Holistic dentistry (also known as biological dentistry, integrative dentistry, biocompatible dentistry, or biomimetic dentistry) considers patients oral health in the scheme of their entire physical, emotional, and sometimes even spiritual health.
There is no set standard for practicing holistic dentistry, but most holistic dentists use a variety of healing practices along with traditional dentistry. For example, if you need a cavity filled, from the holistic dentists viewpoint, its not enough to simply fill the cavity and send you on your way. A holistic dentist will take into account the biocompatibility of the material used as well as lifestyle that may have led to the formation of the cavity in the first place. Depending on the medical history and other needs, the dentist will customize treatment so that the materials used do not adversely affect the body, and then discuss nutrition, diet and home care, so that cavities can be avoided in the future.
The same thing goes for gum disease. Holistic dentists will spend more time educating patients about the health of their gums and give ways to properly take care of their teeth. Not only will there be a visual examination, but a plaque sample is taken and oral bacteria is looked at under a microscope. Depending on the type of bacteria observed via microscope and other findings, a specialized treatment plan will be given based on a comprehensive examination. Confirming with a microscope (before and after cleanings) is an extra step that will ensure your gums are and will stay healthy.
Holistic dentistry is not a new phenomenon. Its not revolutionary, but rather evolutionary. TheHolistic Dental Association was founded in 1978, but various advocacy groups existed long before that. The Holistic Dental Association was formed by dedicated dentists who were concerned that the dental school curriculum was too narrow. It is now a forum to develop and share progressive healing dental therapies.Holistic Dentistry tab.
At 16, I was looking for a job and a local dentist hired me to become a dental assistant. I was trained on the job and after several years, I was helping run the front office administration. I loved watching the multigenerational aspect of a medical office. There can be three generations of the same family, all being taken care of by 1 doctor. People would come stressed and in pain and would leave out of pain and be relieved. I decided that dentistry is my calling. After growing up in Chicagos north suburbs, I went to Marquette University in Milwaukee for my undergraduate and dental school. I left dental school wanting more! I attended a hospital based residency program in Chicago.Working in a hospital setting, particularly in the emergency, operating rooms and Cook County Hospital, gave me great surgical experience with complex cases. It also taught me to be a partner with my fellow medical colleagues.
I have realized that this type of dentistry is not revolutionary, but rather evolutionary. It just takes institutions too long to change their ways and thus schools are not teaching the most modern medicine. I like to consider myself as a forever student seeking to better the condition of every patient that I see. This requires an interdisciplinary approach to medicine, and dentists are a big part of the puzzle.
Becoming a wife and a mother of 2 girls has added a new level of understanding, education, compassion and life altering perspective. It has also taught me to be a better multi-tasker, to make better use of my time, to run on less sleep, pausing at the little sweet moments in life and so many other important lessons. Im a big believer of using up our 168 hours a week wisely. And with time that Im not seeing patients or managing the office, I currently I like to spend it with my family, listening to podcasts, having *me* time, going on hikes, and watching my kids excitement when learning and observing nature.
If youre ready to come see a holistic dentist that cares about your entire health as much as you do, come to Chicagos neighborhood of Lakeview and check out Wrigleyville Dental. Even if its just to visit and say hi, well be waiting for you with a smile and a cup of tea.
Dentist Your Smiles Architect the sign on the door of my orthodontists office struck a chord with my curious mind as a child. As a 12 year old, I remember telling my orthodontist that I will, one day join his practice. As an adult I looked into what the profession actually meant. It encompassed everything I loved art, science, leadership and the best of all, making relationships.
