The Poison in Your Teeth: Mercury Amalgam (Silver) Fillings . . . Hazardous to Your Health
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The Poison in Your Teeth: Book Excerpts
Foreword: Dr Paul Rubin, Seattle, WA
Dr. Tom McGuire’s book, The Poison in Your Teeth: Mercury Amalgam (Silver) Fillings . . . Hazardous to Your Health, is the first book I ‘ve read that provides a single source of objective and definitive information and addresses every aspect of this subject.
Not only is it a factual, informative and well-documented book, it’s also extraordinarily easy to read and understand. Even if you have no prior knowledge of amalgam fillings or chronic mercury poisoning, you will be very well informed by the time you finish reading it. The book will take you through every step of the process needed to understand how these toxic fillings can harm your health by releasing highly poisonous mercury vapor into your body.
Chapter 6 “The Effects of Mercury on the Fetus, Nursing Baby and Child” deserves particular praise. Here, Dr. McGuire describes how exposure to mercury poisoning from amalgam fillings can occur at the moment of conception, long before the child grows up and has its own mercury fillings. It categorically connects mercury from amalgam fillings to autism and other learning, mental and developmental disorders.
I can enthusiastically recommend this book to all my patients and to anyone who has an interest in this subject and wants to do everything possible to improve their overall health and well-being.
Chapter 1: The Poison in Your Teeth
No book about mercury amalgam fillings will be accurate or make sense unless you first understand some basic facts:
- Mercury is the most poisonous, non-radioactive, naturally occurring substance on our planet.
- There is no safe or harmless level of mercury. Just one atom of mercury is harmful to the body.
- Amalgam fillings continuously release poisonous mercury vapor.
- Any form of stimulation that heats an amalgam filling will stimulate the release of mercury vapor.
- Amalgam fillings are the single greatest source of mercury exposure.
- The first exposure to mercury from amalgam fillings can occur at the moment of conception.
- Mercury passes through the placenta to the fetus and through breast milk to the nursing baby.
- Chronic mercury poisoning can directly and indirectly contribute to and increase the risk and severity of every known disease and health issue.
I wrote The Poison in Your Teeth because factual and objective information about this controversial subject isn’t easy to find. Unfortunately, much of what is available is incomplete, contradictory and difficult to understand. If you’re confused, uncertain, skeptical, or curious about whether or not mercury amalgam (silver) fillings pose a risk to your health then this book for you.
If you’re a mother, or plan to be one, and want to do everything you can to protect yourself and your child from exposure to mercury , then this book is definitely for you. Mercury has been implicated in autism and other learning and developmental disorders and I will discuss this relationship in detail.
If you’ve asked a pro-amalgam dentist to remove your mercury amalgam fillings and he or she says they’re safe and harmless, but you’re still concerned because you’ve heard mercury is a poison, then this book will be of great value to you.
Chapter 2: A Brief History of Mercury Amalgam (Silver) Fillings
In this chapter, “A Brief History of Mercury Amalgam (Silver) Fillings” you’ll learn the history of amalgam fillings, including how they came to be and why the truth about their toxicity has taken so long to emerge.
There’s absolutely no doubt about it, mercury vapor is released from amalgam fillings and is highly toxic to humans. Yet nearly 50 percent of all general dentists still use them to fill cavities. But if amalgam fillings are so toxic why did the dental profession decide to use them in the first place, and why on earth are dentists still putting them in people’s teeth?
To answer these important questions we need to journey back in time and discover how amalgam silver fillings came to be and explore the origins of the controversy. Turning the clock back will also help explain the role the American Dental Association (ADA) has played—and is still playing—in supporting the use of amalgams and controlling access to information about the health hazards these fillings pose. What you’ll learn will amaze you.
Chapter 3: Mercury Amalgam (Silver) Fillings: What You Need to Know
One atom of mercury is poisonous to your body. That’s right, just one atom! We’re not talking about a truck load of mercury here. We’re talking about a single, minute atom of mercury doing some harm to your body. (An atom is the smallest part of an element that still retains its unique characteristics.) The fact is that:
- Mercury is the most poisonous, naturally occurring, non-radioactive substance on the planet!
- There is no safe level of mercury!
- Amalgam fillings contain and release mercury as a poisonous vapor!
