Quoted message said:Subject: Re: Dental Profession Logic Re: Amalgam
From: Steven Fawks [email hidden]
Date: 6/15/2004 8:37 AM Pacific Standard Time
Message-id: <[email hidden]>
That's a pretty weak argument.
JMHO,
Fawks
BTW, I haven't used amalgam since 1985, but in my 25 years of practice I
have not seen a single case of any health issue relating to amalgam.
My argument is that the benefits of amalgam use are far
Quoted message said:outweighed by their risks.
To remain in Ye Good Ole Boy Club.
Your argument doesn't fly. See last paragraph.
http://www.yourhealthbase.com/amalgams.html
Mercury linked to heart disease
ROME, ITALY. Medical researchers at the Catholic University in Rome report that
patients with congestive heart failure (idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy or
IDCM) have vastly elevated concentrations of mercury and antimony in their
heart tissue. They compared trace element concentrations in biopsy samples from
the left ventricle among patients with IDCM and patients with valvular
disorders or no heart disease at all. The IDCM patients had mercury
concentrations 22,000 times higher than in the controls. Antimony
concentrations were 12,000 times higher and silver, gold, chromium and arsenic
levels were also highly elevated. Holter monitoring revealed frequent ectopic
(premature) beats in all the IDCM patients and ventricular tachycardias in six
of the 13 patients. None of the patients had had occupational exposure to the
trace elements. Researchers at the University of Calgary point out that dental
amalgams would be the most likely source of the mercury.
Frustaci, Andrea, et al. Marked elevation of myocardial trace elements in
idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy compared with secondary cardiac dysfunction.
Journal of the American College of Cardiology, Vol. 33, May 1999, pp. 1578-83
[32 references]
Lorscheider, Fritz and Vimy, Murray. Mercury and idiopathic dilated
cardiomyopathy. Journal of the American College of Cardiology, Vol. 35, March
1, 2000, p. 819 (letter to the editor)
Trigeminal neuralgia linked to amalgam fillings
JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA. Dr. William Cheshire, a physician at the Mayo Clinic,
reports on a case where a woman's trigeminal neuralgia (tic douloureux) was
traced to a galvanic reaction between an amalgam filling and an adjacent
gold-alloy crown. Consumption of tomatoes and other acidic foods produced
intense jolts described as being like those of an "electrical battery". The
jolts in turn resulted in excruciating pain in the trigeminal nerve. Replacing
the amalgam filling with a composite resolved the problem. Dr. Cheshire points
out that dissimilar metals in contact with saliva can form a galvanic cell
which can generate electrical currents with several hundred millivolts of
potential. He points out that many patients with trigeminal neuralgia describe
their pain in terms of "electrical" jolts and concludes that his patient's
neuralgia may well have been triggered by the galvanic reaction between the
amalgam filling and the gold crown.
Cheshire, William P., Jr. The shocking tooth about trigeminal neuralgia. New
England Journal of Medicine, Vol. 342, June 29, 2000, p. 2003 (correspondence)
Dental alloys affect cellular energy production
NOTE: We usually do not report test tube or animal experiments, but thought we
would make an exception in this case. The findings that commonly used dental
alloys may interrupt the normal function of human cells is a first and could
have wide-ranging effects.
BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA. Although nickel is known to be carcinogenic in humans it
is still widely used in certain dental alloys. Researchers at the University of
Alabama now report that other components of dental alloys (beryllium, chromium,
and molybdenum) as well as nickel affect the very basic function of human cells
- the production of energy (ATP). ATP is produced in the mitochondria of cells
and involves highly oxidative processes. It is becoming increasingly clear that
abnormalities in the mitochondrial processes are important causes of human
disease. Some researchers believe that a slowing down of these processes
actually heralds the very first stage in the proliferation of abnormal cells
and cancer.
The Alabama researchers exposed cultures of human gingival (gum) cells to
solutions of nickel, beryllium, chromium (tri- and hexavalent) and molybdenum
(hexavalent) for periods of 24 and 72 hours. They then measured the energy
production and oxygen consumption of the cells' mitochondria in the various
solutions. Cells in contact with nickel or hexavalent chromium were most
affected and showed decreased ATP (energy) production as well as a decrease in
oxygen consumption. The effects of beryllium, molybdenum, and trivalent
chromium were similar, but less pronounced. The researchers conclude that their
findings may be the first indication that some components of common dental
alloys may be detrimental to human health. They urge further research to
establish possible synergisms between mixtures of these different metals on
mitochondrial energy production. [54 references]
Messer, R.L.W., et al. An investigation of fibroblast mitochondria enzyme
activity and respiration in response to metallic ions released from dental
alloys. J Biomed Mater Res, Vol. 50, 2000, pp. 598- 604
Dental amalgams come under fire - again!
