Mercury Dentistry and Your Health
Did you know that a trip to the dentist could be exposing you to toxic levels of mercury, impacting your health and wellbeing? In this article ‘mercury, dentistry and your health’ we will look at the issues with mercury including the risks to your teeth from dental amalgams and the health issues associated with mercury exposure.
Dentistry, Mercury and Dental Amalgam
Dentistry via the use of dental amalgam fillings places mercury in your body. Mercury is a well-documented toxin that has numerous detrimental and adverse health effects.
Dental amalgam or silver fillings contain mercury. The argument has raged in dentistry for decades as to whether combining mercury into filling materials is safe. Despite having alternatives and modern dental filling materials many dentists still continue to use dental amalgam.
While the use of silver mercury fillings has reduced, which is a much welcome step, these fillings will inevitably need replacing during your lifetime, due to decay, filling failure or tooth breakage.
Drilling into amalgam fillings releases mercury from the filling, exposing you and the dental team to this toxic substance during the dental procedure.
Mercury Free and Mercury Safe Dentist Brisbane
Evolve Dental Healing Dentist Kenmore Brisbane is a mercury-free and mercury safe dental office. This means we do not use mercury dental amalgam and take great care during any dental treatment that involves the removal of amalgam fillings to ensure we do not expose you, the dental team or the environment to mercury.
Many dentists continue to use dental amalgam which contains high levels of mercury and several dental associations around the world still stand behind its use. The Evolve Dental team is proud to be some of the leading mercury-free dentists in the Brisbane area.
A mercury-free dentist does not restore teeth with amalgam, favouring instead composite resin, or porcelain which offers several advantages over mercury-containing silver fillings.
Years of research into dental amalgam have uncovered several concerns with the level of mercury released from these fillings which have been linked to numerous health conditions. Mercury is a substance that is known for its toxic properties and is particularly damaging to our brain and nervous systems as it is a potent neurotoxin.
The use of mercury has been banned in many consumer products in various countries. And yet, half of every amalgam filling by weight is mercury.
The continual leakage of mercury from amalgam fillings into the body can affect our ability to remain healthy.
This neurotoxin inhibits the normal functioning of the nervous system. It also increases the risk of illness by promoting antibiotic resistance while diminishing the actions of the immune system.
Mercury is a poison, and poison has no place in the body.
Dental amalgams can cause issues with tooth damage, and tooth weakness and poses an environmental issue because of the mercury content.
Dentistry Your Health and Mercury Toxicity
Tooth Damage from Dental Amalgam
Dental amalgam can cause damage to your teeth. This is because the material in the filling expands and contracts due to temperature changes, which can cause cracking and breaking in the tooth.
Placing the amalgam filling also requires dentists to remove a lot of the healthy parts of the teeth. This removal weakens the tooth and makes it more susceptible to breaking and cracking (and more dental procedures in the future).
Composite (white) fillings require less of the healthy parts of the tooth to be removed.
Environmental Issues of Mercury Fillings
Mercury pollution and environmental impacts are also a problem. Dental mercury enters the environment by:
- Air – cremation smoke, sewage sludge, waste incineration, and dentist clinic emissions
- Water – human waste disposal and dental clinics
- Land – landfills, burials, and fertilisers
After mercury enters the environment, microorganisms turn elemental mercury into methylmercury, which builds up in fish, shellfish, and people who eat mercury-containing fish.
Methylmercury can cause damage to children’s and foetuses’ developing brains and nervous systems.
The mercury in fillings not only affects the person with the fillings but everyone else too.
Signs of Mercury Toxicity
Mercury, dentistry and your health – dental amalgams release mercury which then builds up in your body which can cause numerous issues with your health and wellbeing.
The amount of mercury in the body isn’t a direct representation of whether mercury is being harmful. Studies show that the body reacts to mercury by releasing pro-inflammatory immune cells, which means mercury in the body can increase the risk for infectious or autoimmune diseases.
Inflammation can also make the body more susceptible to mercury toxicity as mercury and other toxins cause more damage in the presence of inflammation.
The way mercury toxicity plays out in a body is very individual. However, here are some general symptoms that can indicate mercury toxicity:
- Anxiety or depression
- Brain fog, decreased concentration, memory problems
- Fatigue
- Frequent headaches
- Lack of motor skills/feeling uncoordinated
- Autoimmune disease
- Allergies
- Multiple chemical sensitivity
- Nerve damage (phantom pain or sensations)
- Hearing loss
- Slow or slurred speech
- Muscle tremors
- Hair loss
- Hormonal dysregulation, including abnormal menstrual cycles and infertility
- Cardiovascular disease
- Kidney dysfunction
- Sleep disturbance
- Delayed or impaired motor skills
- Difficulties learning to speak
- Issues with hand-eye coordination
Many of these symptoms could indicate other illnesses or causes, so it’s essential to work with a knowledgeable naturopath or functional medicine doctor to determine what’s causing your or your child’s symptoms.
A hair mineral analysis test can reveal what metals are in excess in your body.
More testing may be needed, as a hair mineral test may not be enough, which is why a knowledgeable doctor is so important!
Amalgam Removal Dentist Brisbane
Dentistry has evolved over the years, producing new and improved ways to sustain oral health and repair damage with strong, metal-free materials. As there are many options now available for metal-free restorations, amalgam is unnecessary as a choice of material for dental restorations.
Evolve Dental, a holistic dentist in Kenmore Brisbane provides a high standard of dental care that takes the whole body into account. Give yourself and your family the best dental care available.
Contact our office for your visit today. 07 3720 1811
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Dr. Rachel Hall
Rachel is the founder and principal dentist at Evolve Dental Healing with over 30 years experience, practising holistically since 2001. Not your typical dentist, Rachel is a passionate opinion leader, challenging convention to empower people to make better dental and health choices, helping thousands to have healthy natural smiles. A respected writer and presenter on holistic dentistry, health and wellness it is Rachel’s mission to revolutionise the way people look at their dental health.
