Holistic dentist and developer of the protocol for removal of mercury amalgams Dr. Hal Huggins discusses the dangers of silver-colored fillings and the implications when asked if they leak mercury. "Perhaps a better term would be vaporize," Huggins says. Mercury vaporizes off the surface of amalgam fillings all the time. Mercury also infuses into the pulp chamber of the tooth and enters the blood stream. Mercury is "known as one of the most toxic substances on Earth," according to Dr. Paul Gilbert, another holistic dentist, and when mercury leaches into the bloodstream from biting down on amalgam fillings it produces the dangerous effects of mercury poisoning and mercury toxicity.
Reproductive Impacts
Gilbert says mercury, released into the body from silver amalgam, affects women specifically in all ways at the reproductive level, contributing to disorders such as difficulties conceiving, numerous birth defects, problematic menopause, miscarriage, infertility, PMS and hot flashes.
Enzymatic/Hormonal Changes
Gilbert continues to add to the list of mercury related disorders resulting from silver filings. "Mercury is a scientifically proven enzyme poison, which means that it inhibits or prevents enzymes from working." Some of the conditions attributed to mercury exposure or aggravated by the presence of mercury in the body are: chronic fatigue syndrome, endocrine disorders, Hashimoto's thyroiditis, leaky gut syndrome, multiple chemical sensitivities, rheumatoid arthritis, Grave's disease, lupus, psoriasis, ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, irritable bowel syndrome, allergies, autoimmune diseases and environmental sensitivities.
Neurological Damage
Gilbert, of Healthy Teeth and Gums, points out the neurological diseases related to the release of mercury in the system from leaking or vaporizing fillings. These are far too numerous to list here in their entirety, however, several well-known disorders related to brain and nerve dysfunctions linked to mercury amalgam fillings are attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, Lou Gehrig's disease, learning disabilities, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, multiple sclerosis, autism, memory loss and Myasthenia gravis.
Mental Problems
Huggins discusses numerous psychological disorders related to mercury toxicity found in people with mercury fillings including, but not limited to, borderline personality disorder, depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, panic attacks and obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD).
Oral Decline
Problems with the mouth, teeth, gums and tongue have been tied to exposure to the mercury based fillings. Orlando, Florida, dentist M.F. Ziff states that mercury is believed to be the cause of oral galvanism, according to "Documented Clinical Side-Effects to Dental Amalgam" in the September 1992 edition of "Advances in Dental Research." Oral galvanism is a condition where the fillings, after exposure to saliva and other metals in flatware, for instance, become like a battery, conducting current in the mouth and manifesting in feelings of shocks throughout the mouth. This is made worse when amalgams are chipped or broken, releasing an even greater amount of mercury into the system. Gilbert also talks about various conditions such as gingivitis, periodontal disease, multiple root canals and tooth loss finding their root causes in mercury toxicity.
