Is Amalgam Dangerous?

What is Amalgam made of that goes into our teeth and stays in our mouths up to ten or more years? For thousands of years mercury has been known to be a poison whether it is eaten, inhaled or absorbed through the skin -it's a heavy toxic metal.

The major ingredient in amalgam is 50 percent liquid mercury which is highly toxic. Mercury is used to bind the other materials in amalgam fillings which include nickel, tin, lead, copper, silver, and alloy powders.

The Dangers: Up front and personal in your mouth where all food digestion commences and where chewing food, swallowing, and saliva enters into your digestive tract mercury is released to your lungs, stomach and eventually ends up in your blood stream.

As these fillings degenerate over time the mercury which becomes ionized seeps easily into your gums turning healthy pink gums into gray discolored and mercury leached gums. The mercury vapor has been documented in many cases and reports indicate people have readings as high as 12 micrograms every 24 hours which is extremely high levels of such a toxic material as mercury.

Countries such as Canada, Germany, Denmark and Sweden have banned amalgam fillings especially with pregnant women and children. The FDA has a notice on their site that " Dental amalgams contain mercury which may have neurotoxic effects on the nervous system of children and fetuses".

Symptoms of Mercury Poisoning:

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is often found as a reaction of mercury and other dental metals. Mercury poisoning from dental amalgam will deteriorate the immune system as the body fights the toxin. Freya Koss the Development director of Consumers for Dental Choice in Pennsylvania developed lupus after having her mercury fillings replaced with more mercury fillings. She later had them all replaced by a qualified natural dentist and is on a high antioxidant diet.

Some dentists challenge mercury poisoning by dental fillings by suggesting that once a tooth is capped off or sealed, no mercury can escape into your body. This suggestion is overruled by the fact that fillings break, and over time fall out requiring replacement.

What Can You Do To Protect Yourself:

The amino acid known as Glutathione can be used to offset high mercury levels and is needed to keep your immune system operating a peak levels. Tests such as hair analysis will reveal mercury levels and other chemicals in your body.

You can request simple blood and urine tests from your doctor to investigate the levels of heavy metals in your blood stream.

Most people will have all amalgam fillings removed by a qualified natural dentist who are trained to handle the extractions - a very dangerous procedure if done incorrectly. It is both dangerous for the dentist and the patient and must be done with oxygen masks. A regiment of supplements for 5 days will detoxify the bloodstream of the remaining mercury.

What Material is Safer than Amalgam:

The use of porcelain fillings is considered safe in the cosmetic dentistry field and they look better than a mouth full of metal. Porcelains are more expensive but worth the money. Some people will put a new, expensive grill on their car and have ugly teeth with heavy metals. The beauty of a great smile with white teeth is becoming very popular and porcelain fillings do not decay or turn black.

The next time you look at your teeth which would you rather have in your very mouth?