Dentists have been using amalgam fillings since the 1800s. It was a French dentist, Auguste Taveau, who created the first metal amalgam in 1816. It was made of a small amount of mercury and melted silver coins. He didn’t actually use it as a filler until 1826 and, in the process, revolutionized dentistry.
Mercury was an important part of this compound d as it is durable but relatively easy to mould into shape.
Unfortunately, many years later, mercury was discovered to be harmful to humans. Exposure to it causes irritation to your eyes and skin, upset stomach, chest pains, coughing, and respiratory issues. High exposure levels can lead to death.
It’s instantly obvious why toxicity has been associated with amalgam fillings. The question is whether this link to toxicity is justified or not.
Regardless of the answer, it is still important that you take care of our teeth and see a professional, such as this dentist Campsie, to have fillings and other work completed.
Autopsy Reports
Mercury is a natural element and every human is exposed to tiny amounts of it during their lifetime. A study into mercury levels after death found that people with amalgam fillings have between 2-12 times as much mercury in their bodies as those without amalgam fillings.
To put this in context, amalgam fillings are the main source of mercury in the human body.
Unfortunately, the autopsies also showed that many of the people studied had toxic levels of mercury in their brains and kidneys. In other words, the mercury was capable of killing them.
However, none of the people that were studied actually died of mercury poisoning.
Furthermore, it is still not clear whether the toxic levels of mercury occurred while the people were alive or after death. The study does show that mercury in amalgams doesn’t appear to leak out of the tooth and into the body. It can only be turned toxic after interaction with the gastrointestinal tract.
Should You Have Amalgam Fillings
In general amalgam fillings are still considered safe to use. The problem of toxicity only occurs if the filling is damaged, allowing the mercury to escape. That makes it fairly safe to have amalgam fillings fitted into your mouth today.
However, if you already have amalgam fillings and are not comfortable with keeping them in your mouth, it is possible to see your dentist and have them removed.
This doesn’t immediately eliminate mercury in the body. It’s estimated that it will take up to 3 years for the mercury to be released from your bloodstream, although your HG levels in your blood should have declined to 60% of their existing level within sixty days.
Removing the mercury or detoxing can be aided by sticking to a high protein diet and having plenty of fruit and vegetables. Alongside this, you can eat healthy natural fats and unprocessed oils. Increasing your fibre intake also helps to eradicate any mercury in your system.
