Governor McAuliffe Announces New Tourism Development Financing Project in Newport News

Oyster Point section of Newport News, VA (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

~Proposed City Center at Oyster Point Entertainment District to create 525 new jobs, projected tax benefit of more than $2 million~

NEWPORT NEWS -- Governor Terry McAuliffe today announced the certification of City Center at Oyster Point Entertainment District Tourism Project, a project funded by the Commonwealth’s Tourism Development Financing Program (TDFP). The program provides gap financing for larger-scale tourism development projects and is done in partnership with developers, localities, financial institutions, the Virginia Tourism Corporation, and the Virginia Resources Authority. This is the second project approved under the Commonwealth’s TDFP.

The four-component project reflects a total capital investment of more than $26 million dollars and a projected tax benefit of more than $2 million in its first full year of operation. Two of the components are already open for business. Once all four components are open, the project is estimated to create 525 new jobs.

The new businesses developed include:

▪   Toby Keith’s I Love this Bar & Grill: 17,000 square foot live-entertainment venue and restaurant (open now);

▪   Tucanos Brazilian Grill: 8,000 square foot Brazilian churrasco restaurant (open now);

▪   Paragon Theater: 12-screen, all-digital, “affordable luxury” movie theater, which will also include two restaurants -Neo Kitchen & Bar, and My Pi Custom Pizza & Tap House (open May 2014);

▪   Travinia Italian Kitchen and Wine Bar: 7,000 square foot contemporary American-Italian restaurant (open July 2014).

The Virginia Tourism Development Financing Program works by allowing approved tourism projects to temporarily retain a portion of state and local tax revenue generated from the project, combined with a matching contribution from the developer to provide gap financing for up to 20% of the project's total cost.

“The multi-billion dollar tourism industry in Virginia is an imperative component of a robust and diversified economy, and provides thousands of valuable, important jobs across the state,” said Governor McAuliffe. “The Tourism Development Financing Program helps increase tourism and new business in Virginia. The project announced today in Newport News will allow for more visitation in the city, and will bring greater economic growth and opportunity to the region.”

“Virginia’s travel and tourism industry is an instant revenue generator,” said Maurice Jones, Virginia Secretary of Commerce and Trade. “In 2012, visitors in Virginia spent $21.2 billion, supporting 210,000 jobs and contributing nearly $1.4 billion in state and local taxes. Governor McAuliffe and I will work hard to  maximize the impact of tourism in Virginia and support the development of new tourism product, which is so critical to our economy.

“The City Center at Oyster Point Entertainment District will not only provide important economic development in the city of Newport News, it will also contribute to enhancing the quality of life for residents and visitors alike. Today, Governor McAuliffe and I congratulate the city of Newport News on such an exciting new project that will bring good, quality jobs to the region.”

“We are delighted that the City Center at Oyster Point Entertainment District project has been certified under the Commonwealth Tourism Development Financing Program,” said Newport News Mayor McKinley L. Price, DDS. “This vibrant location, a proven success story with its office, residential and hospitality aspects, will be enhanced by the new restaurant and entertainment options.  Tourism is an important part of our local, regional and state economy.  The Entertainment District project will increase the number of visitors who come to our city, and will provide new and exciting options for our citizens and businesses.   Always a leader in innovation and creation, Newport News continues to be a place where great things are happening.”

For more information on the Tourism Development Financing program, please click here.

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Governor McAuliffe & Board of Education Announce 2014 Virginia Index of Performance Awards

Colorado (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Awards Recognize High-Achieving Schools & Divisions

Governor Terry McAuliffe and the Board of Education announced today that 212 schools and four school divisions earned 2014 Virginia Index of Performance (VIP) awards for advanced learning and achievement. The VIP incentive program recognizes schools and divisions that exceed minimum state and federal accountability standards and achieve excellence goals established by the governor and the board.

