Amalgam dental fillings are a health hazard
NEW YORK, NY. Dr. Gary Null, PhD and Dr. Martin Feldman, MD have just released a major report concerning the health hazards of dental amalgam (silver) fillings. They point to incontrovertible evidence that mercury continually leaches from amalgam fillings at a rate of about 10-50 times the safe limit (0.28 microgram/day) set by the US Public Health Service. Mercury has been linked to birth defects, multiple sclerosis, fatigue, Alzheimer’s disease, depression, anxiety, reduced immune function, antibiotic resistance, and impaired kidney function. Researchers have found that mercury is a potent killer of white blood cells and that proper removal of amalgam fillings will restore white blood cell counts to healthy levels. There is also evidence that the number of T-cells (an important part of immune defenses) decreases substantially when amalgam fillings are placed in the mouth, but increases again once the fillings are removed.
The American Dental Association (ADA) maintains that amalgam fillings are safe – a position made completely untenable by the fact that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has declared amalgam to be a hazardous material. It is interesting that the ADA, when confronted by a lawsuit regarding the use of amalgam fillings, made the following statement in its defense, “The ADA owes no legal duty of care to protect the public from allegedly dangerous products used by dentists.”
Several studies have found that chewing markedly increases the amount of mercury released from amalgam fillings into the mouth and that these mercury vapours easily find their way into the pituitary gland and the brain. Autopsies performed at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden revealed that people with amalgam fillings had three times more mercury in the brain and nine times more in the kidneys than did people with no amalgam fillings.
Common bacteria found in the mouth and intestines can convert mercury to methylmercury, a compound that is 100 times more toxic than is elemental mercury. Methylmercury passes both the blood-brain and placental barriers and following a large exposure can remain in the brain for 10 years or more. Considering that dentists still place about one million amalgam fillings in the mouths of American citizens every day it is clear that disorders caused by amalgam toxicity is a horrendous problem. Not everyone is sensitive to mercury, but various studies estimate the percentage that are to be somewhere between 10 and 44 per cent. Fortunately, a few governments are beginning to wake up to the dangers and are passing laws restricting or outright banning the use of amalgam fillings. The German, Norwegian, Swedish, Canadian and British governments have advised dentists not to install or remove amalgam fillings in pregnant women. Since November 2000 the following sign has been posted in all dental offices in California, “WARNING – Amalgam fillings contain a chemical element known to the State of California to cause birth defects or other reproductive harm”. The California Dental Association apparently lobbied successfully to ensure that the word mercury did not appear in the warning.
The Australian Society of Oral Medicine and Toxicology has concluded that mercury in amalgam fillings is continuously released from the fillings and accumulates in tissues throughout the body where it interferes with many physiological functions.
Null, Gary and Feldman, Martin. Mercury dental amalgams: the controversy continues. Journal of Orthomolecular Medicine, Vol. 17, No. 2, 2nd Quarter 2002, pp. 85-110 [180 references]
Editor’s comment: There is no question in my mind that amalgam fillings pose a serious health risk to everyone whether or not they actually exhibit symptoms of mercury toxicity at this time. New amalgam fillings should be avoided and old ones replaced with composite fillings under safe conditions when it becomes necessary.
Source: http://www.yourhealthbase.com/amalgams.html
I’ve decided to remove mine, what about you? Kim
Freya Koss
Gary Null and Dr. Feldman are absolutely correct about the toxicity of mercury leaching from amalgam fillings, and the comment by Kim that amalgam fillings “pose a serious health risk to everyone whether or not they actually exhibit symptoms of mercury toxicity at this time” is right on target. Unfortunately, the public is unaware of the various symptoms and illnesses related to chronic exposure from mercury fillings,and their doctors rather than exploring possible etiologies, just label them with illnesses and treat them with drugs. I was a classic example when I was struck with double vision almost 11 years ago and diagnosed with MS, Lupus and Myasthenia Gravis. Within five days I discovered on my own that I was acutely poisoned by mercury during the improper removal of an old filling and placement of a new mercury fillings only seven days before I was struck with the neurlogical symptoms. To the distain of my neurologist, I refused to take the steroids, but instead had my fillings removed by a mercury-free dentist, took 100 supplements a day, had vitamin C IVs and changed my diet elminating dairy, sugar and wheat. I slowly recovered from the neurlogical symptoms, despite the fact that 5 neurlogists refused to consider mercury from the fillings was a cause of the symptoms.
My story can be read at: http://www.toxicteeth.org
The public is entitled to know that their silver colored fillings are 50% mercury, a knwon neurotoxin, a serious potential health hazard, particularly for pregnant women and young children.
As Director of the Pennsylvania Coalition for Mercury-Free Dentistry, we have had a bill passed in Philadelphia which will require every dentist to give their patients a brochure indicating that silver filings are half mercury and are a danger to their health. At the very least patients deserve to have a choice between mercury fillings and white composite fillings which do not contain mercury.
Despite the fact that scientific research supports the toxicity of mercury leaching from these fillings,the medical profession contiunues to deny the possibility that these fillings may be contributing factors in illnesses such as MS, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s,Sjogren’s, Lupus, thyroid disease, ALS,mental illness and many other autoimmune and neurological illnesses. The question remains, why the medical community believes the American Dental Association’s unproven rhetoric that mercury fillings are safe rather than base their judgement on science.
For additional information on legislation and how you can get involved, go to http://www.toxicteeth.org.
Freya Koss
PA Coalition for Mercury-Free Dentistry
frekoss@aol.com
Alan Foos
Thank you! My entire family has suffered tragically from mercury poisoning both from amalgams and vaccinations, with MDs refusing to talk - I have an excellent academic background with experience in research and statistics, but you’d have to be blind not to know the cause of these things… if you like, http://mercuryxxpoisoned.com