Amalgam is a filling dentists commonly use to fill decayed teeth. Dental amalgam has been used in dentistry for more than 150 years, and according to the American Dental Association, or ADA, 100 million Americans have this type of filling in their mouths. However, biological dentists raise the question of whether dental amalgams release dangerous toxins into the human body, which has spurred some people to undergo amalgam removal for purposes of "detox."
Dental Amalgam
According to the National Council Against Health Fraud, or NCAHF, dental amalgams contain between 43 to 54 percent liquid mercury along with other alloys including silver, copper, tin and minute amounts of palladium, indium or zinc. Although acrylic materials are used to fill teeth, amalgam is still in demand due to its durability, strength and low cost. Safety concerns about amalgam fillings arose because when placed in or removed from your teeth, a small amount of mercury vapor is released. Also of concern is that minute amounts of mercury vapor are released whenever you chew. Excessive mercury exposure can affect your kidneys and brain, says the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, or EPA.
Holistic Dentistry
German integrative cancer specialist Josef Issels was one of the first doctors to claim that amalgams released toxins into the body and purportedly caused cancer, says the American Cancer Society, or ACS. Issels claimed that 98 percent of the cancer patients he treated had root canals and asserted that decayed teeth should be removed, not filled, to prevent dangerous toxins from entering the body. Similarly, biological dentists take a less-than-conventional conventional approach to tooth decay. Some advocate replacing amalgams with acrylic material, while others promote removing the teeth rather than filling them.
Amalgam Concerns
Purportedly, toxins released by the mercury in dental amalgams have dire health consequences. According to the NCAHF, these "toxins" have been blamed for not only cancer, but depression, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, chest pains, arthritis, allergies, ulcers, leukemia and mononucleosis. This gave rise to thriving scam operations used by dental practitioners of dubious ethics. Some use a device called a mercury vapor analyzer that gave false readouts to persuade patients to "detox," while others relied on skin patch testing, hair analysis and blood and urine testing.
Public Reaction
The purported dangers of amalgam fillings and mercury toxicity were featured in a 1990 segment of "60 Minutes." According to the NCAHF, the show frightened some viewers into having their fillings removed, including a woman with Lou Gehrig's disease, who spent $10,000 and more than 18 hours in a dentist's chair only to discover that her health problems didn't improve. In the mid 1990s, several patients filed suit against dentists for removing healthy teeth, says the ACS. Other practitioners were placed on probation or had their license to practice dentistry revoked.
Expert Insight
In 1986, the American Dental Association, or ADA, Council on Ethics, Bylaws, and Judicial Affairs stated: "Removal of amalgam restorations from the non-allergic patient solely for the alleged purpose of removing toxic substances from the body, when such treatment is performed at the recommendation or suggestion of the dentist, is improper and unethical." After a period of study and review, the ADA reasserted its position in August 2009. Approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as a medical device, dental amalgams are considered both safe and effective. However, if you're concerned about the mercury this filling material, the EPA points out that other options are available, including those made from resin, porcelain and gold.
References
- National Council Against Health Fraud: The "Mercury Toxicity" Scam
- National Council Against Health Fraud: Position Paper on Amalgam Fillings
- American Cancer Society: Biological Dentistry
- American Dental Association: Statement on Dental Amalgam
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: Mercury in Dental Amalgam
- The Issels Foundation: Dr. Josef M. Issels
