Hi. I plan on making an appointment to have my amalgams removed starting in a month. I am wondering what supplements will help me prepare of the removal...

Thanks

Hi. I plan on making an appointment to have my amalgams removed starting in a month. I am wondering what supplements will help me prepare of the removal...

Thanks


Hi
My dentist is also planning to remove all of my amalgams...but he didn't mention me needing a supplement. Did your dentist tell you that you needed one?

Just curious. :)
Di

You should only replace fillings if it is necessary. Replacing a filling just because it is amalgam is unwarranted,and can lead to bigger problems down the road. I speak from experience. Thousands of dollars worth.


Some facts:

The ADA's Principles of Ethics and Code of Conduct states, "Removal of amalgam restorations from the non-allergic patient for the alleged purpose of removing toxic substances from the body, when such treatment is performed solely at the recommendation or suggestion of the dentist, is improper and unethical."


In August 1996, the Canadian Health Department also released a statement saying, "Current evidence does not indicate that dental amalgam is causing illness in the general population." They issued guidelines to all Canadian dentists instructing them that removal of existing sound amalgam fillings is not justified.


Removing good fillings is not merely a waste of money. In some cases, it results in loss of teeth. In 1985 a $100,000 settlement was awarded to a 55-year-old California woman whose dentist removed her silver fillings. Based on testing with a Dermatron (a phony electrodiagnostic device), the dentist claimed that six of her fillings were a "liability" to her large intestine. In removing the fillings from five teeth, the dentist caused severe nerve damage necessitating root canal therapy for two teeth and extraction of two others.



From Consumer Reports Book- In CU's view, dentists who purport to treat health problems by ripping out fillings are putting their own economic interests ahead of their patients' welfare. The false diagnosis of mercury-amalgam toxicity has such harmful potential and shows such poor judgment on the part of the practitioner that CU believes dentists who engage in this practice should have their license revoked

I have also read stories on another forum from many people that are having a lot of trouble with their teeth after having their fillings replaced with the white. Please think carefully.

My fillings are damaged and hurt so I need to have them replaced anyways. I never wanted to have grey fillings in my mouth (the dentist put these suckers in my mouth without permission or even discussion about it...never questioned me on what type of fillings i wanted...shouldn't that be improper and unethical as well??.... and i was too young to know the differences... i just figured i'd have a nice white filling... wrong! the dentist gave me whatever was the cheapest for him to get. ) and I do not want mercury in my mouth either. I don't feel the ADA is thinking about the consumers. If they were, then they would not go along with amalgams being placed in peoples mouth if only for the reason alone that if they are removed it could be dangerous to your health. Because many times people have to replace their fillings for one reason or another. I've also heard many stories from people who were fine after they were replaced. It has A LOT to do with precautions the doctor takes when removing the amalgams so your exposure to mercury is less. I already know of a dentist who is familiar with this procedure and the precautions.

What happened to you?

Thanks

Kelker, there are certain vitamins etc that help your body remove mercury you are exposed to.

SouthernTemptress,

I might have mentioned this before.... Right after I had my dental amalgams replaced with white fillings, I experimented with anti-mercury supplements for about two or three weeks. All of a sudden, I got extremely sick to the point, that I thought I was going to die. At first I felt like I was hungry and sick to the stomach at the same time...wanted to run and to sleep at the same time...then got extremely sleeply...low grade fever...perspired...internal bleeding....

I missed a week of work. How could I explain it? But it happened. These three components were known to remove mercury. Together, even in the small or recommended daily allowances that I took, they apparently were powerful.

Based on that, I would think you might want to stay with wholesome natural foods instead. To help detoxify myself to this day, I eat copious amounts of raw vegetables and fruit. These are relatively low calorie too, so you won't have to worry about overeating and gaining excess weight. I eat cilantro about four to five times a week. With these natural foods, I haven't found any dangerous reactions.

Jojocm,

If you know a lot about this subject you should know what is going on right now (the pro and cons of this issue). Notice that the ADA states "non-allergic" patient. Who is allergic and who is non-allergic? What tests are in place to determine this by the ADA? Is the ADA an expert organization on the toxicity of metals and other dangerous chemicals to make such statements? Why are a lot of dentists still calling mercury fillings, "silver" fillings? There's much more mercury than silver in a typical dental amalgam. Why are the facts hidden?

We should have the right to know whether poisonous mercury is being placed in our bodies by any doctor or dentist. It's not only the toxic load of mercury from fillings, but the total toxic amount of mercury from all sources that can be a problem. It depends on the type of mercury filling that a person has and the quantity. There's just so many other variables also, that it makes this a very difficult subject to give easy answers.

