By Dr. Mercola
While often overlooked, your dental health can have a significant
impact on your overall health. It's difficult to achieve high-level
physical health if your oral health is ignored.
Dr.Gerry Curatola, founder of Rejuvenation Dentistry, has over 30
years' experience in biological dentistry. As Curatola notes, your mouth
is your "gateway to total body wellness." Indeed, thousands of studies
have linked oral disease to systemic disease.
Inflammation is known to be a disease-causing force leading to most
chronic illness, and gum disease and other oral diseases produce chronic
low-grade inflammation that can have a deleterious effect on every
major organ system in your body.
Oral disease can therefore contribute to diseases such as diabetes,
heart disease and Alzheimer's, just to name a few. Advanced gum disease
can raise your risk of a fatal heart attack up to 10 times. And,
according to Curatola, if you get a heart attack related to gum disease,
9 times out of 10 it will be fatal.
There's also a 700 percent higher incidence of type 2 diabetes among
those with gum disease, courtesy of the inflammatory effects of
unbalanced microflora in your mouth.
Caring for Your Oral Microbiome
When the bacteria that cause tooth decay and gum disease enter into
your circulatory system it causes your liver to release C-reactive
proteins, which have inflammatory effects on your entire circulatory
system. So a major part of oral health is attending to your oral
microbiome.
Achieving oral health is really about promoting balance among the
bacteria in your mouth. Interestingly, probiotics do not work in the
oral cavity, so it's not as simple as adding beneficial bacteria to your
mouth. Instead, as an initial step, you need to cease killing microbes
in your mouth. Curatola explains:
"Pathogens are now being recognized as resident microbes that are
out of balance … [T]he same bacteria that keep us alive can have a
pathogenic expression when disturbed.
I have been tooting the horn about getting out of the 'pesticide
business.' I'm also speaking about natural pesticides. Not just
triclosan, clorhexidin and those synthetic types, but also tea tree oil,
tulsi oil, oregano oil and other antimicrobial oils that … have a
potent disturbing effect on the oral microbiome.
In the mouth, you don't want to have a 'scorched earth policy,'
nuking all bacteria and hoping the good bugs come back … [G]ood bugs
basically have a harder chance of setting up a healthy-balanced
microbiome when you disturb them, denature them, or dehydrate them with
alcohol-based products."
Avoid Mouthwashes and Fluoridated Toothpaste
So, as your first step, stop using antibacterial mouthwashes and
rinses. Instead, consider taking nutrients that support gum and oral
health. Two important ones are vitamin C and coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10).
Bleeding gums is often a sign of CoQ10 deficiency.
There are also a number of homeopathic tissue salts that can be
beneficial for oral health, including silica, calcarea fluorica (calcium
fluoride), calcium phosphate and calcium carbonate.
Calcium fluoride should not be confused with the chemical formulation
of sodium fluoride found in toothpaste, which is toxic and carries a
poison warning. Fluoride
not only harms your microbiome; it also has many other detrimental
health effects. In fact, fluoride over-exposure from toothpaste,
fluoridated water and other sources, has led to a virtual epidemic of
fluoride damage.
At present, 4 out of 10 adolescents in the U.S. have fluoride-damaged teeth — a condition known as dental fluorosis.
Many assume that use of fluoridated toothpaste and water is an issue
that relates to your dental health alone. But according to a 500-page
scientific review,1
fluoride is an endocrine disruptor that can affect your bones, brain,
thyroid gland, pineal gland and even your blood sugar levels.
At least 34 human studies and 100 animal studies have also linked fluoride to brain damage,2 including lower IQ in children, and studies have shown that fluoride toxicity can lead to a wide variety of health problem.
The Dangers of Mercury Amalgam
Total Video Length: 14:23
Aside from fluoride and antibacterial agents, mercury is another
dental-related substance that can wreak havoc with your health.
