How a Mercury Filling Almost Took My Son's Life
A Mercury Filling almost took my son's life.
Don't believe me?
Well, it's true.
There are some stories about our family's health that I tell on occasion to share about what we've been learning.
Recently I thought that I should share some of these "stories" with all of you so that you can learn more about what we've been through.
This is one of those stories.
Now, before I start, keep in mind that I used to be someone who never thought twice about
- drinking non-filtered water
- eating lots of sugar
- using a microwave
- getting immunizations
Like all those things I mentioned above, I never thought twice about getting mercury fillings either. I mean, you're telling me that mercury leaches into your body and actually hurts you? Why would my friendly family dentist put something into my body that would actually hurt me?
Ahem.
Think again.
Our Mercury Fillings
Since I completely trusted our dentists, and since the mercury fillings were a lot cheaper than the alternative (and we were not raking in the dough), when my oldest needed fillings (and he needed a lot), we always got the silver ones.
Well, one particular time, after he got not just one mercury filling, but two mercury fillings, he kept complaining that one hurt. I kept reassuring him that nothing was wrong, but he kept complaining and complaining.
And then I started worrying. I remembered stepping into the room when he was getting the fillings put in and seeing quite a bit of blood. I wasn't sure, but I didn't recall ever seeing a whole lot of blood from fillings before, but then mine was always quite superficial and I only had 2 in my whole life. But the blood thing continued to bother me.
So I took him in to have the dentist look at it, but the dentist found nothing wrong. I think we even went in twice for reassurance.
Fast forward a few weeks.
The Nightmare Begins
My son woke up saying that his tooth hurt a lot and his cheek was swollen. That afternoon he laid down for a nap around 2 pm and slept 'til 5, which was very odd for him.
When I woke him up (so he'd actually sleep that night), the nightmare began.
Half of his face was swollen down to his jawbone and up around his eye. His eye was almost swollen shut.
I called the doctor and they sent me right over to the hospital.
Now I knew something was wrong.
Admitted immediately. His swelling was cellulitis - a potentially life-threatening infection of the soft tissues. Since it was around his eye it was dangerously close to his brain.
Not words a mama wants to hear.
The doctor started IV antibiotics. But my son got worse. When I saw my son the next day (Dad stayed in the hospital with him because his younger brother was just a baby and I was home with him), half of his face looked like the Elephant Man's.
24 hours after being admitted there was talk about him being sent to Infectious Disease because the infection wasn't responding.
"No!" I screamed silently.
I drove back and forth from the hospital, getting whole foods and clothing for my son. Crying, praying, and singing Psalm 23 from the Psalter...
"Yea, though I walk through death's dark vale...yet will I fear no ill...."
Finally, just before they were ready to send him on to the next set of specialists, things started turning around and we went home with a lot of antibiotics and my son finished them.
Then, about a week later, my son told me that his mouth felt funny. There it was. A small swollen spot just above the filling.
Mom got VERY scared and made an appointment.
Doctor visit.
Doctor thinks mom is crazy and that the swelling will go away on its own.
"It's not just above the filling" he said.
"Yes, it is," I insisted.
"No, it isn't."
"Yes, it is," I said, getting angry and frustrated that he wasn't listening to my mother's instincts. Couldn't he see it? Didn't he know what we'd just been through?
"What's it going to take to make you happy, Adrienne?"
"A referral to an oral surgeon."
Well, I got it.
Three oral surgeons. Their recommendations?
- Outpatient surgery.
- Biopsy.
- The third, most experienced doctor said, "I'm just going to pull the tooth."
I went with #3. Least invasive and least expensive.
Tooth pulled and the most well-respected oral surgeon in our city said, "Yes, it was just above the filling and I've never seen anything like it in my life."
(This was said by perhaps that most competent and experienced oral surgeon in our city--one with a reputation for good health care.)
It was a granuloma.
What's a granuloma?
I didn't know either. According to Wikipedia:
Granuloma is a medical term for a tiny collection of immune cells known as macrophages. Granulomas form when the immune system attempts to wall off substances that it perceives as foreign but is unable to eliminate.
Hmmm..From what I could tell, my son's body appeared to be attempting to wall off the mercury filling. (It's possible that the granuloma was related to the injury of getting the filling and not the filling itself, but given my son's Asperger's Syndrome (high-functioning autism) and the heavy metal issues that we are now uncovering, I am not ruling out a reaction to the mercury. Regardless--stay aware and vigilant about your and your family's health.
Tooth removed. Granuloma gone.
No more swelling.
The moral of this story is . . .
well, in my mind, there are several:
1. Don't assume that others' stories of "invisible health issues" or sensitivities are invalid or "all in their head." I used to think so. Now that a number of them have come to roost in my own household, I know otherwise.
2. Mercury is a poison. I recommend not putting mercury fillings in your mouth as a permanent structure. I'm not saying this is for sure what caused the cellulitis, but I don't want it in my body or in the body of those in my family.
3. You are the parent. You are in charge of your child's health. I knew something was wrong with my son and though I was ridiculed by his physician, I pressed on. He might have died otherwise. Guess who isn't our physician any longer? I sent the resulting medical results to him and didn't even get a reply. Not good.
4. Don't take the lives of your loved ones for granted. Things could have turned for us on a dime that day. For now, we are all still together. Thank God.
More "Natural Health" Posts
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- Help! I Can't Get to Sleep - Natural Help for Children (& Adults)
- Do You Have Adrenal Fatigue? Take This Quick Test
- How we avoided antibiotics - the pink stuff
- Why I'm Thankful for - Autism
Do you or your children still get mercury fillings?
Please share this with others so they can know about the potential dangers of mercury fillings.
I am a dentist who has no particular affinity towards amalgam fillings. Granulomas happen when a spot where an infection was did not heal properly. In this case, it is clear there was an infection. Infections are entirely different from and unrelated to allergic reactions. An allergic reaction is what one could theoretically experience with an amalgam filling. Thus, the horrible experience suffered here cannot be blamed upon mercury, in my professional opinion.
