A new study out of the University of Georgia shows that if you have more than eight “dental surface restorations”, they can raise the level of mercury in your blood.  (Note that each filling can have more than one surface. So even if you have fewer than eight fillings, this study still applies to you!)

While the study did not examine the adverse health implications, it did note that “a significant correlation between the blood level of mercury and dental restoration raises major concerns about potential mercury exposure.” Mercury is well-known to harm the central nervous system and kidneys.  And it accumulates in your body from many different sources – so people who are exposed to mercury in their workplaces and in their diet (like if you eat a lot of some types of seafood) are even more at risk.  Continue reading →

In Hartford, Connecticut (USA) on June 23, environmental justice activists, health professionals, and patient advocates gathered on the steps of the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection to protest the state’s failure to stop pro-mercury dentists from willfully violating the law.

Connecticut law requires that “the brochure Fillings: The Choices You Have, Mercury Amalgam and Other Filling Materials shall be displayed and remain prominently displayed in each office.” It alerts every patient and parent that amalgam is mainly mercury, that mercury is a toxin, and that patients can choose mercury-free fillings.  The Department of Energy and Environmental Protection is charged with enforcing this law. Continue reading →