Download Dr. Kevin Passero, N.D - Green Healing Wellness

Periodontal Disease and Naturopathic
Medicine
©Dr. Kevin Passero 2005
Naturopathic Medicine
What is it?
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Naturopathic Medicine blends centuries-old
natural, non-toxic therapies with current
advances in the study of health and human
systems.
The Six Principles
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1) The Healing Power of Nature.
Naturopathic Doctors believe that the natural
state of the body is to be healthy. Our jobs are
to help the patient identify and remove obstacles
to healing and allow the body to heal itself.
The Six Principles
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2) Identify and Treat the Causes. The
Naturopath seeks to identify and remove
underlying causes of illness, rather than to
merely eliminate or suppress symptoms.
Symptoms as messengers
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Naturopathic Medicine attempts to find the
underlying cause of the patient’s condition.
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Much of modern medicine, conventional and
alternative is focused on symptom management.
Often this means neglecting the possibility of an
underlying cause.
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Symptoms are messengers, and what happens
when we shoot the messenger? We don’t know
from where the message came.
The Six Principles
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3) First Do No Harm.
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The Naturopathic Doctor implements this third
rule with the following precepts
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Utilize methods and medical substances which minimize the risk
of harmful side effects.
Avoid when possible the harmful suppression of symptoms.
Acknowledge, respect and work with the individual’s self-healing
process.
The Six Principles
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4) Doctor As Teacher.
As Doctor’s we not only believe it is our job to help
people improve their health, it is also our job to
educate them so they can be responsible for their
own health as well.
 Encouraging self-responsibility for one’s health is a
major goal for the Naturopathic Doctor.
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The Six Principles
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5) Treat the Whole Person
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This is achieved by taking into account individual physical,
mental, emotional, genetic, environmental, social and
spiritual factors.
The Six Principles
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6) Prevention
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Prevention involves assessing individual risk factors,
heredity and susceptibility to disease and making
appropriate interventions in partnership with the patients
to prevent illness.
How are ND’s trained?

Naturopathic Medical colleges are four-year,
graduate level medical schools with admission
requirements comparable to those of other
medical schools. The Doctor of Naturopathic
Medicine degree (ND) is awarded after
classroom, clinic and practical study.
ND’s are trained in medical sciences
including
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Anatomy
Neurology
Pathology
Obstetrics
Pharmacology
Lab diagnosis
Cardiology
Biochemistry
Minor surgery
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Immunology
Pediatrics
Clinical and physical
diagnosis
Physiology
Radiology
Microbiology
Gynecology
Dermatology
What NDs do

Clinical Nutrition

This refers to both the practice of using food to heal
people and using food to maintain optimal health.

Nutritional supplements are often employed to further
help people optimize nutritional intake for their particular
needs.
What NDs Do

Homeopathy

Homeopathy is a form of medicine that uses
extremely diluted preparations of substances to cure
illness.
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As a medicine, it is unparalleled in its ability to effect
people on a physical, mental and emotional level
while at the same time having virtually no side
effects or drug interactions.
What NDs Do

