Can Amalgam Make You Ill?
Description
This article is from the Dental Amalgam FAQ, by anonymous.
Can Amalgam Make You Ill?
The short answer is, I believe, yes - there is now a body of
evidence that the Mercury that leaks from Dental Amalgam "silver"
fillings can cause serious illnesses - with many hundreds
of scientific research articles from reputable sources
(ie. World Health Organisation consultants) indicating this
to be so.
Amalgam fillings contain about 50% mercury, usually over 0.5 grams,
bonded together with other metals such as Silver and Tin (and
sometimes copper). In modern times, the dangers of Mercury as an
environmental pollutant has become widely known - it is
scientifically recognised by the worlds leading toxicologists, as
the most toxic non-radioactive element known to man.
While, in the past, the American Dental Association (ADA) and
British Dental Association (BDA) have traditionally always claimed
no Mercury leaks from the Amalgam bonds, there is now conclusive
evidence that Mercury vapour is slowly released, and is absorbed
by the lungs.
Once Mercury enters the body, there is evidence to strongly
indicate that it can cause a wide range of ailments and symptoms
- Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS/ME), Asthma, Allergies, Alzheimers
disease, Multiple Sclerosis and a wide range of neurological,
psycological & "auto-immune" illnesses. (ie: see BUND study below)
It should be emphasised at this point that what happens for any
individual probably depends on many VARIABLE factors. For example:
Diet (evidence is that some vitamins, thiol-containing amino-
acids & minerals like Selenium protect against mercury), the exact
type/mix/condition of amalgam used (it varies - see below) and
general health (Liver/Glutathione level) seem to determine whether
the person can excrete this mercury load.
Those who cannot excrete Mercury risk a slow build up in the
thiol-containing tissues of the body (Mercury has a high affinity
for thiols) - ie. nerve/myelin/brain cells are particularly
at risk.
There is an important point - a common "gut" reaction of some
people is "I have lots of amalgam fillings & I am healthy, so
amalgam is ok". This is an incorrect assumption, that
overlooks VARIABLE factors, such as I have just outlined.
(Its a bit like saying "I have asbestos in my home & dont
have asbestosis, therefore asbestosis doesnt exist")
I should stress here that Amalgam is not the ONLY source of
mercury, nor the only evironmental neurotoxin - just probably
the largest single source of such toxins. But not EVERY victim
of the above ailments has the condition caused purely by
Amalgam (and different neurotoxins and factors can interact too,
complicating the situation further)
Because so many symptoms of CHRONIC and/or SUB-ACUTE (as apposed
to ACUTE) mercury poisoning resemble the slow onset of psyciatric
illnesses, doctors will often mis-diagnose the ailment as
psycosomatic in origin. Futhermore there is usually a time-delay
before onset of the most serious diagnosable conditions, meaning
that the dentist will be unaware of the fact that a percentage
of his clients become ill as a result of Amalgam.
Here are some more variables to consider.
What if the dentist did not mix the amalgam correctly before
placement, and the mixture ends up as 60%+ Mercury instead of 50%?
What if the mixture is not thorough, and pockets of Hg are left
which evaporate? Most research is based on "perfect" lab-prepared
50% Amalgam - the real-life situation could be much worse.
Its also worth remembering that, despite ADA claims of "150
years of Amalgam usage", the alloy mix has changed dramatically
over time - for instance, special "high-copper content" amalgams
were introduced recently in the 1960's - and there is research to
indicate *much* higher levels of leakage of Mercury from these
alloys compared to normal. The other question I would add is -
"What is the galvanic effect of mixed amalgam alloys, placed at
different times in the same mouth?". The danger of placing other
dissimilar metals close to amalgam in a persons mouth (ie. braces,
gold/other metal fillings) is a researched and known problem.
(recently acknowledged by the Canadian health authorities.)
This is because electrical galvanism between dissimilar metals
will dramatically effect the leakage rate of Mercury from Dental
Amalgam. My question seems, from what I can see, to be unanswed -
but potential a very important factor..
Also make sure to read these books: Poison in Your Teeth: Mercury Amalgam (Silver) Fillings...Hazardous to Your Health! and Mercury Detoxification by Tom McGuire
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