Mercury Fillings and Detoxification

Mercury is the most toxic of the heavy metals and has been linked to the cause of cancer. In fact, Yoshiaki Omura, MD, an internationally recognized medical researcher, has found that all cancer cells have mercury in them.

Mercury can increase the numbers of free radicals in the body, a basic cause of cancer, and decrease immune system strength, a primary defense against cancer. Mercury can also weaken blood vessels, elevate “bad” cholesterol levels, and damage nerve tissues.

Reference to the damage caused by mercury can be found in the children’s tale Alice in Wonderland. One character in the story, the Mad Hatter, was based on hat makers of the late 1800s who sustained neurological damage from chronic exposure to mercury during the felt curing process. This mercury poisoning was known as “mad hatters disease” and caused confused speech, distorted vision, and sometimes early death. Mercury exposure can also cause the more common symptoms of anxiety, insomnia, weakness, and other nervous system disturbances.

One of the most common ways to be exposed to mercury is through dental fillings. “Silver” fillings, also known as dental amalgams, are only about 25% silver—and 50% mercury. In a typical filling, this means nearly a million times more mercury exposure than in contaminated seafood.

Dental amalgams release mercury vapor. It can be measured coming off the tips of the roots of teeth containing amalgams; this is considered proof that fillings leak. Factors that affect the amount of mercury that enters the system from the teeth are: the number and age of the fillings, the person’s diet, and whether the person consumes carbonated drinks, grinds their teeth, or chews gum. Vapor is the form of mercury most easily absorbed by the body. Mercury vapor inhaled by the lungs is absorbed by the bloodstream. There, it is converted into more toxic forms of mercury that are more difficult for the body to detoxify.

The good news is that dental amalgams can be replaced with healthier alternatives, such as resin composites, which are made of plastic reinforced with powdered glass. Other mercury-free options exist, as well, which you can find through an internet search or by speaking with your dentist.

It is important that proper procedures be followed during filling replacement so there is no toxic leakage. For the removal and replacement procedure, the Huggins Protocol is often recommended. There may be other filling replacement options and protocols. It’s important to review the pros and cons of whatever option you choose.

People with mercury-induced symptoms often experience a reduction in symptoms after proper removal of amalgam fillings. However, the mercury that has already leaked into the body from the fillings or from other environmental exposure tends to lodge in various tissues in the body, including the brain, nerves, and organs. Since the body does not easily detoxify mercury on its own, one must embark on a mercury-detox program. There are a number of substances that can be used in mercury detoxification, including, among others: cilantro, chlorella, selenium, psyllium, alpha lipoic acid, MSM, and DMPS (the last of which should be administered only under a health professional’s care). Some of these substances “bump” the mercury out of the tissues, and others bind to the mercury so that it’s not reabsorbed.

NOTE: If you have high levels of mercury stored in your body, it’s important that your detoxification process progress slowly in order to not stir up mercury-related symptoms. If more mercury is released from the tissues than can be bound by a binding agent, some of the mercury may simply be mobilized and reabsorbed. (You don’t want mercury to be mobilized, for example, from fat tissue and be reabsorbed by the brain.)

For Further Exploration:

Mercury Is More Toxic to Your Body than Any Other Heavy Metal: The Myriad Ways Mercury Harms Your Health

Dental Amalgam Fillings: A Surprising Risk Factor for Cancer

The Dental-Cancer Connection: Amalgams, Root Canals, and Other Dangers

Mercury Toxicity: An Overview of This Widespread Health Hazard

Dr. Mercola on Mercury Toxicity and How to Eliminate Mercury from Your Body