Eighty percent of the mercury vapor released from amalgam fillings is inhaled. Once inhaled, it passes quickly through the lungs, into and then out of the bloodstream, and accumulates in every cell of the body. As it accumulates, it poisons cells and tissues, particularly the brain and nervous system. This chapter will introduce you to mercury—the poison—not mercury the planet, or astrological sign, or the car. By chapter’s end you’ll understand why mercury is so poisonous and why amalgam fillings are extraordinarily hazardous to your health.
Chapter 4: Chronic Mercury Poisoning and Amalgam (Silver) Fillings
Everyone who has amalgam fillings is being poisoned by mercury. The mercury that’s emitted as a vapor from them doesn’t just vanish into the air—80 percent of it enters your body, accumulates over time, and will negatively affect your health. This chapter takes a close look at why mercury is so poisonous and the role amalgam fillings play in chronic mercury poisoning.
Chapter 5: Symptoms and Diseases Related to Chronic Mercury Poisoning
This chapter lists the many symptoms and diseases directly, or indirectly, related to chronic mercury poisoning. It also discusses mercury allergies and mercury’s relationship to autoimmune diseases. There are thousands of scientific studies showing that chronic mercury poisoning can contribute to over 100 symptoms and diseases. Combined with its indirect effects, mercury will to some degree, negatively affect every aspect of your health.
Not only does mercury have an impact on your physical health, it has an impact on your mental health as well. Mercury is classified as a neurotoxin, a toxin that specifically targets nerve cells. As such, it can also cause or contribute to emotional and psychological issues, such as depression, anxiety, mood swings and memory loss. I can’t stress enough the importance of this fact. Most people I’ve consulted with over the years believed mercury only had a physical impact on their health—such as chronic fatigue, tremors and heart issues-and were astounded to learn of the negative non-physical effects it has.
Chapter 6: The Effects of Mercury on the Fetus, Nursing Baby, and Child
A child’s first exposure to mercury from amalgam fillings can occur at the moment of conception! If the mother has mercury amalgam (silver) fillings in her teeth, the fetus will not only be exposed to mercury released from its mother’s fillings at the moment of its conception, but throughout the entire gestation period. Think about that and the implications it holds! This means the fetus is being exposed to poisonous elemental mercury from dental fillings before it even has a tooth! Everything I discuss in this chapter is related to this important fact. In my opinion, there is no doubt that mercury released from amalgam fillings during the most critical period of neurological development is the primary cause of Autism and other learning and developmental disorders!
Chapter 7: Finding a Mercury Free and Mercury Safe Dentist
Hopefully you’ve decided to have your mercury amalgam fillings removed. Great! But you still have one more crucial step to go—finding a mercury free and mercury safe dentist. Having these fillings removed unsafely will expose you to extraordinarily high amounts of mercury, so it’s vital to your health to find a dentist who removes amalgams in a safe way. And it will be a lot easier to find mercury safe dentists if you know what they do, how they do it, and why.
This chapter will explain the difference between pro-amalgam and mercury free/mercury safe dentists as well as inform you how you can deal with obstacles to safely removing and replacing amalgam fillings with safe alternatives. A mercury safe dentist is one who is aware of the health hazards of mercury vapor, doesn’t use amalgam in his or her practice, and knows how to minimize your exposure to mercury vapor by safely removing these toxic fillings.
Chapter 8: Safely Removing Amalgam (Silver) Fillings
Your greatest exposure to mercury vapor from amalgam fillings occurs when they are removed, unless they are safely removed. There’s more to removing mercury fillings than just drilling them out and you should know what can be done to protect you. I’ve spoken with thousands of people over the past 30 years and discovered that the majority of them don’t realize that amalgam fillings are harmful to their health. Most don’t even know that 50 percent of their amalgam “silver” filling is mercury. Still more people don’t know that amalgams give off toxic mercury vapor and the fraction who do know, don’t realize how much vapor these fillings release when removed without a safe protocol. Chapter 8 deals with the safe protocol for removing mercury fillings.
Chapter 9: Replacing Your Amalgam (Silver) Fillings
You’ve decided to have your amalgam fillings safely removed, you know what needs to be done to protect you from mercury vapor during their removal, and are now wondering what they should be replaced with. After all, refilling your teeth is just as important as, “unfilling” them. Your mercury safe dentist will be able to offer the best “refilling” choices and since mercury safe dentists don’t place amalgam fillings, they’re more likely to stay current on the latest in replacement filling materials.
