Posted on 01/06/2008 9:08:16 PM PST by Paleo Conservative
OSLO, Norway, Jan. 3 -- Norway recently announced a ban on the use of mercury, including dental amalgam, that took effect on January 1, 2008. Sweden announced a similar ban and dentists in Denmark will no longer be allowed to use mercury in fillings after April 1, 2008.
"These bans clearly indicate that amalgam is no longer needed. There are viable non-mercury filling substitutes that are used everyday in the US," said Michael Bender, director of the Mercury Policy Project. "By eliminating amalgam use, which is 50% mercury, we can reduce mercury pollution much more efficiently than end-of-the-pipeline solutions."
In a prepared statement, Norwegian Minister of the Environment Erik Solheim said that the reason for the ban is the risk that mercury from products may constitute in the environment. "Mercury is among the most dangerous environmental toxins. Satisfactory alternatives to mercury in products are available, and it is therefore fitting to introduce a ban," said Solheim.
The Swedish amalgam ban is for both environmental and health issues, according to authorities. Danish officials indicate that the reason for banning amalgam is also because composites have become better, and may now be used in many more situations than a few years ago.
Teeth will have to be mended with e.g. plastic or ceramics. Exceptions to use amalgam may be granted for a certain period after the ban, if dentists apply for it.
"Composite fillings have now become so strong that the Danish National Board of Health says that we can expand the ban to also include amalgam fillings," said the (Danish) Minister of Health Jakob Axel Nielsen to "TV Avisen".
Authorities note that when the ban takes effect in Denmark in four months time, the present subsidy for amalgam will be changed so that it will instead cover dental fillings of composite material.
Since the health insurance stopped paying for amalgam restorations in Sweden in 1999, the use has decreased markedly and is now estimated to be 2-5% of all fillings.
My impression is that most dentists are not strongly marketing the replacement of amalgam fillings because people might start asking: “What were you putting into our mouths all these years?”
My dentist stopped using amalgam in 1984. I had my old amalgam fillings replaced over two years ago. One benefit is that its hard to tell I have any fillings, because the plastic is very similar in color to my teeth.
“My impression is that most dentists are not strongly marketing the replacement of amalgam fillings because people might start asking: “What were you putting into our mouths all these years?””
Another reason to consider, removing the old amalgam fillings may actually increase the mercury exposure of the patient (even drastically). So, to replace old fillings, fo no other reason to remove the mercury amalgam, may actually have a negative benefit.
That's a given, but chelation therapy, both intravenous and oral, plus the intake of selenium can dramatically decrease mercury content in body tissues.
IMO, mercury does escape the amalgam fillings during chewing and deterioration due to natural enzymes present in the mouth.
The WHO literature and studies done by the Canadian dental association in animals shows that mercury poisoning occurs with installing mercury amalgams in teeth.
I’d imagine dentists would prefer composites since they can charge more for them, and they lead to repeat business when they fall out after a few years.
If the original filling is plastic, it’s often the case that the dentist doesn’t need to drill as much tooth out to fill a cavity. Anyway amalgam fillings are ugly.
“My impression is that most dentists are not strongly marketing the replacement of amalgam fillings because people might start asking: “What were you putting into our mouths all these years?””
When I asked my Dentists about it, he said that ALL fillings had Mercury in them, and then gave me the standard boilerplate speech about how the FDA, medical researchers, and the EPA had all cleared Mercury for use in fillings, etc etc etc. I’m still a little disturbed at the knowledge that I’ve had mercury in my mouth for years.
So now homie will be running around with a carbon fiber grill?
Perfect...
I asked my dentist about the alleged danger of mercury fillings years ago, and he pooh-poohed it. I guess dentists are covering their rears to avoid lawsuits.
Ceramic composites not carbon fiber. I have 2 ceramic composite crowns on my upper incisors and 2 ceramic composite veneers on my upper bicuspids. I broke my upper incisors when I was ten and have replaced the crowns twice. Most recently I replaced them after whitening the other teeth in my mouth so I could have the crowns made much whiter. I had the bicuspids veneered so I could match all four teeth and eliminate visible tetracycline staining that can't be bleached out. The ceramics are actually stronger than the original teeth, and they wear down less than real teeth.
I am sorry it was wasted.
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