Amalgam fillings
My journey with my teeth is still ongoing but is nearing its end, for this year anyway! I am currently undergoing amalgam (mercury) filling removal. This is something I have wanted to do for a long time but my fear of dentists plus the cost of this in the UK kept putting me off.
I did a lot of research beforehand into why the fillings should be removed and how this should be done safely to minimise any reactions my body might have afterwards. I knew that my amalgam fillings were leaking as I was feeling symptoms of mercury poisoning. The fillings I had had been there for a long time in fact some of them were placed when I was a child. Shocking that this is even deemed ok to put in an adult’s mouth let along a child. Back then I guess we questioned less. My parents did their best for me and trusted the dentist’s advice, using these was common practice in the 80’s and still is for some dentists in the UK and USA.
Disclaimer – I would like to add at this point that I am not recommending for everyone to rush out and get their amalgam fillings replaced. For many people these fillings remain non problematic for years. However, problems may occur as the filling ages as mine did. I have also had a very difficult autoimmune condition and want to alleviate everything I possibly can to recover myself from this as best I can. If you have them however and suspect, there is a problem I urge you to get them checked out. You might also consider undertaking a more passive daily detoxification protocol to mitigate any symptoms.
The problem with amalgam fillings
The big problem with these fillings is that they contain around 50% mercury! Mercury is highly toxic to human and animal health and can wreak havoc including death. A lot of dentists will tell you that these fillings are inert and do not cause harm because they do not leach mercury once placed. This is highly questionable, and research has found that these fillings do indeed leach mercury into the body’s soft tissues and organs specifically the brain, kidneys and reproductive organs seem to be highly sensitive to mercury accumulation.
A big issue that occurs with these fillings is off gassing; this occurs when the filling is rubbed i.e. when you are eating or brushing. It also occurs when the filling is exposed to hot drinks or hot food. This gas is then inhaled. In the film Evidence of Harm, they talk about this and conduct experiments to show just how much vapour is released by these fillings in different situations. Basically, the amount coming off the fillings was 100s of x more than would require an industrial plant dealing with mercury to be closed as deemed unsafe!
As if that isn’t bad enough! The mercury when placed is mixed with another metal such as cadmium, silver and newer amalgams contain copper. Once two or more metals are mixed and placed in the mouth where saliva is present a battery like effect is created. In this way we can see that symptoms such as electric shocks in the mouth are possible and do occur. I can attest to this as I have had these regularly.
Health issues reported to relate to amalgam fillings
Some of the many health issues that people with amalgam fillings have reported include:
- Foggy head
- Fatigue
- Neck pain
- Headaches
- Chronic Pain
- Endocrine issues
- Autoimmune conditions
- Thyroid issues
- Disturbance of central nervous system
- MS
- ME
I am sure this list is not exhaustive!
How to get amalgam fillings removed safely
To get the amalgam fillings removed safely several things need to be adhered to, this is important, so your body is not exposed to any more of the filling and the toxic vapour that is released whilst drilling etc. The gold standard for removal is the SMART protocol. This ensures certain standards are met for removal. These generally include coverings of clothes and hair, high speed suction, ventilation, separate oxygen supply to the nose and the use of dental dams. I was also given a charcoal tablet before and after the procedure.
If you are embarking on getting your amalgams removed, I urge you to find a dentist that offers the above protocol and quiz them to find out what exactly they do. Under no circumstances would I recommend you use a regular dentist to do this. I have treated people that have done this and been very ill afterwards.
General detox protocol
I recommend you start a detox about a month before you get your amalgams removed. As a basic protocol I suggest doing the following before and after the removal. You could also consider doing liver and kidney cleanses to make sure these detox pathways are working optimally.
- Diatomaceous Earth 5g daily – Take first on empty stomach, wait 30 mins to eat.
- Vitamin C up to 3000mg daily (take up to bowel tolerance) – divide dose into two or three and take AM and PM.
- Green smoothie – including; clean almond milk, blueberries, spinach, chlorella, spirulina, clean pea protein powder and turmeric. I have this to break my fast.
- Chlorella and Spirulina either as powder or capsules / pills (must be broken cell wall to optimise absorption) I put this in my green smoothie as above.
- Zeolite / Bentonite clay / Charcoal blend daily – I take this in the evening along with a broad-spectrum probiotic.
- Glutathione I take this daily about an hour after I break my fast.
- Good multivitamin / mineral. I like Cytoplans Aller G blend as it has some great immune supportive nutrients such as NAC, Resveratrol, Beta Glucans, Quercetin and Oregano.
- Selenium up to 200iug per day.
- Plenty of good quality water throughout the day and consider adding a mineral blend or electrolyte blend to your water.
- Minimise sugar, refined carbohydrates and alcohol.
- I have also taken the homeopathic remedies Merc Sol, and Hecla Lava. Merc Sol is homeopathic mercury and is great for detoxing mercury. I took this for a while before I began to have mine removed and it helped my symptoms a lot. Hecla Lava is a remedy to help teeth and decay and potential issues with cavitations. I took this after my extraction and am taking whilst I have my amalgams removed and other fillings place.
*Individual needs may differ, when I work with clients, I always test what they need specifically as bodies vary. Please get in touch if you would like to work together on this.
Summary
Istrongly believe that amalgam fillings should be banned worldwide. I would advise anyone getting a filling to always get composite and as biocompatible as is possible. Find a dentist that is willing to do this, better still find a holistic dentist. Your health is intrinsically related to the health of your mouth and gut. More information is coming to light now on the importance of the oral microbiome.
If you would like the contact details of the dentist that I used for my amalgam extractions, please get in touch.
Also, if you would like help with a detox program that is tailored specifically to your needs, please drop me a line and we can arrange a time to discuss. I always work with clients to establish exactly what their body requires in what amounts and the appropriate timings to take things.
Further reading / watching:
Some of the things I read and watched are listed below. There is a wealth of information out there concerning this topic and I urge you to do your own research.
Evidence of Harm documentary
Weston A Price Foundation
Dr Bergman – Heavy metal detox
Hal Huggins – A Pioneering dentist against Amalgam fillings
All in Your Head – by Dr Hal Hugginshttps://www.amazon.com/Its-All-Your-Head-Amalgams/dp/0895295504