How to Discover and Work With the Underlying Causes of Periodontal Disease, Dental Decay, Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction and Occlusional Problems

Health and Disease

Today, most health care is based on a simple premise: health is the absence of disease. Disease symptoms are seen as the problem and medicine or surgery is used to make them go away. Little if any thought is given to the cause of the symptoms. We call this "health care" but in fact it is "disease care."

We can see health in another light. Health is the order and balance among the tissues and systems of the body. Health has its roots in an innate bodily wisdom which works according to natural laws. We can choose to live in accordance with this wisdom and these laws, or not. Health prospers if we work with them and suffers if we choose not to. Prolonged and serious violation of these laws force the body to extremes. These extremes result in disease, the body's last-ditch effort to find balance. Disease is a problem, but it is also an indicator that we have worked against the natural laws of health.

Our life span is dramatically increasing. We now live long enough to experience a whole host of new diseases. These diseases last for years and cause slow destruction of tissues.

Examples are osteoporosis, heart disease, arthritis, cancer, and Alzheimer's disease. In dentistry we treat two of these chronic degenerative diseases: cavities and gum disease. The treatment should include procedures to repair the damage (fillings, bridges, etc.), but we should also be looking for the causes of the tissue destruction. More importantly, how do we keep from getting more destruction in the future? Bacteria are part of the puzzle, but not the one and only cause. Gum disease and cavities, like all chronic diseases are indications that the natural laws of health have been broken.

Do we know everything about these laws? No. Yet medical researchers are finding out much about the chemical design of the body. We know that we can put the body under a chemical strain by overloading or depriving the body of certain substances. We are finding more and more what the body needs and what it is better off without. We are learning how to cooperate with the natural chemical processes of the body.

Subclinical Indicators

Medical researchers have also discovered that there are conditions which underlie all chronic diseases. These conditions can exist long before we see disease, and they get worse during disease. These conditions are subtle (subclinical) but they show up on tests. Testing for these indicators means that you do not have to wait for disease symptoms to see if you are chemically stressing your body. You can determine how you are working against healthy chemistry. More importantly you can use these indicators to see if your efforts are paying off. You do not have to guess about your health, you can test for it. Some of these indicators are:

*Excess Acid
This is the tendency to build up acid in the body. Certain foods, pollutants and emotions contribute to over-acidity.

*Excess Free Calcium
We have much calcium in the body. We have a very tiny amount which floats ''free'' in the blood, If the body is acidic for a long time this free calcium increases and causes stones, a crusty deposit on teeth, hardening of the arteries and other problems.

*Chronic Inflammation
Inflammation is natural; it helps us fight infection and injury. It goes through a cycle and it is supposed to shut off at a certain point. Sometimes it does not shut off and this leads to serious chemical imbalances.

*Connective Tissue Breakdown
Tendons, ligaments and a network of fibrous tissue in the body can break down. This is the result of the other four factors plus a lack of essential nutrients needed by certain cells.

*Oxidative Stress
Oxidation is the way we convert food and air into energy for living. When oxidation gets out of control, we call the chemicals produced free radicals. Free radicals cause tissue destruction and aging.

Free Radical Therapy^TM

Free Radical Therapyis a new and exciting addition to traditional dental care. First, we determine the presence and extent of the subclinical indicators of biochemical imbalance. We discover them by careful physical examination, and blood, urine and other tests. We also take a careful history which covers past medical and dental problems, your diet and environmental exposure to toxic chemicals.

Using this information, we prepare a report which summarizes how your body chemistry is out of balance. The report shows which of the subclinical indicators is out of balance and to what extent. From your history we determine which of the dietary and life-style choices have contributed to each imbalance.

Finally we make recommendations as to what you can do to change your body chemistry.These changes might include protecting yourself from environmental toxins. They might include dietary changes. They might include supplementatlon of vitamins, minerals and other substances, Some of the recommendations might be for a few weeks and some might be for a lifetime.

Over a period of time you will learn what you can do to balance your body chemistry. By simple tests you can run at home you will learn how to keep it in balance. By testing you can learn how to cooperate with your body's unique chemical pattern and thereby avoid much disease.

What Is Included

*Blood Test and Urinalysis
These are the standard tests plus some others. These tests are interpreted for evidence of the six subclinical indicators.

*Office PH Test to determine the degree of acidity in the body as shown in the saliva and urine. We also provide supplies and training to pH test at home.

*Lingual Ascorbic Acid Test. Determines the level of vitamin C in your tissues.

*Zinc Test. Determines the level of Zinc in your tissues.

*History. Medical, dental, lifestyle and dietary.

*A Written Report of our findings.

*Recommendations of dietary lifestyle changes which promote biochemical balance. Also how to get the most out of your supplements.

*A Booklet called Back to Basics, This booklet explains more about the six indicators, how we test for them and some general ways to change the imbalances. The booklet includes charts to keep track of your testing at home.

*Telephone Support scheduled periodically to aid in understanding and applying the recommendations.

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