Silver amalgam is the most popular dental filling material and is being used successfully by a majority of dentists. However the use of this material is not without criticism.
One of its major component is mercury ,which is a highly toxic metal and is a known poison. The other components include silver, tin, copper and zinc. When mixed together,these metals form a strong and stable substance.
The mercury present in silver fillings is not in a free state and is not essentially toxic. The amount of mercury present is also very less to cause concern.
Before you visit your dentist you should contact your
health insurance company regarding cost etc.
Critics believe that the mercury that leaches out of these fillings can cause mercury toxicity and could lead to a variety of problems like:
- Emotional problems like depression ,anxiety and irritability
- Neurological disorders like facial twitches,muscle spasms,epilepsy,multiple sclerosis
- Heart problems like rapid heart rate and chest pains.
- Collagen diseases like arthritis,scleroderma,lupus erythematosus
- Immunological disorders like leukemia, mononucleosis
However, these claims have not been proved. The American dental association maintains it’s claim that silver fillings are safe and can be used to fill cavities.
The American dental association released a report that stated that there is no need to discontinue the use of silver fillings.
Very little amount of mercury is released from the amalgam restorations, but no health consequences from such low levels of mercury has been demonstrated. Given the available scientific reports and considering the benefits of silver amalgam, unless new scientific research dictates otherwise, there currently appears to be no justification in discontinuing the use of silver amalgam.
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Amalgam Disadvantages:
1. Ugly – disgusting looking things, especially when old and corroded.
2. Mercury Content – gradually leeches out and collects in your internal organs.
3. Weakens Teeth – heavily restored teeth much more vulnerable to cracking and breaking.
4. Thermal Conductive – eating ice-cream can become a painful experience.
Scientific encyclopedias state the following:-
1.McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia of Science and Technology – 1971 edition – “The metal and its compounds are very toxic. Mercury and almost all of its compounds are quite poisonous to man and animals.”
2. Van Nostrand’s Scientific Encyclopedia Sixth Edition – 1982 edition – “Mercury and its compounds, with few exceptions, are highly poisonous to living organisms. Particularly, in connection with finely-divided mercury metal, extreme care must be taken to avoid inhalation of and contact with the element” (mercury is shaved and deposited into mouths) “Mercury can cause acute renal failure and nephrotic syndrome” “Confirmation of poisoning is sometimes made by analysis for the presence of mercury in hair, fingernails, serum, and urine.
3. Handbook of Chemistry and Physics 57th edition – 1976 edition – “It is not generally appreciated that mercury is a virulent poison and is readily absorbed through the respiratory tract, the gastrointestinal tract, or through unbroken skin. It acts as a cumulative poison since only small amounts of the element can be eliminated at a time by the human organism” “Air saturated with mercury vapor at 20 Celsius contains a concentration that exceeds the toxic limit by more than 100 times”
See the website of the International Academy of Oral Medicine & Toxicology (IAOMT) where Murray Vimy’s and Fritz Lorscheider’s study of radioactive mercury on a sheep and the subsequent tissue concentrations.
Mercury is #8 on the “The List of Toxic Substances” and referred to as “certified hazardous waste” when removed from people’s mouths by Environment Canada. Mercury is not approved by Health Canada but was grand fathered in as it has been in use since mid 1800’s. The World Health Organization – Mercury 6.9 states that mercury dental amalgams are the highest source of mercury exposure.
Mercury fillings are extremely toxic stop lying!!!!
Given that most Australian and American servicemen have a mouth full of toxic poison ie mercury fillings if I was a leader of the Taliban in Afghanistan I would be using this reality to my advantage. If the Taliban could figure out a way to get a galvanic reaction out of these fillings the foriegn soldiers would end up with mercury poisoning and would be completely fucking useless in the field of combat. Its unfortunate but dentistry has set up there own miltary personel for failure.
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