“I am pleased to congratulate Virginia’s teachers, principals, superintendents and other educators whose commitment to innovation and excellence have made the Commonwealth’s schools leaders among our economic competitors,” McAuliffe said. “The educators and support staff in these award-winning schools — and in all of our public schools — have dedicated their careers to building brighter futures for our young people and providing pathways for success in a 21^st Century economy. I look forward to visiting as many of these schools as possible and celebrating their accomplishments.”   

The schools and school divisions earning 2014 VIP awards — which are based on student achievement and other performance indicators during 2012-2013 — include:

·        Five schools that earned the Governor’s Award for Educational Excellence;

·        One school division and 71 schools that earned the Board of Education Excellence Award; and

·        Three school divisions and 136 schools that earned the Board of Education Distinguished Achievement Award.

2014 Governor’s Award for Educational Excellence

Five schools — Carson Middle, Longfellow Middle and Rocky Run Middle in Fairfax County; Short Pump Middle in Henrico County; and Kemps Landing Magnet in Virginia Beach — earned the Governor’s Award for Educational Excellence, the highest VIP award.  Kemps Landing Magnet has won the Governor’s Award for Educational Excellence every year since the VIP program began in 2008. This year’s award was Rocky Run Middle’s fifth consecutive Governor’s Award.

“Schools and divisions that earn the Governor’s Award for Education Excellence promote the well-being — as well as the academic achievement — of every student,” Secretary of Education Anne Holton said.

To earn the Governor’s Award for Educational Excellence, schools and school divisions must meet all state and federal achievement benchmarks and achieve all applicable excellence goals for elementary reading, enrollment in Algebra I by the eighth grade, enrollment in college-level courses, high school graduation, attainment of advanced diplomas, increased attainment of career and industry certifications, and, if applicable, participation in the Virginia Preschool Initiative. Schools and school divisions earn bonus points for other performance measures, including the Governor’s Nutrition and Physical Activity Scorecard.

2014 Board of Education Excellence Awards

Falls Church Public Schools and 71 schools earned the Board of Education Excellence Award, the second-tier honor in the VIP program. These schools also met all state and federal accountability benchmarks and made significant progress toward goals for increased student achievement and expanded educational opportunities set by the board.

“Virginia’s accountability system includes recognitions for academic excellence and progress,” Board of Education President Chris Braunlich said. “The achievement of the educators and students in these award-winning schools is especially noteworthy given the increased rigor of the commonwealth’s academic standards and assessments.”

The schools receiving Board of Education Excellence Awards are as follows:

·        Albemarle County — Virginia L. Murray Elementary

·        Arlington County — Arlington Science Focus School, Arlington Traditional, Ashlawn Elementary, Jamestown Elementary, McKinley Elementary, Nottingham Elementary, Taylor Elementary, Tuckahoe Elementary and Williamsburg Middle

·        Chesapeake — Grassfield High

·        Chesterfield County — Bettie Weaver Elementary, Greenfield Elementary, Midlothian Middle, Robious Elementary, W.W. Gordon Elementary and Winterpock Elementary

·        Fairfax County — Archer Elementary, Canterbury Woods Elementary, Chesterbrook Elementary, Churchill Road Elementary, Colvin Run Elementary, Cooper Middle, Floris Elementary, Frost Middle, Greenbriar West Elementary, Haycock Elementary, Hunters Woods Elementary School for the Arts and Sciences, Keene Mill Elementary, Kilmer Middle, Langley High, Madison High, Oak Hill Elementary, Oakton Elementary, Sangster Elementary, Spring Hill Elementary, Thomas Jefferson High, Thoreau Middle and Wolftrap Elementary

·        Falls Church — George Mason High, Mount Daniel School and Thomas Jefferson Elementary

·        Hampton — Armstrong Elementary

·        Henrico County — Glen Allen Elementary, Holman Middle, Mills E. Godwin High, Nuckols Farm Elementary, Pocahontas Middle, Rivers Edge Elementary, Shady Grove Elementary, Short Pump Elementary, Tuckahoe Elementary and Twin Hickory Elementary

