Mercury in fillings

[John Bentley]

I just read an article in my local newspaper having to do with mercury leaching out of dental fillings, and whether this presented a health risk or not. It was written fairly well with positions on both sides being presented. I remember there being a big hullaballoo about this topic a few years back, and seem to remember that it was all a bunch of pseudoscience used to justify replacing amalgam fillings with ceramic fillings (at quite a higher cost). Anyone know anything about it?

[geni]

The whole mercury in fillings is the case of all of huminties ill thing is still alive and wee amoung the alt med comuntity. I don't think there is much evidence thatr mercury fillings do much harm.

[Rolfe]

Quackwatch has an article (http://www.quackwatch.org/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/mercury.html).

In fact they have a whole web site (http://www.dentalwatch.org/).

Rolfe.

[epepke]

Originally posted by John Bentley
I just read an article in my local newspaper having to do with mercury leaching out of dental fillings, and whether this presented a health risk or not.

As far as I can tell, nowadays, all dentists use plastic fillings.

I remember back during the 1980s when having amalgum fillings removed was all the rage. Someone did an X-ray of someone who had undergone the procedure, and there were all sorts of little bits of them in their stomach. Now, if amalgum causes a health risk, which if it does is probably minor, I'd rather have it in my teeth than stitting in concentrated hydrochloric acid in my stomach.

[John Bentley]

Thanks Rolfe. I'll send that web site to the reporter at the paper. Maybe he'll even look at it if he hasn't gone on to other things. I think I'll write a letter to the editor as well. The paper made the problem sound pretty alarming.

[Virgil]

however there is an enviromental concern regarding mercury in fillings. When bodies are cremated the mercury goes right up the flue. most places that do this service are supposed to be getting a metal filtering device to correct this. the last I heard about this was in the mid 90's so it may be a non issue now but the EPA was finding mercury concentrations higher than they should around funneral homes that did this.


Also, while not a biochemist, I have it under good authority that metallic mercury [Hg(0)] is not too bad for you if taken internally because of its low solubility at human pH values. it will pass before you absorb too a harmful amount.

as an aside, I was told by a history professor that in European history rich persons would consume metallic mercury as a laxative. the middle or dark ages or something




Virgil

[olaf]

people who think mercury in the mouth is safe are nothing but idiots.

i challenge every one of you fools who think it is safe to outfit yourself with a mercury necklace, bracelet, mercury watchband, earings, etc. yes, that is correct -- start wearing jewlery that contains 50% mercury, 30% silver, etc. IF IT IS SO HARMLESS IN THE MOUTH THEN WHAT HARM COULD COME FROM HAVING IT IN CONTACT WITH YOUR SKIN IN MULTIPLE LOCATIONS?

i challenge any denture wearers (especially any retired dentists) to wear dentures whereby each tooth contains at least 1/4 gram of mercury filling. any takers? i did not think so. too scared.

IDIOTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[An Infinite Ocean]

Originally posted by olaf
IDIOTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Xanta - seek help. You are mentally derranged.

[Bjorn]

Originally posted by olaf
nothing but idiots.

you fools

IDIOTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It's always great to see people who don't have to resort to name-calling to emphasize their points. :p

[Virgil]

you're right I confess... I am really an agent of the national mercury council and my sole mission is the encourage the use of mercury. If only these handfuls of true seeing homeopaths and chiropractors could be subdued we could do the same thing that the national fluoride council got away with in lacing all the drinking water with F-.

we at the national mercury council have a long memory and we will have our revenge...



bwaaahahaha....



Choose mercury...it's all natural--brought to you by the national mercury council.

Virgil

[olaf]

Also, while not a biochemist, I have it under good authority that metallic mercury [Hg(0)] is not too bad for you if taken internally because of its low solubility at human pH values. it will pass before you absorb too a harmful amount.

once again, anyone who thinks that this is safe should go ahead and experiment on himself. while you're at it go ahead and take a little swig of some thallium contaminated water. see what happens to you.

simply unbelievable.

the way a certain person here spells i would not be surprised if he is using lead utensils.

oh lead, let me guess -- this is safe also. right?

[Quasi]

Olaf-

I have lots of mercury fillngs, and I am not having them removed by a "natural dentist" because it is a waste of money, like virtually all CAM. As mentioned, Quackwatch does a great job of debunking this common marketing scam for crooked dentists. The alternative fillings BTW, are a lot less rugged than amalgam, and fall out, needing replacement, especially in the back teeth. So the initial and long term costs are a lot more, which corrupt dentists know and love.
Do you have any evidence equal to the studies mentioned in QW?

[The Don]

Originally posted by olaf

once again, anyone who thinks that this is safe should go ahead and experiment on himself. while you're at it go ahead and take a little swig of some thallium contaminated water. see what happens to you.

Errrm, the discussion was about LEAD o(how I)laf(fed). Bringing Thallium into it is a complete red herring.

Now, lead me to the peer reviewed toxicity trials where the harmful effects of lead in dental amalgam are explored.

[olaf]

Originally posted by Quasi
Olaf-

I have lots of mercury fillngs, and I am not having them removed by a "natural dentist" because it is a waste of money, like virtually all CAM. As mentioned, Quackwatch does a great job of debunking this common marketing scam for crooked dentists. The alternative fillings BTW, are a lot less rugged than amalgam, and fall out, needing replacement, especially in the back teeth. So the initial and long term costs are a lot more, which corrupt dentists know and love.
Do you have any evidence equal to the studies mentioned in QW? quasi, you are the biggest idiot here. i don't even know why i am responding to you.