Hello there and thanks for reading and commenting. I did read that granulomas are typically, but not always, caused by infections. Do you know differently? Thank you.
Thank you! I'm scheduled to have the remaining amalgams removed next Thursday September 22nd.
I now realize it will be a long process.
I'm going to begin a mercury detox immediately after maybe cutlets chelation process?
I don't have thoughts on Cutler. Some say it's good and others not - good thing to do research.
I am talking to my practitioner about doing oral chelation but have to get blood work done first.
Thank you! : )
From what I've researched blood tests reveal mercury that's in your blood but doesn't identify what's attached to your brain.
Rather than me doing multiple tests I thought that I'd simply get the mercury out first and then ask questions later.
I'll keep you posted. My appointment is Thursday and I plan on asking lots of of questions.
Thank you again for your posts and all that you do
I would think that is accurate. Thanks for the update!
Had my 1st set of amalgams removed using safe protocol.
Used new q top numbing agent. Went beautifully! No injection needed and he used the wand for anesthetic. Didn't feel a thing thank goodness!
Wore off later and head is on fire but that's because the old fillings were deep.
I immediately noticed a difference in how I felt. It's too soon to tell but the amalgams may have been the culprit.
I Will keep you updated. Thank you again for the support, prayers and sharing your story about your son. You are getting me through a very difficult time.
So glad it went well. Please do update. You are so welcome. I will stop and pray again.
Just out of curiosity, did they give an injection to numb? I did not have fillings, still don't, but had to have a tooth pulled and the injection site from the numbing medicine became infected.They said it was a granuloma as well. Not sure why it happened, didn't end up in the hospital, but did end up on antibiotics (2 rounds) and with a swollen face for about a week. It was another one of those "fluke" "never had this happen before things". Mine was caught fairly early, within maybe 3 days.
I think so for my son. It was a deep filling. I'm so sorry that happened to you. 🙁
I have amalgams and feel as if I'm dying. Doctors can't figure out what is wrong with me but I have all of the symptoms of mercury poisoning and then some.
It's been 3 months and am due to have my 1st quadrant removed in 2 days. I'll keep you posted as to my recovery.
I'm so scared so I pray this is the answer .
Thanks for sharing your story. It gives me hope.
Stefan
I will pray for you right now. I hope you feel better. There are so many people with this issue. Please look at protocols for having those fillings removed safely and take care.
Thank you so much for the prayer. That means a great deal. I am having my amalgams removed by pearly whites in Redlands ca. The dentist is a biological dentist who uses safe protocol including the rubber dam, vacuum and separate air for the patient to breathe.
I checked him out thoroughly before my visit and already had a consultation with him.
I'm scheduled for tomorrow morning at 10 am (Tuesday the 13 th).
I hope this will be the end of the nightmare.
Wonderful. Praying again. It could be a long road but I hope it's at least a good beginning.
Don't hold your breath waiting for those scientific papers to turn up they were never done!!!!!!
I would like to challenge any amalgam dentist who thinks amalgam fillings are safe to produce a scientific paper commissioned by the ADA that shows the electrical capacity of dental amalgam was investigated prior to placing mercury in people's mouths ,in fact I know you won't be able to produce this paper as it was never done so I will go as far as allowing you to produce a paper that shows you investigated the electrical potential of amalgam after 1920 when Stock warned you about electrolysis ,you have been negligent in your duty of care to the public over this issue stop lying and stop using mercury fillings !!!!!
These fillings have thermoelectric properties they can generate electricity in the human mouth via electrolysis and also via the Seebeck effect if either of these chemical processes is underway the metals degrade as they lose electrons and electricity is created ,the result is the mercury is allowed to escape were it is inhaled into the brain and body , dont trust any of these (expletive deleted by blog owner) with a DDS after their name if they are telling you amalgam fillings are safe they are lying dentistry should have investigated the thermoelectric properties of dentistry prior to placing this toxic rubbish in peoples mouths they were warned by Alfred Stock in the 1920s about the potential for electrolysis to occur but ignored his wise advice.
Last year at one point, I was going through some financial difficulties and had to go through the county hospital/dental services for dental work. All they had were mercury filling and since I was badly in need of it, I gave the go-ahead. My tooth had a visible hole in it where a piece of my tooth had actually broken off a few weeks before. Well I had it done and in the immediate 3 days afterwards, my health began to deteriorate. I felt immense "brain fog", so bad I couldn't think, and felt my head floating in space, severe fatigue, and towards the end of that episode, I ended up in the ER 3 weeks later because I could not take a full breath and could not get oxygen into my lungs. I was literally, physically gasping for air like a dying fish. They couldn't find anything wrong with the standard blood work or my EKG so I left since I had been there 12 hours already (big city wait times). Well I had just gotten paid so I made an exception, and said screw the light bill payment and paid a small low income dental center out of pocket the NEXT DAY to remove that fresh mercury filling and replace it with composite. I was exhausted coming out of that office and slept until the next day. When I woke up, all my symptoms drastically improved, I was no longer gasping for air to such a degree and completely improved in the following 2-3 days. Look it up, ALL OF MY SYMPTOMS ARE CLASSIC MERCURY POISONING. Even if people have silver fillings in their mouth for years and don't seem as if they are going "mad", that doesn't mean this stuff is not poisoning them. It'll get you sooner or later through all the different pathways of the body and you will end up sick as a dog. Get them out.
Thanks for sharing and so sorry you had this terrible problem!
Hi there would you mind letting me know which web host you're working with? I've loaded your blog in 3 completely different internet browsers and I must say this blog loads a lot faster then most.
Flywheel - info on this page: https://wholenewmom.com/i-recommend/ Glad it's loading well!