·        Loudoun County — Emerick Elementary and Round Hill Elementary

·        Montgomery County — Gilbert Linkous Elementary, Harding Avenue Elementary and Kipps Elementary

·        Prince William County — Cedar Point Elementary, J.W. Alvey Elementary, Mary G. Porter Traditional, T. Clay Wood Elementary and Thurgood Marshall Elementary

·        Roanoke — Crystal Spring Elementary

·        Roanoke County — Cave Spring High and Hidden Valley Middle

·        Stafford County — Garrisonville Elementary

·        Virginia Beach — John B. Dey Elementary, North Landing Elementary and Old Donation Center

·        West Point — West Point High

2014 Board of Education Distinguished Achievement Awards

The Board of Education Distinguished Achievement Award was earned by three divisions — Poquoson, Lexington and West Point — and 136 schools that met all state and federal benchmarks and made progress toward the goals of the governor and the board.

The schools receiving Distinguished Achievement awards are as follows:

·        Albemarle County — Joseph T. Henley Middle, Meriwether Lewis Elementary and Mortimer Y. Sutherland Middle

·        Arlington County — Long Branch Elementary, Swanson Middle and Yorktown High

·        Augusta County — Riverheads High

·        Botetourt County — Breckinridge Elementary

·        Charlottesville — Burnley-Moran Elementary, Greenbrier Elementary and Venable Elementary

·        Chesapeake City — Butts Road Intermediate, Butts Road Primary, Great Bridge Intermediate Great Bridge Middle, Great Bridge Primary and Southeastern Elementary,

·        Chesterfield County — Cosby High, Enon Elementary, Grange Hall Elementary, Midlothian High and Woolridge Elementary

·        Danville — Galileo Magnet High

·        Fairfax County — Fairfax Villa Elementary, Flint Hill Elementary, Forestville Elementary, Franklin Middle, Great Falls Elementary, Hunt Valley Elementary, Irving Middle, Kent Gardens Elementary, Lake Braddock Secondary, Mantua Elementary, McLean High, Mosby Woods Elementary, Oakton High, Poplar Tree Elementary, Robinson Secondary, Sherman Elementary, South County High, Springfield Estates Elementary, Stratford Landing Elementary, Vienna Elementary, Wakefield Forest Elementary, West Springfield Elementary, West Springfield High, Westbriar Elementary, White Oaks Elementary, Willow Springs Elementary and Woodson High

·        Fauquier County — C. Hunter Ritchie Elementary

·        Gloucester County— Bethel Elementary

·        Goochland County — Randolph Elementary

·        Hanover County — Chickahominy Middle, Cool Spring Elementary, Kersey Creek Elementary, Pearson's Corner Elementary, Pole Green Elementary, South Anna Elementary and Washington-Henry Elementary

·        Henrico County — Colonial Trail Elementary, Echo Lake Elementary, Gayton Elementary, Glen Allen High, Pemberton Elementary, Springfield Park Elementary and Three Chopt Elementary

·        Henry County — Rich Acres Elementary

·        Lexington — Lylburn Downing Middle

·        Loudoun County — Ashburn Elementary, Belmont Ridge Middle, Belmont Station Elementary, Blue Ridge Middle, Briar Woods High, Eagle Ridge Middle, Farmwell Station Middle, J. Michael Lunsford Middle, Kenneth W.Culbert Elementary, Legacy Elementary, Liberty Elementary, Lincoln Elementary, Little River Elementary, Loudoun Valley High, Lowes Island Elementary, Lucketts Elementary, Newton-Lee Elementary, Pinebrook Elementary, Rosa Lee Carter Elementary, Sanders Corner Elementary and Stone Hill Middle

