Clear Answers on Fillings and Fluoride
Looking for a biological dentist near Tacoma often means you already read labels, filter your water, and ask hard questions. Dr. Carla Yamashiro, DDS, has 23 years in practice and leads Ecologic Dentistry in Bonney Lake. She holds certification in Integrative Biologic Dental Medicine. You’ll learn what Tacoma Water adds to your tap, what Pierce County data shows, and how visits work.
Maybe you worry about paying out of network for care you never fully understood. Old silver fillings and fluoride choices deserve real explanations, not a rushed yes or no in the chair. Our holistic dentistry overview explains the approach in depth. Your mouth is a reflection of your whole body, and we treat you accordingly.
Fluoride in Tacoma’s Drinking Water
Tacoma Water adds fluoride to its supply at 0.7 parts per million, according to its 2025 Water Quality Report. Voters approved it in 1988 and 1989, and a City Council ordinance followed. Most of your water comes from the Green River watershed, a 231-square-mile area in South King County.
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What Tacoma Water’s 2025 report lists |
Figure |
|
Fluoride level added |
0.7 ppm |
|
Voter approval of fluoridation |
1988 and 1989 |
|
Green River watershed size |
231 square miles |
|
Wells in and around Tacoma |
24 |
|
Groundwater share in a typical year |
4% to 11% of demand |
|
PFAS compounds tested under UCMR5 |
29, none detected in the Green River supply |
Source: Tacoma Public Utilities, Tacoma Water 2025 Water Quality Report, published 2026.
At Ecologic, fluoride stays your choice. Fluoride-free options are available at every visit, and we explain what 0.7 ppm means for your family first. Families outside Tacoma Water’s service area can ask their utility for its latest report.
Tooth Loss Across Pierce County
The Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department cites survey data showing 38.8 percent of Pierce County adults have lost a permanent tooth. The cause was decay or gum disease. The department reports even higher rates in low-income communities across the county. Its Pierce County Local Impact Network convenes about 60 people from more than 20 local organizations to close those gaps.
Source: Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department, Pierce County Local Impact Network, Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System data, page last revised October 17, 2025.
Most tooth loss from decay or gum disease follows years of small, treatable problems. Our prevention visits start with your history and habits. The EcoSense membership plan keeps recare exams and cleanings on a set schedule for families who want structure. Membership is optional, and we explain exactly what it includes before you decide.
The Tacoma Smelter Plume Today
The Tacoma smelter ran from 1890 to 1986. It sat on the border of North Tacoma and Ruston, and its emissions spread arsenic, lead, and other heavy metals. The plume now covers about 1,000 square miles. The Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department still offers free soil sampling for qualifying homes.
Source: Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department, Tacoma Smelter Plume Program, Dirt Alert, page last revised July 10, 2026.
Ecology replaces soil when arsenic averages above 100 ppm or lead above 500 ppm. Nearly 1,200 yards qualify, and 333 are finished. Enter your address on Ecology’s Dirt Alert map to check your property. If heavy metals at home are on your mind, the silver fillings in your mouth may be too. We explain what your fillings contain, with no pressure. At a 2019 FDA advisory panel, speakers raised concern about combined mercury exposure from fillings, diet, and the environment. Your choices come after the facts, never before.
How Tacoma Parents Find Us
Roughly 70 to 75 percent of our practice is moms, with a sweet spot between ages 32 and 44. Many find us through Facebook parent groups in Tacoma and Bonney Lake. Others arrive through referrals from naturopaths, functional medicine doctors, chiropractors, and friends in the wellness community.
Most read the About page and check credentials first. Common questions include what a filling is made of, whether fluoride is required, and why a child might snore. We answer each one before any treatment plan comes up. Tacoma also sits on the way for families driving up from Olympia and Lacey. Others come from the Olympic Peninsula and north of Seattle. Our furthest patient drives in from Oregon.
What Happens at Your First Visit
Your first visit is a Whole-Body Health and Dental Assessment lasting 60 to 90 minutes. It opens with your health history, not your teeth. From Tacoma, plan for the drive plus the visit, and bring a list of questions you want answered. Here is the order, step by step.
- Start with a Virtual Dental Visit if you want a second opinion before the drive.
- Share your health history, current products, and past dental experiences first.
- Dr. Yamashiro then reviews each existing filling and explains in plain terms what it is made of.
- For children, she checks the jaw, tonsils, and tongue.
- You then hear every option in plain language, including fluoride-free choices and costs.
- Nothing moves forward without your consent.
Results vary from person to person, and holistic care is often out of network with dental insurance. We provide procedure codes for any claim you file, and financing is available. Coverage depends on your plan. We review costs with you before any treatment begins.
