Mercury Free & Healthy

  Introduction

1. PURPOSE:
   You can be part of the Solution.

2. CAPABILITIES:
   Help Yourself & Encourage Others.

3. GOVERNMENTS & DOCTORS:
   If you just discuss, debate, and deny, the people will take back their power.

4. Reclaim & Maintain
   your Health:
   Be a Winner through knowledge and action.

   I did not know the below until after I had two debilitating, life-threatening leaking mercury amalgams removed at the beginning of September, 1999.

   My ignorance and suffering need not be yours.

The Symbiosis between the dental and industrial communities and their scientific journals. (24 K)
http://vest.gu.se/~bosse/ybftBEN95a.html
2004 - this link is no longer available
Aug 1/93, Rev. Apr 3/94, Rev. Apr 9/95

"The organizational connection between scientific and industrial fields seems to be unique to the dental community." ...

"In other words: FDI (World Dental Federation), the head organization of the world's dentists also organizes both the manufacturers and dealers of dental materials. ... separate companies are invited to become an FDI Corporate Partner."

"... IADR/AADR (International Association of Dental Research / American Association of Dental Research) has not only individual scientists as members but also dental manufacturing companies including several of the world's largest amalgam manufacturers. ..."

"The industrial influence on scientific programs is substantial. ..."

"Strong links exist ... to promote dentistry's message to Congress (including) 'cohort letter writing program'"

"ADA (American Dental Association) has economic interests in the dental material business."

The IADR/AADR has set up a building fund ... most money ... supplied by industry. ..."

Assessment of Mercury Exposure and Risks from Dental Amalgam (6 K)
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/
1995, Dr. Mark Richardson,
Environmental Health Directorate, Health Protection Branch
2004 - this link and document is no longer available.

"Report was released to the public November 27, 1995, after peer review and ... stakeholder review."

"A major question of adopting a TDI (Tolerable Daily Intake) of relevance was discarded by the Medical Devices Bureau which could not distinguish between health and disease producing levels of mercury vapour"

COMMENT:
It would have been unethical to administer mercury to human subjects until universally recognized symptoms of disease were arrived at ... so the absence of a reliable level of poisoning, or safety, means no level can be rationally set.

Health Canada Position Statement on Dental Amalgam (4 K)
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/
1995, Health Canada, after acceptance by representatives of the dental industry and dental associations (about 50%) and the providers of public health and consumer groups (about 50% of Committee).
2004 - this link and document is no longer available.

1. ... dental amalgam is the single largest source of mercury exposure to average Canadians ...

2. A total ban on amalgam is considered unjustified ...

3. As a general principle, it is advisable to reduce human exposure to heavy metals in our environment, even if there is no clinical evidence of adverse side effects, ...

Ontario MPPs have knowingly condemned the rising numbers of lower income families and adults to a high risk of mercury toxicity --- unless they become well informed to know the dangers, and, rich enough to undue their government's poisoning of them.

Final Report of the Stakeholder Review Committee on the Safety of Dental Amalgam (95 K, 48 pages)
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/
1995, Dr. D. Wayne Taylor, Chairman
2004 - this link and document is no longer available.

"most members of the Committee were somewhere in the middle (between the extremes of full acceptance and complete banning of amalgam fillings)"

(Criticism of the Richardson Report)
"Although the methodology was valid, the input data were not reliable thus not allowing the distinction to be made between health and disease." (see above Comment)

"The number of amalgam-filled teeth, for each age group, estimated to cause exposure equivalent to the TDI (Tolerable Daily Intake) were: 1 filling for toddlers; 3 fillings for teens; and 4 fillings in adults and seniors."

Try explaining this to a teen who has 8 fillings or to an adult who has 12.

The Safety of Dental Amalgam (77 K, 15 pages)
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/english/media/releases/1996/96_63e.htm
(modified to HTML, 10 K, 1 page news release, 26 February, 2004)
1996, Health Canada (protecting Canadians from the truth and history!)

"In 1990, fewer than half of the tooth restorations in the United States (96 million out of 200 million) used amalgam ... trend of general decline." ( so nothing needs to be done ??)

"In 1992, the Swedish parliament approved a general plan to phase out mercury from all sources." ...

Sweden (1988), (1994) proposed a ban on amalgam use by 1997.

Germany (1992) continues to increase its list of contra-indications limiting amalgam use.

Denmark (1989) is to eliminate amalgam use by 1999.

Canada (1996) (declines political leadership and lets a committee talk the issue into obscurity)

COMMENT:
NONE of the Health Canada Reports or papers noted and quoted here were available from the main Health Canada web site. There existence was determined from a site located in Norway and an e-mail requesting info on them was sent to the webmaster of the Health Canada site. The "Amalgam" reports are located at the very BOTTOM of the online publications list.