Mentioning isolated cases of mercury filling removal with problems, does not relate to the thousands of happy patients with all white teeth. Some of us just don't want the mercury...these ugly-gray-black fillings. My experience must be completely different than yours. I had a great cosmetic dentist...that has given me ten years of all white teeth with absolutely no problems.

What causes you to write so negatively about removing toxins from our mouth? What proof do we need if we just don't want them (the mercury fillings) or if we experienced personal problems with them? For me, after my tooth broke (and exposed a mercury-silver dental amalgam), I got so much sicker with headaches and muscle pain. After having all of these "black" fillings removed, I now run nearly 20 miles a week. In 1978 a doctor told me to not run more than a hundred yards. It's a miracle that I can now do the things I couldn't do before.

Yes, we should think more about this...think about what we are doing...what we are putting in our teeth...and make sure that we get the best dentists to do the job properly.

I "write so negatively about removing toxins from our mouth ", for a number of reasons.

1. I don't believe amalgams are toxic.(or fluoridated water and root canals)

2. I believe anyone reading these boards should hear from both sides.

3. I know, first hand, the damage that can be caused from having fillings replaced for no good reason.


I could write forever on this subject, and I know I will never change your mind, or the minds of people that think like you. I do want people that have never heard of this stuff, to hear about the serious harm unnecessary removal of fillings can do. Dentists that say amalgam is dangerous,.(or fluoridated water and root canals) are trying to make money, are practicing junk science, and are not putting the patient first.

Myth: Removal of amalgam cures some diseases.
Fact: It is unconscionable to lead people to believe that their serious illnesses may improve by undergoing unnecessary dental treatment. In fact, leading medical experts and health organizations have negated such statements and conclusions. For example:

"There is no scientific evidence to connect the development of MS or other neurological diseases with dental fillings containing mercury." (National Multiple Sclerosis Society)

"According to the best available scientific evidence there is no relationship between silver dental fillings and Alzheimer's." (Alzheimer's Association)

"There is no scientific evidence of any measurable clinical toxic effects of dental amalgam." (American Academy of Pediatrics)

Myth: Dental amalgam fillings release mercury vapors that are harmful to the body.
Fact: Minute amounts of mercury vapor (between 1-3 micrograms* per day) may be released from amalgam under the pressure of chewing or grinding, but there is no scientific evidence that such low-level exposure is harmful. In fact, dental materials experts say one would have to have almost 500 amalgam fillings to even see the subtlest symptoms in the most sensitive person.

* 1 microgram is equal to 35.2 billionths of an ounce.

"What makes antiamalgamists tick? James R. Berry, associate publisher of the American Dental Association's newspaper, has characterized them this way:

We know that some few of them are sincere, though confused by the Scientific Method. They read nonsense and accept it. Others have clearer vision and no excuses. They see plainly enough, and what they see is opportunity, which comes in green. When the universal quest for health collides with greed, the collision is loud and dangerous. People get hurt by those they expect, at minimum, to do no harm.

The anti-amalgamists -- with their mercury meters . . . would be comical figures if they weren't so insidious. They prey on easy targets: the desperately ill grasping for hope against a dark alternative .

As I said, I could write forever....

I too could also write forever.... :)

But you ignored most of my questions....

Why are people not informed that there is mercury in those fillings? There's a whole other side to this issue. :rolleyes:

Fact: They don't know enough about mercury or mercury fillings to make definitive statements that apply to everyone all the time. For example, where is the safe level of mercury for the human body for each and every one of us? Only a very very small amount can make us sick or kill us.

Fact: A lot of us have gotten better after the removal of mercury-silver dental amalgams. Are we "allergic" to mercury by these very small amounts?

Myth: Dentists cannot tell their patients that amalgam contains mercury.

Fact: Actually, the ADA encourages dentists to discuss the full range of filling options with their patients so together they can decide what is the most appropriate treatment.

Adverse health effects related to mercury exposure from dental amalgam fillings: toxicological or psychological causes?

BACKGROUND: Possible adverse health effects due to mercury released by amalgam fillings have been discussed in several studies of patients who attribute various symptoms to the effects of amalgam fillings. No systematic relation of specific symptoms to increased mercury levels could be established in any of these studies. Thus, a psychosomatic aetiology of the complaints should be considered and psychological factors contributing to their aetiology should be identified.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=11232913&dopt=Abstract

Thank you for the information. :)

I enjoy discussing this issue, as this had such a personal affect on my health. I'll never forget how sick I was, and how well I feel today, after having those amalgams removed.

