Dental Health

hiker said:

If looking for a nearby dentist knowledgeable about the methods, perhaps some information could be found here:

www.cfoo.com
http://www.jawache.com/

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_http://www.voicegym.co.uk/pdfs/doc_chewing.pdf

BEYOND CHEWING
Angela Caine AGSM, LRAM
The Voice and Body Centre

A tool to reprogramme facial muscles

The facial muscles are viewed slightly differently in different disciplines: osteopathy and chiropractic; dentistry and orthodontics; voice and speech; health and beauty. Information is also slightly obscured by the face being associated with expression and emotion. The primary function of the whole face is nose breathing. If the face is developed with this priority, facial balance will also develop naturally for speech, chewing, swallowing and expression. Tongue posture is central to both nose breathing and facial balance, and it divides the facial muscles into two groups.

Group A radiate from the centre, originate in bone and insert into moveable tissue. As the cranial rhythm dips the vomer bone and flares the zygomatic processes of the temporal bones, a continuous "drag" is maintained on the midline sutures of the facial bones by Zygomaticus major and minor, Quadratus Labii superior, and Buccinator. This lateral superior action encourages the cranium to widen in the facial area, flares the nostrils, thus reducing pressure and initiating inspiration of air into the maxillary sinuses. This air can then be warmed, cleaned and sterilised before the contraction of the diaphragm and the opening of the glottis of the larynx pulls it into the lungs. Smiling occurs when imagination and emotion extend this muscle action into a smile.

Group B act in the vertical plane to chew. They originate in bone and insert into bone. Anterior and posterior Temporalis snap the teeth together and Masseter applies a vertical force to crush food against the molar facets. They generally have no function in breathing, speech, singing, or swallowing apart from a few fibres of anterior Temporalis, which suspend the mandible in a position that gives the tongue independence in articulation. Group B are activated by the tongue taking up a forward position to push food between the teeth when Obicularis Oris closes over food. Scowling and sulking are expressions of group B. Care must be taken to stimulate group A when an orthotic is fitted. The orthotic can become "food" and initiate group B. An exercise programme needs to maintain group A priority while the orthotic is worn.

Obicularis Oris is not strictly a facial muscle but a sphincter at anterior end of the gut. Closing and sealing off the gut is necessary for the process of chewing, but not the process of breathing. When the tongue is suspended at the back of the mouth it is the tongue/soft palate relationship that determines the difference between nose breathing and mouth breathing, whether the lips are open or closed. Pressing the lips together in an effort to ensure nose breathing merely interferes with facial muscle balance.

We are not intended to live with our mouths open and risk infection, or choking. Balanced face function results in the mouth gently and effortlessly resting closed with equal fullness in upper and lower lips (Caine, 1991). With contraction of Obicularis Oris in response to food entering the mouth, contraction of Buccinator will flatten the cheeks and pull the Pterygoid Raphe forward, reducing the oropharyngeal space and the danger of food accidentally passing into it. Buccinator has a role in both group A and group B.

Relaxation of Obicularis Oris changes the role of the Buccinator muscle (see Figure
2). The Pterygoid Raphe is pulled posteriorally, increasing the oropharyngeal space in order to facilitate swallowing, talking, singing and any greater demand on the breathing system. Any activity which demands maximum efficiency in breathing, rhythmic 
co-ordination and power needs to prioritise facial muscle group A. This produces the face shape of the successful runner, singer, wind player, etc. Gasping in air through the mouth always raises the hyoid bone and shortens the cervical spine, with its concomitant problems, as described by Alexander (1932). Cranial release, joint decompression, and head posture are all aided by strong rhythmic singing, which is supported by nose breathing.

Vocally and cranially, the human infant resembles the infant chimpanzee and can make only vowels and babbling noises, vocalising being restricted by the high position of the larynx. The relatively oversized tongue stimulates the nipple and also the growth and development of the maxilla. This prepares the palatal arch for the developing dentition. After the first six months, increased use of the voice and mobility of head and neck further increase maxillary development. Speech and recognisable tunes are formalising by about a year old. From birth to about two years old the infant is also addressing the problem of being upright on two feet and developing the muscle strength to cope with that. The toddler experiments with balancing and at the same time the first teeth are appearing in a palate, which is already being rhythmically widened by the tongue, and by speech and singing. The upright trunk in sitting, the arms reaching for climbing possibilities, the head rotating on the neck to find the next place to cling, all provide gravitational stimuli for:

-Shift of the larynx and tongue to their adult position, level with the 6th - 7th cervical vertebrae
-Deep excursion of the hyoid down the pharynx
-Concentration of tongue stimulation on posterior maxilla
-Development of hand-eye co-ordination.

