It’s a weekday afternoon. You take off work, head downtown to your destination. You’re greeted with smiles, settled into a chair with a view of the city skyline, given a warm neck wrap and choose a movie. How are you going to get away with that? Well, you’re actually at the dentist.
You’re not just getting a filling removed- you’re getting that old mercury amalgam out of your system and having it disposed of without contaminating the waterways. There won’t be any toxic products used in your mouth, in fact, there won’t be any in the office at all.
A new breed of dentists is revolutionizing patient care, while going easy on the environment and making their business practices sustainable, too.
Sounds too good to be true? You might be hesitating to read on, having flashbacks to dingy pastel painted walls and corporate art you’ve stared at, sounds of the drill ringing in your head. Some San Francisco Bay Area dentists are already making that pain a thing of the past.
Take Green Dentistry – Namrata Patel’s practice, for example. Her office has architectural panels made from reclaimed products, organic acoustic insulation made from recycled denim jeans. The reception desk was once a door, and other items around the office have been reclaimed and repurposed.
Digital x-rays and steam-sterilization of tools reduce waste. There are also special water filtration systems available to dispose old mercury fillings without contaminating the waterways.
For Dr. Patel’s office, sustainability is built into the business model too. Her practice is a non-profit. This year’s proceeds, for example, are being donated to Alliance for World Peace.
That’s not too painful, but you’ve still got to get in the chair, right? It might be more comfortable than usual- with a tempurpedic seat. You can choose some movie or tv show to watch while the dentist is working. That nasty plastic bib won’t be needed- (that’s right, the hygienist won’t be wiping your own plaque back on your chest), and when it’s all over you’ll get a shot of mouthwash. In a shot glass.
If going to the dentist can be an enjoyable experience, what isn’t possible?
Elli A. says:
There are reviews of Dr. Patel's dentistry on the reviews section:
http://www.sustainlane.com/reviews/dr-namrata-patel-green-dentistry/FBUSBC8QFR3VUA9AYNDCBNLJO3QB
As green as a dentist is, this is one of my least favorite activities :)
Becca S. says:
Whenever I need a filling, my dentist says name your poison. That's because there is no such animal as a non-toxic filling due to the constituents which make up the filling or the dental sealants.
And, what is put into the cavity when the filling is removed? If it is a porcelain filling, which is generally put in front, the dental sealant includes epoxy of bisphenol A, a gender bending chemical declared safe by the US Food and Drug Allies of the Obama Administration, which used studies by the industry that manufactured the chemical. Independent scientists have uncovered that BPA has also been linked to breast and prostate cancer in humans. For more scientific studies on BPA, go to http://www.ourstolenfuture.org/
Going to the dentist is my least favorite activity unless I have a tooth ache or miss an appointment. You see, I've had a total knee and total hip replacement due to injury. Now, with two prostheses, I am prone to bacterial infection. I suspect that the prosthesis has damaged my immune system, because after I was released from therapy and the surgeon's office, I was told NOT to get an infection. A major way of getting an infection is through dental caries, decay and an abcess.
The best solution says my dentist, is don't get cavities. When