I have been fighting eczema and a host of other issues for many years. I’ve got chronic fatigue, joint pain… you name it. My doctors basically dismissed me and told me it was all in my head. They said if I just got more rest, ate better, and exercised, I would feel better. When that didn’t work, I knew I was on my own to find the cause, so I started researching. I found out that certain allergies can trigger these problems, so I found a doctor who would do patch testing for me. It turns out that I have sensitivities to all sorts of metals and chemicals, including things like formaldehyde, dental cement, and titanium. After thinking it over, I remembered my dental work. I’ve had all kinds of stuff done, including fillings, crowns, root canals, and even a titanium dental implant. I feel certain that this is what’s causing my issues, but I told my dentist about it and he says there’s nothing wrong with the materials used on me. I’m at a total loss. I seem to be getting nowhere with the medical community as a whole. Short of taking out my own teeth, what else can I do? Is there a dental specialty trained to handle allergies? — Elliston
Dear Elliston,
There are a growing number of doctors that can help with these sorts of things. They usually use the term “holistic dentist” to explain what they do. However, there is not an “official” field dedicated to the practice.
A holistic dentist doesn’t specialize in allergies, nor is there a specialty for that either. However, a holistic dentist does focus on the body as a whole and will be familiar with the type of testing you’re referring to. It’s commonly called a Clifford test or CMRT, short for Clifford Materials Reactivity Test, though there are other terms and variations of it. The tests are still fairly controversial in the medical community, which is why you’re having such a difficult time finding someone who will hear you out.
If you don’t have a holistic dentist in your area, try calling around to see which offices are familiar with the testing you had. The truth is, a lot of dentists don’t like to handle cases like yours because there are often no clear answers. However, a few dentists, other than holistic dentists, will listen to your concerns and will honor your requests to avoid certain materials as a matter of patient satisfaction, even if they haven’t gotten on board with the entire concept just yet.
It might take a little leg work on your part to find someone who is willing to work with you, but don’t lose heart. There’s a good chance a practice near you can help, but you’ll have to use the right search terms online and/or make some calls.
This blog post is brought to you by Des Moines cosmetic dentist, Dr. Phelan Thomas. For more information on the services he provides, please visit his Des Moines cosmetic dentist website.