Safe Removal of Mercury Fillings

A patient needs to use a “biological” dentist in order to assure that the mercury amalgam filling removal is going to be done safely

A great many people who contact DAMS have made the mistake of letting a “regular” dentist remove amalgam fillings. Unsafe removal often results in a worsening of symptoms and maybe even the appearance of new symptoms and new disorders. Such unsafe removal is a step backwards rather than a step forward, at least in the short run. So we urge care in selecting a dentist: as with hiring a lead abatement expert or an asbestos removal expert for your home or building, you want a competent contractor who will put all of the necessary protections in place. In doing amalgam filling removal, a dentist is going to do a mercury abatement job in your mouth, so you want necessary cautions. DAMS can provide you with its list of holistic dentists in your state, region or country and it is OK for a patient to screen them further as to where they got their training with regard to safe amalgam removal, and what protections are in place. There are three academies based in the US that train and educate the biological, holistic dentists; they are the IAOMT, the IABDM and the Holistic Dental Association. IAOMT has a new, expanded protocol for dentists to follow in removing mercury amalgam fillings; it is called the SMART protocol and IAOMT offers a SMART certificate to those dentists that complete the training. The IABDM has a similar program that is calls the PROTECT PROTOCOL, and provides a certificate to dentist that complete their program.

Here are some patient protections that need to be in place for safe amalgam removal:

A physical curtain, called a "dam," usually made out of nitrile, is used to provide barrier between the dentist and the tooth having the amalgam removed and the rest of the patient’s mouth and face.The tooth being worked on fits through a slit in the “dam” curtain. This dam blocks the amalgam particle splatter that would otherwise spatter into the patient’s mouth. Another physical barrier that is used by some dentists is a product called Clean-up that fits around a tooth being worked on; it even has an aspirating arm that draws mercury vapor and fine amalgam particles from the tooth where the amalgam is being removed.
There should be a system to continuously remove mercury vapor from the air using either 1) a spray of electrons that gives the mercury atoms a negative charge, allowing them to be collected on a positively charged plate or 2) a high volume air vacuum system that draws the air away from the patient's face and safely disposes of the mercury contaminated air.
Goggles are used to cover the patient’s eyes and a disposable garment is draped over the patient’s head, hair and clothing to protect against fine amalgam splatter.
A clean air supply is provided for the patient to breather through a nasal canula.
Patients are often provided with activated charcoal to drink before the amalgam removal is done in order to bind fine amalgam particles that have been inadvertently been swallowed.
After an amalgam removal, the patient is allowed to rinse orally with a chlorella or a similar mercury binder dissolved in water. The chorella bound with mercury is then spit out and not swallowed.

Note: The biological dentist is more likely to use the skill needed to place the new, white fillings properly, so that they last a long time and don’t cause adverse health effects. The choice of the white fillings used is also important.

Mailing Address:
1041 Grand Ave #317
St Paul MN 55105
651-644-4572
(if you call, be sure and also send an e-mail, as phone service is spotty right now as of January 18th)

dams@usfamily.net

www.amalgam.org

e-mail DAMS to Request a DAMS Information Packet

Disclaimer: Our focus is on educating the layperson, the layperson, and DAMS does not operate dental or medical clinics and DAMS does not provide dental or medical advice. As an example, DAMS will not tell you why a tooth is hurting or what to do about that tooth; DAMS will not give you a dental treatment plan; only an actual dentist can do that, upon examination. DAMS only provides general educational information and a reader will normally need to consult a knowledgeable dentist or other practitioner to discus whether and how the information presented here should be applies to himself or herself.

Naturally, some people feel like bringing a lawsuit against a responsible party, such as a dentist, an amalgam manufacturer, the American Dental Association, or the Food and Drug Administration, for causing the mercury poisoning. The road can be difficult and most such efforts have not been successful. We are familiar with a number of legal cases that have been brought in the past and have written articles about them in our newsletter. However, please know that we do not practice law and or we do not offer legal services; If you are seeking legal advice, you must consult an attorney, preferably one who is very knowledgeable in this area of law.