In the video above, Dr. Oz interviews Curatola about the dangers of
"silver fillings" which, despite their name, contain mostly mercury, a
well-known neurotoxin and dangerous environmental pollutant. About 50
percent of the amalgam filling is mercury; the remainder is a mixture of
copper, tin, silver and zinc.
Mercury amalgam is defended by its apologists for the bizarre reason
that it has been used in dentistry for over 150 years. Being a pre-Civil
War remedy is not something to brag about! Medicine long ago stopped
other pre-Civil War harmful practices, such as bleeding patients and
giving them a bottle of mercury to drink.
Amalgams have been linked to a long list of health problems,
including fatigue, memory loss, tremors, problems with motor
coordination, inability to concentrate, migraines, mood swings, anxiety and autoimmune problems.
Norway, Denmark and Sweden have all banned mercury amalgam, citing
health and environmental hazards. So why is amalgam still being used by
half of all dentists in the U.S.? The answer is: because it's
inexpensive and easy to use, which boosts the profits of dentists' who
can make more per chair per day using mercury fillings.
Is Your Insurance Company Still Operating in the Dark Ages?
Many dental insurance companies also do not cover 100 percent of
non-amalgam restoration work, which keeps the allure of amalgam alive.
For example, some insurance policies only pay for amalgam in molar
teeth; if you want composite, you have to pay out-of-pocket. A consumer
penalty exist for those who exercise their right to have mercury-free
fillings in their molars.
This is really unacceptable,
considering the massive costs of amalgam, including (1) to human health,
(2) to the environment, (3) to our food supply and the added mercury,
(4) to dental workers breathing the mercury-laden air and (5) to
consumers who incur future dental bills from amalgam's destructive
nature, in contrast to the minimally-invasive and tooth-friendly
alternatives.
Also, while amalgam is very strong, capable of withstanding decades'
worth of wear and tear in your mouth, it actually makes your tooth
weaker. A greater amount of healthy tooth material must be drilled out
in order to place amalgam, compared to when using modern composite
materials. Amalgam-filled teeth are therefore weaker and more prone to
cracking, which necessitates additional restoration work.
Composite materials tend to have the opposite effect, helping to
maintain and even strengthen tooth integrity.
Take Action — Make Mercury-Free Dentistry a Reality for All
During Mercury-Free Dentistry Week, August 21 through 28, I will match
your donations dollar-for-dollar to Consumers for Dental Choice, up to
$100,000. Consumers for Dental Choice is a small, effective organization
with the sole mission of making mercury-free dentistry a reality in
North America and around the world, and they've been working to protect
your right to choose mercury-free dentistry for the past 20 years.
The American Dental Association (ADA)
continues to insist that the mercury in amalgam is safe for children,
even though the FDA makes clear in its regulation that no clinical
studies show amalgam's safety for children under age six, nor for
pregnant women. On the other hand, studies have suggested dental amalgam
is responsible for at least 60 to 95 percent of mercury in human
tissues.3
Dental amalgams are also responsible for environmental mercury
pollution — so much so that when environmental cleanup costs are
factored in, dental amalgams are likely the most expensive type of
dental filling available.
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), dental
clinics are the main source of mercury product pollution, which is
discharged into public water treatment centers. The U.S. Geological
Survey says that the largest use of mercury, by far, is dental amalgam.
Dental amalgam is also the largest use of mercury in Canada and in the
European Union.
How Much Amalgam Is Too Much?
We now know that amalgam fillings release mercury vapors every time
it's stimulated, such as when you're eating or brushing your teeth. The
question that remains to be answered is: How much amalgam poses a
definitive health threat? Is it dangerous to have one filling? Or is the
risk negligible until you reach a certain number of fillings?