During the period of crawling and balancing the fundamental connection is retained between continued widening of the palate and dental development (to make
room for the molar teeth) while simultaneously the tongue forms a muscular anterior laryngopharynx (front wall of the throat) where vowels can be articulated. Figure
3 shows a model of this new tongue position. This period of shift for larynx and tongue is
probably completed between the ages of 5 and 6 years old (Crelin, 1987). Deciduous dentition begins at approximately 9 months and changes to mixed dentition at approximately 6 years (Hiatt & Gartner, 1987). Because the development of the child's voice and that of deciduous dentition occur during the same period, it is reasonable to assume that they are interdependent.

In Figure 4, Crelin (1987) shows how the development of Homo Sapiens is mirrored by the development of upright posture and sophisticated speech in thechild from 0-6 years old. Hence upright posture, sophisticated speech and deciduous dentition develop together as an interdependent system.

Voice, posture, dentition in children

If the development of deciduous dentition and the voice are interdependent, it follows that orthodontic treatment in children cannot be successful if the vocal tract is underdeveloped and functionally inefficient. It follows that by achieving efficient laryngeal function; development of stable dentition will be assisted. Voice work, which exercises rhythm and develops effortless postural balance will also improve tongue position and strengthen the connection between ear and voice by strengthening the pump action of the Eustachian tubes. Middle ear infection is currently an insoluble problem, and exercises do not seem to help. Singing and bouncing, on the other hand, whether it be sitting on a big bouncy ball or playing hopscotch, is developing facial balance and postural balance.

Skipping, bouncing and singing games bounce the larynx and tongue into adult posture. Climbing, jumping about, hopping from foot to foot while having fun and not thinking about it stimulates natural postural reflexes. It is vital that all this natural balancing takes place before children's posture is organised for them by riding bikes, sitting at desks and computers, playing musical instruments, etc. It is just as vital that the child is encouraged to sing and chatter and tell stories, all with actions and making faces so as to stimulate the upper respiratory tract. Then the front of the face will continue to develop in spite of the increasing visual stimulus, which all children have to deal with by about 5 years old. But parents do not usually recognise orthodontic problems except cosmetically, so dentists usually meet the patient at 5 years old or after, by which time mixed dentition has begun. As posture, voice and dentition is interdependent, children who become patients need the same balancing and reading tests as adults and if this early stimulation has obviously been missed, the window must be reopened at whatever age orthodontic treatment begins. Otherwise the underdevelopment will work against you and may regress the treatment.

Speech has, during the last 500,000 years, superseded chewing. Simpson (1968) states "Language has become far more than a means of communication in man. It is also one of the principal means of thought, memory, introspection, problem solving and other mental activities." Recently a very experienced dentist who was watching small children shift the tongue to its natural nose breathing position by singing said "We have to come to accept that the mandible is undergoing a change in function. It is no longer designed for chewing, but for speech".

Crelin (1987) states that "Ultimately, articulate speech led to a complicated spoken and written language, abstract thought, the fifth symphony and the theory of relativity". If a system so powerful exists within the musculoskeletal system, it seems sensible to access that power in corrective treatment.



References

Alexander, F.M. (1932) The Use of Self. Dutton, New York.
Caine, A. (1993) Just a little accomodation. Cranio View, September, 19-22.
Caine, A., Cardew, E. and Stimson, N. (1994) Structural Predispositions in the Etiology of Stammering. In Proc. IFA World Congress on Fluency Disorders, Munich, August.
Crelin, E.S. (1976) Development of the upper respiratory system. Clinical Symposia, Ciba Pharmaceutical Co, 28, 1-30.
Crelin E.S. (1987) The Human Vocal Tract. Vantage, New York. ISBN 0-533-06967-X. Fink, R.B. and Demarest, R.J. (1978) Laryngeal Biomechanics. London, Harvard University Press.
Gelb, H. (1985) Clinical management of head neck and TMJ pain and dysfunction, 2nd ed.
Jecmen, J.M. (1994) Dental support for the temporal bone. The Cranial Letter, 47(11), 8-13.
Hiatt, J.L. and Gartner, L.P. (1987) Head and Neck Anatomy, 2nd ed., Williams and Williams, Baltimore.
Lieberman, P. and Crelin, E.S. (1971) On the speech of Neanderthal man. Linguistic Enquiry, 2, 203-222.
Rocabado, M. and Annette, Z. (1991) Musculoseletal Approach to Maxillofacial Pain. Philadelphia, Lippincott.
Selye, H. (1974) Stress without distress. Signet.
Simpson, G.G. (1968) The Biological Nature of Man. In Perspective on human evolution 1, Eds.
Washburn, S.L. and Jay, P.C., Holt. Rinehart and Winston, New York.
Sonninen, A. (1968) The external frame function in the control of pitch in the human voice. Annals of the New York Academy of Science, 155, 68-90.
Zenker, W. and Zenker, A. (1960) Über die Regelung der Stimmlippenanspannung durch von aussem eingreifende Mechanismen (On the regulation of the vocal folds through the extrinsic suspension mechanism). Folia Phoniatrica, 12, 1-36.