Botanical Medicine
 Plant
substances are safe and powerful tools
in the treatment of many illnesses.
 Many
modern pharmaceuticals are originally
derived from plant compounds.
The Egg of Health
Naturopathic Medicine and
Periodontal Disease
Aspects of Periodontal Disease
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Infection
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Immune Response
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Inflammation
Infection
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Promoted by poor diet
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High sugar levels promote bacterial growth
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High inflammatory foods promote infectious
process
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Poor nutrition and foods low in nutrition can
suppress immune function allowing sustainability of
infection
Infection
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Poor personal hygiene
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Infrequent brushing and flossing
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Improper brushing and flossing technique
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Not on a regular hygiene cleaning schedule
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Physical barriers that impede cleaning efforts
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Large gaps in teeth
Overlapping teeth that are hard to clean between
Braces
Immune Response
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The immune system responds to infection in
several ways
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Primary inflammation
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Influx of 1st stage immune cells like macrophages
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Activation of immune specific cells like antibodies
Immune Response
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This response can be altered by many different
things
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Low immune function can result from
nutritional deficiencies and consumption of
certain foods
Sugar
 Alcohol
 Hydrogenated fat
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Immune Response
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Immune response to antigens, bacteria or infection can differ in
many ways
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Although all people have oral bacteria, not all develop
periodontal disease
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Some of this predisposition can be attributed to different ways
the immune system responds in different people
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This can be likened to why some people have allergy to certain
pollens that manifest in different ways such as asthma, sinus
congestion or watery eyes
Immune Response
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Naturopathic theory speculates that improper
immune responses like the ones seen in allergy
and periodontal disease is often due to an
overload on the body systems, particularly
related to its ability to deal with toxins.
The Story of the Overflowing
Cup
Toxins
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Toxins come from many places and should be
considered as anything that impedes ideal physiologic
functioning of the body
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Examples include toxins created as byproducts of fossil
fuel and the production of other industrial products
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Some toxins are also produced by the body during
normal physiologic functions
Toxins
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Of more clinical value is the toxic load generated from
consuming dietary products that impede optimal immune and
physiologic function
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Diets high in refined carbohydrates and sugar, alcohol, red meat,
hydrogenated fat and coffee and low in fresh fruits and
vegetables and healthy fats will not promote the proper
metabolism of toxins encountered in everyday life
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Its provides added stress to the system and does not foster
optimal physiology
Eliminating Toxins
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Naturopathic therapies help to promote dietary
patterns that minimize toxic exposure and
support the body in its process of eliminating
toxins
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Dietary supplements like vitamins, minerals and
other nutrients can greatly help support
physiological pathways that promote the proper
metabolism and excretion of toxins
The End Result
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Clinical evidence commonly shows the
improvement of many immune related disorders
like allergy and asthma when proper
modifications are made in relation to reducing
toxin exposure and enhancing proper toxin
elimination through diet and nutrient therapies.
Inflammation
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The body’s natural reaction to infection
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Attempt to stimulate healing
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Delivers new blood and immune products to a site of
injury or infection
Inflammation Gone Bad
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Chronic inflammation happens when the
immune system can not take care of the injury
or infection by itself and ends up in a
counterproductive cycle of inflammation
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Chronic inflammation can lead to decreased
effectiveness of immune function due to
swelling and destructive properties of immune
cells (periodontal bone loss)
Inflammation
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Dietary influences can greatly impact pathways of inflammation
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Diets high in sugar, hydrogenated fats, refined carbohydrates,
animal proteins and dairy products all promote the production
of inflammatory molecules and prostaglandins
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These pro-inflammatory foods contribute to the feed forward
loop of inflammation in periodontal disease
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By modifying this aspect of inflammation the likely hood of
someone having a recurrence after surgical correction is greatly
reduced
The Big Picture
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It is well known that periodontal disease can be correlated to
heart disease
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Recent research now shows the significant role of inflammation
in heart disease and heart attacks
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Reducing inflammation in the body can have beneficial effects
beyond periodontal health
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Reduce arthritis pain and other chronic pain syndromes, enhance
immune function, reduce heart disease and some forms of
cancer, help allergy symptoms
The Big Picture
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Some people are genetically predisposed to
developing certain types of diseases like
periodontal disease
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For these people, Naturopathic therapies can
only address the portion of predisposition that
is variable (not genetic)
Closing Remarks
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The oral cavity is the beginning of the
gastrointestinal system
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One must think of this system as more than just
a tube where things go in and come out
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What is put in that tube can have dramatic
effects on overall health and well being
Closing Remarks
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By nurturing our bodies from the inside out we
can enhance our lives in many different ways
Reduce chances of developing the most common
life threatening diseases like heart disease and cancer
 Improve outward appearance
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Weight loss
Improved skin tone and texture
Stronger and healthier hair and nails
Nicer smiles
Closing Remarks
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Improve quality of life
Greater energy
 Better memory
 Enhanced concentration and mental performance
 Greater physical stamina
 Feeling younger, stronger and healthier later into life
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Thank You for Your Time!