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Is it safe to have mercury in your mouth? The answer is a big No!

This is a very relevant topic as the majority of you reading this newsletter will have passed through the same Irish system of dental healthcare as I have (or equivalent in other countries) and got a mouth full of mercury fillings free buy the government when you were at primary school. That's if you needed fillings of course, but I know only few people lucky enough to have avoided getting fillings at some stage.

After extensive research into the issue of amalgam fillings a few years ago I decided to get them all out. Amalgam fillings are made of an alloy of silver, tin, zinc and copper, which is combined, with an equal amount of elemental mercury. The amalgam fillings in your mouth are actually 50% mercury!

The following is a video that clearly outlines the hazards of mercury vapours which come off fillings.

See this video Are Mercury Fillings Safe?

So what to do if you've got mercury fillings?

If your still not sure if you've got mercury filling or not here's how to tell - look in the mirror, open your mouth and look at your teeth, if you see black/silver fillings you've got them!
If you have mercury fillings, in any amount my advice is to get them out. However this is not a simple or straight forward process there is a few things you should know. It can be dangerous to go to a dentist who is unaware of the safety issues of taking out amalgams. The correct way to extract them is to install a rubber dam (blocking off entry to your troth and hence your body), install a breathing apparatus to the nose so you can breath through an separate air supply while there been extracted. There is a lot of mercury vapour released when its drilled out. Replace them with white (composite) fillings (not gold or other metal). Take a garlic supplement for a few weeks after extraction (this is to chelate any mercury that may have gotten into your system). A few things to note is that this is an expensive procedure, its not a very pleasant procedure (is any dentist visit where a drill is used ever pleasant!) and depending on how many you have you may have to do it in more than one visit. But is it worth it? The answer is a big Yes!

In the future people will look back and say how crazy it was to put mercury fillings in your mouth - the reason the Dental Associations don't admit to it at this point is because of the potential many millions of law suits that would probably follow. The truth of the matter is that any dentist who is well read today will choose to put in white fillings if someone needs a new filling - but there are still a lot of ignorant ones who still put in amalgams. Obviously if you need a new filling in the future and your dentist gives you the choice - request a white one!

So where do I find a dentist who knows how to extract mercury fillings the right way?

Below is a list of the ones I know do it in Ireland. For other countries use the internet and look for 'Holistic Dentists'



Evelyn van Amerongen
Ishsko Centre
Barrick Yard
Westport
Tel: 098 26200

Bill McCollam & Russel McLean
6 High Street, Kilkenny, Eire Tel: 05677 62329 Members of: British Society for Mercury Free Dentistry Mercury free practice (since 1988). Safety protocols used for amalgam removals, including extensive copious rinsing, thorough cleaning with patience, high volume suction and galvanometer.

Ken Nicholson
91 Newforge Road, Magheralin, Co. Armagh, N. Ireland BT67 02W Tel: 028 (NI & GB) / 048 (from Eire) 92617471 E-mail: nidic@btinternet.com Mercury free practice. Safety protocols used for amalgam removals, including high volume suction and rubber dam

Anne Wallace
David Reaney's Dental Surgery, 28 Dungannon Street, Moy, Dungannon, Co. Tyrone, N. Ireland BT71 7SH Tel: 028 (NI & GB) / 048 (from Eire) 87784977 E-mail: annewallace2003@yahoo.com

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Gabriel