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Aragorn said:

What comes to mind, is that keeping the tongue in the correct resting position - making it possible to breathe in through the nose while keeping your mouth open, will, as said in the articles stimulate facial muslce group A - and thus maybe the vagus nerve. Maybe this could be considered, after all, as a possible tongue position in the inhaling part in Pipe Breathing (EE)?

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_http://www.voicegym.co.uk/pdfs/doc_misalignment.pdf

Structural Misalignment: its Effect on Performance
Angela Caine AGSM LRAM
The Voice Workshop

Temporomandibular Dysfunction (TMD)

The mandible or jaw has three planes of movement, involving sliding movements in the joints. It has to move very precisely to chew food without traumatising the teeth. It also has close association with the functional activity of the pharynx, larynx and skeletal and muscle systems of the neck (Kawamura 1968). Owing to its complex nature, mandibular movement requires close central nervous system control at all levels. Relatively large proportions of the higher centres and the brain stem are concerned with this task (Penfield and Rasmussen, 1950).

Some 50 years ago Fonder (see Fonder, 1987, 1990) began formulating what he eventually called 'The Dental Distress Syndrome'. He noticed that when people were restored to full dental health many apparently unrelated symptoms and pains disappeared. At first Fonder assumed that this was because he was bestowing "tender loving care" upon his patients as well as attention to dental detail, but then he himself suffered pain in the neck, head and back and realised that it was connected to his jaw. He then joined the Dental Research Group of Chicago which was concerned with the relationship between dentistry and general health (Guzay, 1980). This group discovered that when the muscles attached to the mandible do not function symmetrically this imbalance upsets the posturing of the cervical vertebrae, particularly C1 and C2. The function of the jaw and its related systems is so important that head, neck and face symmetry is soon lost in the presence of TMD, as shown in Figure 1.

Malocclusion

Malocclusion, or the incorrect meeting of upper and lower teeth, is a common cause of TMD. Although malocclusion appeared as a dental problem around 1940, it was Fonder (1977) who first alerted dentists to the potential damage and stress which they could inflict upon the vascular, skeletal and neural structures throughout the body by aligning teeth for a beautiful smile without consideration for function or skeletal alignment. The resultant problems included not only previously researched physiological symptoms (e.g. neck and shoulder pain, lower back pain, headaches, numbness or tingling in fingers and feet) but also emotional and psychological symptoms (e.g. worrying, nervousness, forgetfulness and a feeling of failure). The next wave of dental pioneers refined treatments and began training programmes to alert the dental profession to the significance of the stress to homeostasis of the whole body when the jaw joints were misaligned. Musicians may have to consider that lack of coordination between right and left hands may well be corrected more easily by the dentist than a music teacher. A child with an occlusion as in Figure 2 (mid or lower) will require dental correction before playing any instrument, not just the ones that rest against the teeth. Learning to play an instrument with this bite pattern is laying down "software" in the brain which already includes stress factors.

The Role of the Tongue in Structural Misalignment

There is agreement in dental and orthodontic literature that the natural resting position of the tongue is one in which the upper surface of the visible tongue lies against and acquires the shape of, the maxilla. The front of the tongue should lie just behind the alveolar ridge, just behind but away from the front teeth (Rocabado et al, 1983; Mew, 1981). This resting position facilitates efficient breathing, swallowing, eustachian tube evacuation, and function of the whole upper respiratory tract. Clinicians are also agreed that the fundamental breathing system is nose breathing, mouth breathing being supplementary and not an alternative system. In its natural resting position the tongue can make a seal with the soft palate which allows the continuation of nose breathing when the mouth is open (Caine 1997).

