Tuesday, October 30, 2007

what's in your mouth?

were you a kid in the 70s? did you get lots of cavities filled with mercury based amalgams? are you, like me, freaked out because you have small bits of mercury in your mouth that are released every time you chew? well i am. have been for several years even though my dentist says no worries, no, we don't have to replace them. but last year i did get a new cavity filled with resin stuff. i looked at a few articles regarding this "scare" but i'm still scared.

a recent article from terrain got me to worrying again:

Aside from uranium, mercury is the most toxic metal known to man; it takes only a few milligrams to kill you, and once it accumulates in your tissues, it can cause neurological problems and organ damage. Mercury toxicity in humans has been linked to chronic fatigue syndrome, cardiovascular disease, and kidney problems, and some believe it's responsible for the alarming rise in autism and Alzheimer's disease.

"We have a very serious problem here," said Dr. Boyd Haley during a September 2006 clinical teleconference. Haley is chairman of the chemistry department at University of Kentucky, and he has conducted extensive research on mercury's effects on brain and nerve tissue. "Every study of mercury on the human brain shows that it generates neuronal problems," he said. "The American Dental Association (ADA) and the FDA ignore this, saying mercury is safe and has no effect on the brain. This is 100 percent wrong."

Mercury compounds can enter the body through various pathways, including inhalation of vapor, ingestion, and skin contact. It's found in paints, pesticides, batteries, fluorescent light bulbs, skin creams, vaccines, old-style thermometers, eye drops, and of course, those silver amalgam fillings in your mouth. Despite the American Dental Association's best efforts to downplay the risk, mercury from amalgams is continually released, increasing as you chew food or gum. "Mercury comes off amalgam fillings at a rate much, much higher than the ADA spokespeople say it does," says Haley. "Eighty percent that comes off the fillings is retained by the body."

and here's what the FDA says about amalgam safety. i'm not convinced, are you?

finally check out this cool site about all things mercury.