(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Do you dread going to the dentist? We'll tell you about a natural approach to dentistry that's making patients smile.

Brenda Nasralla had a root canal, then was shocked to learn her dentist would not prescribe drugs for her pain and infection.

Brenda says, "I thought I was not going to make it through."

Instead her doctor gave her garlic and vitamins.

"This was a wonderful approach. I took no antibiotics to poison my body and felt so much better. The pain went away," says Brenda.

Steven Green, D.D.S., is among a growing number of holistic dentists who prefers natural remedies and yoga to build the immune system and kill bacteria in the mouth.

Dr. Green says, "The holistic doctor would look at the body as a garden that needs to be tended. We wouldn't want to use poisonous things or fight a war in our garden."

Brian Tschirhart, D.D.S., says getting mainstream dentists like himself to "bite" into this new philosophy has been, well, like pulling teeth. "There are still many dentists who say it's very suspicious," he says.

Holistic dentists are licensed by the same dental board as mainstream dentists, but their services aren't covered by most insurance companies.

Want to make your smile healthier?

Dr. Green says, "I find that patients who eat three or four servings of green vegetables a day have almost no dental problems."

Brenda says nature's way is the better way. "There was a big difference in my smile, my body, everything," she says.

The Holistic Dental Association is made up of 140 holistic dentists from around the country.