[…] Crelin (1972) built a rubber duplicate of an adult human vocal tract and discovered that
all the vowels sounds are most efficiently formed in the pharynx by the back of the tongue. The muscle which postures the tongue into its natural resting position inserts into the styloid process of the skull, which is also the attachment for the suspension of the larynx. The strengthening of this muscle gives priority for back of the tongue articulation of vowels (Caine 1991).

The tongue rises out of the hyoid bone, which is the attachment for the intrinsic suspension system of the larynx. The hyoid bone is suspended from the skull on each side by the stylo-hyoid ligament. Anterior/posterior and lateral stabilisation is carried out by digastricus and omohyoid respectively. These muscles also form part of the laryngeal extrinsic frame (Demarest & Fink, 1978). The extrinsic frame assists in regulation of the vocal folds (Zenker & Zenker, 1960; Sonninen, 1968 ). The digastric muscles, left and right, lose symmetry in TMD, thus unbalancing the hyoid bone and causing spasm in the intrinsic suspension system. It follows that dysfunction and resultant distress at the mandible can follow this muscular pathway to vocal fold dysfunction and the result will be vocal distress.


The Pelvis

If it is accepted that our fundamental life support system is breathing and that the voice is an integral part of that breathing system, it follows that anything which upsets breathing will also affect the voice. The pelvis is the weight bearing, and also weight distributing, area of the body. Two strong joints between pelvis and sacrum (the sacro-illiac joints) stabilise this whole system. If damage destabilises one of these joints, weight bearing and therefore the whole postural balance will have to change to compensate for it. Leg flexing muscles will lose their symmetry and it will become difficult to distribute weight equally between the two feet. Once the pelvis goes out of alignment the body will increasingly adapt to the unbalanced situation. However there is a finite limit to the range of adaptation (Howat, 1997). The end of adaptive range is signalled by pain: the body's danger signal. Two major leg flexor muscles insert into the diaphragm (Gray, 1977). Any asymmetrical contraction in these muscles, in an effort to right a postural imbalance, will restrict the contraction of the diaphragm. This will restrict the breathing, and consequently, also the voice. In fact the voice can often be used as a diagnostic tool to signal structural misalignment of the pelvis before the onset of pain and pathology (Caine 1997).


The Cranium

According to the 1977 U.S. edition of Gray's Anatomy (Gray, 1977) "The skull is composed of a series of flattened or irregular shaped bones which, with one exception (the lower jaw) are immovably joined together". Sutherland first questioned the fused skull in 1899 but like the rest of the structural pioneers he was in an age set on developing the body's response to chemistry not engineering. Since then, the movement in cranial sutures has been extensively researched (Upledger, 1983; Frymann, 1971; Sutherland, 1990). The pumping action of the fluid which bathes the brain and spinal cord moves the bones of the skull rhythmically, providing a fundamental corrective force within our endowed self-righting mechanism. TMD can cause some of the cranial sutures to become fixed, thus inhibiting the cranial-sacral pump.

The chiropractor will introduce wedge shaped blocks under the pelvis while lying down to allow the body to seek its own correct balance and alignment. Gentle manipulation of the cranium restores symmetrical rhythm in skull movement. Chiropractic or osteopathy can return the body to symmetrical function well within adaptive range. The dentist must make sure that DDS (Dental Distress Syndrome) does not interfere with this process.


What is Stress?

"Performance Stress", according to the literature, is mainly attributed to the dysfunction of psyche and not soma. Selye (1976) describes stress as the "non-specific response of the body to any demand". Stress is necessary. Good stress, which Selye refers to as "eustress" produces a healing, stimulating response because demand remains within the adaptive capacity of the body. If, however, demand exceeds adaptive capacity by being too great or too sustained or both, it produces "distress" Selye provided the following time course for the three principle stages of distress:

-Alarm Reaction (which cannot be sustained for long by the body)
-Stage of Resistance
-Stage of exhaustion. 