·        Newport News — Deer Park Elementary

·        Norfolk — Larchmont Elementary

·        Pittsylvania County — Tunstall High

·        Poquoson — Poquoson High

·        Prince George County — L.L. Beazley Elementary

·        Prince William County — A. Henderson Elementary, Bristow Run Elementary, Buckland Mills Elementary, Gainesville Middle, Louise A. Benton Middle, Mountain View Elementary, Old Bridge Elementary, Pennington School, Piney Branch Elementary and Victory Elementary

·        Richmond — Richmond Community High

·        Roanoke County — Cave Spring Elementary, Cave Spring Middle, Clearbrook Elementary, Fort Lewis Elementary, Glenvar Middle, Hidden Valley High, Oak Grove Elementary and Penn Forest Elementary

·        Rockingham County — East Rockingham High and Peak View Elementary

·        Salem — South Salem Elementary

·        Scott County — Yuma Elementary

·        Stafford County — Colonial Forge High and Rodney E. Thompson Middle

·        Virginia Beach — Great Neck Middle, Hermitage Elementary, Kingston Elementary, New Castle Elementary, Princess Anne Elementary, Red Mill Elementary, Thoroughgood Elementary and Trantwood Elementary

·        Washington County — High Point Elementary

·        Williamsburg-James City County — Lois Hornsby Middle, Matoaka Elementary and Matthew Whaley Elementary

·        Wise County — Eastside High 

·        York County — Coventry Elementary, Mount Vernon Elementary and Tabb Middle

“I congratulate the superintendents, principals, teachers and other educators in all of the divisions and schools that earned VIP awards this year,” said Superintendent of Public Instruction Patricia I. Wright, who proposed the awards program in 2007 as a means of rewarding high-achieving schools and divisions. “These educators — and thousands of others in schools across this commonwealth — dedicate every day to challenging students and helping them to achieve their goals.”

More information about the VIP incentive program for schools and school divisions is available on the VDOE website: http://www.doe.virginia.gov/statistics_reports/va_index_performance_awards/index.shtml

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Why and How to Say No to an Unnecessary Root Canal Procedure

English: Root canal therapy of tooth #8 (front tooth) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

 

PLEASE NOTE: This is the first of a two part series. Part two with comprehensive and specific options on what to do if you already have a root canal will be posted soon. These two articles are our effort to help save lives not teeth.

By Dr. Lina Garcia

One of the fundamental understandings that supports holistic, biological dentistry is that the dental procedures and materials used in them can affect your whole body, not just your teeth.

In the case of a root canal procedure, it can lead to a number of chronic health problems and even degenerative diseases. Unfortunately, it is very rare for someone in need of dental care to be aware of this.

Although you may be surprised to read this view of root canals, any time the procedure is done there is a real possibility it can endanger your overall health because of the infection and toxicity that can develop in your tooth after the root canal is performed.

The connection between a root canal treated tooth and disease in another area of your body is one the majority of health-care practitioners and their patients are simply unaware of.

The lack of awareness of this connection is puzzling when you consider that in conventional dentistry medicine there is an appreciation of research that has identified a connection between periodontal disease and other health problems, such as heart disease, stroke, respiratory diseases, diabetes, osteoporosis, and difficulties during pregnancy.

Periodontal disease is the general label used to describe chronic infection and/or inflammation of the gums and the supporting structures of the teeth. The American Academy of Periodontology actively seeks to educate the public about research that supports what perceptive dentists inevitably recognize: "Infections in the mouth can play havoc elsewhere in the body."

Periodontal Disease: A Risk Factor for a Root Canal

Periodontal disease has been identified as a potential risk factor for many systemic diseases. However, it is not well appreciated that microbes surrounding a periodontally involved tooth can invade it from the apex and damage or kill it.

When this happens, a conventional dentist will recommend a root canal procedure. Tragically, most conventional dental and medical establishments inexplicably disregard the connection between oral microbes associated with root canals and systemic disease.

So, every year, millions of Americans undergo at least one root canal procedure with no awareness of the risk involved to their overall health. The root canal procedure is typically done instead of extracting the diseased, dying, or sometimes already dead tooth.