I still would like to know why there are so many people that go to the dentist that are not informed that there is mercury in these fillings. Everyone should know every time they see a dentist...just like smokers should know that cigarettes can cause cancer. We should know, so we can make an informed decision whether or not we want this extremely poisonous toxin in our bodies. Let's first stop calling them "silver" fillings and call them mercury fillings (since mercury is the element of highest composition in a typical dental amalgam). That would be a great step in the right direction. Then maybe we'll have some credibility to the idealism that the ADA wants everyone to know that mercury is in these fillings.

Isn't it true that the ADA constantly revises its statements concerning the amalgam issue? How can they say the amalgams are stable when they leak mercury constantly? When are they going to stop revising these statements? It looks like we have a long ways to go, before we understand the effect that mercury has on all individuals. We still have to understand who might be "allergic" to these substances also. They admit that (that there are patients that are allergic to amalgams), but I still haven't heard any detailed explanations about it. It would be interesting to learn more.

I can add some information to this discussion. :)

On allergies:

For more than 150 years, billions of amalgam restorations have been placed and a National Institutes of Health report states that only 50 documented cases of allergy to mercury have been reported in scientific literature since 1906. The reaction is manifested as local inflammation of the patient's gum or the lining of his cheek, and it fades after a few days. Whether it is induced by mercury or by some other material in dental amalgam is not known. One hundred million people in the United States have amalgam fillings and 100 million amalgam fillings are placed each year.

No disease or illness has ever been associated with amalgam use in patients, or from occupational use by dentists, except for rare instances of allergies. No dental restorative material can be proven safer than amalgam. Composite resins typically contain about twenty different organic compounds, some of which are highly reactive chemicals.



On calling them "mercury fillings":

Dental Amalgam is the result of a series of chemical reactions between its components. The starting material consists of approximately 35-42% mercury, and an "alloy" of silver, copper, tin, and other minor components. The final product is a completely different material, called amalgam. It consists of a variety of different complex compounds. In one sense it is similar to mixed concrete. You start with cement, sand, stone and water. The final product is concrete. You can't get the original components without chemically decomposing it.

Mercury is a component of the amalgam used for "silver" fillings. The other major ingredients are silver, tin, copper, and zinc. When mixed, these elements bond to form a strong, stable substance. The difference between bound and unbound chemicals can be illustrated by a simple comparison. Elemental hydrogen is an explosive gas. Elemental oxygen is a gas that supports combustion. When combined, however, they form water, which has neither of these effects. Saying that amalgam will poison you is as incorrect as saying that drinking water will make you explode and burst into flames.

On the ADA:

Go to their site. Their only revisions are that, study after study has proven amalgam fillings to be safe.
"Studies show that no filling material has been proven superior to amalgam in safety, durability, and cost effectiveness. Amalgam has been researched worldwide and no study has ever caused a professional dental organization or agency to recommend a ban of amalgam."

"The amount of mercury ingested by someone with amalgam restorations is miniscule – well below established health safety standards. Mercury also enters the body through the ingestion of food (i.e., fish) and water, and through breathing air. Eventually, the body rids itself of mercury, but there is always a very low level of mercury present in the body. "

The following are just some of the organizations that believe amalgam fillings are safe.

Alzheimer's Association
American Academy of Pediatrics
Autism Society of America
National Multiple Sclerosis Society
U.S. Public Health Service
FDA
American Cancer Society
FDI World Dental Federation
World Health Organization

Thanks for sharing with us the number of documented cases of allergic reactions with mercury-silver dental amalgams. But, how many undocumented cases of mercury-silver dental amalgam filling allergic reactions are there? Are these so-called "I-believe-amalgam-fillings-are-safe" organizations tracking such cases? If not, who is?

I believe there is and will continue to be more studies in this area. A lot of us who have been affected by these amalgams will not be satisfied, until we have more answers. I would feel that responsible organizations will continue to try understand this more thoroughly.

It's my understanding that the typical dental amalgam contains approximately 50% mercury and that this mercury leaks constantly, such that it is not a stable substance. Why would anyone try to tell another person that it is stable, when it is not? This has been proven over and over again that the mercury is not secure within the amalgam. And what makes it more troublesome is that this mercury accumulates in the body, and it is very difficult and slow to remove. There are also studies demonstrating the amount of mercury that leaks from these fillings over the years.

Comparing a dental amalgam to water is quite interesting, and could be considered misleading to the general public. Where did you get or how did you develop that analogy? Water is composed of two elements, hydrogen and oxygen. This water molecule is held together with intermolecular forces which are H-Bonds, in conjuction with Van der Waals forces. I studied that many years ago, and still remember to this day why ice as a solid floats in liquid water (most solids sink in it's own liquid form). This water is considered a molecule composed of these hydrogen and oxygen atoms.

