Blog

Breast Cancer and Oral Health: A Biological Dental Perspective

When you are thinking about breast health, it is natural to begin looking at the body as a whole, including the mouth. A breast cancer diagnosis can bring many new questions about inflammation, immune health, dental infections, materials, medications, and the body’s ability to heal. You may wonder whether your oral health matters before, during, or after treatment. You may also be looking for a dental team that will listen carefully, take your concerns seriously, and help you explore your options without using fear to guide your decisions. At Sharon Dickerson, DDS, we understand the body as an interconnected system. Oral health and whole-body health can reflect and influence one another, which means the mouth may be worth evaluating as one part of your broader wellness picture. Our goal is not to suggest that dental care treats breast cancer. It ...

Mercury-Safe Dentistry

What is Mercury? Mercury-safe dentistry relates to the chemical element, Mercury (Hg). This is a heavy metal that naturally occurs within the Earth’s crust. It can take three forms: elemental, inorganic, and organic.1 Within the natural world, mercury is generally not found in a liquid form. Mercury in Dentistry When discussing mercury within the dental industry, it is most commonly referred to as amalgam. Dental amalgam is a liquid metal alloy mixture, the largest component of which is mercury (50% elemental mercury by weight).[2-4] Dental amalgam is also commonly referred to as a silver filling, metal filling, or mercury filling. It is often visibly detectable in the mouth based on its metallic display. However, even if the exterior of a crown or bridge presents as “white”, it is sometimes the case that mercury amalgam is encased underneath the restoration. The potential impact to human health ...

How Our Holistic Dental Cleanings Are Different

In alignment with our biological approach to patient care, the dental cleanings provided at Dr. Sharon Dickerson are intentionally created to support each patient’s individual, holistic needs. Here are some of the things we incorporate into our hygiene appointments that provide an elevated level of care:  Why Oral Hygiene is Important for Dental Health It is widely accepted within the dental community that in addition to daily at-home care, routine dental cleanings help ensure optimal oral health. During a hygiene appointment, any plaque or tartar is removed from the teeth which prevents serious dental decay, gum disease, and tooth loss. Furthermore, these cleanings support the patient in maintaining a healthy bacterial balance (good breath!), feeling of oral cleanliness, and naturally white appearance of teeth. As an added safety precaution, your hygienist will also perform thorough mouth and throat screenings for ...

The 5 Elements to Avoid During your Next Dental Visit

The 5 Elements to Avoid During your Next Dental Visit As with any medical field, the commonly accepted principles in dentistry continue to evolve with time. With perpetual innovation and greater understanding through research, dentists are provided with greater insight for how to best care for their patients. Furthermore, within the biological dental community, practitioners are routinely searching for ways to safeguard their patient’s overall well-being in addition to their dental health. In that light, it is also vital that providers stay informed about elements of care that may pose potential harm to their patients. The following list details 5 things that both patients and practitioners should be aware to avoid during holistic dental care:  Chart derived from International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology18 As individuals explore options for their dental vitality, we encourage everyone to consider modalities that ...