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Dr. Michael Willock, a holistic dentist in Chapel Hill, is relentless in his pursuit of knowledge to protect and preserve the

health of his patients.Not just their oral health, but their overall

health, as well.With considerable interest and a good deal

of passion, he produces a multi-page report on a single patient who has come to him because, of all things, he has been diagnosed with pros-tate cancer.

“Is there any possible relationship between oral health and prostate cancer?” Dr. Willock asks, somewhat rhetorically. He holds the answer to that query in his hands, a report on the billions of bugs that are in this client’s mouth, potentially sources of serious health problems.

“This recently diagnosed patient had a simple goal: he wanted to identify any infec-tions or potential infections in his body that might impede his treatment for prostate cancer.

“The unique lab we are working with in Colorado Springs in this instance provided detailed analysis of 19 different types of bac-teria resident in this patient’s mouth, existing on root canal substances we sent to them. Of these 19 types of bacteria, five were identified as representing ‘serious risk.’”

Most serious of all was the bacteria Salmo-nella typhi which, the lab notes, “causes systemic infections and typhoid fever in humans . . . it is spread through contamination of water and un-dercooked food.” Symptoms that the bacteria are at work include “a sudden onset of a high fever, headache, and nausea.” This particular species of Salmonella is susceptible to treat-ment with azithromycin, ampicillin, amoxicillin, and ciprofloxacin, according to the lab’s report. For a patient who is invested in cleaning up his bodily systems, to support treatment of pros-tate cancer, says Dr. Willock, “this is invaluable information.

“There have also been reports about the presence of the bacterium Trichomonas vaginalis indicative of a slightly increased risk of developing prostate cancer—and double the normal risk of developing the aggressive form of the disease that spreads throughout the body,” he notes. “Fortunately, there was no indication of the presence of these bugs in this patient. But it is these kinds of concerns that underscore the importance we attach to identifying bacteria that may result from the presence or removal of dead teeth—commonly called root canals.

“Dental DNA may be the only lab of its kind,” he says. “At the request of patients, we use the lab to provide dental DNA informa-tion based on the toxicology of root canals. Typically, we may extract a tooth, or provide a swab, and put it in a special container and send it off for DNA analysis.

“The patient with prostate cancer had two lower central infected teeth, carriers of root ca-nals placed years ago, and there was a growing abscess and a growing defect in the bone. The teeth needed to be removed.”

PASSIonAtE StuDEntAn accredited member of the Inter-

national Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology (www.IAOMT.org), Dr. Willock is one of the few dentists in the area who has had extensive training in the safe removal of amalgam fillings.

He continues to learn about, and be amazed by, connections between oral health and organ systems throughout the body. He continues extensive travels and studies as he broadens his general practice to include many aspects of holistic dentistry, simply, he says, “to better understand and address the overall health concerns of all of my patients. Dental health and physical and emotional health are inextricably linked. My goal is sim-ply to better understand those connections when it is helpful to my patients to do so.”

His studies in the last several years, in locations throughout the country, have included gaining expertise in biological dentistry, links between acupuncture merid-ians and oral health, homeopathic remedies with dental applications, blood chemistry,

nutrition and supplementation, environ-mental and detoxification issues, and critical relationships between oral health and general physical health.

As he pursues his on-going studies, Dr. Willock says, “I become more deeply aware of the connections that exist in all parts of the human body. In dental school, we’re taught how to expertly address issues that clearly affect the health of the teeth, which is certainly important and appropriate. And there is the growing field of holistic dentistry that seeks to expand this understanding of health issues.

“Two recent cases—one involving my own dental health—help explain this point of interconnectedness of all of our parts. Recently a woman came to me (another challenging patient) who had two crowns, upper left, which needed replacing. I looked under one of the crowns and found very old amalgam, perhaps residing there for 30 years or more. She asked that it be removed. In simple terms, amalgam with a metal crown covering it produces a galvanic reaction.

“This woman has suffered with moder-ate tinnitus—ringing in her ears—for many years. When I removed the old amalgam fill-ing and replaced it with a temporary filling, her tinnitus dropped in half instantly—like turning off a light switch. Two weeks later, when we placed the permanent crowns, her hearing improved even more. Her signs of tinnitus are barely discernible. I expect them to clear up completely, when other old metal crowns are replaced.

“In my own case, I had a root canal that failed. It turns out there was a micro abscess at the very tip of the root. Interest-ingly enough, I had been having problems with my left arm for about six months, with discomfort and some loss in range of mo-tion—which of course is a real problem for a dentist. I had one of my oral surgeon friends remove the tooth, and within 10 minutes—while I was still sitting in his dental chair—I felt a flush of well-being move through my entire body. Since then, the range of motion in my arm is improving. It’s virtually com-pletely healed at this point.” h&h

for more information about Dr. willock’s work, contact:

C. MICHAEL WILLOCK, DDS 86� willow Drive

Chapel Hill, nC �7���telephone: (9�9) 9��-����

www.willockdds.com A holistic approach to oral health

and wellness

C . M I C H A E L w I L L o C K , D D S

Connecting Oral health and Prostate Cancer

“Is there any possible relationship

between oral health and

prostate cancer?”

Dr. willock

Originally published in Health & Healing in the Triangle, Vol. 16, no. 2, health & healing, inc., Chapel hill, nC, publishers. Reprinted with permission.