It is my understanding that the dental amalgam is a mixture, not a molecular structure. Are you saying that the dental amalgam is composed of various mercury-metal molecules held together with atomic bonding (when you compare it to water)? I think we are mixing "apples with oranges" here. :D

I plan to review this further. Thanks for the information, so that I can research this more. Please help us understand more about these mercury-silver dental amalgam mixtures, which also cannot be compared to concrete either in the same way. I also understand that these amalgams are not considered alloys.

It would be nice for everyone to have a better grasp of all the materials that are available from our dentists. Would you consider porcelain a more stable substance than the composite resins? Shouldn't people know more about all of the choices that are available? Note also that some of us just do not want ugly gray-black fillings in our teeth. That's why I believe that cosmetic dentistry will continue to expand. Let's move forward with science and technology to provide us with better natural-looking teeth. It will be a happy day when mercury and other ugly dark metals are no longer placed in our white teeth as a common pratice. :)

Hey everybody,
Saw this thread start and wanted to reply. I posted quite a bit this past summer with regard to amalgam, it's effects and especially it's effects on pregnancy. In my situation I feel incredibly blessed. My daughter is 6 months old now. At birth she had good apgar scores and has had positive "well baby" visits. I am in the vaccine room/posting board alot lately. Recently I went to a very....mainstream dentist..(I was searching for a term). After having Alexandra ..10 days or so.. I had a back molar swell up..I went locally (rural Mississippi) and he saw blackened gums around many of my amalgam filled teeth. He concluded I had a mercury allergy and need to change these fillings over. Want to do it...properly..will keep checking in...appreciate all the support of the past.

Note also that some of us just do not want ugly gray-black fillings in our teeth. That's why I believe that cosmetic dentistry will continue to expand. Let's move forward with science and technology to provide us with better natural-looking teeth. It will be a happy day when mercury and other ugly dark metals are no longer placed in our white teeth as a common pratice. :)

This is your opinion, and has nothing to do with the question of whether amalgams are a safe filling material. If you have ever checked the ADA's website you will see for yourself that they have a fact sheet on dental materials. Having fillings replaced for cosmetic reasons is a different story.

The bottom line is,

Mercury poisoning is very rare and requires considerable exposure, usually at work. People don't get dangerous amounts from tooth fillings (no matter how many they have), chewing, or eating a normal diet. Thus, routine mercury testing of persons who are not industrially exposed should be regarded as a scam. Most perpetrators are either zealots or poorly informed, but some are pure frauds. They typically recommend replacing all amalgams with other materials, usually composite plastics. Replacing fillings with composite entails risks that include death of tooth pulps, loss of teeth, and alteration of the bite. Composite fillings will work well in many parts of the mouth but they are not optimal for tooth surfaces and edges that are subjected to high stress. Also, plastic formulations are not standardized and contain a large number of reactive compounds.

If a health professional advises you that mercury amalgam ("silver") fillings cause disease or should be removed as a "preventive measure," head for the nearest exit and report your experience to the practitioner's state licensing board.

Dentists who attempt to "diagnose" or "treat" "heavy metal toxicity", or who test patients for heavy metals by any means are not practicing dentistry. These activities fall outside the scope of dental licensure. Any dentist who believes a patient requires diagnosis or treatment for any medical condition outside of the scope of dentistry is obliged to make a referral to a physician or other health professional as appropriate. Failure to make such a referral should be considered negligence.

Selection of a material should be based only on its known clinical properties and performance for the particular placement situation, coupled with the needs of a patient. A dentist who excludes any material from possible selection for a given restoration on the sole basis of personal opinion or unsupported conjecture cannot be providing optimal services for all of his/her patients. Such a dentist may be denying a patient the benefits of a material that is most suitable for that patient's needs. Such denial should be considered unprofessional conduct.

No dentist is required to use amalgam. However, dentists who make false claims about amalgam safety create unnecessary patient anxiety, and undermine confidence in the profession. Such behavior should be considered unprofessional conduct.

Thank you clouda. Are those your own words, or are they statements that you copied and pasted from another source? I believe that the ADA protects its own interests, and does not consider for a lot of us, the tremendous amount of data that opposes some of their statements. They can't be considered credible, if they insist on describing mercury-silver dental amalgams as "stable" substances. We must remember the facts and let everyone know. Mercury-silver dental amalgams contain approximately 50% mercury. As a mixture, this mercury constantly leaks and accumulates in the body.

The question is, do we want these metals in our body? Some people believe they are safe, but they are not absolutely sure whether they are safe. They can't prove they are safe. Scientists are discovering new things all the time, and a lot of these organizations are revising their statements concerning mercury-silver dentals amalgams as a result.

