Dentistry and Yoga: Tools for Health

Living in a toxic world does not mean that we have to be toxic.  We are the pilots of our existence.  We are also the co-pilots of other’s existence and can help guide make choices toward health.  As a student of dentistry and yoga it has become a passion to help others realize their optimal health.  Dis-ease of the body is the tipping point of toxicity that presents in both the physical and mental.  So where does yoga fit in with dentistry?  As dentists how would yoga benefit us personally and how would it assist those we influence?

Yoga will show you your limitations, and simultaneously provide you with the tool to move beyond them.

Yoga brings physical space, flexibility and mental breath to a world of form.  If inflammation and a toxic world of free radicals are unavoidable why not explore options to minimize contact with them and their effect on us.  People want options when they present for our examinations.  I wonder how many patients have been presented (by dentists) with options for total body health?  Could we be the one to offer health and prevent, or slow the process to the tipping point of dis-ease?  Could yoga be a tool to help unravel the instability that presents to you on a daily basis?

Tools to manage Inflammation

The biological mechanism of linking periodontitis (gum disease) to systemic inflammation is not to be debated.  We recommend to our patients to floss daily.  Yes, our healthiest patients brush at least twice a day, and floss and use a water pik prior to going to bed.  It’s a choice we make daily for more or less inflammation.   Are we giving our patients the choice to upgrade overall physical and mental performance by offering solutions within dentistry and for physical integrity?  Are we looking at constitutional core strength when our patients present, not only initially but also at recurring intervals?  Are we offering choices like yoga and NM dentistry? Stress, forward head posture, scoliosis, , tinnitus (ringing in ears), back pain, TMD (mouth joint pain), rheumatoid arthritis, eczema, sleep apnea and cancer are all responses to a system in toxic overload. Inflammation presents itself with many different labels.  As a dentist, is it my responsibility to look at the entire body as it presents?  I say yes.

Yoga as a tool to establish muscular harmony

Muscular disharmony as it relates to the head and neck is the dentist’s region.  However, the imbalance travels deep into the body, sometimes all the way down to the feet.  Imagine offering yoga as a way to enhance muscle integrity, harmony, flexibility and balance.  As a dentist it is our responsibility to screen for sleep apnea.  We do this with every new patient.  Offering a home sleep study screening to the person who presents with an Epworth of 7 and oxygen saturation of 94% is common practice for most of us who are informed through additional training.  There are simple tools we can reach for when signs of sleep apnea present in our new patients.  Imagine reaching for the tool of yoga for quieting the mind prior to sleep or as a tool to establish muscular harmony or to meditate.  The physical forms presenting to us every day are toxic.  Are we helping to uncover toxic load (inflammation) or asleep in our profession of responsibility? Are we discussing NM dentistry and options like yoga for re-establishing muscular balance?

Yoga for the body and mind

• Can you stand upright and remove your shoe while standing on the other foot?
• Can you remain standing and put it back on?
• Can you sit comfortable on the floor without wall support?
• Can you do 1 push up?

Yoga will show you your limitations and simultaneously provide you with the tool to move beyond them.  Most body types do not remain supple throughout a lifetime.  As a person who practices yoga I have seen a transformation in my own physical and mental form and in those around me.  Yoga brings foundation, balance, muscle integrity and joint health and calm.  Add in the mental benefits of quieting the mind during the practice, and we realize that yoga is not just for the body, it is for the mind as well.

Tools for Integration

The body is our laboratory that we carry with us until the last breath. Why not choose to be mentally and physically flexible? You only get one life.  Consider living a lifestyle that encourages ease in the body, not dis-ease.  We have all exposed ourselves to toxicity knowingly and unknowingly.  The inflammatory process can be minimized by making compassionate choices for ourselves, each other and the planet.  Dentistry and Yoga are my tools.  Lifestyle choices are often discussed as I see or sense the need during patient visits.

 

Boulder Dentist & Yoga Teacher

As a dentist I have the luxury to encourage my patients toward yoga.  Avita Yoga is my preferred style of yoga.  This style of yoga is the yoga you can do for a lifetime.  This is why we love it, anyone at any age can attend an Avita Yoga class.  You can find an Avita Yoga class in Boulder at one of two studios.

Dr. Lori Kemmet is a dentist in Boulder, CO.  She received her LVI Mastership Award in 2004 and her ICCMO fellowship award in 2012.  Together with her husband Jeff they own Yoga Loft where they inspire others to enjoy the benefits of yoga.  Lori instructed dentists from different parts of the world for seventeen years at LVI.  While she loves providing dentistry to her patients, she also has a newfound passion for teaching Avita Yoga.  Making a difference in the lives of others through dentistry and yoga, and presenting healthy choices for every day lifestyle is her passion.

Take one step closer to total body health, and contact Dr. Lori Kemmet at Incredible Smiles to set up a free introductory consultation.