Discover
Biological Dentistry
and the
Tooth-Body Connection

My story begins back in 1994, when I was first introduced to the term “biological dentistry.” Sometimes I think it was either a divine intervention for me or simply by chance that I found a book called Mercury Free by James Hardy at the book store. It told the story of how mercury was officially introduced to the dental profession back in 1830’s. Dr. Hardy made some bold statements about the ill effects that mercury exposure could have on our patient’s health and wellness.

The first time I read this book, I was angry at the assumptions that this dentist was making! There’s nothing wrong with placing mercury in our patient’s mouths…..right? As I think back during my four years of dental school and the first eleven years of my practice, I had never heard of any controversy about mercury. So, I threw the book down and dismissed this as a ridiculous theory presented by a very misinformed individual.

But sometimes life throws you a curveball and you soon realize that there are two sides to every story. The only question I needed to answer for myself was if I could honestly look at a controversial issue with an unbiased opinion to discover the truth about mercury.

I decided to read Mercury Free again with an open mind and this time I discovered that Dr. Hardy’s statements were supported with references and scientific research that seemed difficult to refute. I began my own personal quest to find out all the pro’s and con’s about mercury so that I could decide once and for all the best course of action for my patient’s wellbeing.

Conclusion: Mercury is considered the second most toxic material known to man (plutonium 1st), and once placed in a patient’s tooth a mercury vapor continues to be released from the restoration. Not only is it inhaled through the lungs but it can cross the blood/brain barrier as well.

Needless to say, my mind was made up. The best course of action for my practice was to eliminate the use of mercury once and for all. After making this decision, I soon realized the my personal life and dental career would never be the same and for good reason.

As I look back over the last twenty years, my concept of dental health has evolved as I’ve incorporated an holistic perspective in treating my patients. “Keep it safe – Keep it simple” is our mantra in the office now.

As dentistry continues to service our patients into the 21st century, we must remember that the mechanical benefits of restoring the mouth go hand in hand with the biological effects that these procedures may cause to the rest of the body. In other words, the tooth/body connection must be considered when treating our patients. We must use dental materials that lend themselves to wellness. We must evaluate treatments such as root canals and implants and recognize how these procedures may compromise our biological health and well being.

To your good health,

Michael G. Rehme, DDS, NMD

Please take a few minutes to watch our brief introductions on biological dentistry, presented by Dr. Michael Rehme DDS, NMD

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