Sorry but murcery poison is harmful to anyone life out there. You get the crap down your blood streams and see how fast it takes over your body making your memory go away with in a second causing you not to focus and taking your energy away from you and making you very nervous and upset and getting into your nerve system cause in your blood pressure to go up and down. Burning an tingling through your body. And to find out their not trying to reconize this as a bad poison and taking up for it like it is a human being. Trying to make you like you a nut case when infact you know what the harms is because it has been brought to their attention. So whoever thinks murcery poison is not the number one killer out here think of your love ones who you know should not have had any born illness. Their not telling you the hard core facts on murcery.
So many more lessons for you to have learned and listed here for your own future reference that I feel compelled to write down lest you don't forget:
1. NEVER EVER be penny wise and pound foolish w/ your children's healthcare or your own! Take out a second mortgage or borrow from a relative - do whatever you have to do but for God's sakes lady, how much did skimping on a Mercury filling cost you in the end??! A lot more than a porcelain veneer probably w/ hospital stay and nearly losing your kid to infection plus oral surgeon. Go with the best solution (quality first and foremost) upfront and save your pennies for a rainy day! These are not frozen peas, these are your children, your most precious crown jewels and they only come around once in a lifetime! 2. If you found a fabulous oral surgeon, best in the city, then ask him and only him for a dentist referal going forward. The dentist that wouldn't take you seriously? Dump him like a bag of bricks over a wall. 3. Always Always Always take your children's pains and cries seriously - especially if they have underlining conditions like Asperger's! How could you not know this but go onto write a blog as a "whole new mom"? You need to be a whole new re-educated mom before blogging about it..Read Everything you can get your grubby hands on and go to every online seminar, conference, form groups, do surveys, never ever think you know it all - that's when you stop learning and start preaching. Without a medical degree, that will never be you. 4. Be humble about yourself but never about your kids - one day they will be alone because you will be gone - at least let them carry the strength of your love with them into their later adult years. If they have that, they carry you with them forever!! 5. If it doesn't exist already in your area, create a list of doctors, dentitsts, nurses and other medical practitioners who specialize in the treatment of kids and adults with Asperger's and Autism. With 1 in 68 kids in America brain diagnosed with this condition today, our medical practitioners need to seriously think hard about why creating specialty care for these kids and adults will be integral for our society. 6. Get your legislators to ban Mercury fillings altogether - they are toxic for everyone and reside in the body for years! We don't want them in our fish we eat, why in our mouths, immune systems and bodies? 7. Read up on Weston Price and how bad dentistry affects our long term health - especually the part on Mercury fillings and root canal - everyone should read this and study it hard! 8. Be self educated so you can intelligently fight for your own health and that of your children's! Good luck and God bless!!
Hello Stella. I appreciate your comment, but I don't think you are assessing my situation accurately.
1. We really didn't have relatives to borrow from -- or maybe we did and it never occurred to me. The mercury filling incident happened at the beginning of my knowing about risks of dental materials. And as you know, most dentists think that there is no problem with them. Ours certainly did not. And, according to many of the commenters here, the mercury wasn't what caused the issue, but the dentist's work is to blame.
I don't think of my kids as being frozen peas at all.
2. I am using a different dentist now and will never go back to that one. The first one came w/ high recommendations but I feel totally differently now.
3. Of course I took my son's pains seriously- is there a reason you think I didn't? And his pattern is, and always has been to make big things out of small things that are of no consequence, but to weather really bad things well. Case in point - splinters are like a nightmare to him, while being in the hospital was nothing. He was in the hospital acting like nothing was wrong at all and when he was an infant he has rotavirus and the doctors told us that he was the best rotavirus patient they had ever seen. So while I did take him seriously, I had to think about his tendencies.
However, why do you think I didn't? I mentioned that I took him to see his PCP and ended up practically yelling "GIVE ME A REFERRAL TO AN ORAL SURGEON!!!" when the PCP insisted that the lump was nothing.
I call myself "whole new mom" b/c that is what I am trying to be - more wholly healthy, and becoming new. It by no means is meant to state that I have "arrived".
And my hands are not "grubby" - unless I'm just getting done working in the garden or kitchen :).
I'm not sure what you mean by "without a medical degree that will never be you."
4. I think I am humble about me
5. I don't think that just b/c a medical practitioner specializes in Asperger's and autism that they will be best for my son. There is a dentist here who specializes in autistic kids, but he is too mainstream and I want a doctor open to our natural bent and needs. I'm more concerned about going w/ medical practitioners who understand my son's physical vulnerabilities than one who "gets" autism in the social sense.
6. I think they are overall on the way out but good idea.
7. I was on the WAPF board, so I am fairly well versed in that area.
8. I think if anything I spend too much time researching.
Thanks for commenting. I hope this clarifies.
Ok
Let's go with the facts of the case.
For full disclosure I am an MD, my father was a dentist and I have amalgams...
First you described a localized reaction- just the left side of the face and neck
How can that possibly be if it is due to Mercury? It would be toxic due to absorption into the body so why localized? Why not systemic?
You were told this was cellulitis. Please reference any medical description of mercury toxicity as a localized skin inflammation akin to cellulitis. That is not a Mercury toxicity presentation.
How is it possible that antibiotics helped this? He was improved by your own report before you had his tooth pulled. If it was due to Mercury toxicity then he wouldn't have gotten better and likely worse.
He had a granuloma. Again, please reference anywhere that a potential reaction to Mercury exposure is granuloma formation. Granuloma a are mostly reactions to infections or "dirty" foreign bodies. Infections are likely to occur following an inadequate filling procedure.
Lastly have you researched amalgams and what that means? I would suggest perhaps a college level chemistry class and a basic statistics class before coming to some of your conclusions.
I won't speak for others here but for me personally I find it difficult to not ridicule...
Your assessments and conclusions and sadly how they apparently influence the choices you make for your children are dangerous.
Hi Kelley. Thanks for commenting.
The definition of a granuloma is the body having a reaction to a foreign body. Could that not be the mercury?
The cellulitis would then be a reaction to the granuloma - could that be possible?
Of course cellulitis responds to antibiotics.
