posted
Has anyone had thier silver fillings taken out of thier teeth? If so I would love to hear your experiences, good or bad. Thank you, and be well, Jan You can email me direct if you wish @ [email protected]Posts: 246 | From Illinois | Registered: Jul 2005
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bettyg
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posted
up for docdave and others who had work done!
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posted
I'm interested in this too. It was recommended that I get mine taken out as well. I was told 2 at a time and that I should go to a specialist so that they minimize the mercury/metal exposure. In addition, I'm suppose to take some detoxing agent after each visit.
Thoughts?
Posts: 298 | From Maine | Registered: Jan 2004
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posted
If you don't have a specialist who is protecting you with all possible means - then don't remove your silver fillings or you make things much worse. The question is if the protection measures that are available today are sufficient.
I made the BIG mistake 12 years ago to have all my fillings taken out in one session - the dentist made a mess out of the job. Soon after strange symptoms started like hitting the wall when trying to walk straight and my urine lost it's colour and is like water since. I suspect that the mercury also settled down in my kidneys - that's what it likes to do.
Knowing what I know now I'd rather advocate for slowly replacing old silver fillings with ceramic or plastic when they get bad.
Gabrielle
Posts: 767 | From Germany | Registered: Feb 2004
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posted
About 5 years ago, I spent over a year fussing with amalgam replacement and chelation. Didn't help a bit, in fact I felt slightly worse afterward.
I wish I had known lyme was the culprit, as I would have begun treatment for it instead.
Posts: 727 | From USA | Registered: Mar 2006
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kelmo
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posted
I don't have lyme...that I know of...but I had my fillings replaced with composite, not because I wanted to get rid of the silver, but because the silver was worn out.
Now the composite are almost ground out by my teeth clenching at night. Now, the dentist wants to put in silver again because it's more durable.
I DO NOT want to put that stuff back in my mouth. He said the mercury isn't a problem. We all know differently, huh?
Any suggestions? Get composite again, and a night guard?
Posts: 2903 | From AZ | Registered: Feb 2006
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stymielymie
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kelmo: make sure the composites they use are for molar teeth not front theeth. the back teeth composites have larger size particles in them for abrasion resistance. the front have micro particles for polishing. yes get a niteguard anyway. hard plastic not rubber. it ccan also be added to when worn down.
to remove or not to remove that is the question tis nobeler to leave this post now than to put my answer, so here goes again, next time do a search.
yes amalgams should be removed, but not necessarily in everybody. yes mercury is toxic but has also been used on 100's of millions of people in the world without a problem.
so to be politically correct heres the answer i would tell my patients or my brothers.
if the filling needs replacement ,replace with composite, gold or porcelain. gold being first choice. pharoahs in egypt had gold fillings that were still in the mummys 4000 years later and still shining.
composite is ok but not very strong, replacement is every five years, amalgam 15-20 gold and porcelain 15-30 years
all silver fillings over 10 years old should be replaced. the silver amalgam leaches into the tooth.
should everybody get all their fillings , probably not, unless signs of heavy mercury toxicity is present.test should be done prior to removal.
severely immnocompromised patients may get worse from any dental work, so the less done the better with them. i had 1 patient my mother-in-law was very very sick.i diagnosed her in dental school with lupus after she has spent 24 visits to hopkins without a diagnosis.
she got violently ill after any dental work i did on her. one session see got a staph infection 2 days later.and yes we used proper sterilzation of everything.
thats my say one the matter. gigi will be right behind me with a post that will scare the ---t right out of you.
only you and your dentist can make the decision, we can only inform you.
any lymie going to the dentist with active lyme should add clidamycin150 2/day 2 days before and 3 days after.
was that better jennifer?????????i was good this time docdave
Posts: 1820 | From Boone and Southport, NC | Registered: Sep 2006
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Kelmo, composite has come a long way in the last 7-10 years, so if your fillings are that old, know that the new stuff is better.
It still wears down more then amalgam.... but I wouldn't let anyone put amalgam back in.
I still have one silver filling. I'm with Doc Dave and will have it replaced with something else when it needs replacing.
[ 02. January 2007, 08:10 AM: Message edited by: von ]
Posts: 258 | From Washington State | Registered: Nov 2005
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kelmo
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posted
DAVE!!! WOW!! Thank you! Such dental wisdom is seldom given and I know it comes from a reliable source.
Just a correction for those who care: The amalgam fillings he replaced with composite were 30 years old. Yes..30!!! The new composite ones that need replacing are just a little over one year old. So...got 30 years on amalgam (molars), and one year with composite.
What the heck is with that?!
As far as I know, the amalgam fillings didn't kill me yet. Maybe if he replaces the composite with amalgam, I'll take them to my grave.
Yes...Gigi's dental story scares the plop out of me.
posted
I had heard that the composition of amalgam was 50% mercury. My dentist said it was 7% mercury. Anyone have the exact "recipe" for amalgam?
