Swimming Can Be Harmful to Your Teeth

As a biological dentist, I have quite a number of health conscious patients, several of whom are avid swimmers. Swimming is a very healthy sport, but it can have its drawbacks.

Handstand in the swimming pool

Most swimming pools are chlorinated, and as most of us already know, chlorine can be toxic. We know that our skin is the biggest organ for sweating out poisons (detoxification), but it is also the biggest organ for absorbing poisons. That being said, it would be good to avoid exposing our skin to all known toxic chemicals: sunscreen, most makeup and moisturizers, and of course, chlorinated swimming pools.

Can removing amalgam fillings help patients in New York live healthier?

More than 150 million Americans have at least one “silver” filling in their mouths. Yet dental amalgam contains very little silver. It is made up of about 50 percent mercury. As consumers become more aware of the health hazards associated with having one of the deadliest toxins known to mankind a few inches from the brain 24/7/365, many are considering removing amalgam fillings. I advise friends and family in New York to carefully research the dentist they choose to do the work.

Inappropriate removal of amalgam

Conventional methods of removing amalgam fillings greatly increase the mercury hazard. Little or no protection is provided to the patient as the filling is ground out with a drill. Particulate matter lands on the skin and is swallowed. The greatest threat, however, is from the drilling itself. When amalgam is heated by friction, it releases mercury vapor. Inhaled mercury vapor quickly passes through lung membranes and accumulates in the body.

Safe removal of dental amalgam

At The Brand Wellness Center, we adhere to strict IAOMT guidelines for removal of even a tiny amalgam filling.

• The patient is given an activated charcoal tablet 15 minutes prior to filling removal.
• The treatment room has an air filtration system.
• An alternative air source is provided for the patient.
• A rubber dam keeps particles from being swallowed.
• The filling is kept cool with water and air.
• “Chunking” the filling into several pieces reduces the need to drill.
• A high volume evacuator removes vapor and particles.
• Once the filling is removed, staff uses fresh rubber gloves.
• The patient’s mouth is rinsed for a minimum of 15 seconds.
• The work area is immediately cleaned up, and the patient’s face and neck are wiped.

That is an oversimplification of a complex process, but it gives you an ideal of the importance of removing amalgam fillings safely, for an ongoing improvement in your overall health. 

Mercury fillings impact the health of NY dental hygienists and assistants

According to the United States Department of Labor, there were 200,500 dental hygienist jobs in this country in 2014, with a growth outlook of 19 percent (much higher than most fields) in the next ten years. There are even more dental assistants at 318,800, with an 18 percent growth outlook. Nearly 96 percent of those dental workers are female. Many are young women, starting families. As a holistic dentist in NY, I am concerned about the potential of mercury dental fillings to cause these individuals grave health problems, including birth defects and reproductive failure.

Occupational hazards of amalgam fillings

Silver-colored fillings contain about 50 percent elemental mercury, a known neurotoxin. In conventional dental offices, dental workers rarely wear protective gear or use air filtration masks. The rationale given by their employers is usually two-fold. First, since the ADA and FDA have long supported use of dental amalgam, it must not be dangerous. Second, protective gear would scare patients on the receiving end of amalgam fillings. Most dental workers aren’t fully aware of the hazards of working with amalgam, and their health suffers as a result.

How mercury infiltrates the body

Elemental mercury can be absorbed through the skin, ingested, or inhaled. Dental workers are commonly exposed to mercury vapor. They work in close proximity to a patient’s mouth, breathing the vapor each time an amalgam filling is polished, ground, or drilled.

The human body has no way to flush mercury, so it builds up over time. Mercury vapor attacks the central nervous system, and impairs lung and kidney function. Because the toxin crosses the placenta, it also accumulates in unborn babies. Fetuses are especially susceptible, as the neurological system is developing.

There way to resolve this very real health threat to thousands of NY dental workers and their future offspring. The change will occur when dentists, dental support staff, and patients demand a healthier alternative to mercury-laden amalgam fillings.