Download It

Periodontal Disease and Periodontal Disease and Naturopathic MedicineNaturopathic Medicine

©Dr. Kevin Passero 2005©Dr. Kevin Passero 2005

Naturopathic MedicineNaturopathic MedicineWhat is it?What is it?

Naturopathic Medicine blends Naturopathic Medicine blends centuries-old natural, non-toxic centuries-old natural, non-toxic therapies with current advances in the therapies with current advances in the study of health and human systems. study of health and human systems.

The Six PrinciplesThe Six Principles

1) The Healing Power of Nature.1) The Healing Power of Nature. Naturopathic Doctors believe that the Naturopathic Doctors believe that the natural state of the body is to be natural state of the body is to be healthy. Our jobs are to help the patient healthy. Our jobs are to help the patient identify and remove obstacles to healing identify and remove obstacles to healing and allow the body to heal itself.and allow the body to heal itself.


2) Identify and Treat the Causes. 2) Identify and Treat the Causes. The Naturopath seeks to identify and The Naturopath seeks to identify and remove underlying causes of illness, remove underlying causes of illness, rather than to merely eliminate or rather than to merely eliminate or suppress symptoms.suppress symptoms.

Symptoms as messengersSymptoms as messengers Naturopathic Medicine attempts to find Naturopathic Medicine attempts to find

the underlying cause of the patient’s the underlying cause of the patient’s condition.condition.

Much of modern medicine, conventional Much of modern medicine, conventional and alternative is focused on symptom and alternative is focused on symptom management. Often this means management. Often this means neglecting the possibility of an neglecting the possibility of an underlying cause.underlying cause.

Symptoms are messengers, and what Symptoms are messengers, and what happens when we shoot the messenger? happens when we shoot the messenger? We don’t know from where the message We don’t know from where the message came.came.


3) First Do No Harm.3) First Do No Harm.

The Naturopathic Doctor implements The Naturopathic Doctor implements this third rule with the following this third rule with the following preceptsprecepts

Utilize methods and medical substances which Utilize methods and medical substances which minimize the risk of harmful side effects.minimize the risk of harmful side effects.

Avoid when possible the harmful suppression of Avoid when possible the harmful suppression of symptoms.symptoms.

Acknowledge, respect and work with the Acknowledge, respect and work with the individual’s self-healing process.individual’s self-healing process.


4) Doctor As Teacher.4) Doctor As Teacher. As Doctor’s we not only believe it is our As Doctor’s we not only believe it is our

job to help people improve their health, job to help people improve their health, it is also our job to educate them so it is also our job to educate them so they can be responsible for their own they can be responsible for their own health as well.health as well.

Encouraging self-responsibility for Encouraging self-responsibility for one’s health is a major goal for the one’s health is a major goal for the Naturopathic Doctor.Naturopathic Doctor.


5) Treat the Whole Person5) Treat the Whole Person This is achieved by taking into account This is achieved by taking into account

individual physical, mental, emotional, individual physical, mental, emotional, genetic, environmental, social and spiritual genetic, environmental, social and spiritual factors.factors.


6) Prevention6) Prevention Prevention involves assessing individual Prevention involves assessing individual

risk factors, heredity and susceptibility to risk factors, heredity and susceptibility to disease and making appropriate disease and making appropriate interventions in partnership with the interventions in partnership with the patients to prevent illness.patients to prevent illness.

How are ND’s trained?How are ND’s trained?

Naturopathic Medical colleges are Naturopathic Medical colleges are four-year, graduate level medical four-year, graduate level medical schools with admission requirements schools with admission requirements comparable to those of other comparable to those of other medical schools. The Doctor of medical schools. The Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine degree (ND) Naturopathic Medicine degree (ND) is awarded after classroom, clinic is awarded after classroom, clinic and practical study. and practical study.

ND’s are trained in medical ND’s are trained in medical sciences includingsciences including

AnatomyAnatomy NeurologyNeurology PathologyPathology ObstetricsObstetrics PharmacologyPharmacology Lab diagnosisLab diagnosis CardiologyCardiology BiochemistryBiochemistry Minor surgeryMinor surgery

ImmunologyImmunology PediatricsPediatrics Clinical and Clinical and

physical diagnosisphysical diagnosis PhysiologyPhysiology RadiologyRadiology MicrobiologyMicrobiology GynecologyGynecology DermatologyDermatology

What NDs doWhat NDs do

Clinical NutritionClinical Nutrition

This refers to both the practice of using This refers to both the practice of using food to heal people and using food to food to heal people and using food to maintain optimal health.maintain optimal health.

Nutritional supplements are often employed Nutritional supplements are often employed to further help people optimize nutritional to further help people optimize nutritional intake for their particular needs.intake for their particular needs.