Care Tacoma Families Come For
Ecologic offers 6 kinds of care built around whole-body dentistry, and each one starts with an explanation. Each line below ties the service to life in Tacoma. Pick the line closest to the question on your mind today, and call us if yours is not listed.
- Safe silver filling removal: For Tacoma adults weighing old fillings.
- Biocompatible restorations: For families who already choose clean products at home and want metal-free options.
- Fluoride-free options: For households on Tacoma Water’s 0.7 ppm supply who want their own choice at every dental visit.
- Children’s breathing and jaw development: For Tacoma parents who notice snoring or mouth breathing at night.
- TMJ and jaw pain care: For adults who wake with jaw pain.
- EcoSense membership: For families who want recare exams and cleanings on a set schedule all year.
Results vary, and not every service fits every patient. When your care needs a specialist or a physician, we refer you out. We would rather send you to the right provider.
“When I think about it, I don’t know how I took the pain. My jaw pain has reduced, facial imbalance is better, and there is less droopiness in my facial appearance. My orthotic helps a lot. There is less pressure on the side we are working on. On top of that, deep breathing practice has also helped. Both made a big difference. They worked out perfectly together.”
Your Drive From Tacoma
RCW 47.17.610 starts State Route 410 at State Route 167 in Sumner and runs it east through Bonney Lake. Our office sits on State Route 410. Start near the Tacoma Dome, along South Tacoma Way, or in North Tacoma, and the route ends on one highway.
The Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department sits at 3629 South D Street. It runs oral health programs for Tacoma and all of Pierce County, including Bonney Lake. Its data covers both ends of your drive. Soil sampling questions go to the Dirt Alert team at (253) 649-1853.
Why Tacoma Families Trust Dr. Yamashiro
Dr. Carla Yamashiro, DDS, has 23 years in practice and treats patients from Tacoma to Oregon. Seattle Met has named her a Top Dentist seven years running. BusinessRate ranked her a Top 10 Dentist in Bonney Lake for 2026, based on Google reviews. Her credentials include the American College of Integrative Medicine and Dentistry.
She also holds a Naturopathic Physician Certificate, and her practice is dentistry. That additional training shapes how she approaches it. She is a SMART certified provider as well. She grew up in Hilo, Hawaii, and decided to become a dentist while getting a mercury filling as a child. She told Northwest Asian Weekly in 2022 she is now certified to remove those fillings safely. Tacoma has other biological dentists, and some share parts of this training. Compare years in practice, credentials, and how clearly each office explains its choices.
Clear Answers, One Drive Away
With 23 years in practice, Dr. Yamashiro explains every material first. Tacoma families get a dentist who treats the mouth as part of the whole body. You leave with a plan you understand. Every choice about fillings, fluoride, and your children’s care stays in your hands from the very first phone call.
Call (253) 863-7005, or book your first visit at ecologicdentistry.com whenever the timing feels right. Still deciding? Call with one question, and our team will talk it through with you. No pressure, and we are glad you are here.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it worth going to a holistic dentist?
It depends on what you want from a dental visit, and how much explanation matters to you. The NIH describes integrative health as coordinated care for the whole person. Holistic dentistry applies a similar lens to your mouth, and many families find the drive worth it. Care is often out of network, so weigh cost against value.
What's the difference between a dentist and a holistic dentist?
Both hold the same kind of dental degree and a Washington state license. The ADA notes DDS and DMD degrees are equivalent, so the letters after a name are not the difference. A holistic dentist adds training and weighs how materials and treatment affect your whole body. Ask any office to walk you through its materials.
Can you recommend a holistic dentist in Washington State?
Start by checking training, then ask how an office handles old silver fillings and fluoride. The IABDM suggests asking whether a practice is mercury-free and mercury-safe. The two terms mean different things. Confirm any dentist’s Washington license through the state Department of Health. Then call two or three offices and notice who explains things clearly, without rushing you.
Is it safe to remove old amalgam fillings?
Removal is a routine dental procedure, and the protocol used during it matters most. The EPA notes amalgam fillings can release a small amount of mercury vapor when placed in or removed from teeth. A SMART certified dentist limits exposure with a dental dam, high-volume suction, and filtered air. Results vary, so talk through your health history first.
Can I get my mercury fillings removed?
Yes, removal is a choice you make with your dentist. The FDA does not recommend removing amalgam fillings in good condition unless it is medically necessary. Removal can briefly raise mercury vapor exposure and cost healthy tooth structure. It does advise certain higher-risk groups, including pregnant women and young children, to avoid new amalgam. We review each filling with you before you decide.
OR Call (253) 863-7005
18008 State Route 410 East, Suite A
Bonney Lake, WA 98391
Dr. Carla Yamashiro, The Holistic Dentist
Ecologic Dentistry, PLLC
Voted one of Seattle's Top Dentists seven years in a row
