FDA: “Dental amalgams contain mercury, which may have neurotoxic effects on the nervous systems of developing children and fetuses”

It’s long been known that mercury is a neurotoxin and that amalgam fillings contain mercury. People who espouse that mercury amalgam fillings are not dangerous typically point to the FDA’s position that the “silver” fillings are “safe.” While the FDA has not banned mercury fillings (in fact, they have classified them as a Class II material: FDA Classifies Dental Amalgam Fillings as Class II (Moderate Risk)), that does not mean they have ruled the material as safe.

While doing some research this morning, I came across an excellent article from NaturalNews.com referencing the court order that forced the FDA admit the dangers of mercury amalgam fillings in children and pregnant women. (The decision actually came in 2008, but was not well-publicized and, therefore, is still not known even by many “industry-insiders,” which is why I am reprinting the article). I was going to write an article on the topic, but NaturalNews.com did an outstanding job so I’ve re-posted their article, below, with a link to their website (and with permission).

Enjoy!
Dr. Marvin

(NaturalNews, by: David Gutierrez, staff writer) For the first time, the FDA has issued a warning that the mercury contained in silver dental fillings may pose neurological risks to children and pregnant women.

“Dental amalgams contain mercury, which may have neurotoxic effects on the nervous systems of developing children and fetuses,” reads a statement that has been added to the agency’s Web site. “Pregnant women and persons who may have a health condition that makes them more sensitive to mercury exposure, including individuals with existing high levels of mercury bioburden, should not avoid seeking dental care, but should discuss options with their health practitioner.”

The warning was one of the conditions that the FDA agreed to in settling a lawsuit filed by several consumer health groups.

“Gone, gone, gone are all of FDA’s claims that no science exists that amalgam is unsafe,” said Charles Brown, a lawyer for Consumers for Dental Choice, one of the plaintiffs.

“It’s a watershed moment,” said Michael Bender of the Mercury Policy Project, another plaintiff.

Mercury is a well-known neurotoxin that can cause cognitive and developmental problems, especially in fetuses and children. It can also cause brain and kidney damage in adults.
So-called dental amalgams, or fillings made with a mix of mercury and other metals, have been used since the 1800s. Although it is known that small amounts of mercury are vaporized (and can be inhaled) when the fillings are used to chew food, and though Canada, France and Sweden have all placed restrictions on the use of mercury fillings, the FDA has always insisted that amalgams are safe.

Dental amalgams are considered medical devices, regulated by the FDA.

Even the FDA’s new warning stops short of admitting that dental amalgams are dangerous for the general population. Instead, it focuses on the same population that has already been warned to limit mercury exposure by consuming less seafood: children and pregnant women. The FDA says it does not recommend that those who already have mercury fillings get them removed.

Millions of people have received amalgam fillings, although their popularity has dropped off in recent years. Currently, only 30 percent of dental fillings contain mercury – the rest are tooth-colored resin composites made from glass, cement and porcelain. These alternative fillings are more expensive and less durable than amalgam, however.

In 2002, the FDA began a regulatory review of amalgam that was expected to be complete within a few years. In 2006, with the review still incomplete, an independent FDA advisory panel of doctors and dentists rejected the agency’s position that there is no reason for concern about the use of amalgam. While the panel agreed that the majority of people receiving such fillings would not be harmed, panel members expressed concern for the health of certain sensitive populations, including children under the age of six.

The panel recommended that the FDA conduct further studies on the risks to children from dental amalgam, and that it consider a policy of informed consent for children and pregnant: that is, warning those groups of the risks associated with the fillings before installing them.

Part of the lawsuit centered on the FDA’s failure to respond to these recommendations in a timely fashion.

“This is your classic failure to act,” federal judge Ellen Segal Huvelle told the agency.

As part of the lawsuit settlement, the FDA must reach a final decision on the regulation of amalgam by July 28, 2009.

“This court settlement signals the death knell for mercury fillings,” Brown predicted.
But J.P. Morgan Securities analyst Ipsita Smolinski disagreed, saying that the FDA is unlikely to ban amalgam entirely

“We do believe that the agency will ask for the label to indicate that mercury is an ingredient in the filling, and that special populations should be exempt from such fillings, such as: nursing women, pregnant women, young children, and immunocompromised individuals,” Smolinski said.