I just read yesterday, that 70 million Americans have arthritis (yes 70 million!!!), in one form or another. How many of these cases are caused by low doses of mercury? What level of mercury constitutes poisoning to the degree where it affects the health?

Let's be honest here. There's so much more to learn. We need to question things, for us to grow and advance. At this point, I do not seek judgement, but rather answers. Some of these answers, I believe, will take a very long time to be resolved. I will not rest until we have these answers. For me, it's a very personal issue, for now I'm well, whereas I was extremely sick with those amalgams. I'll never forget.

What makes this a difficult subject, is that pain caused by low doses of mercury, cannot be seen. It cannot be felt by the physician. But the patient experiences this unseen pain. I believe in the future (if it isn't here already), that we will be able to measure this pain, as brain activity. We will be able to measure this pain before the dental amalgams are removed. Then we will be able to monitor and track this pain, after the amalgams are removed over a considerable amount of time. We can measure the amount of mercury that leaves the filling. There's so much more we can do now. In the future, I think we'll see a definite cause and effect that these toxic dental fillings have on so many people. In fact, I read that the US government is considering phasing out mercury fillings by the year 2008. They want to phase out all mercury from a considerate amount of sources, including medications. Remember :rolleyes: , it's the total toxic load of mercury that we need to understand. I'll read more, and let you all know....

Almostmom,

Welcome to the group. If you have any questions concerning this issue, I'd be glad to help. I base a lot of my understanding of this subject on research and my own personal experiences. It's interesting that you mentioned blackened gums. With my situation, I don't recall having dark gums, but my teeth were so loose that I thought I could pull them out with my fingers just prior to having the dental amalgams replaced with white fillings. Were your teeth loose as well?

After the dental amalgams were gone, my teeth tightened up in its place rather quickly. I too have wondered if this was an "allergy" or was I poisoned by these dental amalgams? I've had nice all-white teeth for a little over ten years now, with nice gums and absolutely no problems.

For the most part, all my fibromyalgia pains went away too. I had a great cosmetic dentist that did a super job! For the white fillings, I believe that I had porcelain variety. I also went to a naturopath to assist me in picking out the correct dental restoration materials. It's nice to know that there are better options out there.... :)

jojocm, I think some people who have actually been there and done that would disagree. Try telling that to Lisa Marie Presley who had depression, panic attacks etc etc and her symptoms left her after she had her amalgams replaced with composites. NO ONE should have something as dangerous as mercury in their mouths she said. I'm sorry but you are doing the same as you preach others are doing. You are just LISTENING and FOLLOWING all those who disagree with the dangers of this poison. Just copying and pasting what a few people say really doesn't help your argument. There really are no facts whatsoever to what you posted. It is all just opinion. I rather listen to those who have went through the experience than knowitall quacks. Sorry but it's pretty sad that a mercury using dentist would not give much hassle to replace the amalgams just for the cosmetic look than for the fear of poisoning your body.

"Minute amounts of mercury vapor (between 1-3 micrograms* per day) may be released from amalgam under the pressure of chewing or grinding, but there is no scientific evidence that such low-level exposure is harmful. In fact, dental materials experts say one would have to have almost 500 amalgam fillings to even see the subtlest symptoms in the most sensitive person."

It ADDS UP!! 500 is very very exaggerated and almost laughable.

" While high amounts of mercury are obviously toxic, scientists for years have debated the health effects of lower levels. Late last year, the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed slashing the amount of mercury that is acceptable for people to ingest from 30 micrograms per day, the level recommended both by the World Health Organization and the federal Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, to just six."

Now why should the exposure be any different with fish than it is to filling? Well if per filling one can be exposed from 1-3 micrograms and the Environmental Protection Agency is changing their level on recommended ingestion of mercury to 6, well then it seems that possibly 2-3 fillings would be enough to go over that limit. When your body continues to store this mercury over time there will be not so good consequences. Why do you THINK it's OK to absorb ANY mercury on a DAY TO DAY basis??? Didn't you know how dangerous mercury is. It is the most dangerous under plutonium. Would it be safe also to put LEAD in your mouth?

"The EPA has a "reference dose" that says people can be exposed to .1 microgram per kilogram of body weight per day, which is roughly 5 to 7 micrograms per day for someone who weighs 100 to 154 pounds, says Kate Mahaffey of the EPA."

Looks like 2 fillings could possibly push to that limit.

"In February of this year, the Environmental Working Group (EWG), a research organization in Washington, went public with information that seems to finger the FDA in shady dealings regarding tuna's safety.

The FDA used focus groups to decide how to phrase the message about mercury in fish. One document shown to women in the focus groups mentioned limiting the amount of tuna they should eat during pregnancy. The limit was set at 12 oz. a week of canned tuna, or 3 oz. of tuna steak a week.