We still do not have a definitive answer to this. However, we do know
that mercury is a potent immune suppressant and that it is extremely
toxic to your central nervous system (CNS). Hence, if you experience
immune or CNS symptoms and have amalgams in your mouth, your amalgams
could potentially be a contributing factor. Ditto if you have any of the
classic signs of mercury toxicity, which include:
Tremors
Memory loss
Inability to concentrate
Motor coordination problems
A typical amalgam filling contains about 750 to 1,000 mg of mercury.4
This is nearly 500,000 times more mercury than is present in
contaminated sea food. Eating mercury-tainted seafood can expose you to
about 2.3 mcg,5 and that alone was enough for scientists to call for a worldwide warning6 back in 2006.
Tests suggest a single amalgam filling
may release as much as 15 micrograms (mcg) of mercury per day. In the
video above, Dr. Oz brushes a set of molded teeth with a row of amalgam
fillings in a sealed container equipped with a mercury measuring device
and, within seconds, 61 mcg of mercury is released!
These mercury vapors can easily pass through your cell membranes and
cross your blood-brain barrier into your central nervous system, where
they can cause serious psychological, neurological and immunological
problems. According to an extensive scientific review7 about mercury and children's health, there really is NO known safe level of exposure for mercury.
So any dentist who tells you that mercury exposure from amalgam is
"minimal" or "inconsequential" is doing you a reprehensible disservice.
Should You Have Your Amalgams Removed?
The answer to that really depends on your general health and the
number, age and condition of your amalgam fillings. As a general
guideline, Curatola recommends talking to a qualified biological dentist
about removing your amalgam fillings if you:
Have eight or more mercury filings
Grind your teeth
Eat acidic food regularly
Drink soda regularly
All of these factors increase the amount of mercury vapor being
released from your amalgam fillings, raising your risk of experiencing
problems related to mercury toxicity.
However, it's important to realize that amalgam removal can pose a
serious health threat in and of itself, if done without the proper
safety precautions. For this reason, it's important to find a qualified biological dentist
who is trained in safe amalgam removal. It would also be wise to take
steps to boost your immune function prior to removal to help with the detoxification process.
When amalgams are removed, a large amount of mercury is released. If the
proper precautions aren't taken, your body can be suddenly flooded with
a massive dose of mercury, which can lead to acute kidney problems. I
experienced this myself more than 25 years ago when I had my amalgams
removed by a non-biological dentist.
Biological dentistry views your teeth and gums as an integrated part of
your body, and any medical treatments performed take this into account.
Biological dentists are well aware of the dangers involved with toxic
materials such as amalgams. Some of the steps that need to be taken to
keep you (and your dentist) safe during amalgam removal include:
Providing you with an alternative air source and instructing you not to breathe through your mouth
Putting a rubber dam in your mouth so you don't swallow or inhale any
toxins, and using a high-volume evacuator near the tooth at all times to
evacuate the mercury vapor
Using a cold-water spray to minimize mercury vapors
Washing your mouth out immediately after the fillings have been removed
(the dentist should also change gloves after the removal)
Immediately cleaning your protective wear and face once the fillings are removed
Using room air purifiers
It's Time: DEMAND Mercury-Free Dentistry
The game changer for mercury-free dentistry is the Minamata
Convention on Mercury. Consumers for Dental Choice led a worldwide
coalition to secure amalgam into that Convention, whose goal is a world
free of anthropogenic (man-made uses) of mercury.
Minamata calls on every nation to shift insurance and government
programs from favoring amalgam to favoring mercury-free materials. With
the Minamata Convention on the verge of being ratified, this is our
chance to help Consumers for Dental Choice take things to the next level
— its enforcement in every nation. You can help by making a generous
donation today, knowing I will match it dollar-for-dollar, up to
$100,000. Donations are tax-exempt and can be made online or by mailing a
check to:
Consumers for Dental Choice
316 F St., N.E., Suite 210
Washington DC 20002
Today, consumer demand for mercury-free dentistry is really only held
back by insurance companies and other third-party payers who mandate
continued amalgam use. To empower you to take control of your health,
Consumers for Dental Choice has developed tools you and your dentist can
use to challenge your dental insurance company's decision to deny you
your right to choose mercury-free dental care. Learn more by visiting
DemandYourChoice.com.8
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