Another Reason: If You Have Health Issues, Why the Dentist Should Be Your First Stop
By Angela Goldthwaite, RDAEF2
Have you ever had an adult tooth removed?
If so, you may want to consider having those areas evaluated, especially if you’re experiencing ongoing or unexplained health issues. At Sacramento Natural Dentistry, Dr. Azouz and our team take a biological, whole-body approach to dental care that looks beyond teeth and gums to how oral health may influence overall wellness.
Why Check Areas Where Teeth Were Removed?
Thanks to advancements in 3D dental imaging, particularly Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT), biological dentists can now evaluate the density and health of jawbone tissue with remarkable precision.
Interestingly, certain jawbone conditions have been researched and treated since the 1860s, but they often go undetected in conventional dental exams today. In some cases, areas where teeth were previously extracted may harbor hidden infections that can persist silently for years and even decades!
Although you might feel healthy enough, evaluating these sites may support your body’s healing and long-term wellness.
What Are Jawbone Cavitations?
You may have heard the term jawbone cavitation.
After a tooth is extracted, a thin membrane lines the socket. If this membrane is not thoroughly cleaned out, it may prevent the body from fully healing the area. This can leave behind a void (or hole) in the jawbone known as a cavitation.
Clinically, this condition is often referred to as:
- Osteomyelitis (inflammation of bone due to infection)
- Osteonecrosis (bone tissue death due to lack of blood supply)
When blood flow to an area is compromised, bone tissue can deteriorate or inhibit healthy, solid bone regeneration. The resulting space may become an incubator for bacteria, viruses, fungi, parasites or other pathogens. Over time, this can contribute to a chronic, low-grade infection.
Risk Factors May Include:
- Smoking after oral surgery
- Vitamin D3 or calcium deficiencies
- Reduced immune function
- Anemia
- Cancer
- Clotting disorders
- Certain SSRI medications that may reduce bone density1
- Other systemic health challenges
Why Many People Don’t Know They Have Cavitations
One reason cavitations can go unnoticed for decades is that traditional 2D dental X-rays often cannot detect them. Research suggests that more than 50% of bone density may be lost before changes appear on standard imaging2.
Symptoms may include:
- Pain
- Swelling
- Redness
However, many people experience no obvious symptoms at all.
Meanwhile, toxins and inflammatory byproducts from hidden pathogens may place a subtle but ongoing burden on the immune system. In some cases, patients show elevated inflammatory markers in bloodwork without a clear medical explanation.
How much impact a cavitation has on someone’s health likely depends on:
- Immune system strength
- Overall toxic burden
- Nutritional status
- General health resilience
In today’s world, where environmental toxins are common, an unresolved infection in the jaw may contribute to the body being pushed from optimal health toward imbalance.
Why Medications Alone May Not Solve the Problem
Cavitations lack normal blood and lymphatic circulation. Without adequate circulation, antimicrobial medications often cannot effectively reach the affected area. This makes the site a protected environment for pathogens to persist.
How Cavitations Are Detected
Since the late 1990s, CBCT (Cone Beam Computed Tomography) has revolutionized dental diagnostics. This 3D imaging technology allows dentists to measure bone density and evaluate areas of concern in ways traditional X-rays cannot.
At Sacramento Natural Dentistry, we use CBCT imaging3 to:
- Evaluate bone density where teeth have been removed
- Assess bone health around teeth and implants
- Determine whether a dental implant is appropriate for a missing tooth area
If Dr. Azouz identifies an area of low bone density, he carefully reviews the size, location, and extent of the lesion and discusses all available treatment options with you at our Sacramento, CA office.
Dr. Azouz has years of experience remediating jawbone cavitations using a biological approach focused on supporting the body’s natural healing process.
What Is the Cavitation Removal Procedure Like?
If treatment is recommended:
- The area is gently numbed with a local anesthetic.
- A certified phlebotomist draws a small amount of blood from your arm to prepare a Platelet-Rich Fibrin (PRF) concentrate.
- The cavitation site is thoroughly cleaned and disinfected.
- PRF is placed into the area to support healing.
PRF contains natural growth factors that are gradually released over approximately 14 days4. This may enhance tissue regeneration and reduce the likelihood of recurrence.
The site is then sutured closed, and patients are typically sent home with natural antimicrobial and supportive remedies to help maintain a healthy healing environment.
What Is Recovery Like?
Most patients tolerate the procedure very well.
Discomfort is typically manageable and often alleviated with pharmaceutical-strength homeopathic Arnica offered at our office. Healing progresses steadily, with many patients returning quickly to normal daily activities.
Could This Be the Missing Piece?
If you’ve had teeth extracted in the past and are experiencing unexplained inflammation, chronic symptoms, or health challenges without clear answers, evaluating your jawbone health may be a worthwhile step.
At Sacramento Natural Dentistry, we believe your mouth is not separate from the rest of your body…it’s connected to your overall wellness.
- https://iaomt.org/resources/position-papers/iaomt-jawbone-cavitations-position-paper/
- https://iaomt.org/resources/position-papers/iaomt-jawbone-cavitations-position-paper/
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Dental CBCT scans that we use at Sacramento Natural Dentistry range from 80-150 microsieverts per scan compared to the Medical CT scans that can go over 500 microsieverts per scan. –
https://int.livhospital.com/cbct-radiation-dose-comparison-guide/ - https://iaomt.org/resources/position-papers/iaomt-jawbone-cavitations-position-paper/