MERCURY TOXICITY AND DENTAL FILLINGS
DID YOU KNOW...

• mercury is the most toxic non-radioactive element on Earth, more toxic than arsenic
• it has been scientifically proven in many studies that mercury continuously leaks from dental amalgam fillings
• about 85% of adults in United States have silver colored mercury amalgam fillings in their mouths; children have them too and are getting more every day
• the formula for dental amalgam has been changed for dental amalgam has been changed within the last 10 years to include up to 30% copper, a soft metal; fillings made of this new formula leak mercury up to 50 times faster; the recent sharp increases in occurrences of MS, ALS and Lupus may be a cause-effect result.
• the United States is having a major healthcare crisis which may be due, in part, to systemic mercury poisoning from dental amalgams
• use of mercury amalgams has been banned on a scheduled phase out in Germany, Austria, Denmark and Sweden; some countries have imposed an immediate ban on use in pregnant and child bearing age women due to the potential of birth defects
• a proposition passed in California in 1994 requires a warning in dental offices using mercury amalgam stating that “The people of the state of California have determined that the use of mercury in dental amalgam causes birth defects and other health problems.” The proposition also requires that permission must be obtained from a patient before placing hazardous material in the mouth the new law is being contested by the ADA and California Dental Association and is tied up in Federal Court.
• a silver colored mercury amalgam filling normally contains 52% mercury • on average, an amalgam filling weighs 1 gram and contains 1/2 gram of mercury • the typical adult carries ten amalgam fillings containing about 5 grams of mercury
• 1/2 gram of mercury in a ten acre lake would warrant issuance of a fish advisory for the lake
• mercury escapes more rapidly from amalgam fillings due to:

1.    application of heat (hot beverages)
2.    chewing
3.    electrical reactions resulting from metals in the mouth and external sources
4.    ingestion of chips of amalgam

• studies have shown that mercury levels in fetuses are approximately 30% higher than the mother
• chewing gum can increase the rate of mercury leaking 15 times
• drinking hot beverages can increase the rate of mercury leaking by 10 times
• calcium interacts with mercury causing the body to retain mercury; taking calcium supplements can intensify the negative health impact of mercury
• mercury causes depletion of folic acid; Note: deficiency of folic acid is a contributing factor to heart disease according to a news report aired Feb-2, 1995.
• mercury in the body contributes to resistance to antibiotics
• a study found that 40% of alcoholics who have mercury amalgams removed experience reduction or elimination of the craving for alcohol
• based on post amalgam removal surveys mercury has been reported to cause emotional, psychological and “sense of well being” problems; this includes a reaction described as “spontaneous suicidal thoughts”
• dentists have the highest suicide rate of an profession in the United States
• a study of disability insurance claims for early retirement due to neurological problems showed dentists have a claim rate 600% higher than the next profession in the study; mercury is a toxin that damages the nervous system, a fact recognized by OSHA
• a molecule of mercury gas can penetrate a cell and trigger an immune system response to destroy that cell, which has an abnormal shape due to presence of a mercury molecule
• insulin producing cells in the pancreas that have absorbed a mercury molecule may be recognized as abnormal and destroyed by the immune system, a possible connection to diabetes
• joint cells that have absorbed mercury molecules may be recognized as abnormal by the immune system and destroyed, a possible connection to arthritis
• a study published in 1966 links the cause of MS to environmental rather than infectious origin; the predominant exposure being amalgam fillings
• ALS, Parkinson’s Disease, Alzheimer’s Disease, Lupus and arthritis have also been linked to mercury toxicity
• there are 4 spots of hemoglobin on a red blood cell, each designed to carry a molecule of oxygen; mercury molecules can take up residence on red blood cells in place of oxygen inhibiting oxygen transportation, resulting in shortness of breath and chronic fatigue
• mercury destroys white blood cells, depressing the immune system and making one susceptible to infection and disease
• by law, mercury is treated as a highly toxic material requiring special handling to protect dental professionals before being implanted in teeth, and as hazardous waste after removal; while in the mouth it is considered safe; there are no valid studies proving dental amalgam safe.
• mercury concentrates in brain tissue causing “brainfog”, confusion, spaciness, and organic brain changes. The tangled mass of brain tissue that is diagnosed as Alzheimer’s has been duplicated in brains of rats implanted with mercury to the extent that the two tissue specimens are indistinguishable under microscope.
• cleaning teeth, especially polishing of amalgam fillings, removes a layer of corrosion and causes an increase in the amount of mercury vapor coming off the teeth and into the body
• the largest manufacturer of mercury containing amalgam in the world ceased production in 1994 due to advice from legal advisors
• relief from the following symptoms is commonly reported by patients who have had amalgams removed:

•    irritability, headaches, numbness and tingling in extremities, chronic fatigue
•    short term memory problems, sudden unprovoked anger, difficulty making decisions
•    ringing in ears, shortness of breath, allergies, nervousness, suicidal thoughts
•    frequent insomnia, tachycardia (rapid heartbeat)