By Dr Hisham
Most people over 35 have some (or many) black metal fillings. Most of us hate them and many believe they are dangerous for their health. Many authorities [like the American, Australian and New Zealand dental Associations] and dentists tell us they are safe and good for fixing teeth. Who is right? Here are a few facts and conclusions based on my long research and experience, to help you make up your own mind about amalgam fillings.
• Dental Amalgam (silver mercury) fillings have been used for over 150 years now and the debate about their safety has been going on for 100 years!
• Mercury is a toxic heavy metal, like lead (which was banned from petrol and paint due to its serious toxicity to humans).
• Mercury batteries are being phased out worldwide due to their environmental toxicity.
• Mercury in large fish is a serious hazard to people eating that kind of fish regularly.
• Dentistry is estimated to contribute up to 70% of the total mercury load entering wastewater treatment facilities. Many dentists let out amalgam debris through suction into the sewage pipes without special separators to filter the mercury amalgam.
• Mercury that is changed into methylmercury by bacteria is more dangerous to humans. Breathing mercury vapour is also very dangerous.
• Amalgam fillings are 50 per cent mercury and release different amounts of mercury vapor and interact with bacteria in the mouth all the time. They corrode over time (they turn black from silver) as they are soaked in saliva and worsen when there are other metals in the mouth (like stainless steels pins, gold crowns, cheap metal alloy crowns and others). The amount of mercury released is variable and its effects are even more variable and difficult to measure.
• Authorities consider amalgam that is removed from the mouth as hazardous. They advise dentists should keep this toxic waste in sealed containers under a fixer liquid to limit vapours, until professionally collected and recycled. It is not to be thrown into the normal rubbish.
• An individual’s susceptibility to mercury toxicity is as variable as other health risks facing a population. Most people will not know about a health risk until they get sick! For example, it is well publicised that lead in petrol and paint is banned, as well as the use of asbestos products in the building industry. Most people who are exposed to these toxins are still alive and well, but enough people in the population have fallen sick or died from exposure to lead or asbestos to prompt a ban on these products for everyone’s safety.
Recently the FDA in the United States released a final rule classifying dental mercury amalgam as a class II device (more risk). They regulated that dentists should inform patients that mercury is present and there is a possibility of harm. It should not be used in people with metal allergies to mercury, silver, copper or tin. It is not to touch other metals in the mouth. The American Dental Association and New Zealand Dental associations released statements that they still consider it safe for general use. Sweden, Denmark and Norway have banned amalgam fillings totally and some other European countries are restricting its use (mainly in children, pregnant women and chronically ill patients). The rest of the world is still endorsing amalgam use, and a lot of universities still train students to use amalgam fillings, which they continue to practice after graduation.
I have not placed an amalgam filling in a human’s mouth since I graduated as a dentist. I ceased doing so when I finished my compulsory quota of amalgam fillings that had to be done in a dental faculty. I had my own amalgam fillings safely removed and replaced with Porcelain (Cerec) restorations and did the same for my family. These decisions were made based on my understanding that anything with such a toxicity risk should be avoided, especially when there are better alternatives.
Admittedly amalgam is the easiest dental filling material to use with low skill and it is very cheap. It also lasts a long time in the mouth, until, typically, the tooth cracks and breaks around it. Better options came about with the invention of bonding, and include composites and porcelain restorations. That said these are more expensive and difficult to work with (hence the need for advanced training and skills). Dentists and patients both have to make a choice, and sometimes reality overpowers the ideal scenario. That does not mean we shouldn’t have an ideal to work toward; otherwise we will never make progress.
My ideal is to help people become aware of all health risks and how to manage them, in order to avoid disease and illness. However, when people do suffer a dental problem, the best and least hazardous materials and techniques should be used to help them back into health and normal function.
Remember, always seek health rather than fight disease.
Have a lovely day and enjoy your health with passion.
This website provides a lot of really great content, many thanks for sharing. I’ll have to check it out more often.
I would like to express my appreciation for your post. That’s really great to know that there are such people like you who do their job very well and with such enthusiasm.
I’ve seen many articles debating whether amalgams are safe or not. Such claims have not yet been proven, so it is up to the patient to decide whether he or she will have it or not.
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Dr. Hisham Abdalla. Dr. Hisham Abdalla said: NEW BLOG: Dental mercury amalgam fillings: Are they safe? | Lasersmile Health Files: http://blog.lasersmile.co.nz/?p=67 [...]
good share, great article, very usefull for us…thank you
Good article Thank you so much
Hi there may I use some of the insight from this post if I reference you with a link back to your site?
GREAT ARTICLE. Very usefull for me…thank you, I hope everybody reads this and dentists specially.
Excellent article i am sure that i will come back here soon
Nice
Just want to say what a great blog you got here!
I’ve been around for quite a lot of time, but finally decided to show my appreciation of your work!
Thumbs up, and keep it going!
Cheers
[...] Dental mercury amalgam fillings: Arе tһеу safe? | Lasersmile Health Files [...]
[...] Dental mercury amalgam fillings: Are they safe? | Lasersmile Health Files [...]
[...] Dental mercury amalgam fillings: Arе tһеу safe? | Lasersmile Health Files [...]
Hi Casey, thank you for he kind words. You can use some of my quotes AS LONG AS YOU MENTION MY NAME AFTER THEM EVERY TIME- Dr Hisham Abdalla. Also linking back to our website on most of your articles will be great. Good luck with your work.
Dr Hisham
Hi thanks for liking my posts. Please use it freely, as long as you link back to my website http://www.lasersmile.co.nz or mention my name after quoting me Dr Hisham Abdalla
[...] Dental mercury amalgam fillings: Arе tһеу safe? | Lasersmile Health Files [...]
I have visited your website before. The more I read, the more I keep coming back!
Really great post/article really informative.
Yesterday I did something I never thought I should be able to do. I had a crown fitted by Hisham with no local anesthetic or pain relief of any kind. This is because I am one of those unfortunate beings who experience severe adverse reactions to many drugs. The reactions are so severe that I am not prepared even to ‘give it a go’!
I either have to go to hospital and have the tooth taken out under the old fashioned gas or brace myself and put up with the pain. I know about this being of an age where the dentist held you down with one hand drilled with the other and powered the drill with his foot.
Hisham thought he could do it for me with not too much pain and in fact there was NONE! I felt nothing. I was amazed and thankful that I live in the age of Laser Dentistry.
Why do my friends put up with old fashioned dentistry when they can have this I find hard to understand.
My blog for those who want to know more is at
http://janetteheffernan.blogspot.com/
I am so grateful for finding a dentist who actually cared about my quality of life. Doing a crown these days under these conditions could not have been fun for him either.
Remarkable piece of writing man, I honestly like the look and also the feel of this particular blog
Great article, a good dentist is hard to find these days.
Thanks again for the great quality web blog posts that you provide. You’re writing skills are amazing and I’ll be coming back for updates.
Can I just say what a relief to find someone who actually knows what theyre talking about on the internet. You definitely know how to bring an issue to light and make it important. More people need to read this and understand this side of the story. I cant believe youre not more popular because you definitely have the gift.
Great stuff here
Very great article! We really should all take some precautionary measures when it comes to stuff like this. Thanks for sharing!
I like this blog and the writing style you use throughout your entry. You truly have a gift and a way with words. I hope you keep creating such wonderful content on a regular basis, as i definitely look forward to reading it.
Thanks for posting some great postings and I’ll try to return back to check things out! London,UK.
Thanks great post
A good article Thank you!
I like this blog its a master peace ! Glad I found this on google .