Root canals have been, and continue to be, a conventional, or "standard of care," procedure done by a dentist or an endodontist. (An endodontist is a dentist who specializes in doing a root canal procedure, which is also called endodontic therapy.)

The root canal procedure is endorsed by the dental establishment as the preferred alternative to extraction. It is a big part of the business of dentistry. Give people what they want — and who wants to lose a tooth? So conventional dentistry offers a procedure that allows patients to keep a problem tooth while conveying confidence there are no risks involved.

But, unfortunately, there are risks.And what all too many dental practitioners don't realize is that a root canal treated tooth can be a direct cause of numerous degenerative diseases.

Many Diseases Can Be Related to Root-Canal-Treated Teeth

If you have at least one root canal treated tooth, acting upon the understanding that it can be damaging to your health may help you realize freedom from one of the diseases or ailments listed in the table below.

Arthritis	Appendicitis	Endocarditis and myocarditis (heart inflammation)	Kidney, liver, and gallbladder problems
Meningitis	Anemia	Hardening of the arteries	Nervous system breakdowns
Pneumonia	Heart lesions	Eye infections	Cancer

Many people suffer from diseases or ailments that modern medicine says are ofunknown cause. Well, the reality is that root canals are a seriously overlooked cause of many diseases.

More and more holistic-minded dentists, physicians and other practitioners are beginning to realize that many previously "incurable" diseases and ailments, which have no conventionally recognized cause, can sometimes be radically improved or completely resolved by extracting a root-canal tooth (or teeth) and properly cleaning out the tooth socket(s).

A Root Canal Will Leave Dead Tissue in Your Body

On the surface, having a root canal procedure instead of extracting a tooth is very appealing. A tooth is obviously an important part of your body that you want to keep if at all possible. But it's more important for you to see your health in a holistic way, so you can avoid losing much more than your tooth It's silly for us to think of ourselves as a collection of body parts that function independently of each other. 

Seeing your health in a holistic way leads to understanding that each and every, part of your body can have an influence on the whole. In cases of intense pain, it may be thought of as a "mercy killing," but having a root canal can definitely be an effective way to eliminate the pain — kill the tooth and you kill the pain.

The pain is gone because the nerves are gone. However, a much more accurate, no-nonsense way of describing the end result of a root canal is this: It doesn't "save" the life of the tooth, but it does keep enough of the tooth's structure intact so that the crowned chewing surface will be functional, and you keep the aesthetic value of the tooth.

So there you are — you are now left with a functional but dead tooth in your mouth that looks good when you smile. But think about this for a moment. Doesn't it seem unhealthy, and even strange, to leave a dead tooth in your mouth? If any another organ in your body, like your appendix, were dead, it would have to be removed or else very aggressive strains of microbes that nature uses to decompose dead tissue would set in and threaten your life! And something similar happens with a dead tooth, whether it is killed from infection, trauma or the root-canal procedure.

After a root canal is done, the dead tooth, not sometimes, but always becomes an environment conducive to harboring chronic infection and toxicity. Because there is no reliable way, practically speaking, to completely sterilize a root canal treated tooth, (while it is still in a patient's mouth), it will be a source of infection for the whole body until it is extracted and the tooth socket is cleaned.

How to Avoid the Root Canal Procedure That You Might Not Even Need

One of my biggest challenges as a Biological Dentist is when a patient cries with regret for agreeing to have a root canal procedure done to a tooth or teeth – a procedure they neither needed nor understood from the perspective of whole body health. Like any part of the body, a tooth can be inflamed, painful, or simply sensitive. If you go to a dentist they will quite often advise you to have a root canal.

But not so fast! Let's learn and make a wise decision. The table below lists several reasons a tooth can be sensitive or painful but please understand that it there is not enough space in this article to more fully elaborate. The best way to evaluate your specific pain would be with a qualified dental professional.