Yes, this could have been to an infection, but I do think that the medical community is very loathe to discuss anything as being a mercury issue. Are you stating that you think it is completely impossible? I didn't state that is was for sure the mercury, but I do think that it is possible. What do you think?
I'm not sure what you mean by "have I researched amalgams and what that means"? I did take college level chemistry. At a very good institution. But it was a long time ago.
Can you tell me what choices you think that I make for my children that are dangerous?
Thank you. I look forward to your response. I do appreciate the back and forth and am fine admitting if I am wrong.
Wow! All the comments and dialog are very interesting! It does give a person something to think about.
About a year ago, my back tooth, right side, on the top, cracked and pieces were coming out. It never hurt, so I didn't go to the dentist. It took a month or two, but the whole tooth, above the gum line is gone. No big deal to me.
Now, the reason I came acroos your blog is, in the last 2 weeks, all 3 of the other back teeth, top left, bottom right and left, have all cracked!! I noticed, that all 3 of those teeth have the black fillings. Since none of them hurt, I was searching the internet to see if old fillings could cause teeth to die. In all my reading, I've noticed all the articles about mercury poisoning.
Let me make this really interesting. I'm am 43 years old, and take medication for depression, bi-polar, restless leg syndrome, insomnia, and ADD. I, also, have been diagnosed with arthritis and fibromyalgia. It makes a person wonder!!
As a side note, a realize that all that medication has their own side effects, can cause other problems, and dependence. But, when I don't take all of the medication, I am a really horrible and depressed person.
I'm so glad your son is ok!!
Oh my. Thanks for writing. I am so sorry to hear about your struggles. I started working on metals detox awhile ago and was talking w/ someone who ended up in a wheelchair from mercury poisoning. I wonder if you saw this post: https://wholenewmom.com/health-concerns/could-you-have-heavy-metal-poisoning-and-not-know-it-part-one/ I also have other thoughts for you. None of this is medical advice, but have you heard of the AIP diet for autoimmune diseases? I had some restless leg starting awhile ago but now that I have done a lot of gut and adrenal and thyroid work it is gone. So are my RA-type symptoms. I think there are a lot of natural alternatives for you. I am taking a bunch of gut healing supplements now, and a grape seed supplement that appears to be really helping my energy levels. Happy to tell you more if you are interested. I know many people who have been diagnosed w/ fibro only to find that their real issues were adrenals and thyroid. Hope to see you around again...
Dont know if the mercury caused the cellulitis but it sounds like shabby dental work might have caused the infection. I had cellulitius in my ear last fall from a ear cartlidge piercing. It drained while sleeping down into my ear canal. it caused my canal and face to swell up like your sons also had it start to go behind my eye. 8 rounds of iv treatment, 5 days inpatient. Cellulitis is a very serious thing. Mine started because of my bodys reaction to the surgical steel earring.
I am not sure what did it. I did read that the granuloma is typically a reaction to a foreign substance, which makes me think about the mercury. Of course, perhaps it was both. So sorry to hear about your situation and glad you are doing better. Why would your body have reacted to the surgical steel? Does that mean you can't have surgery ever?
Well, okay lets put it this way I was told by the piercer (which is a reputable place, not back alley) that it was surgical steel, but again that is what I was told. It may have not been. I had surgery on my knee, an arthroscopy before and didn't get an infection so the person might have lied (imagine).. But yes I forgot to mention about the granuloma in my post. My friend actually has one from dental work. It really scared her and she ended up having to get a biopsy to make sure it wasnt cancer. it started to go away, but is starting to bother her again. We are exposed to so much chemical wise. even if everything is pure in your home, you would have to live in a bubble literally to avoid all chemicals, Im working on losing household cleaners. as my big project this year.
Wow. Scary. Thanks for sharing. I will say regarding your search for household cleaners, that I am THRILLED w/ the Branch Basics mentioned in this post: https://wholenewmom.com/whole-new-budget/free-kindle-books-healthy-living-nov-21-2014/ I haven't written much about it but it's great for so many things.
You are unneccesarily spreading fear to all to read your story - why? This adds to the problem, not the solution. Your story has absolutely nothing to do with mercury. You're probably part of the crowd telling people not to get immunizations, too. Oh, an immunizations do not cause autism.
Hi Brian, I appreciate your commenting.
Thank you.
OK, I'll bit:
Off-topic - but vaccines do not cause autism. I could give you a dozen references (SCIENTIFIC references, not websites) which point to that conclusion. The one study which hinted that they are correlated has been thoroughly disproven and tossed in the trash by the scientific community. Unfortunately, this study already did its damage so that the public is doing with it what it will. I say this also having a son on the ASD.
The toxic form of mercury is methyl mercury or related organically-complexed mercury compounds. The metallic form of mercury, whihc is present in fillings, is not absorbed by your body and not toxic to any significant extent.
My PhD is actually relevant to this discussion - I am a heavy metals chemist and toxicologist. I am sorry about what happened to your son, but I only ask that you think about what you write, because you are spreading an immense amount of misleading, if not completely false information.
Sigh.....
1) you are being alarmist. "How a mercury filling almost took my son's life" is your title. You have exactly zero facts to back that statement up. It's like a story out of Fox News.
.
2) I have never heard of Mark Hyman. I glanced at his website and his "facts" look about as believable as Dr. Oz's (a peer-reviewed study in the British Medical Journal found that about 50% of Dr. Oz's advice is baseless). Note: Ph.D. is a research scientist. M.D. is a professional degree. HUGE difference.
3) I am happy that your opinion has no bearing on actual facts.
4) I am a concerned scientist that opinions like yours DO have a bearing on public policy.
Hi there again.
I am not being alarmist at all. My son had a mercury filling and as a result he almost died. I don't think it is alarmist at all. I could put you in touch w/ the hospital's staff if you'd like.
As for Mark Hyman, I'm not surprised that you haven't heard from him but he is very well respected. I don't care for everything Dr. Oz says, but he is dead right about many things. Hyman I agree with in many more cases.