Amalgam class action suit in Canada (3 K)
http://home.sol.no/~reiersol/classact.htm
(2004 - This page is no longer hosted by ISP, now http://www.sol.no)
March, 1997, from The Bio-Probe Newsletter

"On February 17, 1997, Canadians for Mercury Relief (CFMR) in Toronto and Alliance For Public Accountability (AFPA) in Ottawa ... announced a possible class action suit against dental amalgam in Canada ... purpose of the lawsuit is to educate Canadians and dentists alike ... Toronto firm Parocan, Raphael, Courey, Cohen and Houston retained ..."

".. suit based on the fact that Health Canada failed to inform the citizens of Canada of the results of its own internal studies questioning the safety of mercury exposure from dental amalgam fillings."

Amalgam "cover up" exposed in Canada (7 K)
http://home.sol.no/~reiersol/canada.htm
(2004 - This page is no longer hosted by ISP, now http://www.sol.no)
March, 1997, from The Bio-Probe Newsletter

"CBC French Network program 'Decouverte' (Discovery) ... which reports on scientific issues which might be covered up ran a 16-minute report on the health risks of amalgam following publication of Health Canada's Position Paper on the issue. ...."

"There followed a public outcry in dental offices throughout Quebec. ..."

"On 23 February, Decouverte aired a second report on amalgam, this time exposing Health Canada's failure to inform Canadians of the possible dangers of this material. Since 1976, four Health Canada reports by medical scientists have warned of these dangers; only in 1996 did Health Canada publish a position statement ...."

"Since 1982, according to Canadian law, all medical devices ... must have pre-market studies done to prove their safety and biocompatability. The president of the Canadian Dental association admitted his predecessors had lobbied the government to exclude dental restorative materials ...."

Dr. Pierre Blais, former risk analyst with Health Canada and author of its 1976 report on amalgam ... showed how the continued use of amalgam was contrary to Health Canada's policy ... concerned over (tiny) amounts (of mercury) in apples and looked the other way when (large) amounts, a million times more, were being directly implanted into a child's mouth." ...

"Dr. Mark Richardson's studies on the relative risks of mercury in amalgams and biphenyl-A in composites were quoted: The average Canadian, with 8 amalgams, was 3.5 times over the daily threshold limit for mercury exposure, whereas the patient with 8 composites was 125 time UNDER the daily threshold limit value for escaping biphenyl-A."

"... the dental patient must be aware and take responsibility for his/her own health." ...

"Anti-amalgam" epidemiological evidence. (26 K)
WAS: http://home.sol.no/~reiersol/evidence.htm
(2004 - This page is no longer hosted)
August 6, 1997

• Parkinson's disease linked to the number of amalgam fillings before onset of the disease.

• Parkininson's disease linked to blood mercury ....

• Heart disease linked to hair mercury and fish consumption ...

• NAG in urine (indicates kidney damage at high levels) increases with increasing number of amalgam fillings ...

• Still births and birth defects linked to mercury in maternal blood and umbilical cord blood ...

• Adolescents with fillings have more anxiety, tension, and other "personality" problems ...

• People with amalgams smoke more than those without (or with few) amalgams. ...

• In patients with tongue cancer and dental fillings only on one side, the cancer is usually on the same side as the fillings. ...

• DMSA (a chelating agent that removes mercury from the body) decreases fatigue in a placebo-controlled study. ...

• Women with amalgams are more depressed, angry and anxious than those without amalgams. ...

• People with amalgams have higher blood pressure, lower heart rate, lower hemoglobin, more chest pains, tachycardia, anemia, and fatigue. ....

German scientists say amalgam reduces fertility. (3 K)
http://home.sol.no/~reiersol/heidel.htm
(2004 - This page is no longer hosted by ISP, now http://www.sol.no)
1997, Oslo, Norway

"A link has been found between mercury and hormone disturbances, immune disturbances, recurrent fungal infections, hair loss and allergies. The differences are large. Allergies and hair loss are 2-3 times as common in the high-mercury group. --- can reduce fertility --- mercury affected hormone productions at low concentrations. ...

DMPS ... mobilizes mercury from tissues, particularly the kidneys, so that it is excreted in the urine. ..."

What toxicologists and medical researchers say about amalgam. (9 K)
http://home.sol.no/~reiersol/friberg.htm
(2004 - This page is no longer hosted.)
August 6, 1997

"A 1995 symposium --- Lars Friberg (1990 WHO report) ... not safe to use for everyone --- Mats Berlin (1992 article) ... amalgam unsafe --- G. Mark Richardson and Margaret Allan (1992) --- F. Lorscheider, M. J. Vimy, A. o. Summers (1995) ... 'Mercury has the potential to induce cell or organ pathophysiology. At the very least, the traditional dental paradigm (of amalgam safety) ... is without foundation.'"

UK Amalgam Page
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/pcsol
(June 2002 - Updated to: http://www.amalgam.ukgo.com/Homepage.htm
July 12, 1997, by Adrian Millett

A Mini FAQ;
Amalgam Mailing List Archives and extracts;
Tubingen study of 20,000 people;
Sunday Telegraph article 14/9/97 ... amalgam triggers antibiotic resistance in bacteria. ...

