Dentistry
Dental amalgams contain about 50% elemental mercury. Mercury vapors leech from the amalgams over time, causing exposures. The mercury exposure is much higher after chewing and after drinking hot liquids.
A video by the International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology (IAOMT) shows mercury vapors leaving amalgams.
A video entitled “How Mercury Causes Brain Neuron Degeneration” by the University of Calgary demonstrates how mercury vapor from amalgams can damage brain neurons.
In 2008, an effort by several organizations led by Consumers for Dental Choice, Moms Against Mercury, and the Mercury Policy Project won a ten-year battle to get the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to comply with the law and set a date to classify mercury amalgams. Previously, the FDA had refused to classify whether amalgams are safe. The FDA will now classify amalgams by July 28, 2009. This effort also led to the FDA changing its website such that it now states:
“Dental amalgams contain mercury, which may have neurotoxic effects on the nervous systems of developing children and fetus.”
“Pregnant women and persons who may have a health condition that makes them more sensitive to mercury exposure, including individuals with existing high levels of mercury bioburden, should not avoid seeking dental care, but should discuss options with their health practitioner.”
In the past 20 years, some dentists have become mercury-free dentists. Some of these dentists specialize in replacing mercury dental amalgams with newer composite fillings. It is important to note that there is significant risk of massive mercury exposure during removal of dental amalgams. There may also be cases in which an amalgam cannot adequately be replaced by a composite filling. As such, it is critical to choose a doctor with expertise in amalgam replacement who follows an established protocol with safety procedures for amalgam removal. The International Academy for Oral Medicine and Toxicology (IAOMT) website is a good place to start for more details. There are also lists of mercury-free dentists that can be found by searching on the Internet.
Mercury Amalgam References
International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology
IAOMT “Safe Removal of Amalgams”
A video by the International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology (IAOMT) shows mercury vapors leaving amalgams.
A video entitled “How Mercury Causes Brain Neuron Degeneration” by the University of Calgary demonstrates how mercury vapor from amalgams can damage brain neurons.
The relationship of the toxic effects of mercury to exacerbation of the medical condition classified as Alzheimer’s disease, by Boyd Haley in Medical Veritas, October 2007. This document provides an explanation of how mercury vapors from amalgams can cause the brain damage associated with Alzheimer’s disease.
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