Archive for the ‘Homeopathic Dentistry’ Category
Scientific reasons why you should insist on Mercury-Free fillings
Wednesday, October 7th, 2009
Mercury is in the news lately. The Neuro Toxicology Journal last year in July published a study titled, “Glutathione Modulation Influences Methyl Mercury Induced Neurotoxicity in Primary Cell Cultures of Neurons and Astrocytes”. Here, the toxic effects of mercury on nerve cell cultures are discussed. Another purpose of the study was to explore the body’s natural defense against mercury contamination.
These are some of the conclusions drawn by the authors: The three main sources of mercury exposure are contaminated fish, vaccinations, and mercury amalgam dental fillings (also known as silver fillings). “Methyl mercury is a potent neurotoxicant that affects both the developing and mature central nervous system.”
“The CNS damage caused by methyl mercury is irreparable.” “Severe neurological disturbances, such as paresthesia (numbness), ataxia (loss of coordination), sensory and speech impairment, and constriction of the visual field are caused by methyl mercury poisoning.” The mechanism by which the mercury damages neurons is through the generation of very high levels of oxygen free radicals during its oxidative metabolism. And finally, “Antioxidants provide cellular defense against reactive oxygen species, with glutathione constituting the most important and abundant component.”
So there you have it in a nutshell. Whenever you eat fish, get a vaccination, or if you have silver amalgam fillings, it wouldn’t hurt to boost your glutathione levels, which were shown to become depleted during mercury exposure. You do that by supplying your body with the building blocks it needs to produce its own glutathione. The complete ingredients you need are, Complete Omega-3 Co-Factors (2 capsules a day) and Complete Whey-G (1-2 tablespoons a day). These can be obtained from Nutri-West at 800-443-3333.
Now let’s hear from the other side. In response to this type of study and to the movement in Congress to ban the use of mercury fillings, the American Dental Association is trying to defend its support for the use if mercury amalgams. In the September 2007 Journal of the ADA, they published a Report on the New England Children’s Amalgam Trial, not a court trial, but a 5 year study comparing neuropsychological changes and urinary mercury in children receiving mercury amalgam versus those receiving composite fillings. Their bottom line is that they find “no significant associations between neuropsychological outcomes” of the two groups. They glossed over the fact that there was an average of almost 1% decrease in the mercury group in every NP index: IQ score, General Memory Index and Visual Motor Composite. Plus the urinary mercury levels were almost double in the amalgam group! To me, those findings are very significant. Maybe they didn’t exactly cook their stats, but they might have warmed them up a bit.
Well, the point is that there is no argument concerning the proven fact that mercury is constantly being absorbed by the body from amalgam fillings. The difference of opinion is the significance of the effects that extra mercury has on the central nervous system. Personally, I won’t use it, but it’s an informed decision that each dentist and patient must make for themselves. And when an amalgam filling has to be removed, be sure to do it with a rubber dam, high speed vacuum, and low speed drill under water to minimize the exposure to the mercury vapors produced.
It’s ironic that the people most exposed to the mercury contamination are the very proponents of its use, the dentists and their staffs. The production of mercury vapor is greatest when the material is mixed and condensed into the tooth; it permeates the entire office, and those masks only serve to trap and concentrate the vapor as you breathe. I just wonder how much of a coincidence it is that dentists have the highest divorce and suicide rates of any profession.
Dr. Moulton’s article was published in the Desert Valley Times, May 2008
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HOMEOPATHIC DENTISTRY
Tuesday, September 15th, 2009
You’ve probably heard this term, but might have wondered exactly what it referred to.
Homeopathic, or biological dentistry, is simply the practice of using materials and procedures that are the least toxic and allergenic as possible. Metals rank high on the list of substances that are harmful to you; however the two most common materials used by dentists are mercury and nickel.
Mercury, the main ingredient in silver amalgam fillings, is the most toxic metal to your body, and nickel is the most allergenic. It comprises about 62% of the metal in porcelain fused to metal (PFM) crowns. Throw in some fluoride, a potent cellular poison, and you have a pretty dangerous environment right in your own mouth. That is the main reason there is this movement by dentists who want to offer their patients safer alternatives. If a dentist would completely avoid the use of those three materials he would be halfway on the road to becoming homeopathic. For a real eye-opener on the subject, just Google “smoking teeth video”.
There are many other considerations, though. While acrylic fillings are considered safer than mercury amalgam fillings, most brands contain resins that can be harmful, and their physical properties are often inadequate. We use a composite called Diamond Lite, a non-BISGMA-resin filling material that is rarely used because it is more expensive and time consuming. However, its rewards are worth it. It is the strongest of all the filling materials, including amalgam, and is by far the most biocompatible. That’s because it is completely inert in the mouth. It is also nonabsorbent and has the same coefficient of thermal expansion as your natural tooth. Those two factors combine to eliminate leakage and discoloration.
The compatibility of the materials you put into your mouth is very important, but the safety in properly removing unwanted materials is equally important. For instance, if you use a high speed drill on metals, you can vaporize those metals, especially the mercury, and end up inhaling it, giving you a high dose of the very thing you are trying to eliminate. There are procedures outlined by the leading biological researchers to protect you from exposure to these toxins, such as drilling under water and using rubber dams, low speed drills, and high speed vacuums. There are also other factors we take into consideration, such as electrical analysis to make sure we avoid increasing the currents between your teeth, sensitivity tests to identify materials which may cause allergies, and equilibration of the bite to protect the TMJ, possibly the most neglected aspect of dentistry.
If you’re considering future dental work, you may want to consider having it done homeopathically. However, more than anything else I might say on the subject, I urge you not to let anyone put mercury in your child’s mouth.
Dr. Moulton’s article was published in the Desert Valley Times, September 15, 2009
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