Posts: 175 | From ma. | Registered: Aug 2005
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posted
Had all my amalgams removed (12), by a great dentist here in Florida the correct way with no regrets at all. Here is a book he wrote for anyone interested in reading most everything on the subject of amalgam and mercury, including correct removal procedures, mercury toxicity, history of dental amalgams, on & on. http://mercury-free.com/index.htm Mary V
Posts: 23 | From Ft Myers area, Florida | Registered: May 2006
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stymielymie
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posted
yes most new amalgams are 45-50% mercury and rest tin,copper and siver, mostly silver.
the real old amalgams were 70% mercury and the dentist would squeeze the mercury out onto the floor.
almost all the mercury combines to form and alloy, once hard, very little free mercury is shed. heavy gringing and corrosion cause mercury vapors to come off the amalgams.
i still think most mercury comes from fish, algae products and the environment.
docdave
Posts: 1820 | From Boone and Southport, NC | Registered: Sep 2006
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Since you are the resident expert here and thanks for taking the time to share your expertise here, here's the question that often comes up in the mercury filling discussion.
Since dentists and hygienists handle this stuff everyday, why aren't they proportionately more sick than the general public or are they? I'd love to hear any comments. I so want to be able to throw an answer to this into the next discussion.
Thanks
Posts: 460 | From Illinois | Registered: Aug 2005
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stymielymie
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i am not familiar with any studies, gigi has them all. don't know the percetage. i worked for 23 years plus 2 residency. i removed thousands of amalgams., before the time that we were required to wear masks and gloves, thousands after. always high speed suction and water. always high speed 400,000 rpm drill lots of airisol.
had my mercury level tested 4 times always below never had high mercury level. you would think every dentist in the country would have mercury poisoning, but i have never heard of any cases among my colleges in 25 years of dentistry.
studies can be skewed if need be for the purpose of proving a point. as i know ,only california outlaws amalgams as new restorations. the ada, afraid of a major lawsuit, will not change its stand of amalgams and still claim them safe.
amalgam outlawed in europe way before us.
you would think we would have the highest exposure and toxicity levels of anybody in the country, but personally, i have not seen it.
docdave
Posts: 1820 | From Boone and Southport, NC | Registered: Sep 2006
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GiGi
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posted
I posted this on another thread yesterday:
Mercury is a neurotoxin. If anyone has neuro problems, it's logical and necessary to ease the load of all neurotoxins.
If there is only a slight other toxic metal present besides mercury, the lethal dose results multiply manyfold. I.e., one lethal dose of mercury kills one rat out of 100. But one lethal dose of mercury plus one lethal dose of lead kills all 100 rats.
There is no lab test I know of that absolutely and with certainty determines if there is a heavy metal problem. A mineral analysis that is often part of a heavy metal test can give an indication if there is a problem, even though no toxic heavy metals show. Also the minerals showing in a hair analysis can give a clue about toxic heavy metals according to the minerals that show up. Takes a good practitioner.
Reliable energetic testing and/or possibly the MELISA.org test that is done in Europe for both heavy metals and Lyme Disease is a way to go. It is now I believe available here also. Our choice is always energetic testing with an occasional objective lab test. Even if the lab test is negative, but neuro symptoms still present, we continue with detox until symptomfree.
The most important part following removal of metals/mercury is the detox program. It's probably the most difficult one and should only be done with a knowledgable practitioner who has lots of experience. Each patient presents a different situation and sometimes it can take more than a few months.
As long as illness persists, there may still be some metals hiding in the lower layers (sort of like a stone quarry/Grand Canyon.....) As long as there are metals, the microbes persist. As Pasteur said on his death bed: "It's the terrain - not the bugs." in French of course.
Our body is an ecosystem - toxins and microbes act as haptens - the main mechanism/factor in autoimmune disease.
Take care.
P.S. I saw a photo recently taken by a group of scientists (B. Haley group Uni Kentucky) that showed a tooth that had been pulled containing an amalgam filling. The tooth was filled 50 years ago. It was still giving off the mercury vapor still very visible in the photograph (taken with camera used in research). Mercury starts moving into the brain within 48 hours of the filling placement.
Health of Canada officially published that some 20 per cent of Canadian dentists are disabled.
Add a few chemicals, which everyone on this planet is exposed to, and the body is overwhelmed.
Thanks for holding your tongue, Doctor. It is appreciated.
Posts: 9834 | From Washington State | Registered: Oct 2000
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MariaA
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posted
I discussed this with my dentist today who pointed out that one problem with amalgam (mercury) fillings is that they don't shrink and expand at the same rate as teeth do, so there's a higher number of cases of them coming loose (something I'm experiencing) than with gold or composite material.
Get a night guard from the dentist if you're grinding like that- grinding is really bad for you for reasons besides just wearing your fillings.
DOcDave, don't gold fillings also contain mercury or am I wrong about that?
Maria
-------------------- Symptom Free!!! Thank you all!!!!
stymielymie
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posted
no gold fillings don't contain mercury at all usually silver or tin to make them stronger.
gigi: that 20% may be the right figure , but it is a mislaeding figure. i am disabled and did not leave from lyme or mercury poisioning.
most dental occupational disabilities are, back problems(1) arm and hand problems (2) medical problems(2a) psych problems (3) exposure to radiation, chemicals (4) i would like to see that report broken down into reasons for disabilities. i would think mercury toxicity would be about 2-3 % just guessing. se if you can find the break down of disabilities.
docdave
Posts: 1820 | From Boone and Southport, NC | Registered: Sep 2006
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klutzo
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posted
I was a psychiatric social worker before becoming disabled by Lyme, and I have a question for anyone who might know.
