It was many years ago, after we graduated from Georgetown Dental School in 1985, that we both came to the realization that mercury has no place in the human body. It may have been after we heard a local dermatologist, Dr. Alfred Zamm of Kingston, NY, speak of the unique chemistry of mercury and how it can damage all sorts of chemical reactions within us. He had examined numerous patients seeking help for their skin issues and found that many of them experienced improvement when their mercury fillings were removed. As we now understand, mercury can affect every organ in our body and can cause or worsen many chronic diseases. Some of us are genetically better adapted to detoxify this heavy metal than others, and the health of our detoxification system will also influence our body’s ability to deal with it. In addition, some bacteria such as Lyme disease spirochetes store mercury within themselves and their bacterial colonies complicating diagnosis and treatment of both mercury poisoning and Lyme disease. It is possible to be exposed to mercury from many sources including eating fish (especially larger fish), vaccines, industrial vapors, fluorescent light bulbs, batteries, over-the-counter products, and more. But the “silver” amalgam fillings in our teeth, that are actually comprised of about 50 percent elemental mercury, are often our largest source of constant, ongoing exposure and absorption of mercury. The EPA classifies mercury as a hazardous material, stating in a report that “all forms of mercury are quite toxic and each form exhibits different health effects” (from serious central nervous system malfunction to mental retardation to kidney damage, and more). As a result, mercury has been removed from many products such as thermostats, thermometers, and blood pressure cuffs. You may have heard in the news that even a small spill will close a school until it is properly cleaned up. New York state has mandated that all dental offices have a containment system for mercury containing amalgam scrap after it has been removed from a tooth. Several countries have banned or restricted the use of mercury fillings. And yet, ironically, in this country mercury has not been banned from use in dental fillings. So, basically, it is illegal for us to flush the amalgam down the toilet, yet it is legal for us to place it in your mouth. We are not sure where the logic exists to continue to allow dentists to place mercury fillings. Next we will discuss how we safely remove amalgam fillings. ~ Drs. Viglielmo Biological Dentistry, (845) 339-1619, www.drvigs.com
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AuthorsJeffrey Scott Viglielmo, DDS, AIAOMT and Maureen Kelly Viglielmo, MS, DDS Categories
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October 2019
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