5 Dangers of Mercury Fillings

Silver mercury contained fillings aka dental amalgams have been used for decades for filling cavities in rotting teeth. From children to the elderly this material is packed in teeth leaving a mouth full of silver which some believe, over time, can release mercury vapors and be harmful to human health. 

Although these fillings have been phased out for more composite (plastic) materials that do not contain heavy metals such as mercury, copper, silver, and tin (the main ingredients in a silver filling), many people still have remaining fillings in their mouth. 

There is some evidence that suggests people may want to remove the metal in their mouth due to these 5 dangers of mercury fillings. It is research that could help mitigate or even avoid the potential of illness down the line. 

Silver Sensitivity

Dental amalgams have been used since the 19th Century but more studies are showing the accumulated risk of slowly ingesting mercury vapors over time. 

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) describes dental amalgam fillings as,

“Dental amalgam is a mixture of metals, consisting of liquid  (elemental) mercury and a powdered alloy composed of silver, tin, and copper. Approximately half (50%) of dental amalgam is elemental mercury by weight.”

Although the FDA still considers mercury containing fillings safe, it does post the possible dangers associated with using the formula stating that exposure could affect the brain and lungs. 

Accumulated risk is known as bioaccumulation which is described as “the build-up or steadily increasing concentration of a chemical in organs or tissues in the body.” 

Understanding the possibility of bioaccumulation on any level is an excellent viewpoint to consider and could set a path to higher optimal health.

Arthritis

Bioaccumulation is being researched more due to the various unexplained conditions affecting large cohorts of the population. Continued slow vapor release from mercury fillings are showing a variety of health compromises which could be alleviated when the fillings are removed. 

In a study by the Institute of Chronic Illnesses, Silver Springs, MD which was published in Clinical Medicine Insights: Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Disorders, researchers investigated 45,742 patients that had 4 to 7 mercury fillings and reported that,

“This cross-sectional study provides the first epidemiological evidence linking increasing dental amalgam filling surfaces with reported arthritis among adult Americans…It is also recommended that dentists advise their patients that dental amalgam fillings may be associated with an increased risk of arthritis.”

Anxiety, Depression, Anger

The incidence of depression and anxiety amongst Americans from all ages and demographics is near epidemic proportions. The amount of medications being used to tamp down these conditions is not only ubiquitous it is a huge annual profit maker for the pharmaceutical industry. Research shows that these mental compromises could be due to mercury fillings in some people. 

An archival study out of the Rocky Mountain Research Institute, in Fort Collins, CO which was published in Psychological Reports showed that,

“The study suggests that amalgam mercury may be an etiological factor in depression, excessive anger, and anxiety because mercury can produce such symptoms perhaps by affecting the neurotransmitters in the brain.”

Alzheimers Disease

There are a wide variety of theories as to why some people develop Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. Researchers continue to scramble for an answer to these debilitating conditions. Some research suggests that dental amalgam fillings could be linked to a slow degeneration of some brain activity which could lead to dementia. 

In a population-based cross-sectional study published in Alzheimer’s Research & Therapy, it was found that women with silver mercury fillings could be affected. The study stated that,

“Individuals exposed to amalgam fillings had higher risk of Alzheimer’s disease,…Women who were exposed to amalgam fillings were 1.132 times more likely to have Alzheimer’s disease than were their non-exposed counterparts.”

Talk to your dentist about avoiding or removing your silver fillings as these 5 dangers of mercury fillings could be affecting you. The process takes some time and may require out-of-pocket coverage but the future results could be worth it. Getting mercury vapors out of your mouth, especially if you are still young, is an investment which acts as a potential prophylactic to future disease. 

Sources:

https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/dental-devices/dental-amalgam-fillings

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8138300/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8153237/

https://alzres.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13195-015-0150-1