I attended The University of Illinois-Chicago, where I received my undergrad in Biology, with a minor in Chemistry. Shortly after, I completed a Masters in Biotechnology at Rush University, before returning to UIC College of Dentistry for my DMD degree. After graduation, I entered the private practice world and soon realized that learning about dentistry cannot end with the completion of my degree. I completed a mini residency in Implant Dentistry through American Academy of Implant Dentistry, which helped with a wide range of surgical procedures. I am also part of the Pankey Institute where we learned about how teeth come together (occlusion) and how muscles and joints need to be in harmony with each other to aid with daily functional habits. It was amazing how you can treat various head and neck aches with some minor manipulation in your bite a process called equilibration. I was exposed to holistic dentistry for several years through my previous office. Achieving a SMART (Safe Mercury Amalgam Removal Technique) Certification through the IAOMT, helped further solidify my understanding of the role of dentistry in eliminating mercury toxicity.
I was born in Kerala, India, and spent most of my early years there, before relocating to the Chicago area. I was exposed to integrative medicine from a young age and preventive health was the focus of our lifestyle. I grew up with a jar of charcoal in our medicine cabinet that we used to brush our teeth when you need that extra brightness. The combination of turmeric and black pepper was part of every meal and home made herbal tea remedies followed any kind of bodily discomfort. My mother always had little nuggets of ancient wisdom on how to treat minor ailments from the common cold to minor scrapes. We would find the ingredients for them in our backyard garden. Even after moving to Chicago, our life revolved around nutrition, staying active, and getting a good nights sleep. This experience made me realize that if I can add some of these ancient practices to western medicine, it may fill in some of the gaps we have in our education and help our journey in health and wellness.
Wrigleyville dental and holistic dentistry allows me to get to know my patients and their lifestyles, to cater dental treatment that fits in with their whole health plan. As a holistic dentist my goal is to provide patient centric treatment; assessing oral health, nutrition, sleep and other functional habits, thereby providing your body with everything it needs to function at its optimal level.
My husband and I live in the city with our dog Bentley. I practice hot yoga and love anything outdoors. We keep up with our friends and family often, and travel whenever possible. I collect some rare tropical plants, and caring for them gave me a sense of regiment this past year. Sometimes after a long day and want to unwind, a cup of tea and a book before bed does the trick for me. Just like many of my patients I am also on a quest to achieve optimal health and continuously learn about holistic lifestyle and wellness.
I began working at an office where I saw an abundance of children with uncontrolled decay. Seeing this truly broke my heart, as I understood this problem was only the tip of the iceberg. Being a conservative dentist, I began to carve out time to educate the children and their parents on the importance of diet. What fulfills me working in dentistry is knowing I have the power to help people with more than obtaining their perfect smile.
Continuous development and improvement of my knowledge and skills is incredibly important to me. Therefore, I have dedicated times throughout the year that I can learn how to further help my patients. My favorite continuing education classes to take are on implant placement/restoration, airway, TMJ, sleep, and both early intervention orthodontics as well as adult orthodontics.
I love being able to treat my patients in the most conservative way that modern dentistry has to offer. This way we can treat patients in the most conservative, natural way that modern dentistry has to offer.
When Im not helping my patients in enhancing their oral and total health, I spend time caring for myself. I like to stay active, read, spend time with my not so little puppy (Ask me to show you pictures!), and try new restaurants. I am always looking for new books and restaurants so if you have any recommendations, Im all ears. I look forward to working with you on a healthier smile.
The summer of 2016 is what transformed my orthodontic practice from traditional to holistic. My son was born. Long story short, his mouth breathing was not a concern to any medical professional I spoke with until I met with a myofunctional therapist, Lisa Lahey. (For more details, check out my picture book, Dear Momma) The battle to get to the root cause of his noisy breathing, struggle to nurse, terrible tummy time tears and more caused me to rethink my approach to health for my son and for my patients. Its my hope to support all parents/caregivers and their children to seek answers to the WHY behind the symptoms. In my profession, I view crooked teeth as a symptom of an underlying cause. Orthodontics is rooted in growth and development and the treatment should be as well. When the original cause of misalignment is addressed, we optimize the childs airway and breathing, which are crucial for wellness. Thus my approach includes the following: