Amalgam / Mercury Dental Filling Toxicity

An often overlooked, but extremely important source of toxic material is the mercury from silver [mercury] amalgam fillings. Some people who are aware of the situation are confused by the mixture of information available. Unfortunately, statements from dental trade organizations and on a few poorly-researched news reports have muddled the situation.

Here are a few facts about mercury amalgam fillings:


Causes Damage to Brain in Children
In February, 1998, a group of the world's top mercury researchers announced that mercury from amalgam fillings can permanently damage the brain, kidneys, and immune system of children.


Amalgam Fillings Linked to Neurological Problems, Gastrointestinal Problems
The first large-scale epidemiological study of mercury and adverse reactions was recently completed and showed that of the symptoms looked at, there was a link seen to gastrointestinal problems, sleep disturbances, concentration problems, memory disturbances, lack of initiative, restlessness, bleeding gums and other mouth disorders.


Mercury / Alzheimer's Disease Connection Found
A study related to mercury and Alzheimer's Disease was recently completed by a team of scientists led by well-respected researcher Dr. Boyd Haley. They exposed rats to levels of mercury vapor diluted to account for size differences between humans and rats. The rats developed tissue damage "indistinguishable" from that of Alzheimer's Disease. Repeating the experiment showed the same results. Dr. Haley is quoted as saying "I'm getting the rest of my fillings taken out right now, and I've asked my wife to have hers replaced too." Also see: www.holistic-dentistry.com...


Amalgam Fillings Since 1970s Unstable
The type of mercury fillings that began to be used during the last couple of decades, non-gamma-2 (high copper), releases many times more mercury than the older style of amalgam fillings. Also, please see the article on the instability of dental amalgam fillings by Ulf Bengsston.


Amalgam Fillings Release Highly Toxic Elemental Mercury
Mercury is one of the most toxic substances known. The mercury release from fillings is absorbed primarily as highly toxic elemental mercury vapor.


Amalgam Fillings Largest Source of Mercury By Far
Based on a number of studies in Sweden, the World Health Organization review of inorganic mercury in 1991 determined that mercury absorption is estimated to be approximately four times higher from amalgam fillings than from fish consumption. Recent studies have confirmed this estimate. The amount absorbed can vary considerably from person to person.


Gold Crowns, Gum, Bruxism, Computer Monitors Increase Release of Mercury Significantly
Gum chewing, grinding of teeth/bruxism, computer terminal exposure, presence of gold fillings or gold crowns (even if covering mercury fillings), teeth brushing, braces, and chewing cause the release of significantly increased amounts of mercury from the fillings. Also, please see the following short review related to increases in mercury exposure from dissimilar metals in the mouth, exposure to magnetic fields, chewing, etc.


Cumulative Poison and Builds Up in Organs
Mercury released from fillings builds up in the brain, pituitary, adrenals, and other parts of the body.

www.holisticmed.com...

www.dentalvirtue.com...

www.amalgam.org...

www.vimy-dentistry.com...

Chapter -2- Dental "Psychology"?
Siblerud (11) studied urinary mercury levels and the mental status of 50 college student volunteers with amalgams and 51 with no dental fillings. The reported mean level of mercury, for the amalgam group was 201 percent higher than the mean level for the nonamalgam group. The mercury value reported for hair samples from the amalgam group was 26.5 percent higher than the comparable for the non-amalgam group. Both differences were statistically significant.

Among those with amalgams, the number of fillings correlated with both urinary mercury and hair mercury, supporting results previously reported. Because hair reflects dietary intake of methylmercury, its analysis will not likely provide a very useful tool in evaluating exposure to mercury vapor from amalgam dental restorations.

The students were also given a health questionnaire to complete at home and another to complete while waiting for the laboratory testing. Responses to the first questionnaire showed amalgam subjects significantly less happy and having less "peace of mind" than the non-amalgam group. On the second questionnaire, the amalgam group reported more emotional symptoms and a lifestyle involving greater consumption of sweets, cigarettes, alcohol, and coffee.

In a supplementary survey, Siblerud sent one of his questionnaires to nearly 300 patients (average age, 40.4 years) whose amalgams had been removed. The 86 who responded were asked to list mental health symptoms for the year before the amalgams were removed and to evaluate the symptoms after their removal. Most of the patients were pleased with the results; they indicated improvement in emotional factors such as depression, irritability, and anger, and in general health status.

Sibelrud has written several other scientific reports on amalgam, covering blood pressure, smoking, and other health factors. The conclusions drawn are that people with amalgams smoke TWICE as much as people without (smoking is an anti-depressant), they have significantly higher blood pressure, and are generally in worse health than subjects who are amalgam-free.

These reports will be included in the book if Dr. Sibelrud gives permission. They can be viewed at any University Medical Library and the abstracts are available on Internet Grateful Med.

(Update October 2001) My strategy is to show through statistical analysis that persons are being harmed by mercury fillings, so I approached several government agencies looking for data files that could be analyzed. This led me to the National Health and Nutritional Survey III (NHANES III). I hired a research company from Sacremento, CA to run an analysis, looking for links between fillings and disease. This paper is the result. Scientists at the University of Rochester, NY have agreed to reproduce these results, and then publication will follow if successful. If you are reading this, you are one of the few to see what is potentially the largest change in public health policy in over 150 years taking shape.


www.vimy-dentistry.com...

We are actually exposed to mercury in our air, water, and food. Amalgam fillings can contribute to about 3-5% of our total day to day exposure. Mercury is in a stable state in mercury fillings and only small amounts of mercury are vaporized when we chew. Mercury in saliva is not shown to be harmful. Only mercury inhaled in its vapor form seems to contribute to the potential harmful effects.

The body has a natural tolerance to amalgam to some degree and only gets overload by much higher levels of mercury vapor such as that found in mercury mines. Very few people (1 in 1 million or less) are actually allergic to mercury. Mercury miners are at significant risk. Mercury poisoning causes lowered ability to perform fine motor tasks such as writing. This does go away to some extent after the body's concentration levels go down.

Do not remove your amalgam filling solely for the purpose of reducing your mercury exposure. The levels of exposure are much higher from the actual procedure of removal (high heat of the bur (dental drill)) than you would ever be exposed by leaving them in. They should only be removed if the filling is old and becoming defective at preventing future carries (decay/cavities).

For reliable information check Consumer Reports May 1991 issue "The Mercury In Your Mouth" and March 1986 issue "The Mercury Scare".

Also:

www.msif.org... al_treatments/physical_and_surgical_manipulations/replacement_of_m.html

www.quackwatch.org...