Dr. Katayma’s Holistic Approach to Gum Diseases
In the autumn of 2001, we received an email from Mr. Komagata, who lives in the United States. He was a subscriber to our website NPO Koushi-Kai.
Mr. Komagata wrote: “I currently live in the United States, and I enjoyed very much a book written by Professor Tsuneo Katayama. Now I am delighted to find the NPO Koushi-Kai website. I would like to introduce you to an essay I wrote on the therapy developed by Prof. Katayama. This essay is based on my experience in practicing the Katayama Method, Nobo Komagata”
We visited Mr. Komagata’s website that he mentioned in his essay. The website detailed his experience with successful treatment of periodontal disease by referring to a book authored by Prof. Katayama, which is entitled “The alveolar pyorrhea-healing without extraction.” Mr. Komagata wrote on his website that since he read Dr. Katayama’s book 30 years ago, he has continued following the advice of the book in his desire to overcome periodontal disease, for which he has been highly successful.
Mr. Komagata’s essay also included his detailed description for which brushing method should be chosen at each stage of symptoms of gingiva. His statements were amazingly comprehensive and concisely written, appearing like a handbook summarizing Dr. Katayama’s protocol. Mr. Komagata’s enthusiasm for disseminating the Katayma Method to those who live abroad and suffer from periodontal disease, prompted Mr. Komagata to write his essay.
We were deeply impressed when we realized that although Mr. Komagata did not have any reliable periodontist in the United States, he persistently utilized the Katayma Method step by step. He was so convinced of the method that he never gave it up, even when his symptoms may have been better one day and worse the next. Mr. Komagata’s essay is extremely encouraging to all of the Koushi-Kai members, who are continuing Dr. Katayama’s teachings and developing dental health-promoting programs.
We extract a passage from the introduction of his essay here.
Introduction
One of the most common reasons for adults to lose teeth is gum diseases. In fact, the majority of adults must have experienced some forms of gum diseases. To deal with the condition, a motivated patient would see a periodontist regularly, e.g., every three months.
However, seeing dental professionals may not really solve the problem because the most important and essential part of dealing with gum diseases is home care. There are several problems associated with this. First, dental professionals do not have a very effective means to monitor and enforce proper home care. Second, beyond the basic dental home care, very little information, esp. for patients, is available about specifically how to deal with periodontal conditions. As a result, a huge number of periodontal patients seem to be losing the game.
Although virtually unknown outside Japan, there is an extremely effective approach to periodontal home care. This approach was developed by Dr. Tsuneo Katayama (1910–2006), a Japanese periodontist with over fifty years of clinical and research experience. The “Katayama method” is complex and time-consuming, esp. at the beginning. Although I cannot claim that I was able to practice this method pefectly, I can surely attest the effectiveness of the method. Through nearly thirty years of following the method, I no longer fear gum diseases at all. I could even say that I am practically “healed.” Now, I am eternally grateful to Dr. Katayama for sharing his method in his book (Katayama, 1990; the method was also introduced earlier in Asahi Shinbun-sha, 1987). In return, I am trying to share the basics of the Katayma method and my experience in this essay, which is dedicated to Dr. Katayama.
If you would like to read the full text, please visit Komagata’s website.
Thank you.
http://nobo.komagata.net/pub/Komagata17-Perio.html http://nobo.komagata.net/pub/Komagata17-Perio.pdf
NPO Koushikai