Sources for this story include: www.reuters.com; ap.google.com; blog.newswe

To read this article in it’s original format, please visit NaturalNews.com: FDA Reluctantly Admits Mercury Fillings Have Neurotoxic Effects on Children

The above article was reprinted with permission from NaturalNews.com.

Free Resource for Natural, Holistic Dental Information

It used to be that a search for holistic dental information would only turn up one or two resources on the entire Web. Today there are thousands of resources.

Unfortunately only a handful of truly great resources exist. At most sites you have to wade through tons of information that you’re not looking for just to answer the one or two questions you want to ask. We’ve solved that problem!

Today we officially launched a new website called AmericasHolisticDentist.com that provides one thing: answers to the most commonly asked holistic dental questions and the questions you might not have now, but need to ask!

All the answers are provided completely free and all are on video. Our goal is to get your most common questions answered by yours truly.  We’ve found that people love this format because they can see and hear it from the main source.

Currently we’re in Beta mode, but we already have more approximately 20 videos available to watch completely free. These videos answer questions such as:

• “What’s The Safest Way to Have Mercury Fillings Removed?”
• “What’s the Best Toothbrush for Children?”
• “Are Gold Fillings Safer than Mercury (Silver) Fillings?”
• “Are Deep Cleanings and Root Planings Safe?”
• “What’s the best way to prevent dental cavities?”
• “What are the 5 most important dental care items?”
• “Which electric toothbrush is the best?”
• “What’s the best mouthwash on the market?”
• “What’s the Proper Way to Floss Your Teeth (and What’s the Best Floss)?”
• And more.

Registration is completely free. All you need to do is visit http://americasholisticdentist.com/welcome/ and sign up for a free account.

Once you’re registered, you’ll get free access to all the videos currently on the site as well as all new videos we upload in the future (we currently have at least a dozen more that are being finalized and will be uploaded soon).

Check it out and let us know what you think. http://americasholisticdentist.com/welcome/

Thanks!
Dr. Marvin

PS: We created this site because we believe that education is important. Before you seek any form of medical or dental treatment, you should understand your options and the risks inherent in any procedure. As a former educator myself, I always strive to provide complete information to my patients. I hope that AmericasHolisticDentist.com will be another positive step forward in our quest to educate and provide answers to questions about traditional and holistic dentistry. Thanks!

Green Dentistry – Good For You AND The Earth

At The Center for Natural Dentistry, we believe that “Green” is more than just a color. Green is an obligation. Green is an Earth-friendly revolution. Green is an obligation to our patients and our planet. Green is the backbone of our operations. We believe it is our obligation to our patients and our planet to take every measure possible to help protect our environment, our resources, and our neighbors. That’s why we’ve gone beyond low-wattage fluorescent lights and low-flow toilets at our office. We’ve gone the extra mile to be Earth-friendly, including: Eco-friendly cleaning solutions to protect our water ways Reusable towels to reduce waste On-site, energy-efficient laundry facility to reduce waste Bio-hazard disposal policies to ensure toxic chemicals (such as mercury) don’t pollute our environment Comprehensive Patient Protection Program to ensure mercury vapors don’t pollute the air or our patients’ lungs Paperless records to reduce paper consumption and waste And much more From electricity to water. From chemicals to toxins. At The Center for Natural Dentistry we take our environmental obligations seriously. To find out more about what we’re doing to preserve and protect our natural resources, give us a call and schedule a visit. We’d be happy to show you around and introduce you to San Diego’s Natural Dentist.

See Our Article in Ranch and Coast! (Click Here) “What’s in a Logo?” When we chose the colors for our logo, it went deeper than “green looks nice.” We chose the color that would represent everything we stand for. To find out more, visit our FAQs page.

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The Center for Natural Dentistry was recently featured as a "Green Business" in Ranch and Coast... Check it out!

