General Health

When talking about so-called silver amalgam fillings, the first thing that needs to be understood is that these fillings are 50% mercury.  The same stuff that puts the ‘Mad’ in Mad Hatter and the reason women are told to avoid certain types of fish while pregnant and breastfeeding. In fact, the main premise to the biological / mercury free dental philosophy is the removal of these fillings.

Hatters from the mid-1800s to the mid-1900s used mercury to cure the felt used to make the hats.  They did not have protective gear, and the hatters inevitably inhaled the fumes from the mercury.  Hatters commonly exhibited signs of significant cognitive decline and unusual tics, leading to the old adage “mad as a hatter”.  Other symptoms of mercury poisoning include confusion, difficulty thinking clearly, birth defects, degenerative neurological disease, and autoimmune disease.  So we have known of the dangers of mercury for over a century.

Charlotte Gerson, founder of the Gerson Institute, has found that every day activities such as chewing lead to the release of minute amounts of mercury from fillings into the lungs and digestive tract.

While fewer and fewer dentist actually use mercury fillings, many still do, and many thousands of people still have these toxic fillings in their mouths.  Even among dentists who don’t actually use mercury fillings, many are not fully cognizant of the dangers of mercury, nor are they familiar with safe removal protocols.  Perhaps they have only stopped using them due to pressure from patients who have expressed concern.

If you are among the many who have mercury fillings, you may be thinking of having them removed.  If so, here are four more reasons to talk to a holistic dentist about it.

1. Toxicity – We’ve already discussed this, but consider this: the Environmental Protection Agency considers mercury from fillings to be toxic waste, and estimates that fully half of all mercury pollution comes from dental offices.
2. Damage to teeth – Mercury fillings expand and contract slightly, causing further damage to the tooth.  Over time, the damage could become serious enough that the tooth cannot be saved.  Removing the fillings sooner reduces the chances of this.
3. Long Term Cost – The material may cost less than some of the alternatives, but the cost of treating the health issues caused by mercury can be expensive.
4. There are several alternative filling materials that are at least as strong and long-lasting as mercury.

Admittedly, having a mercury filling removed is an expense.  But in terms of your overall health, many would call it a worthwhile investment.

Reference website: www.biocompatibledentist.org

Whether you’re concerned about fluoride in toothpaste or not, there are many other harmful chemicals in toothpaste found in the grocery store and drugstore. Are you subjecting your family unnecessarily to harmful things when you could be making your own uber-toothpaste that’s effective and also safe?

Here are just four of the many things that may be in your toothpaste:

1. Tin. That’s right: toxic metal. One of the three primarily used types of fluoride is stannous fluoride, and it contains tin. Sodium monofluorophosphate can provide the same so-called benefits as stannous fluoride without the metal, so if you insist on using a fluoride toothpaste, you may want to choose the lesser of the evils. Or choose fluoride-free toothpaste and avoid this issue as well as the reproductive and other effects that fluoride can cause.
2. SLS. Officially called sodium lauryl sulfate, SLS is a pesticide that has never been deemed to be safe for human use. It’s probably in your shampoo too. It’s linked to cell degeneration, canker sores and other ulcers and additional health concerns. There are concerns that it’s linked to cancer, but that link isn’t proven. Still, why use this lathering and thickening agent when it has harmful side effects?
3. Sweeteners and dyes. These synthetic additions are the same as you’d find in Diet Coke and other substances you probably avoid because of all the chemicals. In Canada, many toothpastes aren’t sweetened, and the government has disallowed saccharin. Dyes can be just as harmful as well, so avoid brightly colored toothpaste.
4. Triclosan. Another pesticide that shouldn’t be in your mouth, triclosan can also disrupt hormones. It may be banned eventually, but why not eliminate it from your life now?

Why not brush with chemical-free toothpaste and avoid all the harmful chemicals in toothpaste? It’s a smart decision there’s no way you’ll ever regret.

