Positive Health Online

Abstract

JACOBSEN and COHAN, UOP School of Dentistry, San Francisco, CA 94115 USA write that complementary and holistic health care is a growing area in medicine and dentistry . The authors review (16 references) the variety of dental products promoted as an "alternative" to standard commercial dental products. These products can be categorised as standard dental products made with natural ingredients, herbal or homoeopathic products, and synthetic alternative products . They write that use of dental care products needs to be based upon sound basic scientific evidence of safety and efficacy. Dental health care providers need to be aware of the range of alternative dental products in order to help their patients to understand the type of support or evidence required to determine the safety and efficacy of treatment.

Background

Methodology

Results

Conclusion

References

Jacobsen PL and Cohan RP. Alternative dental products. J Calif Dent Assoc 26(3): 191-8 Mar 1998.

Comment

Research over recent years has demonstrated the importance of dental and gum health in relation to overall health. Given the almost complete denial of the dental establishment of the dangers of many of commonly performed procedures such as root canal and the toxicity (despite voluminous evidence) of materials such as mercury amalgam, it behooves us all to be ever vigilant regarding what goes into our teeth, gums and mouth.