My Proactive Dental Surgery Journey
It’s been over a decade since I was smoking a pack of cigarettes a day, on 3 medications for depression, was hospitalized, financially and emotionally broken, beyond toxic, and a mental disaster.
It has taken many seasons and events including divorce, death, and a global pandemic to get to this place, but in March of 2021 I drove myself to the surgery center to get 3 root canal (dead) teeth removed and 4 cavitations (holes in my jaw from improper wisdom teeth removal) cleaned out, and faced one of my greatest fears + traumas head on!
I was so emotional leading up to it, but in that “feeling” came healing!
My entire life I resisted pain. Up until 6 years ago, I made EVERY EFFORT to mask and band-aid the symptoms and did nothing to address the root cause. For example, 3 days out of every month I lay in the fetal position during my period and popped liquid Advil like candy.
But after my dental surgery, I sat in the aching/healing pain of the deep loss of my mother and grandmother through my extracted teeth, which just so happened to be on the breast and large intestine meridians - both my mother and grandmother died of those cancers.
Two of my root canals are on the breast meridian (root cause) - there is a study that 90% of women with breast cancer have breast meridian dysfunction. So it would make sense to deal with the root issue instead of removing the breast.
I did a 3D cone beam x-ray to find these infections because they don't show up on regular x-rays that conventional dentists use.
Also, I have had constipation / large intestine issues my entire life and have always worked on the symptoms instead of getting to the root cause.
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This has been a long time coming, it's literally like a root of anxiety for me because I've had so many dental issues in my life and I have major trauma around my teeth. I had babies with no drugs, but I'm asking for all the drugs for my dental surgery! I am excited to share this blog and outline some resources + my healing journey for all of you!
Why did I choose to do this surgery?
I’ve had a lot of questions around the “why” since I wasn’t feeling discomfort, pain, or symptoms - I was just doing research around my teeth and this was elective surgery.
Arlynd has known all this for years, but again - it just starts resonating with you in your season and it was my season for teeth.
We talked to my mom about her teeth 7 years ago when she was diagnosed with cancer, but we are all in different seasons with different layers of cognitive dissonance.
As a proactive measure, I extracted my teeth and what I found out after I got my labs back was humbling. Hiding in dark moist places, able to go systemic at any point were multiple bacteria and infections. This is the kind of thing that gets turned on by stress, environmental changes, etc.
My blood samples showed that my levels were so extreme that I was lucky to have been proactive because it wouldn't have shown up in the body for years.
The reason why I’m doing this right now is that both of my parents died of cancer, at 40 and 65. I don't have any grandparents left, everyone has died, and they're dying younger and younger. I am the matriarch of my family at age 42 and I am doing what is in my control to be proactive and be my most vibrant and healthy self for my husband and kids.
This is a lifestyle I'm adopting before the red lights go on because if you don't do it before you get sick - you're gonna be too exhausted, too confused, and too overwhelmed when you actually get the diagnosis.
We all know symptoms of the disease start showing up in varying degrees much later than when the disease is actually present in your body.
There are so many triggers and so many factors, but getting to the root cause and dealing with it is the best thing you can do for yourself. That’s why I'm so passionate about these detox protocols - because I relied on pills, narcotics, and alcohol for too many years to numb my pain and unknowingly aid my depression.
I'm still showing up to share through this healing and it’s the hardest thing to do because of the energy it takes to heal and share.
My Lab Results: remember I had zero pain or discomfort from my root canals and this is the level of infection, bacteria, parasites, and toxicity that was found (this is just one slide, there are four).
How I Chose My Dentist
I chose my bio dentist, Dr. Villarreal, because of his bedside manner. There are a lot of amazing and brilliant bio dentists, but I needed one that was calming and listened to my concerns - it's all connected to my energy.
You can check out the IAOMT website to find one in your area.
We also LOVE Dr. Leedia in Los Angeles.
@carlyloveskale has a great post on “questions to ask your bio dentist” (and she is an incredible woman to follow for oral health + cancer research).