Several years ago, I remember reading in one of my professional journals that dentists have by far the highest suicide rate of any profession.
On a personal note, my DH had a friend who was a dentist. He seemingly had everything to live for, yet he killed himself. He has a son and a daughter.
The daughter seems to be following in his direction as she is very depressed. Her occupation is dental hygenist! The son, an accountant, is a happy guy. Sure, this could be a hereditary tendency to be depressed, but I wonder.....
Since mercury affects the brain, could it be mercury that is leading to the suicidal thoughts?
Klutzo
Posts: 1269 | From Clearwater, Florida, USA | Registered: May 2004
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stymielymie
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we were told that the first day of dental school dentistry is a very physical,mental and chalenging job.
remember you are not going to a hobbie shop, where you are happy to go in. the patient does not like you , before they even go thru the front door, if you can get them that far.lol
dnetistry is a very stressful job and probably higher suicide rate than high risk surgeons, because dentist have to have a rapport with patients. as a dentist you have to invade the privacey zone and this makes people very uncorfortable. you know like the drunk people that get in your face at a party, you feel uncomforatble because they are invding your privacy zone. this is usually 1-2 feet and varies, but detists are 6 inches away.
also many dentist are also therapists, we get paid for fixing teeth ,but have to listen to all the problems the patient may have.
the dentist could have major problems that day but must suppress them to keep patients and staff happy.
docdave Posts: 1820 | From Boone and Southport, NC | Registered: Sep 2006
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I don't mean to make light of the subject of dentists and suicide, but I've got ask;
How in the world can you understand what the heck the patient is saying? They've got their mouth full of rubber dams, multiple instruments and at least two pair of hands.
I know my dentist doesn't even ask personal questions until he has the maximum number of items in my mouth.
Then all he does is nod his head as I attempt to answer his questions.
(Sorry couldn't help myself)
Posts: 681 | From California | Registered: Oct 2005
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stymielymie
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posted
i took rubbber dam conversation or RDC 302 in dental school. it was an optional class but though it might help later. also in third year took Ignoring 307 tough course almost failed, they had a young naked lady come in the men's class and dance around the room.you were required to look foward for 20 minutes most everybody failed.lol i also took cotton roll interpretation CRI 405 in my senior year, when one of my patient was telling me he had to go to the bathroom, couldn't understand him, and he peed in his pants, i did also from laughing so hard.
any other dental courses your interested in , PLEASE LET ME KNOW, I'LL GIVE YOU MY PERSONAL REVIEW ON THEM.
DOCDAVE
[ 03. January 2007, 06:51 PM: Message edited by: stymielymie ]
Posts: 1820 | From Boone and Southport, NC | Registered: Sep 2006
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MariaA
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posted
I was thinking about what a hard job you guys have when I was getting a dental exam/cleaning yesterday- the hygienist doing the cleaning decided to be chatty which was actually very successful considering I was uncomfortable and we actually 'talked' about some interesting things (like Lyme, gum disease spirochetes, how women's work roles have changed, etc). Later I wondered 'how the heck did she do that with tools in my mouth almost the whole time?' It felt like a real two-way conversation.
-------------------- Symptom Free!!! Thank you all!!!!
Beverly
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posted
I have had most of my fillings out, still have a couple to go. I am very glad I did it.
The first thing I noticed with my new porcelain fillings was less pain when brushing my teeth and less blood. I still get pain by the crowns that have mercury.
I also did a few Vit C IV's right after the fillings came out. The Vit C IV did hurt my veins and I did get sick somewhat afterward, but I feel better now.
Posts: 6641 | From Michigan | Registered: Jun 2001
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GiGi
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(e) reproductive and developmental toxin (2,3,4,20,22,24,31,37,38,39,49,41,49)[105,146,149,160,204]. damage and disease[/B] (47,201,202,205).
3. Mercury crosses the blood brain barrier and is selectively stored in the pituitary gland of the brain. [85,113,146,162] The pituitary gland controls the body's endocrine system and secretes hormones that control most bodily processes, including the immune system and reproductive systems[146].
4. Mercury's biochemical damage at the cellular level include DNA damage , alteration of protein structure, alteration of the transport of calcium, induction of free radical formation, inhibition of glutathione peroxidase enzyme, endothial cell damage, and immune system damage. Only a few micrograms of mercury severely disturb cellular function and inhibit nerve growth(181).
98% of mercury found in the brain is in the methyl mercury form, the most toxic form(220). Most mercury in saliva was also organic.
5. Hormonal secretions of the pituitary gland that control bodily processes are at extremely low levels and extremely low levels of mercury are required to adversely affect hormonal secretions of the pituitary gland. Hormonal secretions affected at levels much lower than acute toxicity effects normally tested for[105,146].
6. Because of the extreme toxicity of mercury, only 1/2 gram is required to contaminate a 10 acre lake to the extent that a health warning would be issued by the government to not eat the fish[151,160]. Over half the rivers and lakes in Florida have such health warnings[160].