I know what the difference between a PhD and an MD are. I was pre med at a top university in the US and my husband is a PhD so I am pretty well versed in these things. There are sharp people and not so with both degrees. And even the sharp ones can be wrong about things.
3) I have no idea what you are talking about.
4). I am a concerned mother and there are many ways in which mainstream medicine and science are wrong on these things. For many years I thought that mercury toxicity was a joke, that autism was just an overdiagnosed condition, that food allergies were simply someone's way of trying to go on a diet.
Was I wrong.
Those things happened to me one by one and now I see that they are true. Heavy metal poisoning is real and as our livers are more and more compromised it is more prevalent. Autism is growing by leaps and bounds and food allergies and intolerances are too.
I am frustrated by your tone, but I do give you grace b/c I once was skeptical too and now I know it's true. Perhaps one day someone you love (or yourself possibly) will be touched by these things and you will see what I see.
As for public policy, I hope my thoughts do have a bearing on public policy. I have been active in the public arena and will continue to be so as I have the opportunity. Via this blog and my private interactions with people I hope to help others who are hurting to find healing without being so dependent on drugs.
Still am open to dialoguing but I would appreciate your not being insulting.
Thank you in advance.
Adrienne, just wanted to say I appreciate your sweet spirit in dealing with these very antagonistic people attacking you. I use your blog often as a source when I have a question and find you to be very reasonable and open in what you say. Given the nature of the Internet, you can always find opposing views on anything you look up. I tend to go to people I feel are trustworthy, although I weigh everything. That's my responsibility. I am sorry you took such attacks when you are just sharing what you have found of value for your family.
Thank you so much for your kind words. It means so much. We've had a rough few weeks so it's especially appreciated :).
Thank you for your reasoned and thoughtful responses.
I firmly believe in the scientific method, but so much of science is now taken over by "scientific" dogma and polluted with corporate money. A classic example is the common stomach ulcer. Marshall and Warren won the Nobel for their discovery that H. Pylori causes most ulcers, not stress and spicy food. They were publicly ridiculed and it took years before they convinced the scientific community.
So when someone says, "It's not published in a peer reviewed journal", what it really means is "it's not published in a peer reviewed journal bought and paid for by pharmaceutical companies". I am not against all pharmaceuticals--I just want balanced and open information. There are several studies showing that WHO designs the experiment and WHERE the money comes from to fund it, affect the outcome. For scientific journals to be truly scientific, each published article should show all the funding. I don't see that happening anytime soon.
Truly robust and inquisitive science changes it's conclusions as new information appears. When "scientific" proponents start rolling their eyes and claiming they have the corner on the market of knowledge--they are not scientist. They just interpret what they read thru their own dogmatic lens.
Wether or not your son got his infection from an amalgam or not, the most important thing I got from your article was that you knew something was not right and you pressed on, regardless of the blowback from people with MDs or "research scientists". And anyone who challenges them WILL get tons of blowback, even though it is your very own body that you wish to exert control over.
You will always get low level MDs and "scientists" that will troll your blog as they don't actually perform any science--they just want to condescend to any available audience. If they truly wanted to help the public, they could try a running free clinic, joining Doctors Without Borders, or even tutor kids in science, but they would rather stroke their own ego professing to stop the "spread of misinformation". It's called Slacktivism.
No one cares about you and your family's health as much as you do. And because you didn't completely swallow what your MD was saying, and pursued different avenues, your son got better. No mass factory type of health-care will ever replace thorough and independent research, and the fact you have a very big stake in the outcome of you and your family's health--they have nothing at stake except a payment.
So thank you for being an independent thinker. I may not agree with everything you write, but it is certainly food for thought. And thank you for being reasonable and polite--it shows you don't have an axe to grind and are truly trying to do the best with the information we have.
Hi Alesa. You are so right about h pylori!!
And right about the peer reviewed journal. I totally get that they can be important for some things, but there is so much wrong w/ the process now.
Your comment means so much to me. I am thankful that I was given the ability to see outside the box and question things. I and my family would be in really bad shape if I hadn't. Yes, I have made mistakes, but hopefully some can be overcome.
And happy to hear anytime what you disagree with too :).
You are wonderful but will you consider switching to Discus comments on your blog. This ladder formatting for the commenting platform you have implemented is difficult to real on my phone here. Unsure about on the laptop. I mention Discus because
it’s the least buggy and more readable commenting platform I’ve found out there.
Hi there. I don't like Discus-- found it to be complicated when I used it on other sites, so not interested but thanks for the suggestion.
Amalgam ("mercury") fillings have no harmful side effects. I am a dentist in NYC and received my DDS from NYU. In our office, we do not do amalgam fillings because we want to restore the tooth to its natural, white color. However, they do not cause harm.
There have been dozens of studies showing zero side effects of amalgams and NO STUDIES showing harmful effects. There are millions, if not billions of amalgam fillings in teeth around the world, and people are not keeling over from them left and right.
Hype like the above blog is basically pure scaremongering and is harmful to the general public. Yes, this is freedom of speech, but honestly, you have zero idea what you are talking about. Hence your quotes from Wikipedia and other sources, instead of medical professional.
You should listen to the advice of experts like dentists and medical doctors and stop thinking that you know more.
All the best!
- Zachary E. Linhart, DDS
Hi there. I am sorry to disagree with you but there is plenty of information about the problems of mercury. I am sure you heard of Mad Hatter's Disease - which some in my husband's family suffered from - and the danger of mercury is precisely why mercury thermometers are almost nonexistent now.
For starters, I would like to hear what you think about this study showing that mercury fillings can cause autoimmunity to the thyroid. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16804512
I don't think I know more than everyone. I do know more than some people and I do listen to the advice of dentists and medical doctors, but they are not right about everything - no one is except for God. My husband has a PhD from a very reputable university in his field, in addition to 2 master's degrees and I was at the top of my HS and college class and am a Phi Beta Kappa. Still, I am humble enough to know that I don't know anything.
