the
organic, flexible bulk of the tooth to the root now must travel
along the outside of a stiff crown to concentrate at the gum margin
– hardly a recipe for longevity of either the underlying tooth or
the crown itself.
Biomimetic Considerations to Take into Account
Biomimetic means mimicking nature. In choosing dental materials,
a dentist must weigh the ability of the body's immune system to
ignore dental materials after recognition, called biocompatibility,
with the beauty and function patients demand. They must find
materials that match the flexibility of teeth so they can absorb
daily chewing and clenching stresses. Materials should expand and
contract at the same rate as teeth do when exposed to oral
temperature fluctuations and they must resist wear and fracture.
Porcelain crowns are about four times harder than natural teeth
and accelerate wear on opposing teeth. They fracture far more easily
than zirconia based ceramic crowns, which are biocompatible,
beautiful, and strong. These benefits come at the cost of stiffness.
Zirconia based ceramic crowns are poor shock absorbers, which can be
hard on your jaw joint and the bones that anchor your teeth. A new
material, poly-ceramic DiamondCrown, comes closer to meeting all
these requirements, and is biocompatible for about 80 percent of
people tested. More biocompatible and biomimetic dental materials
will emerge as these principals are more widely recognized.
Other Points to Consider
Your cranial (head) bones rhythmically move. Their gentle
movements are thought to help drain your sinuses, aid nasal
breathing, and influence your nervous system via movement of
cerebrospinal fluid, the fluid that bathes your brain and nerves in
your spinal cord.
This rhythmic pumping of cranial bones is particularly important
at night because it helps the glymphatic system flush waste products
from your brain that have built up during the day. Think of the
glymphatic system as your brain's garbage truck; glial cells create
high pressure channels for cerebrospinal fluid that dilate and flow
during sleep as blood pumps through arteries and as cranial bones
"breathe." They close during wakefulness. When movement is
restricted, migraines or a build-up of the amyloid plaques
associated with Alzheimers can occur. The glymphatic system may be
one of the most important reasons you sleep.
TMJ (jaw joint) specialists, osteopaths and craniosacral
therapists recognize the need to maintain cranial bone motion. These
clinicians suggest that no fixed dentistry, whether "permanent"
bridgework or metal partial, should cross the midline of the upper
or lower jaw.
If you choose to have a permanent bridge, avoid porcelain fused
to metal, since these metals contain nickel. Some dentists will
assure you that they would never use a nickel-based metal; they use
stainless steel! But stainless steel contains at least 10 percent
chromium, vanadium, and nickel and/or manganese. I recommend going
metal-free!
Fixed bridges were once considered premium care, since they, like
implants, look, feel and function much like permanent teeth. In my
experience, both require about the same amount of extra personal and
clinical care. Incidentally, dentists will occasionally recommend a
cantilever bridge, anchoring a false tooth to just one neighbor
instead of two. These are less costly, but can certainly torque the
anchor tooth, which it cannot always withstand.
Resin Bonded Bridge—A Less Costly Alternative, But Just as
Impermanent
Resin bonded bridges (Maryland bridges) are a minimally invasive
option for replacing missing teeth in certain situations. They are
generally only considered for anterior tooth replacement. Design,
materials, skill, and patient selection largely dictate longevity
and satisfaction. Fortunately, design and materials have
significantly evolved. Unlike traditional bridges, resin bonded
bridges require much less reduction of supporting teeth. Instead,
the dentist slightly reduces the backs of the neighboring teeth onto
which "wings" attached to the artificial tooth are bonded.
Materials can be all resin, porcelain, porcelain bonded to metal,
or zirconium. Most doctors still fabricate these bridges with a wing
to either side of the artificial tooth, though the literature seems
to suggest it is better to just have one – to cantilever the missing
tooth off one supporting tooth. Interestingly, this is because it is
recognized that cranial bones and teeth move and that the anchoring
teeth do not move equally. This puts stress on the bonds, which can
lead to failure. Also, since it is unlikely that both bonds would
break at the same time, the debonding often goes unnoticed, allowing
decay to set in under the debonded wing.
Resin bonded bridges are a good option for adolescents with
missing teeth, when the bridge is well designed. Most replacement
options cannot be considered until you have finished maturing
physically. These bridges help maintain space and are fairly easy to
care for.
If you have teeth that have loosened due to gum disease, some
would add another advantage of resin bonded bridges – they help
splint loosened teeth together. This is true, but unless your gums
are disease-free and cleaned on a daily basis at home, it might be
time to remove them because in this case, it might be extremely
difficult to self-cleanse daily at home. We are not just looking at
longevity of the teeth, but longevity of the host.