While eustress is stimulating and regenerative, distress is debilitating and degenerative. Both are accumulative. For example, two musicians enter a competition. One is pacing the competition easily. The other performs just as well but is actually at the end of adaptive range. Both appear to be performing at the same standard in round one and both are selected for the second heat. The higher standard stimulates the first competitor but causes an alarm reaction in the second. The second heat stimulates the first competitor to play better than ever. Extra effort is the only technique available to the second competitor who applies extra effort and practice time in an increasingly stressful cycle. The second competitor does not win. Constant repetition of this cycle of distress sets up patterns of resistance within which performance could actually deteriorate as practice time and effort increases. {I can really relate to this. Having participated in many singing competitions, my memories describe perfectly what the 'second competitor' experiences in this example}

Selye called this distress cycle 'General Adaptive Syndrome' (GAS). Fonder's Dental Distress Syndrome (DDS) (Fonder 1990) suggests that malocclusion and TMD intensify GAS, but more importantly where GAS is relieved by sleep, DDS is a 24 hour stress because of the involvement of the teeth. Almost half of both sensory and motor aspects of the brain are devoted to the "dental area" (Penfield and Rasmussen, 1950).


References

Alexander F M (1932) The use of self. Dutton: New York

Amorino S, Taddey J (1994) Temporomandibular disorders and the singing voice. The National Association of Singing Teachers Journal, 50(1), 3-14.
Caine A (1991) The Voice Workbook. Hodder & Stoughton: London.
Caine A (1993) Just a little accomodation. Cranio-View, 2(3), 19-22.
Caine A (1995) Beyond chewing. Cranio-View, 4(4), 33-41.
Caine A (1997) The voice as a therapy. In Complementary Therapies in Dentistry (ed. Varley P). Butterworth-Heinemann: London.
Crelin E (1987) The Human Vocal Tract: Anatomy, Function, Development, Evolution.Vantage: New York.
Fink B R, Demarest R J (1977) Laryngeal Biomechanics. Harvard University Press: Cambridge MA.
Fonder A (1977) The Dental Physician. Medical-Dental Arts: Rock Falls IL.
Fonder A (1987) The dental distress syndrome quantified. Basal Facts, 9(4), 141-167.
Fonder A (1990) The Dental Distress Syndrome. Medical-Dental Arts: Rock Falls IL.
Fryamm V M (1971) A Study of the rhythmic motions of the living cranium. JAOA, 70(9), 28- 945.
Gray H (1977) Gray's Anatomy (eds. Pick T P, Howden R), Bounty Books: New York. Guzay C M. (1980) The Quadrant Theorem. Doctors Dental Service: Chicago IL.
Howat J (1997) In Complementary Therapies in Dentistry (ed. Varley P). Butterworth- Heinemann: London.
Jecman J M (1995) Understanding malocclusion. Cranio-View, 4(2).
Kawamura Y (1968) Mandibular movement. In Facial Pain and Mandibular Dysfunction (eds.
Schwartz L, Chayes C M). W B Saunders: Eastbourne.
Mew J (1981) Tongue posture. British Journal of Orthodontics, 8, 203-21.
Penfield W, Rasmussen T (1950) The Cerebral Cortex of Man. MacMillan: New York.
Rocabado M, Johnstone B E, Blakney M (1983) Physical Therapy and Dentistry: an Overview. Journal of Craniomandibular Practice, 1(1), 47-49.
Selye H (1970), The Stress of Life, 2nd ed. McGraw-Hill: New York.
Sonninen J (1964) The External Frame Function in the Control of Pitch in the Human Voice.
Annals of the N.Y. Academy of Science, 155, 68-90.
Sutherland.W G (1990) Teachings in the Science of Osteopathy (ed. Wales A), Rudra Press.
Taddey J J (1992) Musicians and temporomandibular disorders; prevalence and occupational etiologic considerations. Journal of Craniomandibular Practice, 10(3), 242-244.
Upledger J E,Vredevoogd J D (1983) Craniosacral Therapy. Eastland Press: Chicago,IL Zenker W, Zenker A (1960) Uber die Regelung der Stimmlippenanspannung durch von aussem eingreifende Mechanismen. Folia Phoniatrica, 12, 1-36.

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The tongue starts to develop at about 4 weeks. The tongue originates from the first, second, and third pharyngeal arches which induces the migration of muscles from the occipital myotomes. A U-shaped sulcus develops in front of and on both sides of the oral part of the tongue. This allows the tongue to be free and highly mobile, except at the region of the lingual frenulum, where it remains attached. Disturbances during this stage cause tongue tie or ankyloglossia.

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hlat said:

Fluoride is dangerous, and will cause thyroid damage in children.