These two podcasts also really helped: Is Your Mouth Toxic? and The What & Why Behind Biological Dentistry
Financial Cost
A big question that I'm getting is how much it's going to cost - this was a huge factor in why it's taken me so long to do it because just the surgery alone is going to cost upwards of 10k and I have years of financial issues from younger conditioning and my divorce.
While the surgery is very expensive, it's addressing the root cause of all of my symptoms, so for me - I can keep treating the symptoms or I can get to the root.
By the way - I have no pain - the pain that I have is not in my actual tooth, but it's all of my lymph that is blocked and I have issues throughout my body that are caused by my teeth.
Health insurance does not cover this surgery and I will also need a second visit to remove all of my mercury fillings. This is a double whammy because when I didn't know what I know now (6 years ago), I had about 20k worth of work done that was counterintuitive. This is also why we choose to live simply so that we can invest in our health.
Surgery Prep
I focused on microbiome, gut, and immune supporting foods like bone broth and kraut for upcoming surgery and I will be fasting + doing bone broth afterwards to allow my body to put all its energy towards healing.
I also did all that I could to prepare my body and mind - detoxing and getting stronger mentally and physically. I did a major detox protocol for the month leading up to my surgery so that my energy, my human system, and all of my meridians were vibrating at their highest points. I know that sounds really woo woo, but it's all quantifiable - healing is voltage. Here are some things that were part of my detox protocol:
Kion Coffee enemas
Their coffee is antioxidant-rich and is 100% organic arabica beans that are grown and harvested on sustainable, fair-trade coffee cooperatives + regularly tested to ensure it's free of mold, mycotoxins and pesticides - perfect for supporting my liver detox protocol.
Kion Flex
If you followed my Instagram story, you'll remember how little swelling I had after surgery! I will never have surgery without it, it saved me!
Organifi green juice
This was for building healthy blood before my surgery. Their green juice has wheatgrass, which is a complete protein with a high amino acid content that helps build RBC, destroy carbon dioxide, dilate blood vessels and improve blood flow and enzyme system functioning + also promote higher metabolism. Wheatgrass helps to build blood because of the high quantities of chlorophyll (70% - this mimics that of blood hemoglobin). In addition to wheatgrass, it also has chlorella and spirulina and is remineralizing, hydrating, binds heavy metals, supports detox and builds red blood cells.
Red light therapy + Sauna + Gua Sha + breathwork
I was doing red light with either with my Joovv devices or the Therasage trilight panel - you can buy it separately from the sauna and it's affordable, interchangeable and wrappable. The Therasage sauna is a portable full spectrum sauna we have loved for years and it's perfect for our small home. It doesn't make me feel claustrophobic because I can keep my head and arms out or go inside fully.
And for Gua Sha, I use the Wilding facial gua sha set. For breathwork I'll share a book below that is a great resource.
This whole routine helps to kill parasites, sweat out heavy metals, move lymph, release cranial and jaw and support the highest level of immunity for healing.
Dr. Clark’s parasite cleanse
We've been using this for 5+ years - @healingcaveady has incredible info on more parasite stuff, coffee enemas and more.
We now use the Equi.life Para Support protocol, which is another great and affordable option. Code ANGI for 20% off.
Also check out @emilymorrow, @functionalfoods, @dr.jess.md, @dr.mindypelz, @drdome1, @drleedia, @dryanikuljis, and @drstevenlin for more info.
When I'm cleansing - I take 5 minutes to do my hair and makeup and here's why: when I'm doing a deeper cleanse, especially a parasite cleanse, it gives me a mental boost through out the day when I don’t look so sluggish - it's a way to trick my brain. When you do a parasite cleanse you actually can feel worse because when you kill them off, they release all of the heavy metals and all of the stuff that they eat.
It’s important to get rid of all of that die-off and that's why I do coffee enemas, take binders, hydrate like crazy, and sweat.
What happened immediately after surgery?
I had my dental surgery and spent the next few days recovering in a hotel. The surgery was amazing - Dr. Villarreal cleaned out all the bacteria and infection with Ozone + PRP (my own blood) - that's why I was drinking so much Organifi greens and chloroxygen pre-surgery.
He sent samples to a lab so we will see what's been hanging out systemically for years in those dark moist pockets.