7. Some F lorida panthers that eat birds and animals that eat fish containing very low levels of mercury(about 1 part per million) have died from chronic mercury poisoning[160]. Since mercury is an estrogenic chemical and reproductive toxin, the majority of the rest cannot reproduce.
The average male Florida panther has higher estrogen levels than females, due to the estrogenic properties of mercury[105,160]. Similar is true of some other animals at the top of the food chain like alligators.
8. In addition to having estrogenic effects, mercury has other documented hormonal effects including effects on the reproductive system resulting in lowered sperm counts, defective sperm cells, and lowered testosterone levels in males and lowered levels of brain neurotransmitters dopamine, serotonin, and noreprenephrine[105,107,140,141],
9. An average amalgam filling contains 1/2 gram of mercury, and the average adult had at least 5 grams of mercury in fillings(unless most has vaporized). Mercury in solid form is not stable and vaporizes continuously , so that within 10 years more than half has been transferred to the brain and body of the host(34,47)[182].
10. The level of mercury in people with amalgam fillings causes a body burden of mercury much higher than they could get from eating contaminated fish with government health warnings. (WHO,183 World Health Organization)
11. Running shoes with 1/2 gram of mercury in the heels were banned by several states, because the amount of mercury was considered dangerous to public health and created a serious disposal problem. Mercury from dental offices and human waste from people with amalgam fillings has much higher levels and is a major source of mercury in Florida waters.
* More detailed descriptions and references are contained in [105,160]. References in parentheses were compiled by the Australasian Society of Oral Medicine and Toxicology. References in brackets were compiled by Bernard Windham.
II. Systemic Mercury Intake Level from Amalgam Fillings 1. Mercury in solid form is not stable and evaporates continuously from amalgam fillings in the mouth, being transferred over a period of time to the host(211). Mercury vapor from amalgam is the single largest source of systemic mercury intake for persons with amalgam fillings. (16,17,19,57,) [78-82,94,111,126,129,130,138,161,183,211,216]. Amalgam also releases tin and copper which also have toxic effects, with organic tin being much more neurotoxic than mercury(222).
2. Mercury vapor is absorbed at a rate of 80% through the lungs into the arterial blood and is also absorbed my oral mucosa. (31,40) [77,79,84,94,96,117,133,211]
3. On average for a person having amalgam fillings, vapor from amalgam fillings amounts to about 80% of total systemic intake. [78-82,93,94,179,211]
4. Having dissimilar metals in the teeth(e.g.-gold and mercury) causes electrical currents and much higher mercury vapor levels and levels in tissues. (19,27,30) Average mercury levels in gum tissue near amalgam fillings are 250 ppm, but are often 1200 ppm near a gold cap on an amalgam filling(30,25,47)[186,194]. Concentrations of mercury in oral mucosa for a population of patients with 6 or more amalgam fillings taken during oral surgery were 20 times the level of controls[174]. The level of mercury and copper released from high copper amalgam is as much as 50 times that of low copper amalgams[191]. High levels of mercury vaporize and are picked up by the body and bloodstream during dental work(high-speed grinding) on amalgam fillings, which results in much higher levels in the heart, brain, liver, and kidneys(219).
5. The average level of mercury in the urine of a person with amalgam fillings(1.9 parts per million) is approximately twice that of the FDA and EPA Action Level for bans on eating fish and food due to high mercury level(1 ppm) and can be as much as 50 times the EPA Critical Level. [134, 154,etc.,160]
The U.S. Agency for toxic Substances and Disease Registry standard (MRL) for acute inhalation exposure to mercury vapor is 0.02 mcg Hg/m3 and the MrL for chronic inhalation exposure is 0.014 mcg Hg/m3. Common levels found in persons with amalgam fillings are over 100 times these MRLs(217,209). Thus persons with amalgam fillings have levels of intraoral mercury vapor higher than the level considered to have significant health risk.
6. There is only a weak correlation between blood or hair mercury levels and body burden or level in a target organ[157]. Feces has a significant mercury burden in people with amalgam fillings, having a higher correlation to systemic body burden than urine or blood, which tend to correlate with recent exposure level.(47) [79,80] As damage occurs to kidneys over time, mercury is less efficiently eliminated[157].
7. Mercury accumulates in the brain, liver, kidneys, heart,and oral mucosa (1,20,31) [77,79,84,85,94 ,111,149,211,219]
8. The number of amalgam surfaces has a statistically significant correlation to :
9. A [B] person with amalgam fillings has daily systemic intake from mercury vapor of between 3 and 70 micrograms of mercury, with the average being at least 12 micrograms per day.[ 77,83,85,179,211].
Total intake is proportional to the number and extent of amalgam surfaces, but other factors such as chewing gum and drinking hot liquids influence the intake significantly.(28,31,56) [135- 139,193,211].
Vapor emissions range up to 200 mcg/M3 (47)[193] and are much higher after chewing. Approx. 39% of those having amalgam fillings tested in a large German study had ingested mercury levels exceeding the WHO mercury standard(199).
10. The blood and kidney mercury load of a person with amalgam fillings is often 5 times that of a similar person without.(16)[ 79,80,82,84,93,111,136,138
The average blood level for one large population was 24.8 nmol/l[176]. Normal blood levels are less than 20 ppb, but health effects have been observed in patients in the upper part of this range[196]. A Swedish study estimated the total amount mercury swallowed per day from intra-oral vapor was 10 micrograms per day[177]. Other studies have found similar amounts(211).