Clenching or grinding	Stress	Poor hygiene	Referred pain from your heart
Referred muscle pain from temporalis or masseter muscles	Lack of sleep	Trigeminal neuralgia	Sinus headaches
Sugars or processed foods, even fruits	Ill-fitting restorations	Neuropathic pain	Tumors or aneurisms
Hormone changes including perimenopause, menstrual cycles, and changes in testosterone levels	Fractures	Referral headaches from migraines or cluster headaches that change the blood vessels and nerves of the head	Salivary dysfunction

Every single tooth is a little organ, and the same blood and lymphatic fluid that flows to and through your heart and all the other organs and systems in your body also flows to and through your teeth. Additionally, there is a complex system of nerves that connect your teeth to your brain, and every tooth is connected to one of the channels of life-force energy most commonly known as the acupuncture meridians. So, when you see the whole picture, you understand that your teeth are affected by what is going on throughout your body, and, of course, your entire body is affected by what is going on in your teeth.

Unfortunately, we usually do not learn about the oral/systemic health connection and the hidden risks of conventional dental practices until after we have developed at least one chronic health problem conventional practitioners do not know how to resolve. I understand it can be hard to believe that established dental practices that have been around for many decades can be obstacles to your good health because it was a challenge for me as well. All biological dental professionals were once traditionally trained. The move away from that training to encompass a wider view is never easy, but vital to our integrity.

Be Your Own Advocate and Become Educated

Changing things for the better begins with questioning the status quo. It ultimately requires that you make better-informed choices so you do not wind up supporting the dysfunctional aspects of the conventional dental and medical establishments. Every time you accept and pay for a treatment, you are in essence saying, "I support this." So please, before paying for a root canal procedure, or for that matter, any other procedure, make sure the problem is not somewhere else and that the pain in your tooth will not subside if you properly address that issue.

The surest path to good health is to become educated (at least in a general way) about the different approaches to dentistry and medicine that are available to you before you actually have to make a choice for you or your children. With this in mind, I encourage you to seek out and create your own network of practitioners — family physician, dentist, and nutritionist, for starters — who have a holistic understanding of health and appreciate the value of working together as a team to meet the health-care needs of you and your children. While finding and creating your own network of holistic practitioners will take some time, it will be time well spent.

My years of practice have taught me that the best way to prevent disease is to build your health. We all have a self-healing potential, which I refer to as "the Health." I'm devoted to helping people learn how dental practices can either improve or damagetheir health. I want to help you make well-informed choices that support your health in body, mind and spirit. You certainly do have choices to make, especially avoiding unnecessary root canal procedures.

The holistic physician Dr. Thomas Rau, in his comprehensive book, Biological Medicine, says: "The disruptive fields which occur most frequently in the body, causing remote illnesses in other organs, are the teeth. So long as these disruptive factors are not eliminated, the physician will remain unsuccessful in many cases of chronic disease." Ultimately, the tragic consequence of not acknowledging the connection between our teeth, dental treatments, and our overall health is no attention is given to the real cause of — and curative treatment for — many chronic health problems.

Powerful Strategies to Consider Before a Root Canal

When you have pain in your leg, arm, stomach, eyes, or any body part, hopefully you are not advised to kill the nerves of the area to shut off the pain. While this is obvious for these body parts, this advice is not obvious, and certainly not routine in your mouth. Most conventional practitioners have accepted the idea of killing a tooth even though it causes a poisonous environment that harbors pathologic bugs and disease. If a tooth is sensitive or hurting, the following are some of my recommendations before agreeing and paying for a root canal procedure:

Ozone therapy	Proper oral hygiene	Stress management
Nutrition	Oil pulling	Local support for the tooth such as adjusting an ill-fitting restoration, a splint or mouth guard, decay and more
Digest enzymes	Proper sleep	Traditional osteopathic treatment and support

All of the above can buy time for your immune system to recover allowing your tooth to heal. In trying to support and encourage my patients' own healing capabilities, and based on my studies, I will tell you that, without a doubt, what you are eating and drinking every day has a huge influence on the health of your teeth and gums. Even more, it is essential for us to appreciate that good nutrition contributes to the structure and function of every cell in our bodies.

