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MERCURY-FREE DENTISTRY FOR HEALTH AND BEAUTY
Teeth Shown With Amalgam/Mercury Fillings Teeth Shown After Replacing Mercury Fillings
If you have dark fillings, you need to be aware of what they are and how they could negatively affect your health and appearance. Metal fillings are made of dental amalgam, a material that consists of various metals, including mercury, which is toxic to the body. Amalgam restorations consist of 50% mercury, 25% silver, 9% tin, 6% copper and a trace amount of zinc.
Over the years there has been a lot of controversy about mercury in dental fillings. For decades many scientists have been concerned about the mercury that dentists use to prepare the metallic silver-colored amalgams (fillings) to restore cavities. Anecdotes about mercury's toxic effects have been common. Some of these anecdotes are now being validated. Scientists are demonstrating significant relationships between mercury and some diseases.
The World Health Organization has stated that there is no known safe level for mercury. Mercury is classified as a neurotoxin. It can cross the blood brain barrier and can seriously impair the health and function of the brain and central nervous system.
Mercury has also been associated with a number of emotional and psychological problems, such as memory loss, mood swings, anxiety and depression, to name a few. It can interfere with, or overload, the natural detoxification pathways of the liver, kidneys, skin and intestine. Mercury can cause the depletion of the body's supply of many critically important antioxidants, especially the antioxidant, glutathione. In addition, mercury can increase the resistance of harmful intestinal flora, (including Candida albicans), to treatment by antibiotics and other drugs.
Some (of the many) symptoms of mercury toxicity include:
• Irritability, confusion, memory loss, depression, anxiety, insomnia
• Irregular heart beat, changes in blood pressure, irregular pulse
• Headaches, dizziness, ringing in the ears, fine tremors of hands and feet
• Fatigue, loss of appetite, joint pain, clammy hands and feet, persistent cough
• Diarrhea and a variety of GI problems
Often these symptoms are treated with medications and the underlying cause is never discovered.
Over time amalgam fillings corrode and leak. This can allow for an increase in the mercury vapor being passed on to the patient and can leak mercury into the patient's blood stream. This enables mercury to build up in cells, tissues and organs, until symptoms of mercury poisoning are experienced.
When amalgam fillings break down, it also enables bacteria to get in under the amalgam and cause new decay to develop. Amalgam fillings expand and contract with heat and cold. This expanding and contracting can eventually cause the filling to fracture the tooth, so a crown or an onlay may be required to restore its functionality.
When mercury amalgam fillings are removed, exposure to mercury vapor is exceptionally high and it is extremely important that a safe removal protocol is followed so that no further exposure to mercury vapor is administered to the patient. Such an exposure could trigger a reaction in individuals susceptible to mercury. Dr. Hamel practices a safe amalgam removal protocol, as recommended by the International Academy of Oral Medicine & Toxicology (I.A.O.M.T.) as a way to minimize the patient's exposure to mercury during the removal process.
This safe removal system protects the patients, staff and dentist from mercury exposure during the removal process. The patient is given an oxygen mask to wear and Dr. Hamel and his assistant wear a respirator. This protects all parties from breathing in the toxic vapors. (Mercury is at its most toxic when it is in vapor form.) The mercury filling is removed in large sections to reduce the amount of drilling. Copious amounts of water are used when removing the filling to help contain the mercury vapor and fine particulate matter. A special suction device is used that catches the mercury particles to prevent inhalation and further exposure to the patient. Dr. Hamel may also give patients dietary supplements in the form of charcoal tablets before the procedure as an additional precaution. The charcoal will bond to any small amounts of mercury that may have been ingested and is then removed from the body. Please be assured, the utmost precautions will be taken for your safety and comfort during your visit to Dr. Hamel's office.
For more than twenty years Dr. Hamel has made the choice not to use silver/amalgam/mercury fillings in his practice. The reason for this is not only for the unattractive appearance of the silver fillings but because Dr. Hamel believes mercury fillings are simply not a good choice for long-term dental health, functionality, and the overall health and wellbeing of his patients.
Today there are much better alternatives to amalgam fillings. Thanks to the development of new, stronger tooth-colored restorative materials, such as bonded ceramic or composite resins, we are able to produce durable, natural-looking results, without the drawbacks of the old fashioned amalgam fillings. Made from a medical-grade plastic substance, composite resin is a white dental filling material that contains no mercury or metals. Dr. Hamel will tint the composite resin to blend seamlessly with your tooth's coloring, so no one outside our office knows that you have a filling!
Dr. Hamel believes that your health should always come first, and he is dedicated to providing his patients with the best options available when it comes to your dental care.
About Dr. Hamel
Dr. Hamel is a member of IAOMT, International Academy of Oral Medicine & Toxicology. He attends events and networks with other biological dentists to stay abreast of scientific research and dental practices that benefit his patients in this regard. He also works with doctors who understand the hazards of mercury, and if you are concerned about your amalgam fillings, he can help you!
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