But FDA documents show that before drafting the final version of the advisory, agency officials met with tuna industry executives, who allegedly urged the agency to drop tuna from the advisory. "

"Going on what was learned in the focus groups, the FDA argues, most women would avoid tuna altogether if they were told to limit how much they eat. That means they would miss out on the health benefits of tuna, and the $6-billion-a-year tuna industry might suffer unnecessary losses. "


Perfect example on how organizations like the FDA (and also the ADA) have agendas they want to fulfill. It all boils down to money I believe. They care more about the 6 billion dollar losses and high pressured tactics from the tuna industry than they do about womens health when it came to eating tuna when pregnant. Very sickening! I guess this is the type of people you would go along with.


"The EWG doesn't buy that explanation, saying that transcripts of the focus group sessions tell a different story -- that women were eager for information and ready to follow guidelines set down on paper. That's a matter of interpretation, but EWG spokeswoman Laura Chapin says, "The problem is using focus groups to determine if you should communicate" certain safety information. Instead, she says, the purpose should have been to find the best way to tell women what they have a right to know."

"But the EWG claims that FDA limits are too lax, and that many women eat enough tuna and other fish to raise the amount of mercury in their bodies to dangerous levels. They point to a study from the CDC showing that 10% of American women are very close to having enough mercury in their bodies to put their babies at risk, were they to get pregnant.

The Environmental Protection Agency's method for setting limits on mercury levels is different from the FDA's. The EPA limit, which is also endorsed by the National Academy of Sciences, allows up to 0.1 micrograms per kilogram of a person's body weight per day. The EWG claims that's eight times more protective than the FDA's limit. "

Since we are on the subject, here is some interesting facts I found:

"Note that about one gram of mercury will contaminate a twenty-acre lake with enough mercury to cause fish advisories. For comparison, a teaspoon of mercury weighs about 70 grams. One thermostat contains about 3 grams of mercury, one electrical switch about 3.5 grams of mercury, and 100 fluorescent lamps contain about 4 grams of mercury.

Elemental mercury can be inhaled easily and is readily absorbed into the bloodstream. This can occur when an item containing elemental mercury (like a thermometer or a sphygmomanometer) breaks, spilling the mercury into the open. This type of exposure allows the mercury to penetrate the blood-brain and placental barriers in humans and wildlife"

Thanks all for responding. It's nice to hear all sides.

I like to hear the pro-amalgam side to hear their viewpoint, however painful for me (since these dental amalgams caused me such suffering). Also, I appreciate very much the support from the group that describes the dangers of mercury, especially mercury from dental fillings. There's alarming data coming out all the time. Despite efforts by some dental associations, I don't think it can be stopped. I'm so thankful that more people are becoming aware of this very important issue. It's just a matter of time....

I did some more research on supplements to be used during the amalgam removal process. It seems that there might be some components to build-up the immune system and to provide nutritional support. Different sources indicate that a doctor (that understands mercury toxicity from dental amalgams) would be the best one for this. For me, anti-mercury components made me very sick about 10 years ago. Nutritional support, I think, makes sense. Over the years, I've concentrated on getting this nutrition from natural wholesome foods, rather than pills. But, that has been just been my personal choice.

I did some more reading about banning mercury fillings in the U.S. by the year 2008. There's a bill out, called HR 1680. From this bill, the disclosure mentions that mercury is a very toxic element and that each dental amalgam contains 43 to 54 percent mercury. It states that consumers may be deceived by the use of the term "silver" in describing dental amalgams since they contain much more mercury in them than silver. It acknowledges that from these amalgams, mercury vapor is continually emitted. By court order, the California Dental Association is to warn patients about mercury fillings. You can read many other things about this, like how our rivers are being polluted from the mercury from dental waste. Anyone care to read up more about HR 1680 and report back? Did I read it correctly and get the right information?

It's late and it's time for me to call it a night. :yawn:

Thanks everyone. :)

There is a great book on the subject of supplments to take before/during/after amalgam removal. The title is Dental Mercury Detox, by Ziff, Ziff, and Hanson. I found my copy on Amazon - very cheap. It details each supplement, what it does, how much to take, etc. The book goes through and talks about "natural" chelation, homeopathic methods, and also doctor-administered choices. It also has a lot of other information that is useful to the person wanting to prepare for amalgam removal.

