Holistic dentistry: Why Gwyneth Paltrow relied on her dentist for emotional healing

Holistic dentistry helped Gwyneth Paltrow through her divorce, but what exactly is it?

Gwyneth Paltrow recently talked about her experience with holistic dentistry, revealing just how helpful her dentist was during her divorce.

Speaking on The Goop Podcast, the actress said that she and her two children, Apple and Moses, first went to holistic dentist Dr Sherry Sami before her divorce with Chris Martin.

Sami, a dual specialist in pediatric dentistry and orthodontics, began asking Paltrow about her marriage and emotional trauma in an effort to help with the healing process. 

The actress said that Sami wanted her and her kids to “gain a deeper understanding of holistic dentistry and the different elements that can provide healing”.

What is holistic dentistry?

Holistic dentists are required to go through the same medical training as traditional dentists, however they differ in their approach and treatments. Holistic dentistry looks at how oral health affects the whole body and how other areas of the body, in turn, affects oral health.

This means that holistic dentists will focus on emotional, spiritual and physical health. Along with treatments like flossing and fillings, they provide nutrition education, aromatherapy, homeopathy, hypnosis and electroacupuncture.

They also use herbology and Ayurveda — a traditional Indian approach to medicine that aims to preserve health and wellness by keeping the mind, body and spirit in balance. A combination of protective herbs and spices in a healthy diet, frequent exercise and lifestyle changes, Ayurveda helps prevent disease rather than treat it.

Biocompatibility  

Holistic dentistry uses biocompatible materials, natural materials that do not produce a toxic or immunological response from the body.

These are all natural materials that are chosen after a compatibility test. Examples include herbal mouthwash, neem toothpaste (neem is a beneficial plant) and composite fillings (instead of the common mercury fillings). Also, most holistic dentists don’t support the use of fluoride products.

Is it right for you?

While holistic dentistry might be right for some, it is important to carry out further research before making the dental switch. The holistic approach may not be safe if you have a history of tooth decay, severe dental infection, prescription medication or severe illness.

However, many seem to prefer it to the traditional approach, like Gwyneth Paltrow, whose dentist not only helped her with her oral health, but provided emotional healing as she split with her first husband, Chris Martin.

Feature image: @GwynethPaltrow/Instagram

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