Hashimotos & Autoimmunity, Oral Health & Biological Dentistry Part 3: The Dangers of Mercury

Welcome to part three of my oral health and biological dentistry series. It’s all about the dangers of mercury in our bodies. You’ll want to be sure to read all the posts in this series if you have ever had ANY dental work done. If you missed part one telling you what biological dentistry is or post two talking about the dangers of root canals be sure to check them out!

The series includes the following articles:

The Topic of Mercury is Very Broad

I have to start this post with a little disclaimer. The topic of mercury toxicity is very broad and extremely complex. Because I can’t write a novel on this website and actually expect you to read it, I am going to have to stick to main points and give somewhat of a survey of the dangers of mercury. To learn more you will have to branch off from what you read here and do your own research. I always think that’s a good idea anyway!

Let’s get started!

What is Mercury?

Mercury (or Hg on the periodic table) is a heavy metal and the second most toxic metal next to Plutonium. Its atomic mass is 200.59 and is mined as Mercuric Sulphide. It is a naturally occurring metal found in nature usually in a compound and not necessarily its liquid state. Mercury is liquid at room temperature and when it is not enclosed in something (like glass) it emits colorless and odorless vapors that are extremely harmful to human health. The higher the temperature that the mercury is exposed to the more vapors it will emit. It is a known neurotoxin and is insoluble in water.

Interesting facts: Mercury is also known as quicksilver and is often found in commercial oven cleaners, drain cleaners as well as batteries and light switches.

When used in dentistry it is combined with up to 50% alloy of other metals, some that can be toxic to our well being too. These metals are usually, silver, copper, tin and zinc.

Why is Mercury Used in Dentistry?

Without getting all sciency on you (again) I will just tell you what our biological dentist said. He used to use it! Dr. Nunnally said that dentists started using amalgam, in other words, the mercury alloy, in tooth fillings because it was “inexpensive, very pliable and quick to place. It was easy to press into the area of the tooth that was drilled out and it would take the form of the hole.” However, he said, “It hardens very quickly and is strong enough to withstand biting and chewing.”

The amalgam (means mixed with mercury) filling was created by a British Chemist named Joseph Bell in 1819. It was used in the US in fillings starting in 1830 and widely disputed for safety. Dr. Hal Huggins DDS, MS was one of the foremost opponents of the use of mercury in amalgams.

Why is Mercury in Amalgam Fillings Dangerous to Our Health?

Mercury is not an element you want anywhere in your body. You especially do not want to voluntarily add it to your teeth or into your bloodstream (as in the case of vaccines.)

Let me share with you a short list of why mercury is not safe. *Again, this list is not exhaustive:

It’s a known neurotoxin. That means it interferes with synapses in your neurons which are in charge of transmitting information to other cells within our nervous system – in particular, our brain.
Mercury can bioaccumulate in our tissues – specifically our organs as it binds to proteins.
Amalgamated teeth are antibiotic resistant.
The mercury in the tooth is not contained and so, therefore, it emits vapors 24/7.
- “The average amalgam filling releases about 34 (plus-minus 2) micrograms of mercury a day.” Dr. Hal Huggins
- Vapors are released by chewing, drinking hot liquids, grinding teeth, and abrasion from chewing gum which increases vapor release by 1500%!
- The vapor that goes under the tongue and inside the cheeks has the fastest absorption rate.
- It then travels to the lymphatic system and into the bloodstream and organs
- During this time it binds to the oxygen transport portion of the hemoglobin molecule and impedes oxygen uptake in the body.
- The vapors also attach to thyroid hormone activation ports which render the hormone inactive.
- The vapors that are emitted are 1000 times higher than the EPA will allow in our air!
The tooth with the amalgam filling “has an electrical current, which can be measured. The higher the current, the faster mercury is being released.” Dr. Hal Huggins
Mercury is lipid (or fat) soluble. That means it dissolves in fat. Guess what? Our nerve cells contain 75% fat. Do you know that the organ that has the most fat in our body is the brain? Also, all our cell membranes are 40% fat. This means that the mercury is drawn to our cells. The more fat in the cell, the more mercury accumulates and stays in the cell.
It is known to trigger Alzheimers and Dementia as well as Hodgkins Disease and Sickle Cell Anemia.
Mercury toxicity can also alter our gut microbiome and enable antibiotic-resistant strains to appear.
It’s a cause of depression and mood disorders, spontaneous abortion, cancer incidence and cardiovascular problems.
Mercury also has a profoundly negative effect on the kidneys and thyroid.

