Wellness-Based Dentistry Charleston

Sick-Care Model 

Certainly, we all seek healthcare when we have symptoms or signs of disease. Especially when it interferes with our daily life. But a provider who is primarily trained on the sick care model usually only looks for the problem and then provides a solution to that problem. This model is the foundation of our healthcare system, and the basis upon insurance companies work. Sadly insurance and pharmaceutical companies profit off of a sick society. Many people find themselves unable to exit this model when they’ve waited too long. That said, it's daunting to think of life without insurance, as health insurance can provide tremendous peace in case the worst happens. But in the long run without a plan, this type of care never stops, is costly, and only buys you time.

Some characteristics of a sick-care approach include:

• Waiting until something hurts or is broken
• Defining health in a subjective sense
• Treating health issues primarily with medications, treatment, and surgery
• Believing there is an answer for all diseases and that most everything can be “fixed”

Wellness Model

Things happen! Our bodies age, and with aging, our bodies simply aren't the same as they once were. But have you noticed that some people age more gracefully and reach a more optimal level of health and function later in life compared to others? Some people even keep all of their natural teeth until the end of their lives.

Genetics are a part of it, but genes simply only predispose you to things. Have you heard of epigenetics? If not, be encouraged. Epigenetics basically work like switches that can turn specific genes on or off. It allows you to have an influence on how your genes are expressed. They are mostly influenced by your lifestyle choices (diet, fitness, healthy choices) and environmental factors. With that, you have a lot of say about your health! Focusing on the simple things, such as nutrition, fitness/being active, sleep and airway health, and stress management, in principle, will lead to fewer health issues as you age. And with your oral health, it's the same. There's a better, more predictable, less costly, less stressful, and more comfortable way to approach your health.

 

Staying well takes work! It takes planning, being accountable, and being intentional. It takes investing in yourself. Investing in your health takes time and money. A plan with consistency is key. When you don’t have a plan, disease comes on, and it moves faster as you age. Disease begins well before you feel or see it. In dentistry, most diseases and pathological conditions, such as cavities, gum disease, TMJ disorder, and others, have significantly advanced 70-80% of their destructive path before you feel it. What if you interrupted this process well before it got this far? And what if you could not only interrupt it, but halt it completely?

Staying healthy and disease management (if it's already begun) involves focusing on the root causes (etiology) and risk factors, well before they lead to their destructive effects and pain. If that philosophy resonates with you, welcome to wellness dentistry.

The wellness approach is always best when you begin it as early as possible. Your 20’s are better than your 30’s. Your 30’s before your 40’s. 40’s before 50’s, and so on. You get the point. The majority of unnecessary dental work begins in a person's 40s due to pathological processes that began taking place 10-20 years or more ago. And many of these problems have nothing to do with cavities.

 

Are you one who has been led to believe that dental problems are just related to bad genes in the family? Generally, what this theory means is that each person in the family inherited a predisposed trait, and it will take its effect at some point in a person's life. However, we commonly notice that each person in the family inherited a common condition and each person allowed that condition to continue too long without treating the underlying cause. Eventually the effect took place and that person finally became motivated to intervene with treatment. Other times we notice it's not a bad gene that they inherited, but instead a bad habit that was passed down in the family. Therefore, each person expresses the same pathology as a result of the shared habit.

Here’s a common example we see almost daily that is mythical at its core: “In my family, we all have recession and sensitive teeth!” Reality: The people in their family have similar, smaller skeletal frames, smaller jaws, and thinner gums. Over time, there is more shifting of their teeth as there is not enough space in the mouth for all the teeth. With that, their teeth come together poorly and out of proper alignment. This leads to pathological wear on the teeth, but typically affects their foundation the most. These people, over time, experience recession and bone loss.

 

As it goes, they end up with gum grafting procedures, only to see the grafts fail over time. Because focusing on the treatment without giving attention to the cause allows the process to break down the new graft. With proper orthodontic assessment and early intervention, some, if not all, of this could have been halted. If you are this person and you missed this window, clear aligners can help the teeth come together correctly and lead to a better future.

So what does it take to get off of the sick care path? It takes education and a different vision and approach in order to arrive at a different destination in your oral and overall health. Ready to be your best? Come join us and find out how!

Some notable characteristics of the wellness care approach:

• Focuses on health so patients are more comfortable and functional longer
• Is objective-based and defined using tests and facts
• Does not lead with a treatment mindset, but focuses first on prevention and then less invasive (biomimetic) treatment when needed
• Emphasizes a philosophy that a healthy, natural body and its systems are always better than medicine and treatment.

What Does It Mean to be Integrative?

Integrative means that you look at the body as a set of systems that influence each other. The health of one system, say the mouth for example, influences the health of your cardiovascular system. For example, did you know that the bacteria in your mouth are found all over your body? And when bad bacteria prevail in your mouth, they attack other systems in your body. Did you also know that it is a good thing to possess good bacteria, as they work to help maintain healthy systems? Think about a healthy gut and how we use probiotics. It’s the same for the mouth. We need a healthy oral biome, and that will allow for better overall wellness.

When you see your doctor, what do they look at? What questions do they ask you? Do they tend to only focus on their specialty alone? Do they ask about your overall systemic health? Do they talk about your nutrition, breathing, sleep, fitness, etc.? Do your providers speak with each other regarding your whole body health?

Sadly, the answer is almost always no as our healthcare/health insurance model does not allow for comprehensive, integrative healthcare practice. Providers aren’t given the time or education to do it the right way.

Dr. David is an integrative dentist, meaning he will look through the lens of your whole health when he is examining your oral health. He will speak with your providers when needed to make sure that your oral health is not treated separate from your overall health.

More Natural and Less-Invasive Care

Are you a person who is really in tune with your health and body, who seeks the most natural care possible? If so, good, because we are, too! This approach is great and is the foundation of our care model. However, that does not mean that we don’t use modern science, technology, and treatments to get the best results. We offer different options that fit each person and their desires. We are becoming more biomimetic each and every year.

The take-home message is that you will leave informed and educated about your health. Empowered with information to take control of your health no matter your personal beliefs in medicine and healthcare. We are your partners in your health and work to support you in becoming the very best version of yourself.!

Wait-and-Watch Concept (Say Goodbye to an Outdated Philosophy)

In dentistry, when we present a person with a disease-based finding, a common saying we typically hear is, “But doc, it doesn't hurt. Can we just watch it?”

Well, cancer, heart disease, and diabetes don't always hurt and almost never do when detected early. And watching it means waiting until it's worse, at which then the patient is now motivated to treat it. This leads to more costly, more invasive treatment and fewer natural and predictable options. Why do this to yourself? Dentistry has changed. Health is not based on how you feel. That's a part of it, but it’s so much more than that!

The “watch and wait” approach is an older philosophy that risks being too conservative and typically chosen when the dentist does not know what is the best care for the patient. It simply allows for disease processes to progress. If a patient willingly chooses this approach, knowing its risks, then that's all okay with us. But oftentimes, patients have not been told of the risks and don't understand it's a problem, simply because it doesn’t hurt. Far too often, the dentist does not let the patient know, and this is not right. In dentistry, this is dangerous and referred to as supervised neglect. Not to worry, at our practice, we educate and inform our patients. We then partner with the patient and let them guide us based on their desires. You should have a say in your health!