You may have heard the saying, "What do you call the person who graduated at the bottom of his medical school class? -- "doctor"" I think personally that more "experts" and professionals need to have more of an open mind towards alternative care and should realize that there is a lot more truth than just what they have been taught in their professional schools.
I am for sure open to talking about this more but I am not open to being insulted. I do not have "zero idea" what I am talking about.
Thanks again.
I will show how misguided and flat our wrong you are sentence by sentence, Adrienne:
"I am sure you heard of Mad Hatter’s Disease – which some in my husband’s family suffered from – and the danger of mercury is precisely why mercury thermometers are almost nonexistent now."
- This is caused by large continuous exposure to mercury, mercury has been used in teeth in tiny levels for hundreds of years with not a single study showing harmful side effects. If you overexpose yourself to sugar, water, or just about anything it will cause toxicity over time. Mercury thermometers are dangerous if they break and the pure mercury inside is ingested. That is an apples to shoes comparison.
" PhD from a very reputable university in his field,"
- You didn't mention the field he has a PhD in... I have no doubt you and your husband are very smart people and have done your research. However, you are experts in what you do, and this is not dentistry, or medicine, unless there is something you haven't told us?
"For starters, I would like to hear what you think about this study showing that mercury fillings can cause autoimmunity to the thyroid. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16804512"
- You obviously didn't read that study. It clearly states in the results that with amalgam removal in PATIENTS WITH MERCURY HYPERSENSITIVITY there are decreased levels of what they are testing for,. So should we discontinue all use of silver because some people have sensitivity to it? Or nickel? Or peanuts? People are allergic and have sensitivities to many many things, they are not bad in general.
"professionals need to have more of an open mind towards alternative care"
- That is true, some are close minded. As a young dentist, I am constantly researching different theories and natural remedies. Hence why I am reading your blog post on amalgam fillings and autism. However, what every medical professional learns, whether top of the class or the bottom, is that science must be trusted. And there has never been a single study showing amalgam fillings are harmful. Or that vaccines cause Autism for that matter.
"I do not have “zero idea” what I am talking about."
- True, you have some idea.
In my practice we strive to provide the best possible dental care. If a patient wants their metal fillings removed, we will more than happily remove them. However we base all of our treatment on sound science and years of clinical experience!
Hello again, Zachary.
Well, I am willing to engage again, as I said, but again you are really not being very kind by saying I am "misguided and flat our [sic] wrong". But here are my responses.
1. It isn't an apple to shoes comparison. Why would it make sense to put something in your mouth on a sometimes permanent basis that is known to cause toxicity? It doesn't make sense to me at all.
2. He has a PhD in English. I am again, not saying that he is an expert, but in reality I guess he is. He himself would be the first to say, however, that he is not right about everything. However, he is often more right about things in other arenas than are "experts" in those fields. And the same is true for me. I have been to many doctors who have been quite wrong about many things and I have even saved my family from many grave medical problems b/c I found errors that doctors missed.
I have also attended English Literature seminars where experts were wrong on issues that were plain as day. Just b/c someone is an "expert" doesn't mean their thoughts are without question. And you, I think, would acknowledge that as we look at the changing research and knowledge even in the sciences.
As for what I know about medicine, no I am no expert but I have done w/ my body what mainstream medicine couldn't do. My doctor wanted to send me to an endocrinologist who likely would have removed my thyroid. Today I have a healthy thyroid and am on no thyroid hormones and am trying to manage my health and I am succeeding. Doctors couldn't help me years ago and told me I was healthy as a horse but I was 5'4" 1/2 and weighted 114 and couldn't stand for hymns in church. I diagnosed myself w/ hypoglycemia (the docs missed it) and sought help. Today I homeschool and run a vibrant blog and am at a very normal weight, exercise daily, and well, am leading a pretty normal (if not extraordinary) life. I was Pre Med at a top university but felt I should leave the field due to wanting to be a mom and thinking I would find it hard to juggle both responsibilities well.
3. Yes, I did indeed read the study and this actually makes my point. In case you have not noticed, more and more people are more and more sensitive to more and more things these days. It is seen w/ more cases of food allergies, autism, autoimmune disease, and cancer. As our bodies become more sensitive, people become sick from different substances. So I would argue that more and more people are sensitive to mercury and for sure more and more people have antibodies to thyroid, and so mercury fillings are more and more of a problem as we go forward in time.
I am sure you would agree that no one really heard of autism or ALS, or Crohns, or other autoimmune diseases to the extent that we hear of them today.
In the case of peanuts or nickel, that is a very different animal than talking about mercury, which is a known toxin. If you don't agree with me, then why are many many agencies recommending that pregnant women avoid eating certain kinds of fish? Wouldn't the only risk be if they were going to be eating these fish over a much longer period of time?
This is not really a scientific journal, but even the NYTimes states that "Usually organic mercury causes problems over years or decades, not immediately. In other words, being exposed to small amounts of organic mercury every day for years will likely cause symptoms to appear later"
https://www.nytimes.com/health/guides/poison/mercury/overview.html
Part of the problem here (or much of it) is that you are stating that there aren't any or enough studies on mercury fillings showing that they are dangerous. Well, there is corruption in many industries and of course the dental field is no exception.
The FDA cracks down on a walnut company b/c they state that walnuts are heart-healthy, while they continue to allow arsenic in chickens. They shut down a probiotic company for stating that taking probiotics can aid your health while allowing dangerous medicines to be approved w/o proper testing.
I find this article to be very interesting: https://www.icnr.com/articles/mercury-amalgam-toxicity.html and I personally am acquainted with a number of people who have been made very ill from mercury fillings, one person who was wheel-chair ridden. He is better now, thanks to natural intervention and detox.
4. As for science being trusted. I beg to differ. Yes on some things and no on others. I think that there are so many things that science has no idea about - like how the universe is held together, where energy comes from, where the world came from, etc. These are not repeatable events and so can't be scientifically tested. And you yourself must know that there are so little studies on natural things as they can't be patented, so the realm of research is empty in that respect.