It took almost two hours to get one tooth out and I had so much bleeding, so the first thing I did when I got to the car was remove the gauze, soak it in Asea, and put it back in my mouth - the bleeding stopped within minutes!
I wasn’t immediately able to take all of my supplements because my throat was so sore, but I did take binders for the anesthesia and oral magnesium to prevent constipation.
There was morphine in my I.V. during surgery and I used advil for a few days after surgery because the trauma from the pain causes more pain, but if I know why I'm using medications, I don't have a problem using for an allotted time.
On the drive from dentist's office to the hotel, I started the homeopathic remedies of arnica, belladonna, and chamomilla. Homeopathy is safe, gentle, and natural system of healing that works with your body to relieve symptoms, restore itself, and improve your overall health.
Oliois is an amazing company that is certified organic and all of their remedies are lactose-free. They have a great chart for everything that you would need. I have also met the owner and he's a wonderful man! You can use the discount code Angi15.
24 Hours
I was doing well! Dr. Villarreal said he thought I would be black and blue from the amount of pulling he had to do, but I was drinking Asea and applying their gel on my mouth and neck, along with red light therapy and my healing is going amazing.
Day 2
Today was hard - even though I was doing all the things - and I mean all the things - it still takes time and depth to heal. The ache is so deep, energetic, and emotional, it's indescribable.
My teeth were built when my mom was 6 weeks pregnant with me, so that's why the work is so emotional and deep-rooted (primary teeth begin to form 6-8 weeks in utero)
Day 3
This was by far the worst. I had the deepest ache in my upper and lower bones, plus the shallow knifelike pain of stitches. I had a headache, neck and shoulder ache, and full body aches. I couldn’t release the pressure in my head. But this is why I train for life! So that I have practice at breathing, practice at calming the anxious mental chatter and practice in discomfort.
Healing comes at a cost, but sickness is a greater cost. Changing my lifestyle while I am healthy means I have all the tools already in place for if I get sick. It means I have practice fasting, because my body knows how to heal without emotionally eating, and mentally I know this is just a season and the pain is just a sensation that does not have to be negative. But I must feel to heal.
Day 4
I still didn't want to raise my core temp or sweat too much, so I was dry brushing for lymphatic support, doing coffee enemas to boost glutathione levels, and doing magnesium baths for detox.
I spent my life resistant and band-aiding pain. Now I'm taking responsibility for my own health and doing everything I can to train my body, brain, and emotions to keep flowing and not get stuck. I am being gentle with myself and allowing all the healing to flow through me.
Kindness, gentleness, deep breathing, simplicity, movement, gratitude. I was feeling extremely tender and raw and was feeling a deep sensation of pain from bone to soft tissue. I am so grateful I did so much crying before my surgery because it would hurt too much to cry now.
I am allowing my body to feel and heal. The hardest part is not to compartmentalize but to flow, and this takes time and practice. The healing is long, dark, and lonely but that's also where the growth happens. You plant a seed in the dark ground. Trust the process.
Day 5
Today I got up and did my makeup. The reason why I have been putting on even just mascara, doing my eyebrows, and putting on serums every day is for the mental boost.
You wouldn't have been able to tell, but I was in so much pain that I was literally sweating. The physical pain of all the holes in my mouth that were drilled into my bone and up into my sinuses was excruciating. I was still working on relaxing my jaw and was in so much deep radiating pain that my jaw gets so locked up and I was defaulting to protecting it.
Every time that I looked in the mirror I saw that I had lost weight because I had been fasting post-op my reflection reminded me of my mom in her last days of having cancer - so I'm tricking my brain but taking a few minutes to care for myself physically.
The mind and body are obviously connected, so when I take 5 minutes to wash my face and put on mascara, it tricks my brain into thinking I'm feeling better. I know that might sound weird for someone who hasn't gone through it. When I look good, I feel good, so it's not shallow to have these practices - it's literally self-love. Even though I’m doing these practices and then getting right back into bed - every time I get up to go to the bathroom and I see myself in the mirror - I'm not thinking I look like death.
I'm literally thinking - oh! I don't look that bad! And it makes me feel better.