After suffering with unexplainable symptoms since last December, I have been doing extensive research on this subject, and have decided to have my 9 mercury fillings removed by a biological dentist - I am starting the process next week. My sypmtoms have ranged from numbness/tingling/weakness in my extremities, blurred vision in one eye, dull headaches, metallic taste in my mouth, dizziness/off balance, major fatigue, anxiety, and brain fog. I have had blood tests, an MRI to rule out multiple sclerosis, and a neurological exam. Everything is normal, so of course these doctors do not want to pursue a cause. They say I am fine. Well, we all know our bodies, and I know I am not fine. This is why I've decided to have my fillings replaced, and I have also gone through biological testing to determine which "white" fillling will be most compatible with me. I am lucky to have found a wonderful dentist who takes all the necessary precautions, and is educated on the detox/chelation issue also.

FYI - there is a supplement on the market made by Douglas Laboratories, called "Mercury Amalgam Formula". It has many of the individual supplements that the book recommends, in one pill - vegetarian formula. I don't think I can list the name of the website, but if anyone is interested, just do a google search on it and it should come up. So far this is the only company I have found that makes such a supplement. My advice is to find a good biological dentist and talk with him/her about what type of detox would be best for you. Quite honestly, there are so many options, and so many different opinions, it can all get very confusing, and you want to make sure you do the best thing for your body.

For the record, I know there is no way of knowing whether or not I will get better after my amalgam removal, but I am sure that it is being done in the safest way possible, and I am willing to try it. Besides, I have come to the realization that I do not want this toxic substance in my mouth any longer, no matter what. I feel that it IS harmful, it CAN and DOES cause health problems, and yes, we do have a lot to learn yet about it's specific effects on the body. :wave:

Try telling that to Lisa Marie Presley who had depression, panic attacks etc etc and her symptoms left her after she had her amalgams replaced with composites.

After reading this statement, I felt I had to enter the fray again.

I doubt Lisa Marie Presley problems have anything to do with her fillings. I would not consider her an authority on health and mental problems.



1) If you eat fish a few times a week , you would exceed the amount of mercury that could be released from a mouthful of about 10 fillings, in that week.

2) Dentists and the dental community, who are exposed to amalgam much longer and more frequently than any patient, would have the least to gain in advocating the use of a harmful material. In fact, the replacement of every persons existing amalgam would provide dentists with many more patients, not to mention the financial gains this would bring them.


3) If amalgam fillings were really harmful, millions of people would have died or be deathly ill by now.

I am not disputing that Mercury is toxic, but you have to put it in the proper perspective. Whether a material is toxic to humans depends on several things, including its dosage and its form. The mercury in amalgam is not in liquid form. Like sodium and chlorine, which react to form salt, mercury also reacts with silver and tin to form silver-mercury and tin-mercury. The difference is in the type of binding. Without getting too technical, one forms an ionic bond and the other a metallic bond. Similarly, sodium is highly toxic. Does that mean everyone should stop consuming salt (sodium chloride)?

The anti-amalgam crowd seems to be comprised primarily of two groups of people, quack dentists trying to make more money by convincing people to replace perfectly good amalgams with composites, and people unhappy with their lives who are convinced that amalgams are what caused them to be unhappy, and who spend their time thinking up paranoid theories about vast conspiracies that want to keep them that way. Amalgam is the new scapegoat for these people.

I never assign to a conspiracy what can be more easily assigned to greed. If you follow the money, who has the most to gain by destroying the reputation of amalgams? Dentists that have abandoned conventional dental practices, and dental supply companies. Both make more profit off of their composites than they make off of amalgam.

There is another group of people that are truly ill with a disease, and are desperate to find a cure. Dentists that recommend removing amalgams to these people are the lowest of the low. This is quackery in it’s most cruelest form.

Who are you to say what Lisa Marie did or didn't have. She felt better after her fillings removed... that tells you something... and she has been searching for the cause of her problems for over 2 years which docs pretty much telling her there's nothing wrong. First off many dentists DON'T use mercury fillings anymore for numerous reasons. The ADA does not advocate a dentist to suggest a person to replace their silver fillings... they could get into serious trouble.. so the financial gains you expressed dentists would love to get for replacing silver fillings would not apply. Dentists are not going to go against things they already use. They might not THINK there is anything wrong with silver fillings because they follow the words of the ADA which is sad. It all comes down to money and for a dentist to get the material for silver fillings... it's pretty darn cheap for them.

Millions of people in this country ARE ill and don't even know what is causing their symptoms. Chronic fatigue is just the START of all the symptoms of metal toxicity.

I never assign to a conspiracy what can be more easily assigned to greed. If you follow the money, who has the most to gain by destroying the reputation of amalgams? Dentists that have abandoned conventional dental practices, and dental supply companies. Both make more profit off of their composites than they make off of amalgam.

Who has more to gain hyping up amalgam fillings? Why would the ADA try so hard when they KNOW it is dangerous just to replace those things? Obviously they have something to gain as well. It all boils down to money. If they admitted how dangerous it was, there would be lawsuits, money lost in the dentist industry, also insurance industry would lose millions. They would have to pay for composite fillings in the future which is much more expensive than silver ones. Plus the reputation of the ADA would be hurt.

