There can be many approaches to your caring for your child’s oral health. When most people visualize going to the dentist, they are probably thinking of conventional approaches. However, this isn’t the only method out there to consider for your child’s smile.
Functional and Holistic Dentistry
Functional and holistic pediatric dentistry provides a whole-body approach to dental wellness and development through natural, safe, healthy, and minimally invasive care. These practices focus on examining the root cause of any oral conditions and developing individualized plans for care.
Holistic and functional dentists take a proactive approach to health and wellness not only for your child’s teeth, but also for his or her entire body. In conjunction with proper dental hygiene practices, a healthy diet and lifestyle can help to combat many common dental problems such as cavities, gum disease, and bad breath.
Many of these practices are dedicated to helping patients develop healthy habits so that he or she can experience life to the fullest with a healthy body and a healthy smile. At our practice, we take pride in educating our patients and their parents on the important relationship between oral health and overall health.
Functional and Holistic vs. Conventional Dentistry
One of the biggest differences between conventional dentistry and functional and holistic dentistry is the treatment options for oral health conditions. Functional and holistic pediatric dentistry looks beyond poor dental hygiene practices as the cause of oral health problems. During your child’s appointment, questions will be asked about his or her diet, sleep, and lifestyle habits that will better help to diagnose and treat your child’s condition.
These practices also stress the importance of nutritional and lifestyle counseling to aid in your child’s treatment and develop treatment plans that benefit your child’s oral health while also focusing on helping them to have a balanced, nutritional diet and a healthy lifestyle.
In addition to providing comprehensive care, functional and holistic dentistry seeks to provide natural methods to ensure the safety and effectiveness of treatment. Some conventional methods of treatment are heavily reliant upon medications and substances that are not always ideal for the “whole body” approach. Instead, functional and holistic dentists may use radiation-free tooth decay detection, metal-free restorations and fillings, laser dentistry, and biocompatible treatments as safe, healthy, and minimally invasive options.
Regardless of your approach, it is important to remember that you should always choose a board-certified pediatric dentist. We understand that your child’s health is important and strive to ensure that every visit is a happy one because your child’s oral health is more than just a beautiful smile! For more information or to schedule an appointment, contact Children’s Dentistry of San Diego today.
