Brushing and flossing are essential components of dental health, but that is not what this book is about! According to Dr. Garcia, a clean mouth becomes “dirty” because of the things done to it or placed in it by conventional dental practices. That’s because traditional dentistry is primarily concerned with pain and appearance. No one likes an aching tooth – it often drives us to the dentist in the first place. And we all want perfectly arranged pearly whites with no gaps. These are not wrong desires, but without proper concern for the patient’s health beyond the oral cavity, long-term damage can be done to vitality and length of life.

Teeth, gums, and jawbone are connected to the rest of the body through the circulatory system, the lymphatic system, the digestive system, the respiratory system, and the nervous system. That means that what happens in the mouth never stays there. The materials and procedures used to produce a great-looking smile often dump toxins, pathogens, and other stresses on the oral tissues and the rest of the body that wreak havoc in many places. As a holistic dentist, Dr. Garcia can guide you into good choices about your dental care that will not sacrifice either a good-looking smile or your overall health and longevity. As you’ll soon see, a cleaner mouth does promote a longer life!