11. Teeth are living tissue and have massive communication with the rest of the body via blood, lymph, and nerves .
Mercury vapor (and bacteria in teeth ) have paths to the rest of the body. (34,etc.) One German study of mercury loss from vapor in unstimulated saliva found the saliva of those with amalgams had 5 times as much mercury as for controls[179].
12. Mercury crosses the blood brain barrier and is stored preferentially in the pituitary gland, hypothalamus, and occipital cortex in direct proportion to the number and extent of amalgam surfaces.(1,13,19,20,25,34,55a) [85,111,113,149] Thus mercury has a greater effect on the functions of these brain areas.
13. Some mercury entering nasal passages is absorbed directly into the olfactory lobe and brain without coming from blood .(34,47,55a).
14. Mercury is transported along the axons of nerve fibers (33,34,47,50).
15. Mercury from amalgam is transported freely via the blood after entering the blood through the lungs (19,34,35). 16. Mercury has a long half life in the body and brain, and chronic low level intake results in a slow accumulation in body tissues. (20,26,34,47) [etc.]
17. Methyl mercury is more toxic to some body processes than elemental mercury. Mercury from amalgam is methylated by bacteria in the mouth and intestines(51,53,54) [81.185].
Methyl mercury is 1000 times more potent in causing genetic damage than any other known chemical(Ramel, in(47)).
18. The level of mercury in the brain tissue of the fetus, new born, and young children is directly proportional to the number of amalgam surfaces in the mother's mouth. (61,etc.) [112,113,114]
19. Mercury from amalgam in pregnant women crosses the placenta and appears in amniotic fluid and fetal blood, liver, and pituitary gland within 2 days of placement(18,31) [113,162].
Mercury is often stored in breast milk and the fetus at much higher levels than that in the mother's tissues (18,19,22,23,40,41,61) [112,114]. The highest level is in the pituitary gland of the fetus which affects development of the endocrine,immune, and reproductive systems.
20. There is a significant correlation between the number of amalgam fillings of the mother and the level of the fetus and older infants [112,113,114], and also with the level in mothers milk(18,19,61) [112,113]. Fertile women should not be exposed to vapor levels above 10 mcg/M3 (61)[195].
III. Medical Studies Finding Health Problems Related to Amalgam Fillings 1. Toxic/allergic reactions often result in lichen planus lesions in oral mucosa or gums and play a roll in pathogenesis of periodontal disease. Removal of amalgam fillings usually results in cure of such lesions. [82,86,87,90,94,101,133,145,192]
2. Numerous studies have found long term chronic low doses of mercury cause neurological, memory, behavior, and mood problems (34) [71,74,107,108,109, 115, 119,140,141,196].
Organic tin compounds formed from amalgam are even more neurotoxic than mercury(222).
3. Studies of groups of patients with amalgam fillings found significantly more neurological, memory, mood, and behavioral problems than the control groups. (34) [107,108,109,140,141,196]
4. Mercury binds to hemoglobin in the red blood cells thus reducing oxygen carrying capacity(1,16,17,21,26,35,47), and at 1 ppm can destroy the membrane of redblood cells(35,47,22,17) and damage blood vessels- reducing blood supply to the tissues(34). These effects often result in fatigue and reduced energy levels [115,119,140,141,202,212]. Mercury also accumulates in the heart and damages mycardial and heart valves (Turpayev, in (47)).
5. Mercury amalgam exposure adversely affects the immune system (27,34,48) [77,78,118,199]. One of several effects is to increase the average blood white cell count by 2000 to 10000 (47). The increased white count usually normalizes after amalgam removal. Mercury also blocks the immune function of magnesium and zinc [197].
6. Mercury from amalgam interferes with production of cytokines, disabling early control of viruses and leading to enhanced infection [131].
7. A group of patients with amalgam fillings and complaints of systematic symptoms including central nervous system problems and a group of controls were given MRI tests. 81% of the group with health complaints had pathological MRI results including signs of degeneration of the basal ganglia of the brain, but none in the controls.
60% of the symptom group tested positive for immune system reaction to mercury. The authors concluded that immune reactions have an important role in development of brain lesions ,and amalgam fillings induce immune reactions in many patients[118].
8. Among a group of patients testing positive as allergic to mercury, low level mercury exposure was found to cause adverse immune system response , including reduction of in vitro production of tumor necrosis factor TNF alfa and interleukin-1. [152]
9. Patch tests for hypersensitivity to mercury have found from 2% to 42% to test positive[87,154,178]. In a study of medical students, 12.8% tested positive as allergic to mercury, and those testing positive had significantly higher average number of amalgam fillings than those not testing positive(and higher levels of mercury in urine[132].
Other studies have found increasing allergy to mercury related to amount of exposure and time period of exposure [156,etc.].
If this is a good estimate of the percent of Americans allergic to mercury, this would be about 30 million people especially vulnerable to increased immune system reactions to amalgam fillings. However, patch tests do not measure the total population getting toxic reactions from mercury. The most sensitive reactions are immune reactions, DNA mutations, and systemic effects(47).
