14 DAY TRIAL // Dentists usually look at the tongue and the gums to see what condition they’re in when we normally go in for a consult, but one doctor in the UK does more than just that. Dr. John Roberts has a Holistic Dentistry Practice in West Yorkshire where patients come in to have him look specifically at their tongues, which are actually maps of health, the Daily Mail says in a recent piece.
This new approach to diagnosing – or, at least, observing – diseases or simply imbalances in the body is actually based on old Chinese practices that hold that the tongue is the only part of the body that holds the key to the health of the entire organism. Depending on shape, coloration and countless other aspects far too many to list here, Dr. Roberts can offer specialized advice to patients who might not even know they’re sick. Of course, as noted above, his recommendations don’t come as clear-cut diagnoses and might not always refer to serious issues, but his soaring popularity shows that, whatever it is that he does, it is working wonderfully for his patients.
“Each area of the tongue corresponds to a different internal organ; which means, basically, the tongue is the window through which one can look into the body.” Dr. Roberts tells the Mail, right before starting the examination of the editor’s tongue. Still, “reading” tongues is not all that he does, since he also continues to practice as a dentist – here, the first thing he tells patients is to lose the metal fillings, since they only do more harm than good. Strangely enough, his unconventional methods have not alienated patients, who are literally crowding the Practice to see him, as Dr. Roberts himself reveals.
For the skeptics, let it be known that Dr. Roberts is not a scam. “Actually, all dental students learn not only about the anatomy of the tongue, but about how the tongue can provide an [sic.] general indication of what is happening in the rest of the body. For example, an enlarged tongue might be a sign of vitamin deficiency. So dentistry does not disregard the tongue.” Damien Walmsley, scientific adviser to the British Dental Association, says for the same publication, as if to dispel any remaining doubts.
What Dr. Roberts does is take that, combine it with the teachings of traditional Chinese medicine, and operate a practice that is as successful as it’s helping people find out about problems they didn’t know they had. “All I do is tell them if their tongue is pointing towards an area that might need addressing. And don’t forget – I haven’t come up with the idea of tongue analysis off my own bat. It’s an integral part of traditional Chinese medicine, dating back many centuries.” Dr. Roberts concludes by saying.