What to do with dental fillings made of amalgam?

Amalgam fillings are a significant health risk

10/26/2011

In the dental professional world dealing with dental fillings from amalgam is still controversial. While some dentists see significant health risks in the amalgam filling, others believe that the use of mercury and the removal of the fillings can be hazardous to health because of the release of mercury.

Accordingly different is the treatment of the dentists with the mercury-containing dental fillings. Many dentists have not used amalgam for years, others still work with the controversial material. Although it has not yet been clearly scientifically proven that chronic mercury can be associated with increased mercury exposure in patients with amalgam fillings, it is undisputed that patients with amalgam seals have significantly higher levels of mercury throughout the body.

Risk of poisoning due to amalgam fillings
Patients with amalgam fillings have an average of four times higher mercury concentrations in the blood than those without amalgam in the teeth, according to numerous previous studies, such as the German Amalgam Trial, under the direction of the Center for Naturopathic Research at the Technical University of Munich. However, the consequences for the health of those affected have so far been highly controversial. While amalgam-critical physicians warn of a significant risk of poisoning, other dentists judge this as negligible. Although mercury is one of the most toxic non-radioactive substances on the planet, even a dose of two grams may be fatal to adult humans, but in bound form, as in amalgam, there is no increased health risk from the heavy metal, according to the amalgam advocates , According to them, only the insertion and drilling out of about 50 percent of the mercury existing amalgam fillings is critical, because the material is acutely toxic only in dissolved form. Reiner Zaijtschek from the Free Association of German Dentists explained to the journal „pharmacy magazine“, that with amalgam fillings „of course, as with any foreign body that remains permanently in the human organism, unwanted side effects occur“ can. In general, however, the risk to health is rather low „and there is no study that has shown a clear link between them (the amalgam fillings) and chronic health damage“, stressed Zaijtschek.

Amalgam seals against continuously free mercury
This assessment of the representative of the Free Association of German Dentists, however, can not follow other experts such as Claudia Hesse of the Society for Holistic Dentistry in Berlin. Hesse stressed that „the fillings are continuously small doses of mercury“ that can cause significant health effects in the long term. Thus, over time, more and more mercury is deposited in the organism, whereby the mercury is released not only by mechanical abrasion from the fillings, but also by acidic foods mercury ions are released from the seals and pass through the saliva into the digestive tract. From here, the mercury reaches the bloodstream and is distributed over it throughout the body, explained the expert. Especially dangerous is „the mercury vapor, which is released especially when eating hot food and drinks“, Claudia Hesse continues. The vapor is inhaled through the nasal and oral cavities, so also get into the bloodstream and reaches all tissue. The so-called blood-brain barrier for mercury is no obstacle, so that the heavy metal is deposited in the brain, said Hesse with reference to several autopsy studies. In patients with amalgam fillings, these had demonstrated a significantly increased mercury content both in the organs and in the brain. For example, in a study of those who had more than twelve amalgam fillings, the Italian Association for Metals and Biocompatibility Research had demonstrated a tenfold increase in mercury levels compared to patients with fewer than three amalgam seals.

Increased risk of inserting and removing amalgam seals
There is also consensus in the professional world that amalgam must be handled with particular responsibility. It is important for patients to be informed about the risks of the material containing mercury. Contraindications such as mercury allergy should always be queried and taken into account, emphasized Reiner Zaijtschek. Special safety precautions, such as thorough extraction and the use of special drills, must also be taken during processing „Mercury in vapor form is particularly dangerous - and this when laying and drilling out of the fillings“ arises, explained the expert of the Free Association of German Dentists. However, experts agree on the risks of inserting and removing the amalgam filling in any case. Disputed, however, are the potential health risks of permanent contact with the mercury-containing seals. The spectrum ranges from the statement of the Vice President of the Federal Dental Association in Berlin, Dietmar Oesterreich: „Once the filling has hardened, no free mercury is left“, up to the critical assessment of the company for holistic dentistry. Although Austria also assumes that mechanical stress releases traces of metallic mercury from the seals, they are „Both the rate of uptake and the quantities released so low that a health impairment can be almost completely excluded.“ As already shown, Claudia Hesse of the Society for Holistic Dentistry comes here to a fundamentally different assessment. It assumes that the continuous release of mercury from the amalgam fillings can lead in the long term to a considerable mercury load in the organism.

Mercury causes numerous health problems
The consequences that chronic mercury pollution can have on health, said Peter Jennrich from the Clinical Metal Toxicology Society, „the damage to health can be serious.“ Often sufferers suffer from symptoms such as inner restlessness, feel struck, have a headache or discomfort in the gastrointestinal tract. In addition, could „poisoning with the heavy metal will also be a co-factor for almost all chronic diseases“, Jennrich explained. For example, mercury is also considered a risk factor for the occurrence of diseases such as diabetes, multiple sclerosis and rheumatism, Jennrich emphasized with reference to the results of a meta-study by the Institute of Environmental Medicine and Hospital Hygiene at the University of Freiburg. According to Jennrich, the effects of exposure to mercury on the organism are not only dependent on the amount of amalgam in the body, but are also significantly influenced by other toxins that the affected person is exposed to, such as lead-containing drinking water. The general state of health also has a significant influence on the severity of mercury poisoning, Jennrich continues. According to the experts, people have „in good physical shape“ about a better one „detoxification ability“ and your „exercise tolerance“ is usually higher. Both detoxification and exercise tolerance vary according to Jennrich anyway strongly from person to person. Therefore, it is also so difficult to determine the consequences of mercury pollution. Some people remain symptom-free in spite of high heavy metal pollution, while others react very quickly, explained the expert. In addition, the symptoms of chronic poisoning are usually rather nonspecific, making a clear diagnosis even more difficult. This also has the consequence that the health consequences of „Mercury exposure duration“ are still controversial until today.

Special methods for detecting mercury poisoning
In order to investigate possible mercury poisoning by the amalgam fillings, according to the expert, a special investigation is required because „neither a regular blood test nor a urine sample anything“ show. Only with a provocation test can mercury exposure in tissues and organs be demonstrated, explained Jennrich. The provocation test is based on the administration of chelating agents, which as an organic compound are able to bind hidden metal ions, so that they can be flushed out with the urine. In this way, the actual extent of stress in the urine can be measured, stressed Jennrich. Depending on which concentration of mercury the doctors determine in this particular examination, the next treatment steps, such as removal of the amalgam fillings or detoxification measures (heavy metal removal with the help of chelating agents) are also planned, the expert explained. In view of the frequently described health risks, it seems hardly understandable that today in the dental industry is still working with amalgam and the legislature has not banished the amalgam fillings, but these favored as the most cost-effective dental fillings even in the catalog of benefits of statutory health insurance. (Fp)

Picture: Claudia Heck