While your mercury safe dentist will be the best source of information about replacing amalgams and will give you the best possible options (treatment plans), I think it will be useful for you to know what your choices are. This information will help you in the process of working with your dentist in selecting the restoration that’s right for you.
Chapter 10: Reducing Mercury Exposure from Amalgam Silver Fillings
Not everyone will be able to have their mercury amalgam fillings removed as quickly as they would like to and may have to spread their removal out over time. If you find yourself in this situation, all is not lost, there are steps you can take to minimize your exposure to mercury vapor while the fillings are still in your teeth. This chapter will tell you how.
Chapter 11: Mercury Detoxification
Mercury is wily. Its vapor sneaks all too easily out of amalgam fillings, enters into and accumulates throughout the body. Your body does its best to remove it, but if enough mercury accumulates it can overwhelm the body’s immune system. That means you have to step up and help your body fight this poisonous substance by participating in a mercury detoxification program—a program specifically designed to support the body’s effort to remove mercury and help heal the damage.
Chapter 12: Health Improvements Related to Amalgam Removal and Mercury Detoxification
Everyone wants to be healthy and stay healthy. The vast majority of people I’ve spoken to who decided to remove their amalgam fillings wanted to know if their symptoms would improve after removal. In this chapter you’ll be able to evaluate the improvement in symptoms and diseases between those who only had their amalgam fillings removed and those who also participated in a mercury detoxification program.
Chapter 13: American Dental Associtation: Assessing the Blame
I’ve consulted with thousands of people about the health hazards of mercury amalgam (silver) fillings. Once they discover how the mercury vapor released from amalgams can harm their health they ask the obvious question: “Why do dentists still use these poisonous fillings?” In my opinion the answer is directly connected to the American Dental Association (ADA), which continues to advocate the safety of amalgam fillings in dentistry. In the next chapter, I’ll discuss why I believe the ADA does so and why I think it is absolutely wrong in defending the use of these poisonous fillings. There are always two sides to a controversy and by now you'll have enough information to form your own opinion.
Appendix A : Testing for Mercury
Testing for mercury is the only way to objectively determine if your body is eliminating higher than normal amounts of mercury, or if it can be detected in the body. But even testing has limitations. For example, no test can tell you where and how much mercury is in your body, how much is in your brain, or exactly how much damage it has done.
In this section I will give a brief overview of each commonly used test, including the fecal metals, blood, urine, hair, and porphyrin profile tests. You can find more detailed information about these tests at www.dentalwellness4u.com, “Testing for Mercury”, in the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) menu on the homepage.
Appendix B : Other Sources of Mercury Exposure
At the time of publication, there were over 3,000 industrial uses for mercury and its various compounds. That means both the people who make these products and those who use them are at risk of mercury exposure. Fortunately, mercury is gradually being eliminated from many personal use products in the U.S. But, if you either work in the manufacturing of these products or use any of them, I suggest you check with the appropriate department to determine your risk of exposure. If you’re not sure, write to the manufacturer and ask if that product still contains mercury. This chapter lists the most comon sources of mercury exposure, including environmental and dietary.
Appendix C : The Relationship of Oral to Overall Health
Although this book is about mercury fillings, it isn’t the only oral health issue that can have a damaging effect on your overall health. You must take into account a number of other oral health concerns if you want to feel better, have more energy, live longer and enjoy life to the fullest. In regard to their negative impact on your overall health, the most important of these “other” oral issues are:
- periodontal (gum) disease
- infected root canalsjaw infections (also referred to as cavitations)
- allergy to dental materials
- fluoride.
No matter what else you do to improve your overall health—including removing your mercury fillings—it’s important to understand how oral health affects your overall health.
Appendix D : Resources
Appendix D provides information about a number of holistic dental organizations, testing laboratories and products I recommend. I have a high regard for all of them. In addition, www.dentalwellness4u.com has an extensive “Resource” and “Links” section.
Appendix E : References
Appendix E contains nearly 300 references. They are arranged alphabetically by topic and are the basis of the research I used to scientifically support what I've written.
Glossary
The Poison in Your Teeth has an extensive 10 page glossary, essential to a book on this subject.
Index
The index for The Poison in Your Teeth is extraordinarily detailed and will allow you to easily search for subjects found in the book.