What is Wellness Dentistry?

Over the last few years, the relationship between oral health and total body health has become more widely known and accepted. For example, gum disease has been linked to a number of different health issues, including heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimer’s, and dementia, to name just a few. Bacteria in the mouth can travel through the system and cause infection in other parts of the body.

With so much attention being paid to mouth/body connective health, dentists around the world have begun wondering what is wellness dentistry and what can it do for their patients and their practices.

The short answer is that wellness dentistry is dentistry for total body health.  It recognizes that oral health and general health are interlinked and recommends the integration of wellness protocols and strategies into dental practices.

Wellness dentistry practitioners can help their patients achieve better health and wellness because they have the knowledge and tools necessary to identify disease early and to educate and guide patients.

The result for patients can be increased vitality, greater longevity, and higher quality of life. The result for practices can be greater practice health and differentiation in an often crowded market.

Wellness dentistry is the future of dentistry, and those who embrace it now will be able to offer their patients an expanded level of care through the earlier detection of broader health issues. By looking beyond just the teeth, dentists can create an increased awareness of conditions that have a significant impact on patient health.