Do amalgam fillings really make you sick?
There is still a lot of noise surrounding silver amalgam fillings: are they safe or are they inflicting pain, misery and suffering on patients who have silver fillings? It is a serious question. According to world-renowned New York dentist Dr Jonathan Levine silver fillings contain 50% mercury and at the rate the mercury vapour enters our system it has the potential to be a health risk.
The problem with damning and blasting silver fillings is that there really has not been any conclusive evidence—other than mercury is poisonous—that silver fillings are actually detrimental to a person’s health.
Another problem is that it has been known to affect some people—people with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome-like illnesses who have had their silver fillings removed have reported improved health: however, people with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome are affected by the environment in a way that a healthy person is not—but not affect others. Some patients aged in their fifties have had silver fillings since they were sixteen and have reported no problems.
So where does this leave us? At Excellence in Dentistry in Brisbane we know that this is an ongoing discussion and that research is always been performed. For instance, after research and study Sweden has decided to ban amalgam fillings but America has said that there isn’t enough conclusive evidence and so has not.
Where we stand…
If for whatever reason you are uncertain about your amalgam fillings please do not hesitate to contact us and we can inspect your fillings and see what the best course of action for you is.
We have removed silver fillings for a number of reasons:
- Some patients dislike the look of the silver
- Some are worried about the potential health risks associated with amalgam fillings
- There is decay around the filling and so a new filling is required
- Silver fillings expand and contract in differing temperatures and so sometimes crack the tooth
At Excellency in Dentistry located in Brisbane we undertake the removal of amalgam fillings with care. A strict protocol is observed in order to remove the mercury-containing filling safely from your mouth. Our method of removing amalgam fillings will prevent you from feeling sick after the extraction of amalgam fillings.
Excellency in Dentistry…
When we offer our clients fillings we do not offer amalgam fillings, we offer white composite fillings. And while these fillings take a little longer to set they are more effective and stronger. They take a little longer because in order for white fillings to be placed the tooth and surrounding area need to be dry so the composite white filling can set.
An aesthetic benefit of white fillings is that they are white. They look like your natural tooth instead of having an unsightly silver mass in the centre of the tooth.
So toxic or safe?
The question was raised but really the only way to look at it if you have silver fillings is do your silver fillings affect your health? If the answer is yes then we recommend you book an appointment with us at Excellency in Dentistry to have them removed and replaced; if the answer is no but you are uncomfortable with having them then still come and see us and we can advise you on the best cause of action to take.