Very interesting.. how amalgams in teeth can affect us !

[Monita]

Hello Ladies

I decided to post this here, and also at the Depression room and at the TTC room. I got today my metal amalgam removed ( I had a very deep molar cavity and I got it filled with metal amalgam - mercury and other metals ) and today I got it substituted with a resine amalgam.

The first one to tell me that metal amalgams are bad for health was my acupuncturist. A dentist friend of our family confirmed that info. I asked many people ( mostly doctors, my yoga therapist etc ) and some told me that they are supposed to be pretty safe, but most told me that one should be better off without any metals inside the body. My yoga teacher told me that she was not sure about the toxicity, but that she knows any metal may interfere with the body´s natural electrical system and harm it.

So, before I do my embryo transfer I decided to remove it. I felt kinda relieved when I did. I was searching the net to find evidences on this matter to show them to DH and I found this site : http://www.amalgam.org/ or for a shorter article : http://www.lef.org/magazine/mag2001/...mercury_1.html

It seems to relate many health problems to the poisoning of the body due to the mercury in the amalgams, and also indicates about the electrical problem of having metals in the body. Among them : Infertility, Depression, Anxiety, etc etc... I was shocked.

Some people say that having something made of metal in the mouth cannot be different from wearing watches, earrings, rings, etc. But I do not think that is true.... first, you are not putting in contact your saliva with them and swallowing that saliva every day, all the day. Second, in Yoga we are requested to take off all our accesories as they DO interfere with the class and the energy generated. Same for acupuncture.

Maybe it is in my mind, but I feel more relaxed and much less anxious since I removed my amalgam. DH is removing his too and also switching to resine.

After reading that web site, I am strong believer metal amalgams cannot be good, and I sure hope to be proof after removing them, that I feel better.

Hope this helps !!

[Pale Pink Aura]

Good on you for having it done. It is on my list of 'to-do's' too - my GP wants me to have mine removed. He's convinced they cause harm.

[Mjoy]

That's interesting! I guess I never really thought about that before. Too bad the resin ones cost so much more! Thanks for the info

[Monita]

Thanks ladies... call me crazy but I am already feeling better without the metal amalgam !! I do not know if this is only in my head, or mental suggestion, but I really do. I tend to think my energy now flows better...

I think I made a good decision by removing it !! I was also reading detox now is a long process. It is not like you remove the amalgam and you are mercury free, your body needs to detox slowly. Seems higher doses of vitamin C and some natural combinations available on the internet can help.

I did learn a lot about mercury contamination... ladies, you need to switch to resine asap !!

ps. I am not a dentist nor a company selling resines, just a cyster who now has understood the risks of amalgams made of metal !!

[Pale Pink Aura]

In regards to what you were just saying about the detox afterwards, my GP is planning on doing chelation therapy to get rid of any lingering Mercury/heavy metals. I'm glad to hear you're feeling better. Whether it's the power of the mind or whatever, feeling better is a good thing! Good luck on keeping on improving!

[StacieH]

Did your dental health insurance cover the removal and replacement?

[Monita]

Did your dental health insurance cover the removal and replacement?

Hi Stacie,

No actually no dental nor fertility expenses are covered by my insurance company... I had to pay it myself, but maybe your insurance may cover it, since we live in different countries !! maybe you can find out !!

[StacieH]

Unfortunately, my dental "insurance" is only a discount plan, so it will be out of pocket.

However, I was hoping to find an insurance plan that does cover the removal and replacement...I'm thinking it may be less expensive to pay the insurance premium, deductible, etc, than cover the expenses out of pocket.

[heidi1979]

I have heard that too about the metal fillings.. I have a mouthful of them too... It is always something.

[lizz222]

Great! A topic I actually know about :) As a researcher involved in assessing the effects of mercury in the environment and human health, I feel comfortable replying to this post - however, this is still just one person's opinion...

There has been a lot of hype in the media about mercury exposure through fillings, diet, environment. I think the main reason people are concerned about amalgam fillings is because they are made up of about 50% mercury. Now this mercury is bound to other metals in the filling - but have shown to "escape" the filling at very low levels. Ok, so the key here is the LOW levels. Mercury has neurotoxic/central nervous system effects (http://www.epa.gov/hg/effects.htm) and can include things like emotional changes.

HOWEVER, the US Food and Drug Administration (a trusted scientific source) has reviewed the scientific literature on the topic of amalgams and human health effects and cannot find any evidence that amalgams (and the subsequent mercury exposure) has any affect (http://www.fda.gov/cdrh/consumer/amalgams.html).

Please make sure that when you are investigating health issues that you also take a look at TRUSTED sources, such as the FDA, ATSDR, EPA, CDC. These governmental agencies have the manpower to investigate and consolidate information and usually present it in readable format for those that are interested.

For most people amalgam fillings are not your biggest source of mercury (unless you're the dentist with higher exposure rates to fillings). For example, look at the fish you eat - there are high mercury concentrations in some fish (e.g., tuna, salmon) that can exceed your daily consumption guidelines - far exceeding any concentration from your amalgam fillings. BUT PLEASE don't start cutting fish out of your diet - it's a great source of essential fatty acids - and the health benefits of eating SOME fish greatly outweigh the risks of a bit of mercury.

But in the end, it's really about how you feel. If taking out those amalgam fillings makes you feel better, then more power to you :)

I'll leave you with a quote from JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association; a well respected and refereed scientific journal)...
"...even though Needleman suggests that a small IQ decline [in children] cannot be ruled out following exposure to dental amalgams, the same argument can be applied to most exposures, especially from potential toxins from natural sources. The same concern would apply to the use of alternative materials, such as composites. Thus, the core question is how safe is safe enough? This is important because clinicians must counsel patients about the risks and benefits of medications, procedures, and even activities of daily living. Zero risk for any procedure, including dental restoration, is unachievable and may not be an appropriate goal when there are long-term preventable diseases with much greater public health implications, such as coronary artery disease, cancer, and emerging infectious diseases, to which resources could be better diverted.

Until better outcome data concerning chronic low level mercury exposures are available, the current body of evidence should allow health care professionals to confidently reassure patients with existing dental amalgam that these fillings need not be removed and that the use of dental amalgam as an option for dental restoration is acceptable."