Learn How Mercury Is Affecting You and the Ones You Love

It is a sad tragedy that mercury is causing such health damage to so many people.

Sad because it is so reversible and easily avoidable---IF you know where it is and how it can affect you and your family

Mercury Does Leak Out of Your Fillings
The ADA has said for the past 150 years that the mercury in amalgam is safe and does not leak.

However, no clinical studies were ever done and the FDA approved amalgam under the "grandfather clause" Subsequent studies have shown this not to be true.

Over ten years ago the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine published an editorial (12 ) calling mercury fillings the chief source of mercury exposure to the US population.

American adults have over a 500 tons of toxic mercury poison stored in their dental fillings.

One of my readers, Phil Ratte, was kind enough to perform the following calculations:

An average filling contains an estimated 800 milligrams of amalgam, with the average middle-aged adult having 8 fillings. The average North American adult has 3.2 grams or mercury (8 fillings x 800 mg per filling x 50% of total amalgam is mercury) of potential mercury vapor to go into the lungs, blood, and brain from dental fillings alone -- an average of about three-millionths of a gram a day -- this does not include the amount of mercury we take in from vaccinations and from our food!

Earlier in the article is was stated that 78% of American adults have dental fillings. If there are 200 million American adults that would mean that .78 x 200,000,000 would give us 156 million American adults with dental fillings. If the average American adult has 8 fillings with 800 mg. of amalgam that gives us 3.2 grams of mercury (amalgams are 50% mercury) in their fillings per American adult. 3.2 g x 28g/oz x 156 million = 17,828,571 ounces of mercury x 1/16 (ounces per pound) = 1,114,286 pounds of mercury or 557 tons of mercury stored in our mouths
This appears to be a much bigger problem than the mercury from the burning of coal.

Mercury in "Silver Fillings" Causing Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and Central Nervous System Disorders

Mercury amalgam dental fillings, commonly referred to as 'Silver' dental fillings, contain between 48 & 55 % mercury.

While the American Dental Association originally denied that mercury from these fillings leaked vapor, which is absorbed into the bodies of persons having this dental filling material, in recent years, facing numerous studies to the contrary, have had to concede, that 'silver fillings', do leak mercury vapor, one of the most toxic substances known to man.

The metallic mercury used by dentists to manufacture dental amalgam is shipped as a hazardous material to the dental office. When amalgams are removed, for whatever reason, they are treated as hazardous waste and are required to be disposed of in accordance with federal OSHA regulations and it is inconceivable that the mouth could be considered a safe storage container for this toxic material.

A multi-million dollar U.S. Government study conducted between 1988 and 1994 could hold the key to producing epidemiological data linking dental fillings to a myriad of illnesses.

This new information, comes straight from the National Institute of Health, the NHANES III Study (National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey), a study that according to the mission statement of National Center for Health Sciences "is to provide statistical information that will guide the actions and policies to improve health of the American people. As the Nation's principal health statistics agency, NCHS leads the way with accurate, relevant, and timely data."

A recent statistical analysis of this data was done to see if there were any links to dental fillings and adverse health conditions.

Their initial figures revealed that while 78% of the American public have dental fillings, 95% of the people with International Classification of Disease Codes 340-349: "Disorders of the Central Nervous System", which include MS, Epilepsy, Paralysis and Migraines, have dental fillings.

If Mercury Is So Safe Why are European Countries Restricting Its Use?

In February, 1994 Sweden announced a total ban on the use of mercury fillings in young adults. Denmark, Germany and Austria followed suit.

In Switzerland and Japan, the dental schools no longer teach amalgam use as the primary source of dental care.

The Chewing Gum Connection
Most people don't realize the grave danger that exists in the simple and seemingly innocent act of chewing gum. However, studies have shown that gum chewing greatly increases the exposure to mercury.

One recent study found that heavy gum chewers had twice the amount of mercury in their blood and three times the level in their urine and breath exhalation than did infrequent chewers. And if you were to compare with those who don't chew gum at all, the difference would likely be even greater.

