05/31/2019 / By Chloe Divino
Exposure to mercury has long been considered as harmful to humans. Multiple studies have documented the toxicity of mercury and its often irreversible effects on the human body. But did you know that dental fillings also contain mercury that can make you sick?
The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry ranks mercury third on its list of the most toxic elements or substances on the planet. Despite this, approximately 50 percent of a dental amalgam IS mercury. This is because mercury can bind the alloy particles that make up the rest of the filling together. It also contributes to the durability of a dental filling.
Mercury in dental amalgams is released in the form of vapor and can be inhaled and absorbed by the lungs. Studies indicate that chronic exposure to mercury, even at low levels, can cause the following:
A study by researchers from the University of Georgia found that the blood mercury levels of people with eight dental fillings were twice as high as those with no fillings. Approximately 25 percent of Americans have 11 or more fillings; this is an alarmingly large group of people that could be exposed to harmful mercury levels.
It is not only the patients who have mercury embedded in their teeth that face the dangers of this toxic substance. Dentists and their staff are also exposed to mercury vapors every time they handle the fillings.
The good news is that mercury-free dental fillings are now available. Still, the question remains: Why is the public not adequately warned about the dangers of a very common and often necessary dental procedure?
When people go to the dentist, they expect moderate discomfort, not one of the most toxic substances on earth to be placed in their mouths.
By the year 2020, the World Health Organization says that almost three-quarters of all deaths worldwide will be due to chronic diseases. It is time for the proper authorities to take action on the continued use of mercury in dental fillings and help arrest the steady increase in chronic conditions that burden families and communities.
If you would like to learn more about the bad effects of mercury found in dental fillings, visit MercuryScienceNews.com.
Sources include:
Tagged Under: amalgam, Birth defects, blood mercury levels, brain health, cardiovascular diseases, cardiovascular health, children's health, chronic diseases, dental amalgams, dental filling, dental health, dentistry, dentists, disease causes, heart health, men's health, mental health, mercury, mercury contamination, mercury exposure, mercury poisoning, mercury vapor, Minamata disease, nervous system, neurological conditions, oral health, pregnant women, toxic elements, toxic substance, toxic substances, toxins, women's health
COPYRIGHT © 2017 HEAVY METALS NEWS