Podcast Summary: Digital Social Hour

Episode: Dr Ben Javid - Root Canals: The Debate Your Dentist Won’t Have With You (DSH #1775)
Host: Sean Kelly
Guest: Dr. Ben Javid (Smile Body)
Date: January 21, 2026

Overview

This episode explores the often-overlooked connections between oral health and overall wellness with Dr. Ben Javid, a leading advocate for biological dentistry. Host Sean Kelly and Dr. Javid dive into the principles of holistic dental practice, the controversy around root canals, the hidden dangers of dental materials, the systemic impacts of oral infections, and the flaws in insurance and the broader health system. Dr. Javid shares actionable insights and passionately encourages listeners to take autonomy over their health.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Foundations of Biological Dentistry

• Whole-Body Approach:
  • Biological dentistry sees oral health as deeply connected to systemic health, moving beyond treating the mouth in isolation.
    • “You can't have a healthy mouth with a toxic body. And if you're trying to have a healthy body and you have a toxic mouth, there's a problem.” (Dr. Javid, 01:35)
• Reducing Toxic Load:
  • A core aim is to minimize the body's exposure to toxins through materials and procedures. Chronic toxic exposure from the mouth can manifest as brain fog, autoimmune conditions, or more serious illnesses.

2. Nutrition and Oral Health Link

• Foods to Avoid:
  • Wheat/gluten, processed sugar, conventional dairy, seed oils, and processed foods.
    • “Seed oils are the biggest culprit of health issues in the country.” (Dr. Javid, 06:30)
• Systemic Health Reflected in the Mouth:
  • Even with subpar oral hygiene, those with optimal diets and balanced oral microbiomes often maintain healthy mouths. Dentistry tends to overemphasize hygiene instead of overall lifestyle.
    • “If they're actually healthy… even if they have poor hygiene, you're still going to be fine.” (08:05)

3. Innovations and Alternatives in Dental Practice

• Cavity Reversal:
  • Early cavities can sometimes be reversed, especially with tools like ozone therapy, which powerfully kills bacteria without the side effects of antibiotics.
    • “Ozone is much stronger in killing bacteria than antibiotics... with no side effects. It's just oxygen.” (Dr. Javid, 08:57)
• Water Safety:
  • The clinic uses ozonated water for all procedures, avoiding contaminants found in typical tap water.

4. Controversies: Fillings and Root Canals

• Mercury Fillings:
  • Still legal in the US, but banned in many countries. Mercury is the “most toxic non-radiographic material” used in dentistry.
    • Even legally, it can't be dumped in drains due to its toxicity—yet it's permitted in the mouth.
    • “But it's okay to put it in the mouth... it's crazy when you think about it.” (Dr. Javid, 11:28-12:39)
  • Safe removal requires specialized protocols and equipment.
• Root Canals:
  • Dr. Javid has moved away from performing root canals due to infection risks, endorsement from newer research, and his clinical observations.
    • “I don't know. I'm not a fan of root canals anymore at all because of what I see and what current research shows.” (14:00)
  • 3D cone beam CT scans are essential to detect hidden infection.
  • Refers to the documentary Root Cause: studies show that virtually all removed root-canalled teeth harbor bacteria.
    • “Every single one was [bacteria leaking from the tooth].” (15:49)

5. The Path Toward Health Autonomy

• Informed Patients:
  • Dr. Javid repeatedly urges listeners to research, question, and own their health journeys.
    • “At the end of the day, the only person that's going to save you in your life is you.” (Dr. Javid, 00:29, 24:44)
• Insurance and Payment Systems:
  • Dental insurance is labeled as “a scam” for only covering minor procedures, unlike health insurance, and rarely supports what patients actually need.
    • “Dental insurance… it's totally a scam.” (Dr. Javid, 25:54)
  • Smile Body is introducing membership models to improve affordability and transparency.

6. The Smile Body Approach

• Integrated, Holistic Care:
  • The clinic acts as a collaborative hub: MDs (integrative medicine), naturopaths, pediatric dentists, estheticians.
    • “We have to collaborate with more like-minded professionals... to achieve better health for patients all around.” (Dr. Javid, 20:05)
  • Goes beyond dental care to focus on nutrition, diagnostics, longevity, skin health, and more.
  • Many patients travel long distances seeking such holistic care.

7. Broken System, Hope for Change

• Healthcare System Critiques:
  • The US overspends yet underdelivers on health, with prescription use at record highs.
    • “Every adult… by average, is on four to five prescriptions a day.” (Dr. Javid, 31:30)
  • Dr. Javid is optimistic: “The future is bright… there's a lot of good things happening.” (32:22)
  • He calls for bottom-up change—patients and practitioners innovating, not waiting for government solutions.

8. Making Dentistry Less Daunting

• Patient Experience:
  • Focused on listening—giving patients the time to be heard.
    • “How many times patients tell me, I’ve never had any doctor listen to me this much.” (Dr. Javid, 34:14)
  • Sedation dentistry methods are used for comfort, including conscious sedation that keeps patients relaxed but responsive.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Seed oils are the biggest culprit of health issues in the country.” — Dr. Ben Javid (06:30)
• “Mercury is the most toxic non-radiographic material that you can use that's on the, on earth… but it's okay to put it in the mouth.” — Dr. Ben Javid (11:00-11:39)
• "If a patient really wants to do a root canal, I'll refer them out—because it goes against my belief system now." — Dr. Ben Javid (14:06)
• “At the end of the day, the only person that's going to save you in your life is you.” — Dr. Ben Javid (00:29/24:44)
• “Dental insurance… it's totally a scam.” — Dr. Ben Javid (25:54)
• “Our new patient protocol is… we talk about a lot of things beyond teeth.” — Dr. Ben Javid (18:53)
• “Every adult in this country, by average, is on four to five prescriptions a day.” — Dr. Ben Javid (31:30)

Important Timestamps

• 00:45 – Introduction, defining biological dentistry
• 03:05 – The mouth-health connection, links to chronic illness
• 06:30 – Seed oils as top health culprit
• 08:19 – Cavity reversal and ozone therapy explained
• 10:20 – Safety concerns in dental fillings and mercury
• 13:21 – Mercury filling removal pitfalls
• 14:24 – Root canal controversy, why Dr. Javid stopped doing them
• 17:12 – Most common patient issues and Smile Body’s unique approach
• 20:02 – Why Smile Body integrates multiple disciplines
• 25:51 – Dental insurance as a flawed system, alternatives
• 31:30 – Prescription statistics and broken healthcare
• 34:14 – Patient-centered dental care and sedation dentistry

Conclusion & How to Learn More

Dr. Ben Javid champions a comprehensive, toxin-reducing, patient-empowering model of oral and systemic health. He encourages listeners to challenge traditional paradigms, research actively, and pursue care with providers that see the whole person.

To connect with Dr. Javid & Smile Body:

• Social Media and Website: My Smile Body
• (Dr. Javid posts frequent content to inform the public about holistic dental practices.)

Episode Tone:
Honest, passionate, and empowering—balancing warnings about health pitfalls with optimism and actionable advice for those open to changing their approach to health.