Health Affects of Mercury From Amalgam Fillings?

mercury is a poisonous material found in silver dental fillingsMercury from amalgam fillings has been linked to Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, Lou Gehrig’s disease (ALS), infertility, neurological disorders, immunological suppression, kidney disease, cardiovascular disease, and antibiotic resistance among other diseases. (See “Bibliography of Mercury Topics” for references)

The consequences of chronic mercury exposure are rarely immediate. Symptoms can take years to surface, making the correlation between disease and dental mercury extremely difficult.

Symptoms can also vary in severity due to an individual’s genetic ability to resist toxicity. Individuals with “high thresholds” for toxicity will experience little or no problems from the mercury in their fillings, while others with “low thresholds” exposed to the exact same levels of mercury may have dramatically different reactions with severe symptoms. But even people who have a seemingly high tolerance to amalgam need to remember there is no safe level of mercury and it is only a matter of time until the accumulation of mercury breaches the body’s ability to maintain health.

It is interesting to observe the improvement of a broad range of symptoms once amalgam fillings have been properly removed. The following represents a partial statistical symptom summary of 1569 patients who participated in six different studies evaluating the health effects of replacing mercury-containing dental fillings with non-mercury containing dental fillings.

% of Total Reporting Symptom Number Reporting Number Improved or Cured % of Cure or Improvement
14% Allergy 221 196 89%
5% Anxiety 86 80 93%
5% Bad Temper 81 68 89%
6% Bloating 88 70 88%
6% Bood Pressure 99 53 54%
5% Chest Pains 79 69 87%
22% Depression 347 315 91%
22% Dizziness 343 301 88%
45% Fatigue 705 603 86%
15% Gastrointentinal 231 192 83%
8% Gum Problems 129 121 94%
34% Headaches 531 460 87%
3% Migrane Headaches 45 39 87%
12% Insomnia 187 146 78%
10% Irregular Heart Beat 159 139 87%
17% Lack of Concentration 270 216 80%
6% Lack of Energy 91 88 97%
17% Memory Loss 265 193 73%
17% Metalic Taste 260 247 95%
7% Multiple Sclerosis 113 86 76%
8% Muscle Tremor 126 104 83%
10% Nervousness 158 131 83%
8% Numbness Anywhere 118 97 82%
20% Skin Disturbances 310 251 81%
9% Sore Throat 149 128 86%
6% Tachycardia 97 68 70%
4% Thyroid Problems 56 44 79%
12% Ulcer & Sores (Oral Cavity) 180 162 86%
7% Unrinary Tract Problems 115 87 76%
29% Vision Problems 462 289 63%

It is important to be aware that regardless of the abundance of evidence showing the benefits of removing mercury fillings, the removal of mercury fillings will not necessarily guarantee a change in the health status of everyone. Several elements contribute to disease processes and mercury toxicity is only one contributing factor. Nevertheless, our experience has shown the majority of patients who have their amalgam fillings properly replaced with more biocompatible materials demonstrate noticeable improvements in their health.

It is important to note that the majority of dentists including the Alberta Dental Association and College do not agree that dental amalgam is associated with any negative health problems. However, with the mounting scientific evidence referenced in the “Bibliography of Mercury Topics“, we feel that as a consumer you have the right to know of the potential dangers amalgam fillings pose to your general health along with the
alternative materials available to replace the amalgam in your mouth.

One of the best visual evidences of how mercury causes brain degeneration can be viewed on a video from the University of Calgary’s faculty of medicine.

More About Mercury Fillings

Disclaimer: Most dentists are not of the view that mercury amalgam is harmful to your health.