Could you have a chronic, life-threatening infection and not know it?  I did and I want to share my story with you.

I have been through hell and back with my health and I’ve beat the odds that were stacked up against me.  I’ve recovered from Multiple Chemical Sensitivity, Lyme Disease, toxic mold exposure, and a chronic infection in my jawbone.  I will add adrenal exhaustion, chronic insomnia, and severe food allergies to the list as well.  These things have not only served to make me a stronger person, but I’ve also learned what it takes to recover from chronic illness.

One of those things, a chronic infection of the jawbone, called a cavitation, was slowly and silently destroying my health.  I had already been recovering from so many other of my health problems, but something was still just not right.  It was a vague uneasy feeling that my body was always fighting just to maintain health.  I was eating great and taking care of myself, but I would start sliding backwards toward ill health if I didn’t work HARD to maintain my health.

So, I went to see a Naturopath for a health evaluation.  She did some testing and discovered that I had a cavitation in my jawbone that was where a wisdom tooth had been taken out decades earlier.  Because I did not have any pain in that area, I had a hard time accepting that there was a festering infection that needed to be dealt with.  I had always thought infections went hand in hand with pain.

It also didn’t help that I’d never even heard of cavitations.  And later, I would come to find out, most dentists are unaware of them as well!

What is a Cavitation?

Most people know what a cavity is, but the word cavitation is confusing.  Both of these words come from the same root word meaning hole.   A cavity is a hole in the tooth, whereas a cavitation is a hole in bone.   Unlike most tooth cavities, bone cavitations can’t be detected by simply looking at the bone, and or even using x-rays.   Dr. G.V. Black, the father of modern dentistry, described this cavitation process as early as 1915 where he described a progressive disease process in the jawbone, which killed bone cells and produced a large cavitation area or areas within the jawbones. He was intrigued by the unique ability of this disease to produce extensive jawbone destruction without causing inflammation of the gums, jaw swelling, or a fever.  Essentially, this disease process, which produces osteonecrosis, or dead bone, is actually a progressive impairment which produces small blockages of the tiny blood vessels in the jawbones, thus resulting in areas of dead bone, called osteonecrosis.

Research findings indicate that 45% to 94% of all cavitational lesions are found at wisdom teeth extraction sites.  These areas are predisposed to develop these problems because they contain numerous tiny blood vessels which are apparently, easily damaged from the extraction process, and osteonecrosis can easily develop.

So, what’s the health risk?

Inside a cavitation, bacteria flourish and multiply. Cavitations act as a breeding ground for bacteria and their toxins. Research has shown these bacterial waste products to be extremely potent and toxic. Because of this constant infection, the body’s immune system can be compromised and many health problems can result, such as chronic fatigue, susceptibility to other illnesses, etc… As the bacteria multiply and the area of dead bone enlarges, the infection can spread and potentially be life threatening if it gets to the brain.  Something like a cavitation that seems so harmless can destroy your health.  And it was destroying my health.

How do I know if I have a cavitation?

Because they don’t show up very clearly on x-rays, getting a diagnosis of cavitations can be tricky.  The Naturopath I saw used electro-dermal screening to pinpoint the cavitation problem.  This technology, in the hands of a skilled practitioner, can be very helpful in finding potential cavitation sites.  The Cavitat is another way to find possible cavitations by taking a 3-D ultrasonic scan of the mouth.

What can I do for a cavitation?

Most dentists recommend surgery for treatment of the cavitations- they surgically open up the area and remove the dead tissue and bacteria.  The problem is that when the area heals, there could be the potential for bacteria to grow again causing another problem in the future.

Fortunately, there are other options.  I learned about a type of light therapy that can heal cavitations naturally.  These theraputic-grade LED lights emit infrared and far infrared radiation that stimulates healing in tissues of the body.  Simple and easy to use, the pad is held over the area of the body for about 10 minutes a day and the lights penetrate the body to bring circulation and healing to the area.  I invested in my own equipment and after using it regularly, my health improved and the cavitation started healing.  This type of therapy has to be used regularly to maintain the improvements, but I love the light pad I bought and use it for other things as well, such as pain relief.

Another newer treatment for cavitations that is being used by biological dentists, is injections of ozone gas into the cavitation site.  Ozone will kill any bacteria, virus, and oxidize toxic substances before it breaks down to pure oxygen.  It is proving to be another safe way to heal cavitations, but it has not been in use for long enough to have data on the long-term benefits of healing cavitations, but it looks like it has great potential.

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Becky Mauldin, N.D. is a Naturopath, teacher, speaker, and author.  She has authored two gluten-free cookbooks, Vibrant Health and Recipes for Life. Her story of recovery from an incurable illness has inspired many people around the world. She is known for making a healthy diet achievable for real people and real life.

Connect with her on Facebook and let her know what you think of this post. 

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