Holistic dentistry is not any one thing. It is built on a variety of fundamentals. Notably, our office in Overland Park, Kansas, is an authentic holistic dental provider by: 

• Promoting advanced therapies that are also conservative (tissue-preserving) and minimally invasive. 
• Considering and treating you as a “whole person” and one-of-a-kind individual. We see beyond your teeth and gums to the other tissues, organs, and systems that affect or are affected by oral health.
• Scrutinizing all materials and products ensures they are biocompatible and do not cause additional health risks. 

Our dentist, Dr. Shane Nelson, provides safe and tissue-friendly alternatives to conventional dental materials and treatments. For instance, instead of using silver-colored metal fillings that are primarily made from mercury, a known toxin, Dr. Nelson only applies mercury-free, non-metal fillings made from non-toxic (and natural-looking) composite resin or dental ceramics. He also goes above and beyond on this front as a mercury-safe dentist in addition to supporting a mercury-free office. There is a notable distinction here: Mercury-free offices don’t place silver amalgam fillings. Yet, they may not have the protocols to safely handle, remove, and dispose of mercury fillings in a way that minimizes the risks to the patient, dental team, community, and environment. 

Our team is certified as a Safe Mercury Amalgam Removal Technique (SMART) provider through the International Academy of Oral Medicine & Toxicology (IAOMT), where Dr. Nelson is also affiliated. We have invested in training and equipment for this certification. Since mercury may be released into the environment due to removing silver-colored amalgam fillings, we have safeguards in place to minimize this risk. So, you know that your safety and health are in good hands and that we are also responsible members of the community and ethical environmental stewards.

The trouble with fluoride

As illustrated, some providers who market themselves as “holistic dentists” may pick and choose those holistic principles to adhere to, but this is not the case at our office. We vet every technology, product, technique, and material we use. Our valued patients know that they can trust our treatments because we are so careful in using alternatives to conventional products that are healthier and safer. Fluoride, too, has no place at our office. 

The IAOMT is among those organizations that have cautioned against the use of fluoride in formulations such as toothpaste. Particularly, they have expressed concerns over children ingesting too much fluoride (eating toothpaste that may even be formulated with tasty, kid-friendly flavors). This organization, which has championed mercury-free and mercury-safe dental practices, issued a public warning on the associations between fluoride derived from a toxic element, fluorine, and a range of systemic illnesses affecting the bones, cognition, heart, and endocrine and reproductive systems. The use of fluoride oral care products and in professional preventative therapies is not worth the risk, especially when there are so many superior alternatives available. 

Rest assured that anything we recommend to you for home use or application from the comfort of our office in Overland, KS, will be in the best interests of your long-term, whole-body health. After all, we are genuine holistic dentistry practitioners! Call (913) 297-7800 with questions or to schedule an appointment with our team at Shane Nelson DDS.

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