By Michael Rehme, DDS, NMD, CCN
If medical treatment, nutritional support, chiropractic, and the like don’t improve your health and wellness, don’t forget to look in the mouth.
A quick and thorough examination of the oral cavity can easily done by any healthcare professional.
Dr. Reinhold Voll, MD, a German medical doctor, acupuncturist, and developer of EAV (electroacupuncture by Voll) back in the mid-20th century once said that “80% of all illness is related entirely or partially to problems in the mouth.” Accurate statement or not, I believe from my own personal research and clinical experiences that it appears Dr. Voll knew what he was talking about.
Here are some questions you, yourself, might consider and that a biological dentist should document during a simple dental exam:
- Is there anything that is hurting in your mouth at the present time?
If yes, try to pinpoint the exact tooth that’s involved. Even without x-rays, you might suspect an infection that could be causing ill effects in other parts of the body. - Do you ever notice your gums bleed when brushing or flossing your teeth?
If yes, some form of periodontal disease is present. Remember that healthy gums don’t bleed. Bleeding gums will create a bacteremia that can introduce harmful bacteria into the bloodstream. Systemic complications may result from this seemingly innocent condition. - Do you ever have a metallic taste in your mouth?
If yes, the galvanic currents (the metal materials) in your mouth may be considerably higher than normal. Common symptoms are a burning or tingling sensation of the tongue, sleep deprivation, irritability, and increased salivation. This usually can be eliminated by removing the metal interferences caused by your dental restorations. - Do you have any root canals in your mouth?
If yes, how many and how long have you had them? Which teeth have them? Check a tooth/organ chart for any other organ systems that might be connected via specific meridian pathways. The older the root canals, the greater the chances for failures, i.e., low-grade infections that can persist for years without ever being detected. (See Root Canal Cover-up by George Meinig, DDS for more on this.)
Key Clinical Observations
- How much dental work has been done in the patent’s mouth?
- How many mercury amalgam fillings are present?
- How many teeth are missing?
- Halitosis? An indication of digestive problems.
- pH reading. Normal should be approximately 7.0. Below 6.0 is usually a sign of acidosis.
- How much calculus do you see on the teeth?
- Gingival tissue should be light pink with no signs of irritation, redness, or puffiness.
- Tongue should be moist, light pink, and slightly rounded at the tip.
In less than 2 minutes, you can have a pretty good idea of what’s going on in the mouth.
If there is a lot of dental work and if many teeth that are missing, it may suggest a history of chronic exposure to sugars and a lack of proper dental hygiene (a localized factor) OR these problems could be a result of systemic complications due to a weaken immune system, toxic exposure to heavy metals, and/or dysbiosis.
Whatever the case may be, it seems imperative that a “simple” dental exam should always be part of a complete health evaluation.
My dental career has certainly been an interesting journey. The paradigm shift that has already taken place has affected me both personally and professionally. I do believe that using a biological approach to care for my dental patients can make a big difference in their overall health and wellness. We doctors must continue to pursue this by keeping our goals and objectives well defined and, above all, to remember one simple rule: Protect Our Patients and Do No Harm.
Edited from the original
