Let's face it, there is a small percentage of people that really enjoy getting their teeth professional cleaned.  What a brilliant concept.  Have a guided meditation before and during your holistic dental cleaning.  Sign me up! 

The practice of mindfulness involves being aware moment-to-moment.   When practicing mindfulness, one becomes aware of one’s “stream of consciousness”.   Experiencing a relaxed state.

“The act of mindfulness meditation brings our patients to a present moment awareness in the dental chair.    Mindfulness helps alleviate dental phobias, anxiety and worry. ”

"Mindfulness meditation helps promote healing."  When our physical body, including our mouth, gums, teeth, nerves in our teeth, and brain begin to relax, the body is able to heal itself, and restore to balance. 

Mindfulness meditation is practiced sitting or lying down in the dental chair with eyes closed or open.  Attention is put on the movement of the belly when breathing in and out, or on the awareness of the breath as it goes in and out the nostrils.   If one becomes distracted from the breath, one passively notices one’s mind has wandered, but in an accepting, non-judgmental way and one returns to focusing on breathing.

Your Dental Hygienist will be guiding you gently to come back to awareness of the breath.   We start our holistic dental treatment with a 3-minute guided meditation.  Awareness and focus of breathing into the head, neck and oral cavity aids in letting go of anxiety, stress and fatigue.  

We encourage the clients to make a positive intention of healing the mind, body and smile.

Clinical studies have documented the physical and mental health benefits of mindfulness in general, and have been widely adapted in schools, prisons, hospitals, veteran’s centers, and other environments.

Research on the neural perspective of how mindfulness meditation works suggests that it exerts its effects in components of attention regulation, body awareness and emotional regulation.  When considering aspects such as sense of responsibility, authenticity, compassion, self-acceptance and character, studies have shown that mindfulness meditation contributes to a more coherent and healthy sense of self and identity.   Neuroimaging techniques suggest that mindfulness practices such as mindfulness meditation are associated with “changes in the anterior cingulate cortex, insula, temporo-parietal junction, fronto-limbic network and default mode network structures.  It has been suggested that the default mode network of the brain can be used as a potential biomarker for monitoring the therapeutic benefits of meditation.

The act of mindfulness meditation brings our patients to a present moment awareness in the dental chair.    Mindfulness helps alleviate dental phobias, anxiety and worry.

We have observed our patients’ overtime developed a discipline of daily oral hygiene regimen, keeping regular dental hygiene appointments, and cultivate an awareness to live a healthy empowered lifestyle.