My take on Root Cause
I finally saw the “Root Cause.” It is a movie that discusses the dangers of root canals. I have mixed feelings about it.
On one hand: Finally!
On the other hand: It is now OPEN SEASON on all the unsuspecting patients out there that are struggling to get better.
This movie delivers, what I understand, a true story of one individual that had unexplained health challenges that were tracked down to an infected tooth that had a root canal procedure and cavitation. Cavitation is a residual infection in the bone that is present usually after the tooth had been pulled. Most often cavitations are found where wisdom teeth used to be. Once bone infections were resolved, he began to recover. In my office, this is not new or surprising. I have stories after stories of unexplained and seemingly unrelated symptoms resolving once oral infections are addressed. The variety of problems is surprising. It goes from an infected toe that was not responsive to medications to an infertility problem that was resolved once the infection was cleared. This does not make me an infectious disease or a fertility expert. I am still just a dentist.
BUT, a dentist that thinks Holistically. I take into account the notion that a mouth is attached to the person. One’s mouth shares everything with one’s body. It shares its blood supply, its nerve supply, its lymph supply. It even shares its energy highways which we call Meridians. Thank you Chinese Medicine for that. However, there is more to the mouth.
Here is the scary part.
The amount of unnecessary dentistry that will be done will be far greater than the current 50% (by my estimation) and will be far more traumatic. People get fillings and crowns and root canals, often times, simply because they are told to. They do not question it. It is nauseating to witness this. It is sad. The latest in my office was a person who was told to get five! root canals where all that was needed was two small fillings.
Please do not misunderstand me. I am not saying all dentists are crooks. I know plenty of great dentists that are a credit not only their profession but to a human race as well.
What is scary to me is how many unsuspecting, sick, tired, depressed, anxious, and otherwise unwell people who will seek surgical treatment to once and for all feel better only to be let down again.
The movie is well done and totally resonates with how I have been practicing for almost twenty years now. I personally know most people that are in this movie and I know them to be honest and caring individuals. They do great work. Their greatest motivation is finding the truth for their patients. They have many arrows in their backs because of that.
I have seen patients from these excellent practitioners with no resolutions of their symptoms because The Root Cause has not been identified correctly.
So what else is so special about the mouth in addition to being just another anatomical landmark that is supplied by all the same fluids that the other parts of the body are? The answer is simple. It is AIRWAY. Nasomaxillary (nose and mouth) complex is what allows us to obtain the most needed nutrient without which we cannot survive but a few minutes. That nutrient is, of course, oxygen. Oral cavity governs our ability to keep our Central Nervous System working smoothly. I am oversimplifying for the sake of brevity, but the message should be clear. One whose Nasomaxiallry Complex is structurally or otherwise compromised will not have health either physical or psychological or both.
It is tempting to seek out exotic diseases. Exotic is special. The internet is replete with medical advise from individuals with no medical training. The cult of YouTube personalities makes it harder for people to understand what they really need and either detracts or derails finding the answers.
The culture of hacking has infiltrated into medicine and dentistry. People are taught that they can reprogram their involuntary biological mechanisms and beat the system. It is sad to see these brainwashed individuals who have a hard time giving up the methods that do not help but only hurt. Finding the right answers in the age of information overload is challenging.
Our bodies are complex. Sound principles should govern our decisions towards wellness. Body’s basic needs should be considered first and foremost. Breathing and sleep are the two most basic needs that our bodies demand. Before looking at the invasive options please consider if your body’s basic needs are met.
