Following on from my last post reviewing the ‘Reclaim your health’ weekend, I’ve had more emails about mercury fillings than any other. So here we go, an overview of John’s presentation and some idea about where to go and what to consider when looking at getting your fillings replaced.
John qualified in dentistry in the early 80s and his first post was in a small, windowless room where he was filling people’s teeth with amalgam every day. This enclosed environment lead him to be very ill within 2 years of qualifying, which he attributes to the mercury he was handling. He became aware of mercury free dentistry in the late 80s and by 1990 was practising mercury free.
A few facts:
- Dentists are the only profession allowed to legally poison you. They do so with mercury.
- An amalgam filling can expand in your tooth causing micro-fractures requiring more dental work later on.
- If you have 8 amalgam fillings — there is about 4g of mercury in your mouth. In a thermometer there is 3g.
- If a mercury thermometer breaks there is a protocol for everyone’s safety which includes being evacuated from the room. And yet we still drill it into people’s teeth.
- Mercury continues to evaporate from your fillings for many years after being put in. So every time you clean your teeth, eat hot food or drinks, clean you teeth of have them cleaned by a dentist or worse of all drilled, this vapor escapes! Watch this mini video to see mercury vapor escape from filled teeth!
- Although they are called silver fillings the breakdown is 50% mercury, 35% silver, 9% tin, 6% copper and some zinc too.
- Mercury is the second most toxic chemical after plutonium. When mercury is released from fillings it is chiefly absorbed as highly toxic elemental mercury vapor.
- Mercury levels in the brain have been found to correlate with the number, size and age of the fillings.
- Mercury has been linked to the incidence of Alzheimer’s disease, memory disturbance, depression, gastrointestinal problems, sleep disturbance, respiratory problems, restlessness and mouth problems. Mercury has been found in all bodily tissues in people with amalgam fillings.
- In Sweden, Norway and Denmark mercury fillings have been banned.
- In Austria and Germany pregnant women and children under 18 aren’t given mercury fillings. In the UK we give pregnant women free dentistry, mercury fillings are free, white composite fillings aren’t.
- Mercury has, amongst other problems, been shown to affect the immune and vascular system. It also contributes to birth defects, neurological problems and kidney disease and has been linked to Multiple Sclerosis.
- Mercury from nursing mothers is transferred in their breast milk. The reports show that levels of this transfer are low. But would you want to give a toxic element to your newborn?
John’s 9 Tips
- Eat Sulphur foods (onions, garlic, leeks, asparagus, broccoli, kale, eggs, meat, fish and legumes)
- Eat Cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, watercress, Brussel sprouts, kale, cabbage
- Exercise
- Consider taking N-Aceytl Cysteine ( natural amino acid anti-oxidant)
- B6 and B12
- Supplement with selenium. It binds the free mercury in the body and helps it to be excreted.
- Supplement with vitamin C and E
- Take Milk Thistle
- Having your fillings removed is possible and having them replaced with a white ‘admira’ composite is the most preferable.
- Use a ‘Mercury Free’ dentist. One that removes mercury safely is incredibly important, they need to protect themselves and you from inhalation on the mercury as its removed. There should good be good air extraction in the dentist surgery too. If you have several fillings it will probably be carried out over a series of appointments.
- Go to www.iaomt.org for a list of approved dentists.
- Before treatment it is recommended you should supplement with heavy metal chelators in order for some of the mercury to be bound and excreted. It is a long process and you need to continue with this during and after removal. This is a serious detox! There are many excellent, natural products out there for this process. Ask if you need help in this area.
- Finally it should be noted that mercury can sit in your bones as a way of removing excess from circulation. Eric told us that it’s likely that once you start to clear the circulating mercury from your tissues and you start to feel better, you may get a second or third dip as mercury is released from the bones to be excreted.
My final points. This is just an overview of a much more complex problem. I have skimmed the surface of John’s presentation and I am sure he skimmed it for us! It’s not certain you’ll feel great immediately after having mercury fillings removed. But for your long term health it is worth the investment.
If your dentist tries to convince you there is nothing wrong with mercury fillings ask them if they’d put amalgam in the mouths of their children… if they would politely leave and find a new dentist.
If you’ve had long term undiagnosed health problems and your mouth is full of silver I hope this article helps you to join a few dots together.
Please ask if you have any questions.