The controversy over amalgam fillings has been an ongoing issue for many years. In 1991 the World Health Organization (WHO) recognized mercury fillings as the major source of exposure for humans. After a five year study the Journal of the American Medical Association announced in 2006 that amalgam fillings were safe for children. Two years later the American Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ended a lawsuit with a number of consumer advocacy groups, as part of the settlement the FDA agreed to increase consumer awareness by including the potential risks associated with amalgam fillings on their website. Currently the U.S. government has announced they will begin to “phase out” mercury fillings.
Dental amalgam consists of 50% mercury and because it is such a widely used dental product millions of people worldwide have mercury fillings implanted in their teeth. Mercury is the second most toxic element in existence, succeeding only to plutonium. It has been shown that every time pressure is put on an amalgam filling, mercury vapor leaks out, which can lead to mercury poisoning. Mercury poisoning can cause debilitating conditions such as chronic fatigue, migraine headaches, depression, cancer, ADHD, arthritis, asthma and autism. Even the minutest amounts of mercury are considered to be unsafe. The Federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) considers amalgam filling to be handled as hazardous waste after a tooth containing mercury has been extracted, so why would anyone want to have it in their mouth?
To learn more about the risks associated with mercury please watch Smoking Teeth=Poison Gas, a video produced by the International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology (IAOMT):
This video reveals, without doubt the release of mercury vapors from amalgam fillings and includes research of the affects from this offgassing.
As more information surfaces about the perils of amalgam fillings the general public continues to search for healthy ways to avoid toxicity from their amalgam fillings. Dentists with a more holistic approach to dentistry may offer an amalgam filling removal program. If removal of amalgam fillings is not an option, a chelation detox can be used to eliminate mercury and other heavy metals from the body. Chlorella is an algae that can be found in most health food stores and can be supplemented for its detoxification capabilities. Cilantro is another natural chelating agent and can easily be grown on a windowsill. Garlic and coriander should also be added to the diet as they have been shown to eliminate mercury and lead.