[Oleron]

Olaf ,

I assume the reason you are calling everyone an idiot is that you are highly qualified in chemistry, dentistry and human biochemistry and the rest of us know nothing of these subjects compared to you.

Well, as a fellow chemist and biochemist (sorry I know nothing of dentistry) I suppose you're aware of the mechanisms by which mercury is toxic to the human body?

You obviously know then the difference between a compound and amalgam?

You also know that mercury has a very low uptake rate in the gastro-intestinal tract? In fact the most easily absorbed form of mercury is mercury vapour (in the lungs) and even then it's uptake is low.

Yes you can detect mercury vapour in the mouth of a patient with a lot of mercury amalgam fillings - just (with the most sensitive analysers). Most of this trace mercury is exhaled of course. The real place to look for mercury poisoning is the urine of the patient as that is where the mercury will finish up.

Indeed the only time when mercury vapour rises to easily detectable levels is when fillings are being drilled out! Even then the levels remain low and the exposure is of very short duration.

Of course you knew all this already. Perhaps you'd care to expand on this and enlighten us all.

Be careful though - there are people here who are far from idiots and who are undoubtedly better chemists than I am.

[richardm]

Mercury Amalgam has been used for over 150 years.

There are an estimated 1 billion mercury amalgam fillings performed worldwide every year.

Way over 100,000 dentists use it.

Mercury is a Natural Product.

Surely by all these counts, Olaf should be all for it?

[Anders]

Originally posted by olaf
people who think mercury in the mouth is safe are nothing but idiots.

i challenge every one of you fools who think it is safe to outfit yourself with a mercury necklace, bracelet, mercury watchband, earings, etc. yes, that is correct -- start wearing jewlery that contains 50% mercury, 30% silver, etc. IF IT IS SO HARMLESS IN THE MOUTH THEN WHAT HARM COULD COME FROM HAVING IT IN CONTACT WITH YOUR SKIN IN MULTIPLE LOCATIONS?

i challenge any denture wearers (especially any retired dentists) to wear dentures whereby each tooth contains at least 1/4 gram of mercury filling. any takers? i did not think so. too scared.

IDIOTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You see, dear Olaf, chemistry is a quite complex science. Some compounds work in different ways when in mixtures or alloys. Take the example of chloride gas and the metal sodium. When chloride is in the form of gas it’s highly poisonous to breathe in or get on your skin. You shouldn’t touch sodium because you’ll get burned. But mix the together, add little heat and wait, you’ll have ordinary table-salt. Not poisonous and essential to some, like me. Just imagine pasta without some Sodium Chloride!

Same with fillings, yes they contain some mercury, but it is perfectly harmless. And yes, perhaps some leak out, but in such small quantities that it doesn’t matter.

And no, most of us are not idiots, me for example are not an idiot(I guess that some would like to challange me on that though).

[Vitnir]

Maybe mercury in homeopathic concentrations from dental fillings in your body does wonders in improving your health?

:id:

[athon]

Originally posted by richardm
Mercury Amalgam has been used for over 150 years.

There are an estimated 1 billion mercury amalgam fillings performed worldwide every year.

Way over 100,000 dentists use it.

Mercury is a Natural Product.

Surely by all these counts, Olaf should be all for it?

I just wanted this repeated in case Olaf missed it the first time.

Well put!

Athon

[Quasi]

Do not expect a good debate from Olaf, apparently I am an idiot, and therefore mercury amalgam fillings are dangerous.
I again pose the question: where is the evidence that the amalgam fillings are dangerous? Considering they have already been proven to be safe, the burden of proof is on you, Olaf, at least to provide some evidence that the studies are flawed in some way, or whatever other methods you prefer to show it is dangerous. We are waiting. I stand by my accusations against natural dentistry.

[Virgil]

olaf, I now understand that you are a bitter angry person. I can only guess that your spite is caused by some suffering at the hands of a MD. if you display only a little of the hate you display on this board you must be a very lonely person.

I really do feel sorry for you..



Virgil

[An Infinite Ocean]

I still want to know who the bad speller is that uses lead utensils.

[geni]

Originally posted by An Infinite Ocean
I still want to know who the bad speller is that uses lead utensils.

I suspect that olaf means me.

[Virgil]

I'm a bad speller too. the forum doesn't have a spell check

[MRC_Hans]

Originally posted by olaf

once again, anyone who thinks that this is safe should go ahead and experiment on himself.

Soo, in your opinion, whenever we hear about anything we should try it out ourselves? So, since you believe homeopathic drugs are safe, I assume you have tried them ALL out yourself??

while you're at it go ahead and take a little swig of some thallium contaminated water. see what happens to you.

Or how about plutonium? Uhhn, but how exactly is this relevant to the subject at hand?

simply unbelievable.

Since you say so yourself, yes.

the way a certain person here spells i would not be surprised if he is using lead utensils.

Talking about yourself here I suppose, mr. lower-case-and-bad-punctuation?

oh lead, let me guess -- this is safe also. right?

Depends on the use. For storage batteries, for example, it is quite safe.

Hans

[geni]

Originally posted by Virgil
I'm a bad speller too. the forum doesn't have a spell check

If your browser is IE you can get a spell cheker for it here (http://www.iespell.com/download.php) (and before some one asks why I don't use it it's largly due to the state of my computer/operating system)