More Evidence of Healing After Mercury Amalgam Removal

While mercury is toxic for everyone, not everyone with “silver” mercury amalgam fillings will necessarily get sick or sick in the same way. Factors such as genetic predisposition, overall health, and the number and age of the fillings can influence the impact of exposure.

Other factors can influence the amount of exposure. For instance, teeth grinding and gum chewing habits can increase mercury released from the fillings. EMFs and other sources of radiation can accelerate mercury release. High copper amalgams release more mercury than older alloys that contain less copper.

Some people may develop symptoms of mercury exposure such as fatigue, headaches, or cognitive difficulties. Some may develop neurological or autoimmune issues, or experience a worsening of preexisting chronic conditions. Some may notice no effects at all.

There’s a long history of conventional dentists and physicians writing off symptoms of mercury exposure as psychosomatic or “medically unexplained.” Treatment often consists of simply “managing” symptoms.

Yet science has shown that medically unexplained physical symptoms, or MUPS, linked to amalgam fillings actually can improve once those fillings have been removed. We’ve looked at one such study before. Another was published earlier this year in Acta Odontologica Scandinavica.

Three groups of patients took part. One consisted of patients with MUPS they attributed to mercury exposure who had their amalgams removed. The other two were comparison groups: one of healthy individuals and one of patients with MUPS who kept their fillings.

All participants completed a questionnaire at the start of the study regarding 11 dental symptoms and a dozen general ones. A year later, those who had their mercury fillings removed were questioned again. Another follow-up was done with all groups after five years.

The comparison groups didn’t report any significant changes. The amalgam removal group reported improvement in all 23 health problems, with significant improvement in many areas.

Five local symptoms were significantly decreased from baseline at both follow-ups: ‘intraoral burning sensation’, ‘intraoral pain/tenderness’, ‘taste disturbance’, ‘dry mouth’, and ‘facial stiffness/paresthesia.’ Seven of the [general health complaints] were consistently changed: ‘pain from muscles and joints’, ‘cardiovascular symptoms’, ‘fatigue’, ‘dizziness’ ‘memory problems’, ‘difficulty to concentrate’, and ‘anxiety/depression.’

Of course, like all studies, this one has its limitations. For instance, because the patients knew they were having their fillings removed, it was unclear whether the improvements were due to the removal itself or other factors, such as the placebo effect.

That said, over the years, our patients have reported similar improvements after having their mercury fillings safely removed and replaced with biocompatible restorations, and after they’ve detoxed, clearing mercury that harbored in various tissues over the years.

That last point is crucial, for removing amalgams only removes the source of exposure. It does not address the bioaccumulated mercury.

It’s also important to recognize that every person is unique. We always need to look at the big picture when developing a plan for healing. Are there medical issues that should be dealt with before proceeding dentally? Are there other burdens that need to be addressed?

This is why, when you first come into our office, we take the time to learn as much as we can about you, your current health and lifestyle, your dental and medical histories, and your specific health goals. That way, we can customize care to your needs. It’s the foundation for creating the best possible outcomes from the biological dental care we provide.