5 Ways to Green Your Dental Routine You don’t have to be “San Diego’s Green Dentist” to make a difference in the environment. Follow these five simple steps and you’ll help save our natural resources every time you brush! Turn It Off! Don’t leave the water running while you’re brushing. Turn it only to rinse your mouth and your brush (you don’t even need to use water before you brush!) Go Natural. Next time you buy toothpaste, pick a natural option like Tom’s rather than your normal choice. Natural toothpaste breaks down easier and helps protect our water ways. Compost! Yup… compost. Buy a composting (or biodegradable) toothbrush. Typically made of corn starch, these brushes won’t clog our landfill (and some can even help your garden grow!) Soft as a baby’s…. Don’t brush so hard, slow down and be gentle on your gums. Not only will it save your gums, it will also make your toothbrush last a lot longer, saving you money and reducing waste. Floss! You hear it all the time: “Flossing is the most important thing you can do for your teeth.” But did you know flossing can also help the environment? By flossing regularly you’ll help prevent major dental work, saving you money and reducing amount of chemicals most traditional dentists use when filling cavities.

Calcium and Vitamin C- Not just good for bones

Most of us have heard by now of the importance of getting enough calcium in our diets to prevent bone loss as we age. But for many men and women getting enough calcium is a direct contradiction to what ever our most recent diet plan describes. The shocking truth is that new research has uncovered calcium as a preventive tool in oral care.

About 99 percent of the calcium in the human body is held in the bones and teeth. Calcium maintains healthy teeth and protects your teeth in an indirect way. Your teeth themselves are relatively inert, meaning that the calcium they contain usually stays there. Your jawbone is the potential problem. Like other bones, it gradually surrenders calcium for needs elsewhere in your body if you’re not consuming enough. As your jaw weakens, your teeth loosen, creating gaps where bacteria can invade, triggering infection, inflammation, and bleeding. In fact, the condition of your teeth and gums can be a window to the overall health of your bones. Not surprisingly, the first signs of osteoporosis are sometimes found by your dentist.

Nutritional recommendations to help keep you smiling include:

Drinking lots of water. Keeping your mouth moist is important in warding off tooth decay and periodontal diseases because it washes away food and neutralizes plaque.

Brushing and flossing after eating sticky foods such as raisins, fruit rolls or candy

Next time you are at your local San Diego dental office, ask how you can help protect those pearly whites

Gum Disease: Don’t Believe It’s Important? Think Again About Gum Disease.

Gum Disease is a topic many people have pondered over… especially if you just came from the dental office.  However, most soon forget about it a few hours later as they tackle other mundane activities.

For most people, they don’t understand it or they are not willing to go the extra effort to prevent red bleeding gums.

But… being a scientist (as all dentists are to some extent), I can now say that it is NOT a good time to forget about this incurable disease we call periodontitis and gingivitis.

I’ll make this clear cut and straight to the point.  Gum diseases are almost always infections.  The cause of gum disease is bacteria.  The result is a body (or host) response that results in bleeding, pain, redness, and other inflammatory reactions.

There are 2 ways to avoid/reverse/stop the progression.  1) Kill the bacteria that cause it or 2) Help the body’s response to it.

The first method may sound simple but for decades, most people think that good oral hygiene can do the trick.  Not so.  Gum disease is getting progressively worse in our population.

One reason for that is NOT awareness as most people that go to the dentist have heard the lecture before. 

You know what I’m talking about.  “You should brush and floss more..” yada yada yada.  Either you don’t get it or you don’t care enough to do something about it.

The seconod reason why you have gum disease is because of the host, aka you.  If you don’t have good defense, the attacker will win.  In this case, the aggressor is bacteria.  This is the holistic part that gets me excited about being a holistic dentist.

Here’s where I go strong on ya so be prepared.

Below I’ve included a great scientific article about gum disease (and more specifically the bacteria found in your gums when you have gum disease) and the systemic (or whole body) ramifications.  Check it out.

Costerton J, Keller D. Oral periopathogens and systemic effects. Gen Dent. 2007 May-June;55(3):210-15.

As a result of hundreds of articles like this one which support the fact that there is a direct link between gum disease and other bodily diseases, we at The Center For Natural Dentistry have developed our own process for fighting illnesses by combating the bacteria under your gums.

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