Letter: Bite back

'IN THE teeth of troubles' by Victoria McKee (Sunday Review, 4 September) was alarmist and contained a lot of disinformation.

Migraine-type headache is a common condition which is heavily influenced by psychological factors and subject to high rates of spontaneous remission regardless of any treatment rendered.

The fact that the headache disappeared shortly after the removal of the patient's fillings is not proof of a cause and effect relationship. In fact, there is no evidence in an abundant literature that any such association may be present. However, the value of the patient's trust and confidence in the physician's ability to heal in the successful treatment of a wide range of illnesses is widely recognised and may well have exerted a powerful effect in this particular case.

The association of faddish and pseudoscientific theories with the valid concept of holistic dentristy is unfortunate. Good dentists have long been aware of the need for whole patient management.

London SW17