I’m not sure if I should see a holistic dentist here or go visit my family in Taiwan. I’m 19 and have not had a checkup for many years, but I have one tooth is hurting a lot. I talked to my aunt about it and she says to come stay with her in Taiwan for two weeks during break from university. She says the dentist here will use mercury to fill my tooth and that I should see her holistic dentist. I think it’s the same either way. Do I need to go all the way to Tailwan or is it ok to find an office here? — Ari
Dear Ari,
It sounds like your aunt is very thoughtful and protective, but you don’t need to travel out of the country to find a holistic dentist.
Taiwan isn’t a place that’s brought up in international dentistry circles much because most of the time the talks surround dental tourism and inadequate care. Being more modernized, Taiwan doesn’t have the same reputation as Mexico or other regions and, at least in most areas, it seems the type of treatment you’d get in Taiwan is similar to what you’d find here in the States, but there’s obviously some variance from one office and area to the next.
You can find a holistic dentist by running a search for one. You can also try searching for terms like “mercury-free dentist” and the name of the city you’re in. While there are still plenty of offices that still do amalgam fillings, it’s widely accepted that the white (composite) fillings are preferred nowadays- especially if you’re searching for someone who caters to people who want to go mercury-free.
It’s a good idea to get your tooth seen to sooner, rather than later. If it is decay, it will continue to grow and could develop into the need for more extensive treatment, like a root canal or crown. If it’s already the start of an infection, it could start to cause you real pain very quickly. This isn’t something you want to wait until you have a school break to get checked out.
It’s also worth noting that flying while you’ve got a toothache is a bad idea. Your body naturally adjusts to the pressure as the plane rises and falls. In normal situations, you may feel your ears pop or you could get some sinus pain if you’re congested. However, that same pressure gets applied to your teeth. Healthy teeth don’t respond to it, but a tooth that’s already angry is going to really flare up if pressure from flying is added to it. It won’t make the decay or infection worse, but it will probably hurt a lot. Your best bet is to get it checked out by a local office as soon as possible.
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.