This is very important, as those most vulnerable, such as pregnant women, may be unknowingly exposing their unborn children to mercury which is a know teratogen (substance that causes birth defects).

However, despite the grave risks, gum manufacturers are NOT required to put any kind of warnings on their products regarding increased mercury release.

Mercury In Fish From Environmental Contamination Damaging Newborns
A recent CDC report reveals that nearly one in 10 US women could have levels of mercury in their blood that are close to hazardous.

Exposure to dangerous levels of mercury can result in permanent damage to the brain and kidney. Exposure is particularly risky for women of childbearing age, because a fetus is highly susceptible to adverse effects.

Combustion in power plants of coal containing mercury is the major source of environmental pollution.

40 Tons of Mercury are released into the US EVERY year by this method.

Mercury pollution from coal-fired power plants moves through the air, is deposited in water and finds its way into fish, accumulating especially in fish that are higher up the food chain. Fish like tuna, sea bass, marlin and halibut show some of the worst contamination, but dozens of species and thousands of water bodies have been seriously polluted.

As a result, women who eat a lot of fish during pregnancy, or even as little as a single serving of a highly contaminated fish, can expose their developing child to excessive levels of mercury. The toxic metal can cross the placenta to harm the rapidly developing nervous system, including the brain.

About 20,000 children this year will be exposed to a dose of methylmercury that increases the risk of adverse neurological effects for the entire pregnancy.

According to Public Citizen, "It is irrefutable that power plant emissions contribute to all sorts of environmental problems--smog, acid rain, mercury poisoning of rivers and streams, radioactive waste--all of which lead to climate change, air pollution, damaged crops, dying forests, and health problems like emphysema, lung disease, cancer and premature death."

Mercury In Vaccines Contributing to Autism Epidemic
By age two, American children have received 237 micrograms of mercury through vaccines alone, which far exceeds current EPA "safe" levels of .1 mcg/kg. per day. That's one-tenth of a microgram, not one microgram.

This means that children are getting 2,370 times the amount of mercury that the EPA deems safe from the shots which are mandated by the government.

The figure of one autistic infant for every 150 is now widely documented

Autism and mercury poisoning damage the:
* Brain/nerve cells
* Eyes
* Immune system
* Gastrointestinal system
* Muscle control
* The speech center.

Although mercury toxicity has been studied for decades, and EPA safety levels have been set, during all that time, a child's greatest exposure to mercury - thimerosol in vaccines - was never even included in the toxicity studies.

Many investigators believe the mercury in the vaccines has contributed to this epidemic of autism. Read the full story of how the mercury, called thimerosol, has been damaging American children for many decades.

Mercury and Alzheimer's Disease
Scientists at the University of Calgary have recently shown (3) that trace amounts of mercury can cause the type of damage to nerves that is characteristic of the damage found in Alzheimer's disease. The level of mercury exposure used in the test was well below those levels found in many humans with mercury/silver amalgam dental fillings.

Mercury Detoxification
Recently, a paper I co-authored with Dietrich Klinghardt on the removal of mercury from the body, was published in the March 2001 issue of the Journal of Nutritional and Environmental Medicine.

It reviews the published evidence supporting amalgam toxicity and describes practical and effective clinical techniques that facilitate mercury elimination. A literature review is provided which documents effective mercury elimination strategies to reduce mercury toxicity syndromes.

Copyright © 1997-2002 Dr. Joseph Mercola. All Rights Reserved. This content may be copied in full, as long as copyright, contact, and creation information is given, only if used only in a not-for-profit format. If possible, I would also appreciate a personal endorsement and encouragement to subscribe to the newsletter. If any other use is desired, written permission is required.

Disclaimer - Newsletters are based upon the opinions of Dr. Mercola. They are not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional and they are not intended as medical advice. They are intended as a sharing of knowledge and information from the research and experience of Dr. Mercola and his community. Dr. Mercola encourages you to make your own health care decisions based upon your research and in partnership with a qualified health care professional.

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.

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