TAURANGA, NEW ZEALAND. The New Zealand Ministry of Health is reviewing its
policy on the use of mercury-containing amalgams for tooth fillings. This
review comes hard on the heels of a precautionary advice from the UK Department
of Health which warns pregnant women not to have amalgam fillings installed.
Dr. Mike Godfrey, a leading environmental physician, points out that several
major amalgam manufacturers have issued Material Safety Data Sheets and
Directions for Use which clearly warns of the many dangers of amalgam fillings.
Among the restrictions - amalgam fillings should not be used next to fillings
or crowns containing other metals, they should not be used under crowns, they
should not be used in patients with kidney disease, in pregnant women or in
children aged six years or younger. The manufacturers also warn that mercury
vapours from amalgam fillings can induce psychiatric symptoms in extremely low
concentrations. Depression, mental deterioration, and irritability are among
the symptoms listed. Amalagam fillings are banned in Sweden and Health Canada
has proposed a limit of one (two surfaces) amalgam fillings in a child and four
(eight surfaces) in an adult. Dr. Godfrey points out that his chronic fatigue
syndrome patients have an average of 15 amalgam fillings each and exhibit many
of the symptoms that the amalgam manufacturers are warning against.
Godfrey, M.E. and Feek, Colin. Dental amalgam. New Zealand Medical Journal,
Vol. 111, August 28, 1998, p. 326 (letters to the editor)
Depression and amalgam fillings
FORT COLLINS, COLORADO. There is some evidence that people with dental amalgam
fillings are more likely to suffer from depression than are people without such
fillings. Now researchers at the Rocky Mountain Research Institute report that
removal of amalgam fillings can markedly improve the symptoms of
manic-depressive illness (bipolar disorder). Their study involved 20 patients
who had been diagnosed with manic-depressive illness. All the patients had
amalgam fillings (an average of 10 fillings each). The concentration of mercury
in the mouth was measured at the start of the study and was found to increase
almost 300 per cent after chewing gum for 10 minutes. Other research has shown
that 75 per cent or more of the mercury vapor released by chewing is inhaled
into the lungs where it enters the blood stream and subsequently passes into
the brain. Eleven of the patients were assigned to have all their mercury
fillings removed and were also given multi-vitamins and antioxidants to help
chelate and remove the mercury released during the dental work. The remaining
nine patients had a sealant placed over their fillings and were told that this
sealant would prevent mercury from being released from their fillings. In
actual fact there was no evidence that it would do so. The control group
patients were given a supplemental vitamin and mineral tablet. The patients all
completed various questionnaires designed to evaluate their mental health
before and six to eight months after treatment. It was very clear that the
patients who had had their amalgam fillings removed had improved very
significantly in such important parameters as anxiety, depression, paranoia,
hostility, and obsessive compulsive behaviour. Some of the patients were able
to discontinue their lithium medication after amalgam removal. The researchers
caution that their study was relatively small and urge large scale clinical
trials to validate their findings.
Siblerud, Robert L., et al. Psychometric evidence that dental amalgam mercury
may be an etiological factor in manic depression. Journal of Orthomolecular
Medicine, Vol. 13, No. 1, First Quarter 1998, pp. 31- 40
Amalgam fillings may damage kidneys.
NEWSBRIEF. Amalgam fillings and skin-lightening creams both contain significant
amounts of mercury. Researchers at the King Faisal Hospital in Riyadh, Saudi
Arabia have just completed a study aimed at determining whether the mercury
actually gets into the blood stream. The study involved 225 women (aged 17 to
58 years) who had their urine measured for mercury, creatinine, urea, uric
acid, phosphorus, magnesium, calcium, and glucose. The urinary mercury level
varied between 0 and 204.8 micrograms per liter and was directly related to the
number of dental amalgam fillings present in the women's mouths. The
researchers conclude that chronic exposure to mercury may be associated with
deterioration of renal (kidney) function.
Biometals, Vol. 10, October 1997, pp. 315-23
Amalgam fillings and hearing loss
FORT COLLINS, COLORADO. The leaching of toxic mercury from amalgam fillings has
been implicated in hearing loss. Mercury toxicity has also been linked to
multiple sclerosis (MS). It is believed that the toxic effects of mercury cause
damage to the blood brain barrier, demyelination (damage to the nerves' myelin
sheaths) and slowing of the nerve conduction velocity. Now researchers at the
Rocky Mountain Research Institute provide convincing proof that dental amalgam
fillings may be responsible for the hearing loss often experienced by multiple
sclerosis patients. Their experiment involved seven women aged 32-46 years who
had been diagnosed with MS. The women underwent a standard hearing test in a
sound booth and then had all their amalgam fillings replaced with composites.