I want to do all I can to make sure my patients and readers of this article understand the importance of developing the right nutrition habits in order to prevent tooth decay, gum disease and other dental problems. Nutrition can also support you while your tooth is healing from a metabolic, physical, or emotional injury. In that respect, I firmly agree with Dr. Mercola's nutrition plan. If you haven't had a chance to review it, please do as it is completely free and over 100 pages. It is divided into beginner, intermediate, and advanced sections so you can easily customize it for yourself

There is absolutely no question that making a commitment to self-care practices to help to prevent tooth decay in the first place is an example of wisdom in action. Except for a tooth injured by some type of physical trauma, a tooth that has had a root canal procedure, also had some degree of decay.

Prevention Is the BEST Option for Avoiding Root Canals

To prevent the need for root canal treatments, you must eliminate tooth decay through proper oral hygiene and good nutrition. Proper oral hygiene and regular dental cleanings are preventative measures that help to remove the sticky plaque and calcified deposits that form on the surface of teeth and helps to minimize the impact of many individuals' nutritionally poor and sugar rich diets. I have learned, and so I teach, that faithfully practicing good nutritional habits is, without a doubt, the most important preventative measure, because tooth decay is a consequence of systemic metabolic disturbance.

As Dr. Weston Price wrote in his book, Nutrition and Physical Degeneration, "...when teeth are decaying, other things are going wrong in the body"! To achieve optimal oral and total body health, your teeth and the rest of your body needs you to choose high-quality foods that are in harmony with your metabolism. It is also absolutely essential to eliminate all sources of refined and processed sugar, white flour products, soft drinks, and all other "junk" foods and beverages. The wisdom is actually very simple: give your body what it needs and avoid hurting yourself with what you are eating and drinking!

A wise but simple oral hygiene practice that can be very supportive in helping you to have healthy teeth and gums, is the practice of "oil pulling." This wonderful practice not only has preventive value, but also therapeutic value for teeth and gums. Choosing to keep a dead tooth in your mouth can put you at increased risk of a variety of health problems. So, if a dentist recommends a root canal procedure to "save" your tooth from being pulled, remember to ask yourself, "How will I be affected if I have a dead, chronically infected tooth in my mouth?" Or "Do I really need this root canal?" Perhaps the tooth can heal without the unnecessary root canal procedure.

When I graduated from dental school, I took an oath that to this day encourages me. The oath said in part: "I will strive to advance my profession by seeking new knowledge and by re-examining the ideas and practices of the past." I hope that oath guides you, as well as me, on this journey toward making choices that will support your health. I hope it will encourage you, your family and the community to help forge a new dental and medical "Paradigm."

Resources to Help You Find a Biological Dentist

If you are seriously considering any of the dental procedures discussed above it is best to have them performed by a biologic dentist. The following organizations can help you to find a mercury-free, biological dentist that would best serve your needs:

• Consumers for Dental Choice
• International Academy of Biological Dentistry & Medicine (IABDM)
• Dental Amalgam Mercury Solutions (DAMS) E-mail them at: dams@usfamily.net or call 651-644-4572 for an information packet
• Holistic Dental Association
• International Association of Mercury Safe Dentists

About the Author:

Dr. Lina Garcia is a Doctor of Medical Dentistry as well as a Doctor of Dental Surgery. She has been dedicated to the research and teaching of alternative solutions for conventional dentistry. Dr. Garcia has published several articles and is soon releasing her first book, "Take Care of Your Teeth and Build Your Health." She has trained around the world and is excited to be able to offer holistic services at her practice. She sees patients from all over the United States and worldwide, in her South Barrington, IL office

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