by Debbie Neumayer
Copyright September 19, 2014. All rights reserved.
When I was 13 years old, my father obtained a new job offering an HMO-type of family dental coverage. With the best of intentions, he thought it would be a great idea to take the whole family to the dentist for checkups and any necessary work. Prior to that time, I had never had a toothache in my life and my mom kept us away from drinking soda and eating candy. She cooked “from scratch” and I remember we ate lots of salads and whole wheat bread. But that trip to the dentist changed everything for me.
As an adult I look back and realize how unscrupulous this dentist was, but had no knowledge back when I was barely into my teens. He drilled nearly all of my teeth and put in mercury fillings. Since that time, I’ve had to have extensive follow-up dental work done because of the fillings falling apart and breaking the remaining top tooth structure. Later, when talking to a biological dentist about my experience, he acknowledged that type of thing (drilling sound teeth for money) was unfortunately commonly practiced by many unethical dentists.
The positive
news is, because I was in good health otherwise, the mercury in the fillings
didn’t cause immune system dysfunction but I’ve had to shell out money through
the years for crowns and various other reconstructive dental procedures. Due to life circumstances, I didn’t have the means
to proactively get the mercury fillings removed, but most of them have self
destructed on their own. (Note: Removal of mercury fillings MUST BE conducted
by a special protocol to protect both the patient and dental personnel).1
My Dental Odyssey
In my
mid-twenties, I began seriously researching natural medicine and practicing it
in my own life, incorporating the use of herbs instead of drugs and adopting a
lifestyle of preventive health. During that time, I became familiar with the
work of biological dentistry pioneer, Dr. Hal Huggins. Because of his published
research, I learned to circumnavigate through subsequent dental visits armed
with knowledge regarding which practices to embrace and which to avoid.
When I was
30 years old, I had a molar in which the mercury filling had corroded and
partially fallen out. I was attending college at the time and supporting two
children as a single mom. I visited a dentist for an examination and he
recommended a root canal. As I sat in the dental chair, he challenged me right
then. “I can give you a temporary filling or start a root canal. Make up your
mind right now.” Because I was familiar with the work of Dr. Huggins about the
dangers of root canals and I didn’t have dental coverage anyway, I opted for a
temporary white filling.
About
eight years later, that filling finally wore away and it was off to another
dentist. He also wanted to do a root canal, which I refused, so he put in
another white filling. Finally, about 10 years later, that tooth had had it
with drilling, and weakened to the point of falling apart on its own.
Fortunately,
at that time in my life I was working a fulltime job in Idaho Falls, Idaho, and
had excellent dental coverage. In researching to find a biological dentist, I
found that one of the very best, Dr. Vernon Gaffner, was practicing in that
town. At my first examination in his office, I thought for sure that the
afflicted tooth would have to be pulled because its remaining structure had
broken off near the gumline. However, Dr. Gaffner was an expert at making
crowns. He did serum compatibility testing on me to determine the least
reactive dental materials, built up a foundation on that tooth and installed a
biocompatible ceramic crown in 2003--which is still strong and holding to this
very day.
Another perk while I was living in Idaho Falls was that Dr. Gaffner hosted a lecture given by my hero, Dr. Hal Huggins, and I was able to attend and talk with the renowned professional afterward. A decades-long pioneer in the field of biological dentistry, Dr. Huggins has endured persecution--including license revocation and death threats--while he has unyieldingly and steadfastly championed the use of mercury-free dentistry. Fortunately, more and more dentists are joining the ranks of this remarkable field and offering their patients the safest non-toxic dental techniques available.
Another perk while I was living in Idaho Falls was that Dr. Gaffner hosted a lecture given by my hero, Dr. Hal Huggins, and I was able to attend and talk with the renowned professional afterward. A decades-long pioneer in the field of biological dentistry, Dr. Huggins has endured persecution--including license revocation and death threats--while he has unyieldingly and steadfastly championed the use of mercury-free dentistry. Fortunately, more and more dentists are joining the ranks of this remarkable field and offering their patients the safest non-toxic dental techniques available.
What Is Biological Dentistry?
According to the International
Academy of Biological Dentistry and Medicine: “Biological dentistry is
concerned with the whole body effects of all dental materials, techniques and
procedures. It is fluoride-free, mercury-free and mercury-safe. Individualized
testing for biocompatibility of dental materials is a must. It insists that all
clinical practice be designed of components that sustain life or improve the
patient’s quality of life…
“Biological dentists may be general
dentists, periodontists, orthodontists, oral surgeons or pedodontists. They
also have extensive training in dental toxicology and specific modes of
healing, including Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), Ayurveda, herbology,
homeopathy, iridology and energy medicine…We also share a deep and constant belief
in the Hippocratic dictate ‘First, do no harm.’ ”2
My
personal experience with biological dentists has shown they are decades ahead
of the game in their philosophies and procedures. They are also a brave lot,
enduring persecution from government agencies--and even their own
colleagues--for not adhering to the status quo and daring to challenge
protocols that endanger their patients’ health.3
To
find a biological dentist in your area, please visit http://iaomt.org/find-a-doctor/search-for-dentist-physician/
or http://iabdm.org/directory_listings/
Please note: In
my previous blog, I explained how mercury can contribute to a leaky brain. The
next blog—to be released next Friday, September
26—will examine how toxins impact the other end of the body, and contribute to
a condition known as “leaky gut.” Stay tuned!
References