I have to run - I have a post on Healthy Valentine's Recipes that is calling my name, but I am happy to respond again. I trust the medical and dental field - to a point. I manage my own care as much as I can and have found it to be necessary in many arenas. And I wish I had been on this dentist's back more :(.
Adrienne, unfortunately I have to work and don't have time to run circles with you so this will be my last reply:
1. What toxicity? There is no scientifically proven toxicity of amalgam fillings, so what are you referring to?
2. He has a PhD in English. I will try not to tell him why Holden Caulfield acted the way he did.
3. The issue you have when you are writing this posts is that you GENERALIZE way too much.
Mercury CAN be toxic in "toxic doses". So can nickel, or lead, or sugar, or ginger, or ANYTHING. You cannot just generalize science.
It has been shown that large doses of radiation cause cancer, does that mean we never take X-rays in the dentist or doctor's office again? Or fly on a plane that exposes you to low level cosmic radiation?
You are generalizing, and you are wrong as many scientific studies have shown.
Sincerely,
Dr, Zachary Linhart
Zachary. I am simply frustrated with the manner in which you are approaching me. I have work too and to have readers continually insult me is not something I look forward to dealing with.
There is toxicity proven - if not, then why the reduction of thyroid antibodies? How can there be no toxicity of mercury fillings when the toxicity of mercury has been firmly established.
As far as Holden Caulfield - totally uncalled for insult.
I don't think I generalize too much - but if you care to make that accusation you should point out where exactly and not generalize.
The toxic dose differs per person. Of course. I can't eat much sugar at all. Others can. But the risk of what it can do to a person's body (e.g. diabetes, candida, cancer and more) isn't worth dumping it down one's throat. Also, this toxicity will escalate as congenital issues are passed down through generations.
It's all a risk vs benefit calculation and you know that yourself. You of course make those kind of calculations every day. I assume you try to not use xrays unless you think the benefits outweigh the risks. And if I choose to fly on a plane it's b/c taking the trip is more of a benefit than the risk.
Then, once one knows the risks they can take steps to minimize them.
I personally (and many others concur) that putting mercury in my mouth is not worth the risk and I would use a non BPA white filling instead.
Good day to you and I hope what I have written helps you understand where I am coming from and that you will take care in the way you communicate with me should you choose to come back. I do my best to keep things cordial but I must admit that you are pushing me to my limits. I wish to extend grace to all people for what they are dealing with but we are all people on the other end of the computer and from reading my posts you might know that I have a child with special needs. Would you talk in this manner to a mother in your practice who thought mercury filling were a danger? I hope not.
I meant to add about my husband's PhD that he for sure doesn't think he is right about everything and there are plenty of PhDs in his field that are wrong about many things. Thank you.
Now dr., while I dont agree with a lot of her assumptions in this article and I do find her knowledge loosly based on anything other than anecdotal website garbage am disturbed, and frankly not surprised, by your arrogance and ignorance on the matter. Within a minute I found this study from 1986 giving enough information to show you are wrong about amalgam fillings and they have been noted to gas off mercury. https://europepmc.org/abstract/med/3481133.
https://www.fasebj.org/content/9/7/504.short.
I know there are studies saying they are fine and this is what you are taught but you shouldnt throw your education around without knowing the facts.
People like you is why my doctor says my blood work is fine so I must just need antidepressants.
Hi Cliff. Thanks for your comment and for that information about the fillings. I did want to mention, however, that of course this was an anecdotal story. It wasn't meant to be a research-based post. I have some that are and some that aren't, but it isn't garbage. It's my life and the very disturbing path my son's filling took us on and I feel that we can all benefit from those kinds of stories. Perhaps this post that is more research based will show you that I post a variety of topics here. https://wholenewmom.com/health-concerns/is-stevia-safe-is-stevia-bad-for-you-stevia-infertility/
Thanks again and I do hope you are finding help for your condition. Your blood work for sure isn't the end all and be all of your health and many doctors miss things - mine missed my hypoglycemia, of all things. Blessings and I hope you can find relief. Happy to help if I can.
Im not going to give anything other than my opinion on the article but really as far as me saying "I do find her knowledge loosly based on anything other than anecdotal website garbage" I wasnt referring to your article, I was referring to the sites in which you get your information. Im sure that doesn't sound much better but I call it as I see it. There are a lot of anecdotal sites with bs info and no facts other than pointing to other peoples non fact claims that people spew information from which just leaves bait laying around for people like dr. linhardt here. People just wont be taken seriously with this kind of research and claims to where you got the information. Im not saying it is all wrong but you definitely have to present your claims, especially to the angry so called science believing biased people, with more hard evidence such as peer reviewed studies. I personally, like others, think your article shows no evidence that it was mercury related as it can easily be from a poor dental job which lead to the infection but completely understand how it feels to know almost for certain where the problem lies on your own body, or in this case your sons, and for the doctor to dismiss it like what do you know. I do however completely loath these science people with a vendetta against alternative theories or ideas such as quackwatch who are just as bad as being completely biased on their own side. With alternative medicine and traditional there are two extreme people just like in right wingers and left wingers in politics. Take what I say however you like. I do not disregard the notion of almagam fillings leaching off mercury and there are studies with supporting evidence. Props to always commenting to people such as me and others with a rational calm attitude and not just moderating every comment you don't like. You do you
Thanks so much. I am aware of the risks of not having a bunch of research, but I have a mixed bag on my blog. And even so, there are some supposedly heavily researched writers and commenters who have their facts wrong. And of course, I might too.
I do moderate all comments, by the way, but I try to publish all (except the spam ones). That being said I am behind. I have been so busy and some take a long time to respond to. Thanks for the compliment. Hope to see you around again.