BTW, why did it bother you so much of the experience of Lisa Marie? What's it to you? Why do you try so hard to deny the obvious.

Hi all. :wave:

I have to honestly say that I get quivers down my spine when I hear of people that support the use of mercury in fillings in any way. I don't know a lot about other people personally like Lisa, but I do know what it's like to be sick, and then well, after the removal of these toxic fillings. First-hand experience is often the greatest teacher.

At the same time, I enjoy hearing from the pro-amalgam side because it just gives me and others time to share our side of the story too. So I welcome all posts on this subject. :)

It is my understanding that mercury-silver dental amalgams that are often called "silver" fillings by dentists, are actually mixtures. They are not bonded atomically. I have heard of people trying to compare dental amalgams to salt or water, but that is not appropriate. Both salt and water are composed of molecules that have been bonded together, with the atomic elements sodium (the Latin name being natrium), chlorine, hydrogen or oxygen. Of course, a lot of us know that NaCl is common table salt, and water is H2O. Mercury is not bonded in the same way in these amalgams. We don't have mercury-silver molecules. We don't have mercury-tin molecules etc. It's just a mixture. I think people get this from professional sources that do not understand this simple chemistry. I've seen some of them myself and have to wonder where did they learn this? So I can't fault anyone for saying this, if they got it from these sources. I'm sure they are just repeating what they read somewhere.

Does anyone out there really believe the mercury is part of a molecule in this amalgam? If they do, can they explain it to me? I'm curious of what you might say concerning this subject. The technical process of how mercury amalgamates with other metals is interesting.

With this amalgam mixture, we have a "mud" paste that hardens, but it's still a mixture. With this mixture the mercury does leak all the time, and a lot more when a person chews. We can't compare mercury leakage from these fillings to eating fish, because there are just too many different types of mercury-silver dental amalgams. They don't all leak at the same rate, because of the different compositions of metals in the amalgams. Plus the amount of mercury varies substantially from one fish source or another.

What concerns me, is not only the leakage of mercury from these amalgam fillings, but also the total source of mercury that we exposed to. So when we have mercury from our fillings, medications, thermometers, electrical lamps, fish, water, air and other sources in combination, that could spell trouble for some people over a long period of time. Mercury is one of the most dangerous elements on the planet for human beings. How can we consider putting such poison in our mouth?

Also in addition, how can we consider putting this mercury dental waste in our waterways? Now how many of us bathe and drink from this "dental" water? It's a big problem of pollution. It's more than people might think.

By the way, not to get overly-technical about the subject, but the amount of mercury leakage from these fillings can also vary by other metals present in the mouth too. There is galvanic action. I think also the PH in a person's mouth may affect the rate too. I can't remember all of this at this time, but just know that there are many different reasons that the mercury leakage is variable.

Does anyone care to research more about this and let us know? Again, it's late for me and time for nighty-night. Catch you all later. :yawn:

I would like to add a few more things.

First of all, I believe it was the FDA that just issued a warning about mercury in tuna a few months ago. Government agencies are just starting to get in tune with the dangers of mercury. Before that time, I suppose people thought that it was safe. Now what are they thinking? The point I'm trying to make is that there is just so much to learn...and they keep changing their minds.

Second, when we look at the rising amount of millions of people that have arthritis, fibromyalgia, MS, cancer, and headaches etc. How many of those illnesses are linked to mercury poisoning, not only from dental fillings, but dental waste, fish and host of other sources? The fact is that we don't really have all the answers. But more evidence is surfacing all the time, pointing to the fact that mercury is not acceptable for any of us. We are still learning....

Third, there is documentation that dentists and dental assistants are at risk, when they are exposed to high amounts of mercury. They have to be careful. There's many bits of information about this that one can read.

Fourth, a lot of people that are against the use of mercury in fillings, are people like me. We are people that were sick with these toxic fillings and now are well after the removal and replacement with less toxic white fillings. The pain and suffering and frustration that I experienced was so bad, that my mind wants me to forget. But I must never forget. I must never forget the misery and must tell all of you to review this issue very carefully. It's important to not just listen to that it's safe or not safe, but rather listen to the evidence. The evidence is overwhelming that we should not be exposed to mercury from a number of different sources.

Fifth, where did the word quackery come from? Hint: from quicksilver. These were people that sold quicksilver ointment. They were called "quacksalvers". What is quicksilver? Would you believe mercury? My, oh my...how we come around and around back to the same substance...the same poison that some people claim is safe for human use and consumption when placed in the teeth.