10. Low level mercury exposure including exposure to amalgam fillings has been found to be associated with increased auto immune diseases , including lupus,Chrons disease, lichen planus, endometriosis 25,27,34,35,42,43,44,45,47,49,55,60) [77,78,215]. Silver, like mercury, is released from amalgam fillings and stored in the body and has been shown to cause immune reactions and autoimmunity in animal studies [77, 78, 129]
11. People with amalgam fillings have an increased number of intestinal microorganisms resistant to mercury and many standard antibiotics. (47,58)[116,117] Studies have found a significant correlation between mercury resistance and multiple antibiotic resistance[116,117,161].
12. Mercury from amalgam binds to the -SH (sulphydryl) groups, resulting in inactivation of sulfur and blocking of enzyme function, producing toxicity. Sulfur is essential in enzymes, hormones, nerve tissue, and red blood cells. These exist in almost every enzymatic process in the body. Mercury also blocks the metabolic action of manganese and the entry of calcium ions into cytoplasm.
Mercury from amalgam thus has the potential to disturb all metabolic processes (25,33,47,60)[180,197}. Mercury is transported throughout the body in blood and can affect cells in the body and organs in different ways.
13. Several studies found adverse health effects at mercury vapor levels of 1 to 5 mcg/M3 (47).
14. Mercury accumulates in the kidneys with increasing levels over time. Mercury exposure has been shown to adversely affect kidney function in occupational and animal studies(59,203,211,etc.). The Government's toxic level for mercury in urine is 30 mcg/L [189], but low levels in urine often mean high mercury retention and chronic toxicity problems.
15. Amalgam fillings produce electrical currents which increase mercury vapor release and may have other harmful effectS (19,27,28,29,35,47,56)[194]. These currents are measured in micro amps. The central nervous system operates on signals in the range of nano-amps, which is 1000 times less than a micro amp(28). Negatively charged fillings or crown appear to cause higher mercury vapor losses(47).
16. Mercury from amalgam fillings is transferred to the fetus of pregnant women and children who breast feed at levels often higher than those of the mother(18,19,31,61) [112,113,114,195].
17. Since mercury is documented from studies of humans and animals to be a reproductive and developmental toxin[105,146], mercury can reduce reproductive function and cause birth defects and developmental problems in children. (2,3,4,20,24,31,37,38,39,40,41,49)
Clinical evidence indicates that amalgam fillings leads to hormone imbalances that can reduce fertility(199). Some researcher's advise pregnant women should not be exposed to mercury vapor levels above 10 mcg/M3 (61)[195].
18. Mercury causes breaks in DNA (41,42,)[197]. Low non-cytotoxic levels of mercury induce dose dependent binding of mercury to DNA and significantly increased cell mutations[142] and birth defects[197].
19. Mercury by its effect of weakening the immune system contributes to increased chronic diseases and cancer. Amalgam fillings have also been found to be positively associated with mouth cancer(206).
20. In addition to the endocrine system disrupting effects of high mercury accumulation in the pituitary gland, mercury causes a reduction in thyroid production and an accumulation in the thyroid of radiation. Mercury's adverse influence on thyrocytes can play a major role in thyroid cancer etiology[144]. Mercury has been found to affect hormone production at very low concentrations(199).
21. Allergies and hair-loss were found to be 2-3 times as high in a group with large number of amalgam fillings compared to controls(199). Higher levels of hormone disturbances, immune disturbances, recurrent fungal infections were also found in the amalgam group.
22. There has been no evidence found that there is any safe level of mercury in the body that does not kill cells and harm body processes (WHO ,183, etc.). Mercury levels of 10ppm severely disturb cellular function, and growth of nerve fibers are affected at much lower levels[181]. This is especially so for the pituitary gland of the developing fetus which is the most sensitive to mercury(2-4,19-24,30,31,36,37,39-44).
22. The level of mercury released by amalgam fillings is often more than the levels documented in medical studies to produce adverse effects(see previous text).
IV. Health Effects from Dental Personnel Exposure to Mercury Vapor
1. Dentists and dental personnel who work with amalgam are chronically exposed to mercury vapor.( 1,6-12,32,34,36) [72,122,123,124,171,172,173]
Studies note that carpeting in dental offices should be avoided as it is a major repository of mercury[188]. Mercury levels in urine of dental personnel average about 2 times that of controls(123,124,171) and was 43 nmol/liter for a population surveyed in Sweden(171), which is above the Swedish occupational exposure guideline.
2. Drilling old amalgam fillings with only a saliva extractor and no other precautions produces mercury vapor levels 2 to 15 times occupational threshold limit values(30 micrograms/cubic meter)[120,219].
3. The average dental office exposure affects the body mercury level approximately the same as having 19 amalgam fillings[123,124,173].
4. Body burden increases with time and older dentists have median mercury urine levels about 4 times those of controls, as well as higher brain and body burdens(13,34) [70-74,122]. Some older dentists have mercury levels in some parts of the brain as much as 80 times higher than normal levels(14,34).
5. Dentists and dental personnel experience significantly higher levels of neurological, memory, mood, and behavioral problems, which increase with years of exposure(13,34,49) [69-74,88,122,188].