This site has many LINKS. A few are repeated here.

Response by The International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology (IAOMT) to the ADA claims. (52 K)
http://emporium.turnpike.net/P/PDHA/mercury/asr.htm
Last Updated: 07 Oct 1998, Remaining active 2004
by Preventive Dental Health Association (PDHA), and
Sizzle Productions

A Canadian non-profit charitable organization.
Executive Director: Michael Ziff, D.D.S., Orlando, FL.
Response by the IAOMT to the American Dental Association's Special Report and Statement of Confidence in Dental Amalgam, April, 1990.

Eleven ADA Claims Scientifically Refuted.

1. Is Mercury Poisonous?

2. Is Mercury Released from Fillings? (fetal tissue evidence)

3. Largest Source of Inorganic Mercury Exposure? (NOT fish)

4. Other Materials ... Are they Safe? (misleading)

5. "the absence of evidence is not evidence of absence"

6. (Blatantly False Statement re. FDA 1987 classification)

7. Remove Current Amalgams? (are those who react weird?)

8. (Misleading Bibliography -- NO primary research noted)

9. (ADA Brochure Misinforms the public)

10. (ADA promotes violation of dental ethics)

11. (ADA Violated Patient's Rights by defaming caring dentists)

Mercury Induces Cell Cytotoxicity and Oxidative Stress and Increases ß-Amyloid Secretion and Tau Phosphorylation in SHSY5Y Neuroblastoma Cells.
http://www.jneurochem.org/cgi/content/full/74/1/231
Journal of Neurochemistry, Vol. 74, No. 1, 2000 231-236
© 2000 International Society for Neurochemistry.
[2004: The above link has been changed or removed.]

Abbreviated quotes:

1. Abstract: Concentrations of heavy metals, including mercury, have been shown to be altered in the brain and body fluids of Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients. ... These results indicate that mercury may play a role in pathophysiological mechanisms of AD.

2. Levels of various metals and trace elements such as iron, aluminium, zinc, copper, lead, and cadmium were shown to be altered in the brains and body fluids of AD patients. Also, mercury levels were shown to be elevated in postmortem AD brain tissue (Ehmann et al., 1986; Thompson et al., 1988) and in the blood of AD patients (Hock et al., 1998).

3. Glutathione (GSH) is the most prevalent and important intracellular antioxidant (Wu et al., 1994). Its ability to scavenge both singlet oxygen and hydroxyl radicals provides a first line of antioxidant defense. Reduced GSH strongly modulates the redox state of cells, a role that is critical for cell survival (Bains and Shaw, 1997). The changes in cellular GSH levels thus serve as a sensitive measure of the oxidative state of cells (Toborek and Hennig, 1994).

   Melatonin has been shown to be a metal-chelating agent, binding aluminium, cadmium, copper, iron, lead, and zinc (Limson et al., 1998). Levels of melatonin and its precursors decrease with age within the body, thus potentially contributing to increased levels of heavy metals, including mercury, in the aged and AD subjects (Limson et al., 1998). ...

4. GSH measurements showed that 50 µg/L mercury, for as little as 30 min, was able to induce a 30% reduction in cellular GSH levels. The effect of mercury on GSH levels was also found to be concentration-dependent, with increasing GSH loss correlating to increasing mercury concentrations. ...

5. Mercury toxicity and intoxication are well documented and reported pharmacological phenomena. Chronic neurotoxicity is reported at concentrations >35 µg/L, whereas acute toxicity occurs at concentrations >200 µg/L (Hock et al., 1998). However, the effects of low levels of mercury such as those found in [non-leaking, non-aged] teeth amalgams or in the environment remain unclear. ...

6. A 24-h exposure to 50 µg/L mercury induced significant cell cytotoxicity in neuroblastoma cells. Treatment of cells with melatonin before administration of mercury greatly reduced the mercury-induced cytotoxicity. Mercury treatment of cells produced another as yet undocumented phenomenon, that of inducing oxidative stress, as measured by the loss of reduced GSH from cells.

   This was a rapid process, requiring only 30 min of exposure to mercury. Similarly, pretreating the cells with melatonin or premixing mercury and melatonin before administration protected cells from the mercury-induced oxidative stress. Melatonin's mechanism of action is at present unclear; however, melatonin is known to bind heavy metals (Limson et al., 1998)

   and MORE

Mercury Free and Healthy, The Dental Amalgam Issue.
http://www.amalgam.org
new site Sept. 2001. http://www.dams.cc
August, 1999, by DAMS Inc. (Dental Amalgam Mercury Syndrome)
and Consumers for Dental Choice
A Project of the National Institute for Science, Law, and Public Policy.
1424 16th Street, NW Suite 105, Washington, D.C. 20036
tel. 800-311-6265 dentaltruth@yahoo.com