COULD YOUR TEETH BE CAUSING YOU ILL HEALTH? As a Biological Dentist I believe the conditions present in a patient's mouth are a reflection of their overall health. In accordance with ancient Chinese medicine, the mouth is a reflection of the person's total health. Ancient Chinese physicians would examine the patient's teeth, gums, tongue and oral cavity before they examined the rest of patient's body. In biological dentistry, we stress the use of non-toxic restorative materials for dental work and focus on the unrecognized impact that dental toxins, dead teeth and hidden dental infections can have on the patient's overall health. I believe tooth decay, periodontal disease, materials used in restorations, root canaled teeth and infected past extraction sites are all factors that may affect a patient's health. A condition in one part of a patient's body may be the cause of a health issue located in another part of the patient's body. This condition is called Focal Infection Theory. We see Focal Infection Theory when patients are suffering from chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, thyroid dysfunction, infertility, kidney dysfunction, breathing problems, cancer, digestive complications, joint pain and limited joint motion just to mention a few. This is not to say that the patient became ill as a result of their mouth problem(s) but that it may be a contributing factor.*