6. Female dental technicians who work with amalgam have significantly reduced fertility and lowered probability of conception(3,24)[121], and their children have significantly lower average IQ compared to the general population(13). The level of mercury excreted in urine is significantly higher for female dental assistants than dentists(171,172,173).
7. Many homes of dentists have been found to have high levels of mercury contamination used by dentists bringing it home on shoes and clothes[187].
8. Some studies have found increased risk of lung, kidney, brain, and CNS system cancers among dental workers(14,34)[143].
8. Autopsies of former dental staff found levels of mercury in the pituitary gland averaged over 10 times that of controls(99), as well as higher levels in the occipital cortex and renal cortex and thyroid.
V. Results of Removal of Amalgam Fillings
1. For the week following amalgam removal, body mercury levels increase approx. 30 % (unless Chelation is also used), but within 2 weeks levels fall significantly.[82,89]
2. Removal of amalgam fillings resulted in a significant reduction in body burden and body waste product load of mercury[75,82,88,89,93,95,96,125,200].
3. Total reduction in mercury levels in blood and urine is often over 80% within a few months[82,89,93,96,200].
4. There are extensive documented cases where removal of amalgam fillings led to cure of serious health problems such as periodontal diseases, immune system problems,epilepsy, blood conditions, depression, mental confusion,infertility, lupus, arthritis, tachycardia, universal reactors, etc. or significant improvement in symptoms[75,86-91,95-103,125,148,165.167.168,170,180,182, 192,199,200,222].
5. Some studies of patients with major neurological or degenerative diseases such as Alzheimers ,ALS,MS,Parkinson's,etc. have found evidence amalgam fillings may play a major role in development of that condition(66,67) [92,97,98,100,102,145,148,158,159,163,166,169,170,175,183,184,207,213,218,221]Studies have found mercury related mental effects to be indistinguishable from those of MS(207). Mercury at extremely low levels interfers with formation of tubulin producing neurofibrillary tangles in the brain similar to those observed in Alzheimers patients with high levels of mercury in the brain(207). Also mercury binds with cell membranes interfering with sodium and potassium enzyme functions, causing excess membrane permeability, especially in terms of the blood-brain barrier [159,207]. Less than 1ppm mercury in the blood stream can impair the blood- brain barrier. Mercury was also found to accumulate in the mitochondria and interfere with their vital Very high levels of mercury are found in brain memory areas such as the cerebral cortex and hippocampos of patients with diseases with memory related symptoms[158]. functions, and to inhibit cytochrome C enzymes which affect energy supply to the brain. Persons with extra Apo-E4 gene copies are especially susceptible to this damage(207,221).[/B
In many cases removal of amalgam fillings and treatment for metal toxicity led to "cure' or significant improvement in health [97,100,102,148,170,207,213,222].
There is some evidence that some forms of leukemia are abnormal response to antigenic stimulation by mercury or other such toxins and removal of amalgam has led to remission in some cases(47)[180].
VI. Scientists and Government Panels or Bodies That Have Found Amalgam Fillings to be Unsafe.
1. A World Health Organization Scientific Panel concluded that there is no safe level of mercury exposure(183,208). The Chairman of the panel, Lars Friberg stated that "dental amalgam is not safe for everyone to use(208).
2. In 1987 the Federal Dept. of Health in [B]Germany issued an advisory warning against use of dental amalgam in pregnant women(61).
A Swedish National Mercury Amalgam Review Panel found that "from a toxicological point of view, mercury is too toxic to use as a filling material"[164].
The U.S. EPA found that removed amalgam fillings are hazardous and must be disposed of as hazardous waste(214).
A Canadian study for Health Canada concluded that any person with any number of amalgam fillings receives exposure beyond that recommended by the USPHS Standard(209). Many of those researching amalgam related health effects including several very prominent scientists have concluded that the health effects are widespread and serious so that mercury should not be used as a filling material (1,18,19,26,36,38,61) [88,94,99,100,113,115,125,126,148,153,164,170,183,208,209,210,222].
3. The use of mercury amalgams has been banned for children and women of child-bearing age or put on a schedule for phase out by 4 European countries. The use of amalgam is declining in Europe and Germany's largest producer of amalgam has ceased production, The director of the U.S. Federal program overseeing dental safety advises against using mercury amalgam for new fillings.
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(211) M.J.Vimy and F.L. Lorscheider, Faculty of Medicine, Univ. Of Calgary, July 1991. (Study findings) & J. Dent. Res. 1985, 64:1069-75; & J. Trace Elem. Exper. Med., 1990,3, 111-123.
(212) Ziff, M.F., "Documented clinical side effects to dental amalgams", ADV. Dent. Res., 1992; 1(6):131-134.
(213) Dr. C. Kousmine, Multiple Scherosis is Curable, 1995.
quote:Originally posted by stymielymie: dnetistry is a very stressful job and probably higher suicide rate than high risk surgeons, because dentist have to have a rapport with patients. as a dentist you have to invade the privacey zone and this makes people very uncorfortable.
Whats the suicide rate compared to the docs who do rectal exams? I googled but found nothing
another "Sorry couldn't help myself" moment Posts: 731 | From Humble,TX | Registered: Feb 2005
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charlie
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 25
posted
My Dad who was a dentist often said that the main difference between dentistry and proctology was that the proctologist had a cleaner field...