Post Healing Routine
+ Asea every 30 minutes - cellular communication = redox signaling molecules (my healing has been brilliant, no bruising)
+ Kion Flex - reduces inflammation, soreness, joint discomfort
+ Leefy Prana Tincture - a full spectrum extract of turmeric, ginger, and black pepper - amazing for inflammation
+ Coffee enema for liver support + glutathione production
+ Redlight therapy
+ Magnesium baths
+ Owl Venice’s bone broth (I wasn’t able to chew food, but nutrition is key for healing) mixed with Organifi Gold (discount code angi) and some raw milk
+ Organifi green and red (discount code angi) - the nutrition you get from these two is incredible. Green helps support detox with spirulina and chlorella, which also binds toxins - so great way to detox and get all nutrition. I am beyond grateful for these healing nutrients when chewing food is almost impossible
+ Therasage (discount code angi15) infrared tourmaline neck wrap - it heats up and is so soft and comforting
+ Pur03 ozone oil
+ For the anxiety that comes as part of healing, I use the peace juice spray and the super soother tincture from Organic Olivia, and the peace and calming roller bottle from Young Living
+ Propolis honey
+ Somavedic
Sweating is the best way to remove toxins from your body. Your largest organ is your skin and it's super important to sweat after a procedure like I had - especially because I had so much metal in my mouth.
The best way to describe all the metal that was removed is the visual of pulling out a weed - when you pull a weed, all of the soil gets spattered everywhere and it's the same with removing the metal - that's what happens in the body. So that’s why you want to take a good binder (the first that I did after surgery) and then your body can remove the toxins via your sweat and your lymph.
You have 3 major lymph dumps - your neck, armpit, and groin so to move everything into those areas allows your body to remove these toxins.
I'm trying to use simple terms and just describe what I've been doing as it reduces swelling, inflammation, and pain + creates health and vitality.
I’m not a doctor, so I can’t prescribe for you what to take, but these are the binders I took:
+ Microbe Formulas ViRadChem Binder
+ Microbe Formulas Biotoxin Binder
+ Schizandu organic coconut activated charcoal
+ Systemic formulas bio challenge bind
You'll also want to hydrate and remineralize like crazy and take a bowel mover so you don't get stuck - I used Global Healing’s Oxy Powder (discount code Angi).
In my healing I'm not sharing exactly what I'm doing because I don't want you to copy me. Just know that it is super important to detox and decrease inflammation before surgery.
That will give your body a huge head start to healing post-op. All of these tools I'm sharing I've gathered over years. We incorporate different products in different seasons and it's my multi-therapeutic approach to wellness.
A lot of it is what I do in my normal life, so a lot of things I just simply increased (like more Asea, higher doses of vitamin c, etc.)
My hope is that what I share helps spark interest or introductions, we are all in different seasons, we all have different backgrounds, we are all in different financial places, and we all are completely made up of totally different unique, beautiful, special things - so what works for me might not work for you and that's ok because there are literally endless possibilities for healing.
There's not one pill or one roadmap every single one of us can follow. Start with finding the root cause of your pain and that will become your personal roadmap. My “why” is to share my healing journey to help others. I'm literally so passionate about helping others and am so grateful to be an example.
I suffered in silence for decades and don't want to die with my song of hope still inside me.
What comes next
I'm still undecided on what I'm replacing my teeth with.
Implants are another big expense and I still have to get all my metal fillings removed and 7 crowns replaced, so I may just do a fixed bridge.
I don't have any virgin teeth, but if they hadn't already shaved down my teeth then I would do implants, but because we have to replace the crowns on either side anyway - it's kind of the perfect scenario for a fixed bridge.
Again - I’m not the expert in any of this, but I love bringing in the experts to give you guys more info!
*HEALTH DISCLAIMER: This blog provides general information about health and related subjects. The information and content provided in this blog are not intended and should not be construed as medical advice, nor is the information a substitute for professional medical expertise or treatment. If you or any other person has a medical concern, you should consult with your health care provider or seek other professional medical treatment. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something that have read on this blog or in any linked materials. If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor or emergency services immediately. The opinions and views expressed on this blog should not be a substitute for medical advice.