Amalgam issues: what are your thoughts?

Jamie Rivera78 said:I don't know if you know your stuff, but you are spouting absolute nonsense. It's crazy—you could find the real facts in any medical textbook out there.

1. Mercury makes up about 52% of an amalgam filling.
2. Go ahead, swallow a hardened chunk of amalgam and let's see how that works out for you.
3. Just because it's "bonded" doesn't mean the toxicity vanishes. Mercury vapors are constantly leaking out of those fillings. Dentists actually see double the brain tumor rates compared to the rest of the population. And for female dentists? The risk of infertility or miscarriage is three times higher than average. The link between amalgam and all sorts of other health issues is pretty much settled science at this point.
4. Tons of countries have already banned or strictly limited using amalgam (like Austria or Sweden...). You think they did that just for fun? Maybe you should call them up and tell them they're wrong since the fillings are "edible"?

Once again, I gotta tell you: you keep acting like you're citing science, but you aren't applying any of it.
And one more thing: the fact that you're resorting to insults just shows you've run out of actual arguments.

Hold on, you forgot to end it with: "And then the little guy wrapped up the chocolate!" 😂 🤣

Amalgam isn't banned in Austria. And while Sweden doesn't use it much anymore, it has nothing to do with what you were saying. It’s more about their move toward composite materials and certain properties of those.

Look, any patient coming in wanting to swap out those old amalgam fillings for modern composites? They are more than welcome in our chairs. Honestly, it’s great business for us dentists. And if someone asks to get them replaced, there’s really no reason to say no. Sure, there are risks involved—like potential pulpitis—but that’s just part of the job. Even when you’re being incredibly careful, things can happen. But let's get real for a second: current amalgam alloys actually contain about 3-5% mercury. That isn't my opinion; it's straight from the professional literature and manufacturer specs. If you’re going to claim that amalgam is 52% mercury based on "scientific sources," then go ahead and show me your citations.

Alright, I just read something new and I need to set the record straight—for myself and for all my fellow pros out there.
My last post was based on info from Shutalov’s book, but I specifically pulled the usage instructions for Amalcap Plus amalgam. Here is the breakdown per capsule:

Powder - regular - fast
Elemental Silver 294 mg 302 mg
Elemental Tin 76 mg 77 mg
Elemental Copper 59 mg 51 mg

Liquid
Elemental Mercury 400 mg 400 mg

So, mercury makes up about 48.25% of the mass. But here is the kicker: that mercury is in elemental form. Like I said before, that is the least toxic version. It is totally different from organic mercury found in food that actually poisons you. In this compound, it is super tightly bound to the other elements, so only tiny, tiny amounts are ever released. Based on the data, the total amount released during the day (around 10 micrograms) is way less than what you get from eating just one kilogram of fish. The FDA considers 300 micrograms of mercury per kilogram of fish to be perfectly safe, and remember, that is organic mercury, which is much more dangerous than elemental stuff. You can do the math easily from here. Obviously, fish doesn't always have this much mercury, but if you look at a standard 200-gram serving, it could contain six times more mercury than what is released from amalgam—and even then, it isn't considered a health threat. People who eat fish twice a week are actually taking in more mercury than what gets released from amalgam in an entire week. Plus, the human body has its own built-in excretion mechanisms to get rid of released elemental mercury. Even though amalgam is nearly 50% mercury, I have yet to hear a single serious scientific paper that proves it is harmful to the body. People have been crying about amalgam for almost 200 years, trying every possible argument to prove it's bad, but nobody has actually succeeded.

Here's a video for anyone who needs a visual breakdown http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ylnQ-T7oiA

Gregory Gomez45 said:Hold on, you forgot to end it with: "And then the little guy wrapped up the chocolate!" 😂 🤣

Amalgam isn't banned in Austria. And while Sweden doesn't use it much anymore, it has nothing to do with what you were saying. It’s more about their move toward composite materials and certain properties of those.

More nonsense. Go talk to an actual authority in Sweden and they'll tell you the real reason they moved away from amalgams. It isn't because of composites; it's because amalgams are toxic.
Do you have any actual proof that you can just eat amalgam fillings without getting wrecked? I talked to three different dentists and they all looked at me like I had two heads for even suggesting that. Amalgams are toxic—that's not even a debate.

Check out this latest research—it’s been floating around for a few months now—regarding the safety of dental amalgams. It was commissioned by the American Dental Association and conducted by several independent teams across the US. Everything you see here comes straight from the most qualified experts in the field.

If that stuff were actually as toxic as people claim, I would’ve kicked the bucket a long time ago, considering I’m sitting here with four fillings already...
Besides, silver amalgam loses its toxicity over time anyway. At least, that's what we were taught back in high school chemistry class 😬—on some good days, at any rate.