What NDs DoWhat NDs Do HomeopathyHomeopathy

Homeopathy is a form of medicine that Homeopathy is a form of medicine that uses extremely diluted preparations of uses extremely diluted preparations of substances to cure illness.substances to cure illness.

As a medicine, it is unparalleled in its As a medicine, it is unparalleled in its ability to effect people on a physical, ability to effect people on a physical, mental and emotional level while at the mental and emotional level while at the same time having virtually no side effects same time having virtually no side effects or drug interactions.or drug interactions.

What NDs DoWhat NDs Do

Botanical MedicineBotanical Medicine

Plant substances are safe and Plant substances are safe and powerful tools in the treatment of powerful tools in the treatment of many illnesses. many illnesses.

Many modern pharmaceuticals are Many modern pharmaceuticals are originally derived from plant originally derived from plant compounds.compounds.

The Egg of The Egg of HealthHealth

Naturopathic Medicine and Naturopathic Medicine and Periodontal DiseasePeriodontal Disease

Aspects of Periodontal Aspects of Periodontal DiseaseDisease

InfectionInfection

Immune ResponseImmune Response

InflammationInflammation

InfectionInfection

Promoted by poor dietPromoted by poor diet

High sugar levels promote bacterial High sugar levels promote bacterial growthgrowth

High inflammatory foods promote High inflammatory foods promote infectious processinfectious process

Poor nutrition and foods low in nutrition Poor nutrition and foods low in nutrition can suppress immune function allowing can suppress immune function allowing sustainability of infection sustainability of infection

InfectionInfection Poor personal hygienePoor personal hygiene

Infrequent brushing and flossingInfrequent brushing and flossing

Improper brushing and flossing techniqueImproper brushing and flossing technique

Not on a regular hygiene cleaning scheduleNot on a regular hygiene cleaning schedule

Physical barriers that impede cleaning effortsPhysical barriers that impede cleaning efforts Large gaps in teethLarge gaps in teeth Overlapping teeth that are hard to clean betweenOverlapping teeth that are hard to clean between BracesBraces

Immune ResponseImmune Response The immune system responds to The immune system responds to

infection in several waysinfection in several ways Primary inflammationPrimary inflammation

Influx of 1Influx of 1stst stage immune cells like stage immune cells like macrophagesmacrophages

Activation of immune specific cells like Activation of immune specific cells like antibodiesantibodies


This response can be altered by This response can be altered by many different thingsmany different things

Low immune function can result Low immune function can result from nutritional deficiencies and from nutritional deficiencies and consumption of certain foodsconsumption of certain foods SugarSugar AlcoholAlcohol Hydrogenated fat Hydrogenated fat

Immune ResponseImmune Response Immune response to antigens, bacteria or Immune response to antigens, bacteria or

infection can differ in many waysinfection can differ in many ways

Although all people have oral bacteria, not all Although all people have oral bacteria, not all develop periodontal diseasedevelop periodontal disease

Some of this predisposition can be attributed to Some of this predisposition can be attributed to different ways the immune system responds in different ways the immune system responds in different peopledifferent people

This can be likened to why some people have This can be likened to why some people have allergy to certain pollens that manifest in allergy to certain pollens that manifest in different ways such as asthma, sinus congestion different ways such as asthma, sinus congestion or watery eyesor watery eyes


Naturopathic theory speculates that Naturopathic theory speculates that improper immune responses like the improper immune responses like the ones seen in allergy and periodontal ones seen in allergy and periodontal disease is often due to an overload disease is often due to an overload on the body systems, particularly on the body systems, particularly related to its ability to deal with related to its ability to deal with toxins.toxins.

The Story of the The Story of the Overflowing CupOverflowing Cup

ToxinsToxins

Toxins come from many places and should Toxins come from many places and should be considered as anything that impedes be considered as anything that impedes ideal physiologic functioning of the bodyideal physiologic functioning of the body

Examples include toxins created as Examples include toxins created as byproducts of fossil fuel and the byproducts of fossil fuel and the production of other industrial productsproduction of other industrial products

Some toxins are also produced by the Some toxins are also produced by the body during normal physiologic functionsbody during normal physiologic functions

ToxinsToxins Of more clinical value is the toxic load generated Of more clinical value is the toxic load generated

from consuming dietary products that impede from consuming dietary products that impede optimal immune and physiologic functionoptimal immune and physiologic function

Diets high in refined carbohydrates and sugar, Diets high in refined carbohydrates and sugar, alcohol, red meat, hydrogenated fat and coffee alcohol, red meat, hydrogenated fat and coffee and low in fresh fruits and vegetables and and low in fresh fruits and vegetables and healthy fats will not promote the proper healthy fats will not promote the proper metabolism of toxins encountered in everyday metabolism of toxins encountered in everyday lifelife

Its provides added stress to the system and does Its provides added stress to the system and does not foster optimal physiologynot foster optimal physiology