Author: Dr. Daniel Vinograd
http://besttoothpaste.net/fluoride-free/holistic-dentist-san-diego/

Nurse Giving Botox

If you’ve already completed all the training and experience necessary to be a registered nurse but aren’t finding the kinds of positions you want or aren’t being completely fulfilled in your current position, you may be considering Botox training for nurses as a way to get more marketable skills. You may also be wanting a less hectic, more laidback work atmosphere — and handling non-critical, non-emergency Botox treatment could be just the thing for you.

Expand Your Abilities

There’s always more to learn, and Botox courses for nurses can provide you with valuable and in-demand training in noninvasive cosmetic procedures. Botox is a popular and well-known treatment, but even a well-trained RN must have additional course certification to do it most cases.

You can get the certification through a variety of Botox courses for nurses, but they’re not all the same. The best courses are geared toward nurses and offer complete training, leaving out nothing. The first thing you’ll learn in any good course is patient evaluation, then you’ll learn to manage patient expectations. You’ll also be taught how to do proper injection planning.

Hands-On Training

The right training course includes plenty of hands-on education, allowing you time to get comfortable with all equipment and then using it in actual procedures involving real patients who depend on you for good results.

Nurses and other kinds of healthcare professionals can easily master injectable procedures because of your extensive training in the past. As with other kinds of training for aesthetic procedures, classes happen around the nation at major venues — and online too, so you don’t have to leave the comfort of your home, office or practice. Even when you work on your own through the Internet, hands-on practice is still possible.

So why not explore Botox courses for nurses and see how you can enhance your career by taking a simple weekend training course? It’s an intelligent decision for which you’ll thank yourself again and again.

Reference: Botox Training Course Description

According to the Centers for Disease Control, approximately half of all Americans have some degree of gum disease. In adults over 65, that rate jumps to 70%. There is some evidence to suggest that the bacteria that causes gum disease may cause heart disease and other health issues, though some organizations dispute this claim. It may be decades before science is able to definitively prove or disprove this link. Regardless, there is no good reason NOT to prevent gum disease – a position that has been long espoused by the homeopathic dental discipline.

Most dentists spend a great deal of time educating patients on caring for their teeth, but little or no time on gum care. Traditional dentistry frequently treats gum disease using scaling and root planing, a procedure that requires anesthetizing the mouth in order to scrape under the gums at the roots of the teeth. Because so little emphasis is placed on gum care, many patients have this done yearly or even twice a year. In some cases, a dentist may even trim the gums, a procedure that can lead to sensitivity due to exposure of part of the tooth that isn’t normally exposed.

With good gum care, these painful procedures become unnecessary for many people. Dr. Vinograd has a few strategies that he recommends to prevent gum disease. At a minimum, one should brush gums separately from teeth using a soft-bristled brush with water or homemade toothpaste and finish with dental floss to remove plaque and bacteria from areas unreachable with a toothbrush.

Gum care doesn’t have to stop with brushing and flossing, however. The bacteria that causes gum disease is anaerobic, meaning it cannot tolerate oxygen. Introducing extra oxygen into the spaces where the bacteria grows can kill many of the bacteria. Dr. Vinograd recommends an ozonator and waterpik to introduce highly oxygenated water into the spaces under the gums to kill these bacteria. There are some things to keep in mind when choosing equipment.

First, an ozonator with 1,000 mgh can treat enough water to irrigate the mouth in about 15 minutes. A less powerful machine can take much longer. Be sure to choose an ozonator with Corona discharge and use it in a well-ventilated area.

Second, choose a waterpik with an attached container. Be sure not to use the device on the middle setting, as too much power can damage gums.
Third, start using this routine now. If your gums are healthy, this will keep them that way. If they’re not, irrigating with ozonated water can reduce pockets where bacteria hide by as much as 2mm. While this seems like a miniscule amount, it could mean the difference between painful periodontal procedures and stopping gum disease at home.
Finally, all of these are not a substitute for regular visits to a dentist. A dentist can ensure that your routine is effectively removing bacteria as well as check for signs of decay.

Reference: http://biocompatibledentist.org/holistic_dentistry/preventing-gum-disease/