For ages, most dentists acted as if the mouth were completely separate from the rest of the body. Little consideration was given as to the impact of dental materials and procedures on whole body health.
So we got things like amalgam fillings that constantly release neurotoxic mercury; dentists “saving” teeth by killing them, removing all their living tissue in root canal treatment; and a country drowning in fluoride instead of pursuing prevention through proper nutrition and other healthy habits.
In recent years, though, conventional dentists have finally come to recognize at least some of the physical connections between mouth and body. It’s now widely known, for instance, that gum disease is linked with an array of other inflammatory conditions, from diabetes to heart disease, Alzheimer’s to cancer.
But what they still fail to grasp is that there’s an energetic connection, as well.
How the Meridian System Links Each Tooth to the Rest of Your Body
According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, just as the circulatory system carries blood, the meridian system carries the subtle energy known as qi (chi). The meridians are the energetic pathways along which all the acupuncture points are found. There are 12 total, and they run the full length of your body, each running through many different organs and tissues.
That includes each and every one of your teeth.
Like the signaling that happens through the nervous system, qi conveys information, only vibrationally rather than electrically. If that energy gets blocked or disturbed, it can have consequences for every organ and tissue along the affected meridian. Common dental sources of meridian disturbances – sometimes called foci – include oral infections, mercury fillings, dead root canal teeth, and osteonecrotic lesions in the jaw.
Such oral problems can generate systemic effects, even as systemic health issues can affect the health of the teeth, gums, and jaws.
The Tooth/Body Dynamic
To see how this works, let’s consider just a single tooth – say, your upper left second molar, tooth #15. Other organs on its meridian include the tongue, larynx, left hip and knee, stomach, and spleen, among others. It’s also associated with the abdominal muscles and parathyroid gland.
Stomach problems could point to trouble in the tooth, for instance, while infection in the tooth could relate to digestive issues. If the tooth were actually a titanium implant, it could mean a future of hip and knee issues.
And these are just a couple possibilities – for many variables come into play in determining whether and how illness develops. A concern in one area doesn’t sound an alarm over every structure on that tooth’s meridian. It does suggest that it could be worthwhile to investigate further.
After all, modern chronic illness is complex, fueled by any number of variables, such as immune health, existing toxic burdens, ongoing toxic exposures, genetics, diet, lifestyle, and much more. For all our similarities, each of us is unique, with our own unique biochemistry and health history. It’s one reason why not all people are sickened by their mercury fillings or get sick in the same way.
Understanding the energetic relationships between the teeth and other parts of the body can help you get a clearer sense of your total health situation so you can take steps to improve it and have a future of better health.
Use our interactive tooth chart to learn more about the energetic connections between your teeth and the rest of your body