Eliminating ToxinsEliminating Toxins

Naturopathic therapies help to Naturopathic therapies help to promote dietary patterns that minimize promote dietary patterns that minimize toxic exposure and support the body in toxic exposure and support the body in its process of eliminating toxinsits process of eliminating toxins

Dietary supplements like vitamins, Dietary supplements like vitamins, minerals and other nutrients can minerals and other nutrients can greatly help support physiological greatly help support physiological pathways that promote the proper pathways that promote the proper metabolism and excretion of toxinsmetabolism and excretion of toxins

The End ResultThe End Result

Clinical evidence commonly shows Clinical evidence commonly shows the improvement of many immune the improvement of many immune related disorders like allergy and related disorders like allergy and asthma when proper modifications asthma when proper modifications are made in relation to reducing are made in relation to reducing toxin exposure and enhancing toxin exposure and enhancing proper toxin elimination through proper toxin elimination through diet and nutrient therapies.diet and nutrient therapies.

InflammationInflammation

The body’s natural reaction to infectionThe body’s natural reaction to infection

Attempt to stimulate healingAttempt to stimulate healing

Delivers new blood and immune products Delivers new blood and immune products to a site of injury or infectionto a site of injury or infection

Inflammation Gone BadInflammation Gone Bad Chronic inflammation happens when the Chronic inflammation happens when the

immune system can not take care of the immune system can not take care of the injury or infection by itself and ends up injury or infection by itself and ends up in a counterproductive cycle of in a counterproductive cycle of inflammationinflammation

Chronic inflammation can lead to Chronic inflammation can lead to decreased effectiveness of immune decreased effectiveness of immune function due to swelling and destructive function due to swelling and destructive properties of immune cells (periodontal properties of immune cells (periodontal bone loss)bone loss)

InflammationInflammation Dietary influences can greatly impact pathways of Dietary influences can greatly impact pathways of

inflammationinflammation

Diets high in sugar, hydrogenated fats, refined Diets high in sugar, hydrogenated fats, refined carbohydrates, animal proteins and dairy products all carbohydrates, animal proteins and dairy products all promote the production of inflammatory molecules promote the production of inflammatory molecules and prostaglandinsand prostaglandins

These pro-inflammatory foods contribute to the feed These pro-inflammatory foods contribute to the feed forward loop of inflammation in periodontal diseaseforward loop of inflammation in periodontal disease

By modifying this aspect of inflammation the likely By modifying this aspect of inflammation the likely hood of someone having a recurrence after surgical hood of someone having a recurrence after surgical correction is greatly reduced correction is greatly reduced

The Big PictureThe Big Picture It is well known that periodontal disease can be It is well known that periodontal disease can be

correlated to heart diseasecorrelated to heart disease

Recent research now shows the significant role of Recent research now shows the significant role of inflammation in heart disease and heart attacks inflammation in heart disease and heart attacks

Reducing inflammation in the body can have Reducing inflammation in the body can have beneficial effects beyond periodontal healthbeneficial effects beyond periodontal health

Reduce arthritis pain and other chronic pain Reduce arthritis pain and other chronic pain syndromes, enhance immune function, reduce heart syndromes, enhance immune function, reduce heart disease and some forms of cancer, help allergy disease and some forms of cancer, help allergy symptomssymptoms

The Big PictureThe Big Picture

Some people are genetically predisposed Some people are genetically predisposed to developing certain types of diseases to developing certain types of diseases like periodontal diseaselike periodontal disease

For these people, Naturopathic therapies For these people, Naturopathic therapies can only address the portion of can only address the portion of predisposition that is variable (not predisposition that is variable (not genetic)genetic)

Closing RemarksClosing Remarks

The oral cavity is the beginning of the The oral cavity is the beginning of the gastrointestinal systemgastrointestinal system

One must think of this system as more One must think of this system as more than just a tube where things go in and than just a tube where things go in and come outcome out

What is put in that tube can have dramatic What is put in that tube can have dramatic effects on overall health and well beingeffects on overall health and well being


By nurturing our bodies from the By nurturing our bodies from the inside out we can enhance our lives in inside out we can enhance our lives in many different waysmany different ways Reduce chances of developing the most Reduce chances of developing the most

common life threatening diseases like common life threatening diseases like heart disease and cancerheart disease and cancer

Improve outward appearanceImprove outward appearance Weight lossWeight loss Improved skin tone and textureImproved skin tone and texture Stronger and healthier hair and nailsStronger and healthier hair and nails Nicer smilesNicer smiles


Improve quality of life Improve quality of life Greater energyGreater energy Better memoryBetter memory Enhanced concentration and mental Enhanced concentration and mental

performanceperformance Greater physical staminaGreater physical stamina Feeling younger, stronger and healthier Feeling younger, stronger and healthier

later into lifelater into life

Thank You for Your Thank You for Your Time!Time!

Download It

Documents

Transcript of Download It