Dental amalgam is used to repair cavities caused by tooth decay. It is a mix of around 50% mercury, with other metals including tin and silver. It has been used by dentists over the last 150 years. Dentists say it is the strongest, cheapest and longest-lasting filling available today.
In the last 20 years Mercury has been identified as an environmental hazard linked to Alzheimer’s disease, multiple schlerosis, kidney and brain damage.
In a normal amalgam filling there is about 1.5g of mercury. When you chew, small traces of mercury vapour can leak out. Often these traces are passed through the bloodstream to your kidneys to pass out through urine. During this cycle the vapours can cause problems with your immune system, digestive tract and other areas. Simply put it is too much of a risk to your health to continue having them in.
The best advice is to see a specialist ‘mercury free’ dentist who can take any amalgam tooth fillings out and replace them with better alternatives such as white fillings or glass resin. It may well be more expensive to do so, but the health benefits massively outweigh the financial costs.
Beechcroft Retreats are happy to recommend a mercury free dentist to you.