The downside of resin bonded bridges is that they're somewhat
fragile. If made with metals, the usual caveats apply: mixed metals
lead to galvanic currents and a panoply of problems already
addressed. Again, 100 percent zirconium would avoid this. Remember,
biological dentists try to be metal free and avoid metal-based
crowns and bridges. It isn't just the galvanic currents these set
up, but the release of nickel/chromium/manganese/vanadium ions. A
better restoration option might be the Carlson Bridge – a resin
bonded bridge that requires no drilling into adjacent teeth. Placed
in one appointment, these economical, prefabricated, "winged"
replacement teeth can last many years. An advantage is that the bond
to adjacent teeth is less rigid, so cranial bones can shift as they
should.
Partials—Your Least Expensive Option
Going back in time, removable partials were all dentistry offered
to replace missing teeth. Our current culture values looking young,
so partials – associated with our grandparents – are a difficult
aesthetic choice. They may however be the choice that offers the
best chance for aging well. Partials are designed based on
how many teeth need replacing. Metal frameworks were once the norm,
but the future lies in non-metal dental repairs. New materials:
Are less obvious
Avoid the adverse properties of metal restorations already
discussed
Are able to distribute chewing forces over a greater area
compared to metal framework partials, and are therefore more
comfortable
Relines are less frequent
According to the Clifford Biocompatibility Test, Flexite and
Valplast (light, flexible, yet strong nylon resins) are
biocompatible for 99 percent of the population. Lucitone FRS is
a very similar biocompatible nylon resin. None of these use a
heavy metal (cadmium) as a pink colorant as some other dental
materials do. Many patients choose a clear framework to avoid
any possible reaction to the colorant. Nylon materials can draw
in water and with it, odors and stain, though good hygiene can
mitigate this problem.
VisiClear is another nylon-free biocompatible partial
material
The
intentional exposed palate design in this partial means the
wearer can continue good oral posture, which means properly
keep the tongue in contact with the palate
For best aesthetics, biocompatibility, and biomimetic function,
choose DiamondCrown or zirconia teeth in your partial rather than
the default acrylic teeth most often used. If you must add another
tooth to any of the above partials, that is possible, too. The lab
simply reuses the artificial teeth, the most valuable component, and
remakes the framework with the new tooth!
Biocomp Labs10
and the Clifford Consulting and Research Lab11
offer individualized dental materials testing, recommended
especially for those with multiple chemical sensitivities or anyone
who needs dental work and feels their health could be challenged by
the wide range of dental materials available.
Most patients tell me they consider these newer partials to be
comfortable and aesthetically unnoticeable, though they are annoyed
that foods tend to trap under them. People with spider partials tell
me they often take them out to eat, but wear them the rest of the
time to maintain the space until dentistry offers them more
biocompatible "fixed" choices.
At least one reader will likely comment that if only people
adopted a certain lifestyle, these kinds of advanced dentistry would
be unnecessary. I couldn't agree more.
The reality is that most people's mouths are in deplorable shape. I
try not to spend much time thinking about the rescue dentistry
presented here. Most of my advocacy work centers around changing how
we approach dentistry so your children or their children can avoid
these compromising options.
Ultimately, the answers to better oral and general health start in
infancy and include a radically different model of dentistry and
definition of health. The answers are out there now (see Mouth
Matters book and website12)
along with a few clinicians who are well versed in these strategies.
Seek them out, and if you can't find someone who does the kind of
dentistry you want in your area, be ready to ask them to learn it.
Resources to Help You Find a Biological Dentist
If you are seriously considering any of the dental procedures
done above, it is best to have them performed by a biological
dentist. The following organizations can help you to find a
mercury-free, biological dentist that would best serve your needs:
Carol Vander Stoep, RDH, BSDH, OMT, is an advocate for change
in dentistry. She believes mid-level providers – dental hygienists
with expanded training – must be empowered to go beyond their
serious limitations in the United States. Training a core of
motivated hygienists at a clinic in Belize, her intent is to help
bring an advanced model of Minimally Invasive Preventive Dentistry
and posture-guided early facial development to India and China based
on the model of "Barefoot Doctors." A clinical hygienist, orofacial
myofunctional therapist, lecturer, and writer, she brought many of
these concepts together in her book "Mouth Matters: How Your Mouth
Ages Your Body and What YOU Can do About It."
Copyright 1997- 2014 Dr. Joseph Mercola. All Rights Reserved.