Six to eight months later they were again given the hearing test. Six of the
seven patients had significantly improved hearing in the right ear and five of
the seven showed improvement in the left ear. Overall, hearing improved an
average of eight decibels. The researchers conclude that amalgam fillings may
be a significant factor in hearing loss experienced by MS patients and could be
a factor in hearing loss in other people as well.
Siblerud, Robert L. and Kienholz, Eldon. Evidence that mercury from dental
amalgam may cause hearing loss in multiple sclerosis patients. Journal of
Orthomolecular Medicine, Vol. 12, No. 4, Fourth Quarter, 1997, pp. 240-44
Chronic mercury poisoning is widespread
HILLEROED, DENMARK. A Danish dentist, Dr. H. Lichtenberg, reports that most of
his patients with amalgam fillings suffer from chronic mercury poisoning. Dr.
Lichtenberg measured the actual concentration of mercury vapour in the mouths
of his patients and found that it varied between 3 micrograms of mercury vapour
per cubic meter of air and 329 mcg/m3 with an average of 54.6 mcg/m3. This
compares to a maximum permitted level in the workplace of 50 mcg/m3 for people
working eight hours a day five days a week. NOTE: This level applies to
Denmark; the maximum level permitted in Switzerland is 10 mcg/m3 and in the USA
it is 100 mcg/m3. A recent conference in Canada proposed a Tolerable Daily
Intake (TDI) for mercury vapour of 0.014 mcg/kg of body weight per day; this
corresponds to a maximum tolerable daily intake of 1.0 mcg for a person
weighing 70 kilograms. Most of Dr. Lichtenberg's patients were thus exposed to
50 times the TDI. More than half of Dr. Lichtenberg's patients exhibited one or
more of the following symptoms of chronic mercury poisoning - fatigue, poor
concentration, poor memory, bloating, joint pain, muscle fatigue, cold hands
and feet, irritability, and headache. Mercury poisoning from dental fillings
has also been implicated in Alzheimer's disease and heart disease.
Lichtenberg, H. Mercury vapour in the oral cavity in relation to number of
amalgam surfaces and the classic symptoms of chronic mercury poisoning. Journal
of Orthomolecular Medicine, Vol. 11, No. 2, Second Quarter 1996, pp. 87-94
Mercury linked to heart disease
HELSINKI, FINLAND. Researchers at the University of Kuopio in Finland have just
completed a major study which clearly implicates mercury as a major cause of
heart attacks and other coronary and cardiovascular diseases. The researchers
set out to discover why men in Eastern Finland who eat lots of locally caught
fish have an exceptionally high mortality from cardiovascular disease. Their
conclusion was that the non-fatty freshwater fish eaten in Eastern Finland
contains large amounts of mercury. The researchers discovered that men who had
a high fish consumption not only had a high mercury content in their hair and
urine, but also had a two-fold higher risk of having a heart attack and a
three-fold higher risk of dying from heart disease than did men with a lower
content of mercury in their hair. Men who ate fatty, ocean-caught fish such as
salmon, herring, and tuna did not have an increased level of mercury in their
hair. The researchers believe that mercury promotes heart disease in several
ways: mercury promotes free radical generation; it inactivates the body's
natural antioxidant glutathione; and it binds with selenium thus making it
unavailable as an antioxidant and component of glutathione peroxidase. All
these mechanisms would lead to an increased level of lipid peroxidation and
subsequent heart disease. The researchers also point out that earlier studies
have discovered a clear correlation between the number of amalgam tooth
fillings and the risk of heart attack. Selenium and vitamin E have both been
found to have a protective effect against mercury toxicity.
Salonen, Jukka T. et al. Intake of mercury from fish, lipid peroxidation, and
the risk of myocardial infarction and coronary, cardiovascular, and any death
in Eastern Finnish men. Circulation, Vol. 91, No. 3, February 1, 1995, pp.
645-55
Peer of the Realm questions use of amalgam fillings
LONDON, ENGLAND. Lord Baldwin, joint chairman of the British Parliamentary
Group for Alternative and Complementary Medicine, is questioning the safety of
amalgam dental fillings. In a letter published in the British Medical Journal
Lord Baldwin asserts that it is up to the dental profession to prove that
amalgam fillings are safe and, in Lord Baldwin's opinion, this they have not
done. To point to the fact that amalgam fillings have been used for a hundred
years is not a proof of safety anymore than it is to claim that tobacco smoking
must be safe because people have been doing it for a long time, says Lord
Baldwin.
Baldwin, E.A.A. Controlled trials of dental amalgam are needed. British Medical
Journal, Vol. 309, October 29, 1994, p. 1161
Jan
