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Q. Are dental amalgam mercury fillings harmful? A. Yes. Dental amalgam mercury fillings are extremely harmful. About 50% of their make up is mercury—one of the most toxic elements to the human body. For many years, the American Dental Association (ADA) has claimed that the mercury contained in amalgams is stable and does not leech out of the filling. Though some dentists continue to hold fast to this belief, new evidence has overwhelmingly proven it wrong. Evidence shows that the mercury in amalgam fillings releases vapors into the mouth, especially during chewing. The mouth is one of the most permeable parts of the body, so the mercury vapors are readily absorbed. Once absorbed into the system, it’s very difficult for the body to expel the mercury. It remains in the tissue or becomes reabsorbed as it passes through the colon. Health problems linked to mercury toxicity are: chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, multiple sclerosis, ALS, lupus, Parkinson’s disease, scleroderma, diabetes, allergies, asthma, cancer, and more. Mercury amalgam fillings are most dangerous for children and pregnant or nursing women. Mercury is especially detrimental to the developing brains of children. It has been linked to birth defects and autism. Q. Are dental amalgam mercury fillings still being used by dentists? A. Despite many years of effort to educate the public about the harms of amalgam mercury fillings, they remain legal and unrestricted in most states. Of course, non-toxic dental filling materials such as ceramic are available, and many dentists have mercury-free practices. Make sure you know where your dentist stands on this issue. Q. What is being done to stop the use of dental amalgam mercury fillings? A. Many promising advances have taken place. A bill was introduced in Congress that would phase out the use of dental amalgam mercury fillings. It would begin by requiring a warning to all consumers, and ban the use of mercury fillings in pregnant women and children under 18. By 2007, the bill would call for mercury filling use to be banned entirely. The bill currently lacks the support it needs to pass, and it faces powerful opposition from the ADA and mercury manufacturers’ lobby. New Hampshire passed legislation this year to require that patients be warned about the risks of mercury fillings. In California, legislation is pending that’s similar to the federal bill to ban mercury fillings. Norway is also considering banning amalgam use. |
Additionally, several developments threatening patient safety have been reversed. The Oregon Dental Board had adopted a rule forbidding dentists from warning their patients about the harms of mercury amalgam fillings. The ACLU warned that the board’s "gag rule" violated the dentists’ constitutional right to free speech. The Oregon Dental Board responded by reversing its rule. The Florida Dental Board was attempting to pass a rule that would forbid dentists from replacing dental amalgam fillings in their patients for health reasons. After hearing the evidence presented against mercury fillings, the board voted unanimously against adopting the rule. In California, when the dental board repeatedly failed to adopt a fact sheet warning the public about the risks of mercury dental fillings, the state legislature dismissed the entire board. The governor has now appointed a holistic, mercury-free dentist to serve on the new board. Several lawsuits are being waged to halt the use of mercury fillings. Lawsuits in three states have been filed against the ADA and other corporations. These lawsuits are on behalf of several autistic children and their parents, alleging a link between mercury fillings and autism. In California, two class action lawsuits are being filed against the California Dental Association and the ADA, one on behalf of patients who had to replace their mercury fillings due to health problems, and another alleging "unfair, unlawful, and fraudulent business practices." Q. What should I do if I have mercury fillings? A. You need to go to a holistic dentist who knows how to remove mercury fillings safely, using best management practices to avoid further poisoning. After that, you will need to rid your body of the mercury that has built up in your system. In the past, this has been extremely difficult because few methods were effective at chelating mercury, and the drugs that did so could cause toxic problems of their own. Recently, however, a new natural chelating agent called NDF is producing promising results in many patients without side effects. Q. How can I find out more about dental amalgam mercury fillings? A. Ask at the desk for a copy of the latest Dental Amalgam Mercury Syndrome newsletter, or call 1-800-311-6265 to inquire about subscribing to DAMS. Consider writing your congressmen and state representatives to urge their support of banning dental amalgams. |