Thanks for the link, stormyheron4. I'll check it out when I have a second, but honestly, regardless of what they conclude, I wouldn't recommend anyone use amalgam anyway.
The real question is whether there's an American dentist out there who actually knows how to remove amalgam safely. Let's be real—finding a dentist around here who follows the protocols described http://curezone.com/dental/dental_amalgam.asp is probably going to be a long shot. That said, I figure just using a rubber dam should be plenty of protection http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dental_dam. Is that something people actually use here?
Thanks

Kimberly Doyle said:Thanks for the link, stormyheron4. I'll check it out when I have a second, but honestly, regardless of what they conclude, I wouldn't recommend anyone use amalgam anyway.
The real question is whether there's an American dentist out there who actually knows how to remove amalgam safely. Let's be real—finding a dentist around here who follows the protocols described http://curezone.com/dental/dental_amalgam.asp is probably going to be a long shot. That said, I figure just using a rubber dam should be plenty of protection http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dental_dam. Is that something people actually use here?
Thanks

Any dentist—especially the younger ones—is going to use a dental dam and definitely knows how. It's a miracle you haven't been hit by mercury issues yet; you haven't posted in forever, so I was getting a little worried. 😢

haha you're good. I don't have them myself, but my parents do.

I honestly don't get why everyone is getting so worked up and starting these massive flame wars. If people actually want to eat their Amalcap Plus amalgam—fine, be my guest. Personally, I went ahead and had them all swapped out last summer. I mean, yeah, it ended up costing me about $1000 in total, but hey, it was my call to make.

Dana Grant7 — where did you go to get those amalgams removed, and what was the actual process like?

Kimberly Doyle—did you manage to track down a dentist who actually knows how to handle this safely?

Amalgam has been used for ages and remains incredibly widespread in practice. In all that time, there hasn't been any noticeable spike in illness among people with amalgam fillings. That should be enough evidence regarding its safety, don't you think?
Regarding the benefits, they last significantly longer in the mouth than composites do. Plus, for patients who struggle with consistent oral hygiene, they’re actually a highly recommended option.

The real mercury release from amalgams happens right when they’re first placed. In my view, it’s all about the timeline—the release follows an exponential curve where the concentration drops off significantly as time goes on.
Old fillings aren't really off-gassing much of anything at this point; we're talking levels so low they're practically negligible. Unless, of course, you've got a mouth full of them. 😬

Timothy Perez11 said:Dana Grant7 — where did you go to get those amalgams removed, and what was the actual process like?

Kimberly Doyle—did you manage to track down a dentist who actually knows how to handle this safely?

I had mine taken out by a private dentist out on one of our coastal islands. Honestly, the real struggle is just finding someone who uses those rubber dams to isolate the area. See, when you're grinding down amalgam, tiny particles fly everywhere, and there's a legit risk of them getting lodged in your gums. Even my dentist was wearing goggles and a mask. But if you aren't using a dam, it’s basically impossible to be safe, since the dam keeps everything covered except for the specific tooth being worked on.

placidjackal36 said:The real mercury release from amalgams happens right when they’re first placed. In my view, it’s all about the timeline—the release follows an exponential curve where the concentration drops off significantly as time goes on.
Old fillings aren't really off-gassing much of anything at this point; we're talking levels so low they're practically negligible. Unless, of course, you've got a mouth full of them. 😬

Yeah, they do leak a tiny bit of mercury, and over the years, things can start to loosen up, so you might quietly lose a tooth that's got an old amalgam filling in it. Trust me, I've been there...😢

Dana Grant7 said:Yeah, they do leak a tiny bit of mercury, and over the years, things can start to loosen up, so you might quietly lose a tooth that's got an old amalgam filling in it. Trust me, I've been there...😢

I don't believe it. I really don't. 😢
The bigger they are, the harder they fall. I’ve got one or two tiny ones that have been sitting there for over a decade, and honestly, they haven't caused me a single bit of trouble.

My dentist told me they shouldn't keep amalgam in your mouth for more than five years🤔 and that hardly anyone uses them anymore. It’s super rare now. Unless you're using $30 Medicaid, then maybe.(
)
I've had mine for a long time, and they only ever used amalgams on me... so I'm replacing everything. I just show up, they swap them out for composite, and that's it. Takes about 10 minutes.
No need for all those complicated procedures people talk about.🤷

I really trust her. I've gone through about 15 different dentists in my life due to moving around😁, all kinds of doctors, but this one is 👍 just right.

Based on everything I've heard, I should have been falling apart by now...🤔

Hopefully, the consequences don't catch up to me retroactively...🤷 😁

Dana Brooks3 said:My dentist told me they shouldn't keep amalgam in your mouth for more than five years🤔 and that hardly anyone uses them anymore. It’s super rare now. Unless you're using $30 Medicaid, then maybe.(
)
I've had mine for a long time, and they only ever used amalgams on me... so I'm replacing everything. I just show up, they swap them out for composite, and that's it. Takes about 10 minutes.
No need for all those complicated procedures people talk about.🤷

I really trust her. I've gone through about 15 different dentists in my life due to moving around😁, all kinds of doctors, but this one is 👍 just right.

Based on everything I've heard, I should have been falling apart by now...🤔

Hopefully, the consequences don't catch up to me retroactively...🤷 😁

You get what you pay for, and that's especially true when dealing with public health clinics.

Alright, conspiracists... who among you is looking for white fillings? I’m offering white composite fillings for $400 on the front teeth, $500 for premolars, and $600 for molars. I guarantee you won't even be able to tell the tooth was ever worked on. I use several different shades of white along with translucent tints and various other materials to mimic the natural look of a tooth more accurately than ever before. Plus, there's a 5-year warranty on my work. I record everything on video to prove that absolutely zero—and I mean zero—amounts of amalgam are swallowed during the removal process.
Of course it isn't toxic... but I don't care about that. If it's eating away at you, I’m offering the solution to your little problem at the prices listed above! 🙂