Just as the eyes are the ‘window to your soul’, the mouth is the gateway to your body. Because of this “gateway” relationship, the following illnesses have been linked to the mouth:
- Heart Disease
- Stroke
- Diabetes,
- Pregnancy complications
- Alzheimer’s
- certain cancers
When you think about it, almost everything entering your body comes through your mouth in one form or another: food, liquid, medicine/drugs, microbes – and materials used for dentistry. Consider this about the mouth being a gateway:
- Whenever you have a cleaning done, bacteria is pushed into your bloodstream. This is called a bacteremia, which is usually temporary. However, if you have a heart condition or heart murmur, it could result in infection in the lining of your heart.
- Whenever you have local anesthesia, your system needs to work overtime to break down and eliminate it from your body.
- Fluoride in our water systems is said to be a triumph for public health, since it theoretically reduces cavities. Actually, fluoride is only effective when applied topically, and then only when it is fluoride that is administered. The substance added to the water supply is actually hydrofluosalicic acid. Studies have shown that there is no decrease in cavities where water fluoridation has been utilized compared with areas where it has not .much fluoride can cause fluorosis, which mottles and actually weakens the teeth. Long term ingestion of fluoride can also weaken bone matrix.
- The temporal mandibular joint hinges our upper and lower jaws. The most active joint in the body, we use this joint up to 2,000 times every day in breathing, chewing, swallowing and speaking. In addition it directs the postural relationships of the head, neck and tongue. It is the only joint in the body that acts as a two-sided hinge. This means that any stress or misalignment on one side will be reflected on the other side.
Carey O’Rielly DDS has been a practicing dentist for 35 years. He went to USC Dental School and Duke University for his undergraduate degree. He grew up in Laguna Beach and now lives in La Costa with his wife Victoria, who runs his office.
He began his career by owning and operating a network of six offices in the San Francisco Bay Area. Presently he owns a private holistic practice in North County San Diego’s Encinitas.
Dr. O started looking for solutions to his health challenges that resulted from the stress and environmental toxicity that built up over a ten year period running his dental network. He has dedicated himself to learning about oral systemic problems and how dentistry can affect your health. He has applied what he has learned over the last twenty years to ensure he, his staff and his patients are protected from the chemicals and toxic materials found in most dental offices. He has produced an environmentally friendly office that is also peaceful and calm.
He is an expert on dental materials having looked at hundreds of biocompatibility lab tests over the years. He has identified the most bio-friendly materials to use in his practice and which dental materials can be used to replace metal fillings and crowns, including BPA free and fluoride free ‘white’ fillings. He also uses metal-free Zirconia or ceramic implants and PRF (platelet-rich fibrin) grafting materials which come from the patient’s own blood.
Dr. O’Rielly teaches C.E. courses on the systemic effects of gum disease. He is an expert in using phase contrast microscopy for analyzing dental infections, where he shows patients what kind of microbes, i.e. bacteria, amoeba, and yeasts like candida are populating the mouth and affecting the body as a whole.
He has an educational blog and is writing a book on dental health called ‘Hidden Dental Infections: Healing Root Canals and Infected Teeth with the Erbium Laser’ where he discusses dental nutrition, toxic dental materials and the effects of old root canals on inflammation and overall health.