Posts: 2804 | From Texas | Registered: Oct 2000
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GiGi
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 259
posted
Doc,
"most dental occupational disabilities are, back problems(1) arm and hand problems (2) medical problems(2a) psych problems (3) exposure to radiation, chemicals"
Doc, since mercury is toxic and moves into every body compartment over time, first of all the brain, all problems you mentioned above are consequences of the first problem -- mercury toxicity. Read any list of heavy metal symptoms and you will find that all are included. Even if a physical injury precedes the mercury, the heavy metals tend to settle in the previously injured body part. Closed head injuries included. It just depends on where the individual's weak spot is - that's where it hits most. Oftentimes, it hits everywhere.
But it starts with the toxic terrain from heavy metals/chemicals, with or without an abundance of microbes, and the damage/symptoms follow.
Love the proctology, Charlie, the problem is that the mercury surfaces at that end also, if you are lucky enough to release it and get rid of it! (Doctor's Data tests)
Take care.
Posts: 9834 | From Washington State | Registered: Oct 2000
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stymielymie
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 10044
posted
actually its the uroligist that have the "crappy" job protologist get if after enemas so its already clean so urologists get it from both ends.
docdave
Posts: 1820 | From Boone and Southport, NC | Registered: Sep 2006
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stymielymie
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 10044
posted
WHY Of COURSE THE ANSWER FOR ME IS YES CAVEEY.
i had one receptionist for 13 years, one assistant for 10 till she moved. a hygienist for 8 years before her husband was transferred.
so i would say i was good to my staff even on bad days.
the hard part of dentistry to me was not doing the work. i could do that behind my back and blindfolded, maybe thats why i always got the wrong tooth. lol
dentistry to me was like being an actor, being something i wasn't to people that needed it. i was in real life a true introvert. it was like acting to become an extrovert, now as you can see i can't stop talking. so the stage changed my life.
the honorable docdave
Posts: 1820 | From Boone and Southport, NC | Registered: Sep 2006
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GiGi
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 259
posted
Cave,
"Only after getting sick by a bug bite (guess which one?) many decades later did I become concerned about my mercury levels--- mostly because of some scary information put out by (hopefully) well intentioned people."
So did I. I made it into my sixties in what I thought was the best of health. Only when the bite hit, did I become ill. The tick broke the camel's back. And I am so glad that I heeded the input of my doctor, scary or not, removed the "golden bridge work" and started a thorough detox program. That is what got me well.
Thank God, we all have a choice, and that's what we have to live with. It is perfectly allright.
Take care.
Posts: 9834 | From Washington State | Registered: Oct 2000
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mojo
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 9309
posted
My LLMD had me remove my amalgams right away by a dentist who knows how to do it - he is also a Mercury Free dentist and now I will only go to him. I had about 12 fillings and they did them all at once (they sedated me nicely - the experience was no problem). Then I did a urine challenge, Chelated for the Mercury, did another Urine Challenge and the Merucy problem was gone.
My doctor gives me copies of all my tests without me even asking for them.
If you get the fillings removed it is important to check your Mercury levels because even the best dentists can't keep all the mercury out of your body.
Posts: 1761 | From USA | Registered: May 2006
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stymielymie
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 10044
posted
mojo: you did it backwards. you are suppose to test for mercury first to have a baseline. if your mercury levels are not high, thellmd and dentist may have been cohoost. you should always have the test andit be postive prior even thinking about removing amalgams.
docdave Posts: 1820 | From Boone and Southport, NC | Registered: Sep 2006
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posted
My dr. recommended I get my mercury amalgam fillings removed by a mercury-free dentist. I found 3, researched them and chose the one I liked the best.
My dentist also does a mercury, detox 3x a year for himself.
Leaking mercury turned my gum black. The mercury was underneath a crown. It was so horrible, the dental assistant gasped in horror. I had to wait a couple of weeks to see if the remainder of my tooth would survive. Eventually, my gum turned pink again.
I am so glad I had my amalgams replaced. My dentist said he's had many patients whose health has been restored by removing their mercury amalgams including one patient who had been diagnosed with MS.
Some people are poor excreters of mercury and that can be the reason it doesn't show up in their hair analysis,
I have heard too that dentist have a higher than average suicide rate presumably from mercury.
Also, the phrase, "Mad as a mad hatter." Isn't from the movie Alice in Wonderland. It was said of those who years and years ago were in the profession of making hats. Mercury was used in one of the steps of that process. Many of them went mad, hence the term, "Mad as a mad hatter."
Heavy metal poisoning is a real problem.
Kayda
Posts: 582 | From midwest | Registered: Nov 2006
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posted
We have a very dear dentist friend that got lymphoma after about 30 years of practice with not using mercury the last 15 years. He attributes it to his profession. Spent 6 months in Houston and underwent bone marrow/stem cell transplant and is doing great now. His blood type completely changed as well as all his protection of childhood vaccines. According to him it is amazing the similarities of him and his donor. It is really an interesting story to hear him talk about his diagnosis and recovery. He is a walking miracle. Sorry for rambling OT. Mary V
Posts: 23 | From Ft Myers area, Florida | Registered: May 2006
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