I have had all the symptoms anyone could possibly think of from not only the mercury in my fillings but the copper also. I've been slowly dying since elementary school because of amalgam fillings. I don't have money to get them removed. I've had 6. I wish I could bomb the corporate world. Crimes against humanity is so real. I'm glad that the amalgam fillings in your son's mouth were removed. These things cause so many people health problems and sometimes it takes years for someone to realize that they are sick because mercury bio accumilates in the organs. Once mercury causes brain damage it's irreversible so people reading this please take care. I'm speaking from the kindness of my heart. I would never wish heavy metal toxicity on anyone. The fact that amalgam fillings are placed in childrens mouths hurt my soul. I suffer everyday. I look normal on the outside but I'm sick. I can't do basic things and im only in my 20s. Adrienne your son is so lucky to have you as a mom. I wish my mom would have been as skeptical as you were. What we don't know as parents can hurt our children for life. Stay healthy.
Oh how horrible! I have heard horror stories from others as well. Is there a way you could get financial help from others? Do you possibly belong to a church that could help you?
So so sorry. Thanks for sharing and I really appreciate your kind words. We've been going through a lot here so you have lifted my spirits. Blessings.
your story has nothing to do with mercury poisoning, but an infection caused by shabby dental work. please spare us the ignorant hysteria that mercury caused you child's ailment..
I think this is the final comment of yours that I need to respond to "Mr. Sprat". I think it is possible that there could have been either involved. But perhaps I should take this to the dentist to see what he thinks. Regardless, the cavity touched it off and a careless physician dismissed my concerns and almost cost my son his life.
Well, that was the fault of the physician, not the mercury, so stop this fearmongering that everyone else is doing. There is no more mercury in an amalgam filling than there is in food, water and air...
Welp, I've had these METAL MERCURY (not toxic in this form) amalgam fillings for several years (10-12, give or take.) and I'm perfectly find, I'm still a human, I'm not green or anything. I am in perfectly good health, and the only reason I had these fillings is because of a cycling accident. The fact that you said it nearly killed your son is scaring public.
I know that you are a concerned mother, and nothing will sway you, not even solid, correct facts and evidence, but I'm going to have to say it: It's simply incorrect. Your post was kinda generalizing here, but again, nothing that I, or anyone else says, will matter to you.
The only time it'll affect a person is if they have an immunity weakness to mercury, which is what happened for your son. It can also be affected by shoddy dentistry, which is probably very likely. The dentist I see in England, Blackpool, is a chap called Manesh Lad, and he is relatively old but immensely skilled, I've sent him this link and he responded saying "utter bollocks" as in his 20+ years of dentistry, he's never had ANYONE see him about a filling, and he's done thousands, and estimates about 5 fillings are done by him each hour.
He said there are two possible causes; the dentist has not used correct bits on the tools for drilling out the holes, causing infection, which is unlikely, or the person has a serious problem with their immune system or are sensitive to mercury. There are no current recommendations on the part of UK or U.S. federal agencies to prevent dentists from placing amalgam fillings where indicated because studies consistently have failed to document mercury toxicity associated with amalgam fillings. Except for the unusual cases of allergic reaction, there are no data supporting any recommendations to remove fillings.
Here's a little snippet from a site called Poison.org, an official US poison exposure page;
"Dental amalgam fillings contain powdered silver, tin, and copper combined with metallic mercury (liquid mercury, quicksilver).[b] The components, mixed together in the dentist's office immediately before use, form a hard, stable material." Note the part where it says stable... It is, in no way, toxic.
I thank you for your post, but please be careful not to generalize too much, as no human is the same, and cannot be generalized. The only thing that is true is that most humans are not effected, and only a small amount are. If it was done badly for every human having these fillings, then everyone would have been ill from them.
I would state several hundred different places to look for information, but it'd take too long for me to be bothered to try and sway you, because you will not be swayed after what has happened. And I totally don't blame you. That is your experience, though, not everyone elses. That is 99% due to his sensitivity to mercury and 1% the dentist and some format of cluster@"£% on the part of pure randomness.
Hi there. Thanks for commenting. The fact that you have had the fillings and haven't had issues doesn't negate the possibility that others have had issues. And as far as scaring the public, I think it's fine to alert the public to the dangers of contaminants and other things...even if just suspected. In my case, it may or may not have been the filling and I didn't state in the post that it was. There is plenty of other information out there documenting how bad mercury is and how much of it is released from fillings.
There are plenty of warnings about eating seafood too b/c of mercury issues.
I am a concerned mother, but of course I am open to being wrong and so it's not correct that "solid, correct facts" will not sway me.
You are correct that a weakness to mercury is an issue, but have you not heard of mad hatters disease? You might wish to look it up.
Here's one document on the topic: https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2016-09/documents/mercury-compounds.pdf
I personally know people who have been debilitated from mercury only to work hard on restoring their health.
As for Manesh Lad, I'm glad he has not had issues w/ anyone regarding a filling.
Interesting that he thinks that the immune system's reaction could be the problem. I suspect that as well and in that case, my premise of the filling almost killing my son is accurate.
I agree with you that perhaps not all have an issue w/ mercury but I think that folks who are sensitive are like the canary in the coal mine. We show that toxic things are happening and we are a warning that the world is getting too toxic. I think that the prevalence of things like cancer, autoimmune disease, and more are indications of this.
I personally respect a number of people who warn about the problems with mercury, but this is one of them: https://www.dentalwellness4u.com/layperson/symptoms.html
Thanks for commenting.
Hi there. I would appreciate your leaving your real name if you are going to comment. In fact, I think I will start a new comment policy so that people who don't do that will have their comments deleted and marked as spam.
I don't know for sure what caused the situation but I do know that the oral surgeon (the best in our area) said he had never seen anything like it and that my son has heavy metal issues.
According to this article you can get 15 micrograms of mercury daily from a mercury filling. Doesn't sound good to me. https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2014/07/29/dangers-amalgam-fillings.aspx
Once you have it in, how do you take it off
You can look for a dentist that does the Huggins method. Thanks.