Story at-a-glance

• About 50 percent of dentists in the US are mercury-free. However, only an estimated 10 percent of those fully understand the health risks associated with dental amalgam. It’s crucial to understand these risks when removing amalgams, or you could risk acute toxicity from the mercury released during the removal process
• Biological dentists, also known as holistic, or environmental dentists, operate according to the belief system that your teeth are an integral part of your body and hence your overall health, and recognize that your oral and dental health can have a major influence on other disease processes in your body
• Amalgam is a major source of environmental mercury pollution. Dental offices must be equipped with mercury separators to elimninate further mercury contamination of our environment
• Resources for finding a qualified biological dentist are included. You’re encouraged to ask questions of your dentist prior to enlisting his services, to make sure the office is truly adhering to holistic dental practices. A dozen questions are offered as a starting point

By Dr Mercola

About 50 percent of dentists in the U.S are mercury-free However, only an estimated 10 percent of those fully understand the health risks associated with dental amalgam—half of which is toxic mercury, despite what the misleading term “silver filling” might lead you to believe

It’s crucial to understand these risks when removing and replacing amalgam “silver” fillings, or you could risk acute toxicity from the mercury released during the removal process I can testify to these risks first-hand, as I suffered kidney damage as a result of improper amalgam removal in the mid-90’s by an otherwise qualified and competent dentist Still today, two decades later, I struggle with some kidney challenges

So please, do take this advice seriously

Dr Bill Glaros is a practicing biological dentist based in Houston, Texas He’s a former president of the International Academy of Biological Dentistry and Medicine (IABDM), and he’s also an accredited member of the American Naturopathic Medical Association

He has testified before the FDA about the health risks of dental amalgam, and in this interview, he offers helpful advice on how to find a qualified biological dentist who can safely remove amalgam fillings

What is Biological Dentistry?

Biological dentists, also known as holistic, or environmental dentists, operate according to the belief system that your teeth are an integral part of your body and hence your overall health, and recognize that your oral and dental health can have a major influence on other disease processes in your body Any medical treatment performed takes this fact into account The primary aim of holistic dentistry is to resolve your dental problems while working in harmony with the rest of your body

I recommend using a biological dentist for all your dental needs, but if you’re considering removing dental amalgams, it’s an absolute necessity Most conventional dentists simply do not have the know-how to do it without putting your health at risk in the process For example, some things that need to be done to keep you safe during amalgam removal include:

• Providing you with an alternative air source and instructing you not to breathe through your mouth
• Using a cold-water spray to minimize mercury vapors
• Putting a dental dam in your mouth so you don’t swallow or inhale any toxins
• Using a high-volume evacuator near the tooth at all times to evacuate the mercury vapor
• 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

Additional or alternative precautions may also be used For example, Dr Glaros uses a saliva ejector beneath the dam along with a mercury vapor sniffer in his practice, as he’s found that the mercury vapors have a tendency to migrate underneath the dam He also stresses the importance of making sure your bladder and bowels are healthy prior to getting the work done

“There are some other issues that can happen before you start the dental part, and that would be nutritional support and making sure that people’s exit routes are open – their bladder and bowels are functioning –because it’s easier to get it out of the mouth than it is to get out of the body Getting it out of the body is the main goal It doesn’t do it by itself easily for some people,” he explains

Interestingly, certain bacteria in your gut, such as Candida, actually tries to demethylate the mercury it comes across Methyl mercury is the more hazardous type of mercury, in terms of toxicity According to Dr Glaros, some people who struggle with Candida may actually owe the troublesome bacteria a debt of gratitude, because the reason they can’t get rid of it is because your body is using it to demethylate the mercury, which decreases or limits the toxicity they’d otherwise be experiencing

Checking Compatibility of Dental Materials—An Important Step in Biological Dentistry

“One of the things that we believe in biological dentistry is it’s important to check for the compatibility of dental materials,” Dr Glaros says “There are different ways to do that I don’t care which way it’s done; I just like that it’s paid attention to That is the way to honor a patient We all have patients that can take anything Then we all have patients for whom everything becomes an issue So testing for compatibility of materials is crucial

[W]e also want to protect the environment Having mercury separators in dental offices is a unique thing, unfortunately But dentists don’t see that as an issue It’s not particularly expensive, you know, 500 bucks maybe to put a separator in your office, so that the mercury fillings you’re grinding out and cleaning out don’t end up in our water supply ”

According to Dr Glaros, an estimated 30 tons of mercury are placed in people’s mouths each year in the US That’s A LOT of mercury! And a lot of it ends up as environmental pollution as a result of dentists who fail to give this issue the attention it deserves

“San Francisco Bay had a big problem with mercury in it They tried to get the dentists to volunteer to put the separators on They didn’t do it, so they mandated it Within four or five years, the problem has cleared up in San Francisco Bay,” Dr Glaros says

Beware of Root Canals

Root canals are particularly troublesome, and a number of diseases can be traced back to individual root canaled teeth Sadly, the vast majority of dentists are oblivious to the serious potential health risks they are exposing their patients to, risks that persist for the rest of their patients’ lives The American Dental Association

for more info and video links, go to:    http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/08/25/biological-dentistry.aspx?e_cid=20120825_DNL_artNew_1