​Mercury is characterized as a dense, silvery-white, poisonous metal with a mirror-like appearance. It is the only common metal that is liquid at room temperature. The effects of mercury toxicity have been known for years and yet it is still being used in consumer products today. Probably the most widely remembered product was the glass mercury thermometer that has since been taken off the market due to the danger of mercury exposure when broken.

Author Dr. David A. Olson’s (http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1175560-overview) published paper on mercury toxicity states: “For centuries, mercury was an essential part of many different medicines, such as diuretics, antibacterial agents, antiseptics, and laxatives. In the late 18th century, anti-syphilitic agents contained mercury. It was during the 1800s that the phrase "mad as a hatter" was coined, owing to the effects of chronic mercury exposure in the hat-making industry, where the metal was used in the manufacturing process”.

According to mercurysafety.com, “Mercury is a highly toxic metal and can have severe adverse effects on our health”. Mercury is a known neurotoxin (causes neurological injury) that can lead to developmental defects and weaken the immune system.

Most dentists no longer use amalgam fillings because fifty percent of the filling is composed of liquid mercury. In a large U.S. Center for Disease Control epidemiological study, NHANES found that those with more amalgam fillings (more mercury exposure) have significantly higher levels of chronic health conditions. There is also a reasonable concern that mercury, presently used as a preservative in vaccines, has been shown to compromise the health of children and adults.

Mayo Clinic advises pregnant women “if you regularly eat fish high in mercury, the substance can accumulate in your bloodstream over time. Too much mercury in your bloodstream could damage your baby's developing brain and nervous system”. Mercury exposure can be fatal when inhaled and can damage organs and decrease fertility (male and female).

Some common symptoms of chronic mercury poisoning are digestive issues, emotional changes, dizziness, frequent headaches, muscle and joint pain, depression, and decreased energy, but the list goes on and on.
If you suspect that mercury poisoning might be causing your symptoms, and you want to know more about the causes and treatments, here is a blog titled ‘Mercury: How to Get This Lethal Poison Out Of Your Body”. (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-mark-hyman/mercury-how-to-get-this-l_b_469358.html)

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​Amalgam fillings, also known as “silver fillings”, are made of fifty percent mercury and very small amounts of silver, tin, and copper. According to the EPA (US Environmental Protection Agency), mercury is a neurotoxin. A neurotoxin can affect mental and emotional health as well as memory and cognitive skills. A mercury connection has also been associated with cardiovascular disease and breast cancer.

The IAOMT – International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology – made a statement about the dangers of mercury in amalgam dental fillings. It stated: “It is incompatible with current, valid scientific evidence to continue to endorse or otherwise condone the use of a permanently implanted material in teeth that continuously emits a very potent enzyme inhibitor and metabolic toxin”.

Mercury found in dental amalgams can be transported throughout the body as an inhaled gas or it can be swallowed as breakdown occurs. In Europe, Canada, Asia, and many other developing countries, the use of mercury amalgams has been banned. In the United States, use of mercury in disinfectants, thermometers, and other consumer products has been banned and yet amalgam dental fillings are still being used.

Mercury is helped out of the body by the master antioxidant Glutathione that attaches to metals and guides them out of the body. According to a professor of oral biology and pathology at Stony Brook University School of Dental Medicine, gum disease is the most common chronic inflammatory condition.

When the immune system is compromised and the inflammatory process is ignited, the effective removal of mercury is impeded. On the other hand, high levels of Mercury cause inflammation. So it’s like a vicious cycle.

Are “silver fillings” safe?” According to the World Health Organization, there is no safe level of mercury.
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Check your body for inflammation! Thermography provides a way to evaluate oral/dental health (Face/Neck) and a way to monitor for inflammation throughout the body (Full Body).

Call (901) 249-8642 today to schedule your appointment.

If you decide to have your silver fillings removed, be sure to seek out a "mercury safe" or biological dentist.
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