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hlat said:

Brushing hard and toothpicks are really great for your gums and your overall health. The stimulation and removal of tartar helps your gums reduce inflammation, heal, and stay healthy. Toothpaste is not necessary as it is the brushing action on the gums that is important.

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Gandalf said:

hlat said:

Brushing hard and toothpicks are really great for your gums and your overall health. The stimulation and removal of tartar helps your gums reduce inflammation, heal, and stay healthy. Toothpaste is not necessary as it is the brushing action on the gums that is important.

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But you have to be very careful about that. You have to do it the proper way to not harm your gums.

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Endymion said:

I've found this type of toothbrush to be much more efficient than a standard toothbrush. It gives the gums a good massage without causing recession in the way that a hand held brush does.

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Dr. Mark. Breiner said:

Now, there’s an instrument called the purtek where we can measure the voltage, the actual current running, and the milliwatt seconds, which is kind of the force. It’s like how much pressure behind the water coming out of a hose. So, we find it’s very beneficial. And there the numbers you see on the left are the voltage and the current and then the power.

I find a lot of problems will...patients will get out of the chair, and they’ll say, “Gee, this shoulder which has been bothering me for the last year doesn’t hurt anymore,” or “Colors are brighter.” You see, that’s because of the electrical currents we just eliminated. It’s not going to be mercury that exited that fast. It’s going to be electrical currents.

And here you can see on this slide electricity in the brain of a patient I had. She was a wife of a physician. And she would travel all over the world. She was a high-powered executive. And all of a sudden, the world would invert on her and down she’d go. And she’d been checked out in Rome, Paris, England, here at Yale, Johns Hopkins and all over.

And you know what the problem was. The problem was she had gold crowns and mercury fillings. And if you look at the upper right reading, it says “950 millivolts,” no current. Okay? So, in talking to a neurobiologist, he said, “Well, what would

happen was when that would discharge, actually current run, it’d scramble her brain. And down she’d go.” So, as you can see on the date there, it was 1993. And we took out the metals in her mouth. And she’s never had a reoccurrence since then.

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Dr. M. B. said:

Another thing that’s important is every tooth is on an acupuncture meridian and relates specifically to certain organs, tissue, vertebrae, and muscles. So, the electrical currents can also interfere with that meridian. As you can see on this chart here, this is showing the teeth. If you look up at the right side, it says “Number 17.” That’s a very important one because that’s your wisdom tooth. It’s the lower left. And your wisdom teeth relate specifically to the heart and on the lower to the small intestine.

So, a lot of heart problems in later decades are related to the wisdom teeth, the fact that they’re impacted or that they’ve been removed and you now have what’s called a cavitation, which we’ll talk about later.

But the fact is I developed an arrhythmia myself. I had a problem about 15 years ago, and it was because I had a problem on that wisdom tooth meridian where I’d had my wisdom tooth taken out in dental school. And I was able to compensate for it. But, then later on, these PVC showed up, and nothing helped it until I took care of that cavitation, that area that was interfering with energy flow.
And this is a two-way street. Your teeth can affect the organs, or the organs can affect the teeth.

And I remember having once a nurse coming in and she had a terrible headache. And she said, “It’s coming from this upper right eye tooth. Please take this tooth out. I can’t take this pain.” And, see the problem was that tooth didn’t even have a filling. The x-ray was fine. There was nothing wrong with that tooth.
The problem was the gall bladder. And that tooth was on the liver/gallbladder meridian. So, we gave her some things to help her gallbladder. And that resolved the problem. So that’s something in playing and being dental detective, it’s important to know this kind of relationship.

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Aragorn said:

What worries me is that I have two tooths with root canals inserted. This isn't the first time I hear about the dangers of those, but it seems like a big loss for chewing capacity to just remove two molars. Right now I'm thinking that if I keep eating a healthy ketogenic diet, the body will be able to handle the extra stress from the root canals.

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Aragorn said:

What worries me is that I have two tooths with root canals inserted. This isn't the first time I hear about the dangers of those, but it seems like a big loss for chewing capacity to just remove two molars. Right now I'm thinking that if I keep eating a healthy ketogenic diet, the body will be able to handle the extra stress from the root canals.

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Bermudez de Castro, one of three paleontologists leading the expedition, said the fossil appeared to be "well worn" and from an individual aged between 20-25.

"For the time being we have no idea what species but there is no doubt, from the (geological) level where the tooth was found, that it belonged to the oldest European found to date," he added.

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