Below are two excellent videos from some well-respected people in biological dentistry.

This one is done by the IAOMT (The International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology) where you’ll see a 25-year-old extracted tooth with smoking mercury vapor. You will also learn several more facts and dangers of mercury.

The second video below is done by Dr. Stuart Nunnally and it talks about some of the dangers of mercury and then goes into how to properly get mercury removed with a biological dentist.

Do you have Mercury Toxicity?

If you have any of the following symptoms it could be due to mercury (and or metal) toxicity.

Chronic Fatigue
Tremors
Emotional instability and/or mood disorders like bipolar or manic depression
Insomnia
Memory Loss
Neuromuscular problems
Headaches
Eczema
Yeast overload (our body actually will create more yeast to protect itself from the mercury)
Autoimmune disease – anything from Graves or Hashimotos, RA to MS, Lou Gehrig’s (ALS) or Parkinson’s, etc.
Muscle Twitching
Weakness
Muscle Atrophy
Anxiety
Depression
Excessive Sweating
Brain Fog
Lack of Focus
Allergies
Lots of Chemical Sensitivities
Neuropathy
Hearing Loss
Hair Loss
Hormone Dysregulation
Cardiovascular Disease
Proteinuria (spilling of excess proteins into the urine)
Digestive distress and/or dysbiosis in the gut
Asthma

*It’s important to know that many of these symptoms can be symbiotically caused by other imbalances, pathogens and conditions. In other words, if you have mercury (and in some cases like mine – other metals you’re sensitive too) in your body it is wise to consider getting it removed. However, if there are other areas of health to be addressed those will need to be evaluated and resolved too.

What to do if You Have Mercury In Your Mouth

⇒ The first thing I want you to do (if you haven’t already) is watch Dr. Nunnally’s linked video above so that you can understand what safe mercury removal looks like. Trust me, he knows!

⇒ The second thing I want you to do is go to part 1 and look up a biological dentist in your area and, if possible, start seeing that dentist as your regular dentist.

⇒ The third, and most important aspect I want you to understand is this – you must not be extremely ill or overloaded with symptoms when you go in for mercury removal. If you see a biological dentist, then the procedure will be done with utmost precaution. However, if you are already experiencing a healing crisis, then your body will go on even more of an overload when experiencing another procedure. The only caveat is if you know beyond a shadow of a doubt that the only thing causing your symptoms in the mercury (or metal) then get it removed. If you suspect there are other things contributing to your overall malaise then address that first.

For instance, for me, the last piece to my puzzle that I addressed was my teeth (namely my root canal removals). First, I addressed gut health and diet, then toxins and detox, next rest and de-stressing and lastly oral health. Of course, I was doing this all in tandem with getting my thyroid numbers where they needed to be for my body and taking proactive steps in addressing parts of my oral health. Because my root canal and crown removal would be some trauma to my body I needed to make sure that when I had it done I was not experiencing any flare-ups or unwanted symptoms that, when the procedure was done, would cause an even worse flare. I hope that makes sense. Use common sense and know your body! A good biological dentist will be able to evaluate if and when you are ready to attack the mercury and remove it properly.

⇒ The last thing to make sure of is that your biological dentist knows to remove the positive current fillings first, not the negative ones. If they remove the negative ones first then you can trigger the onset of another disease. This all has to do with the electrical currents in the body as well as the mercury fillings. A good biological dentist will know all about this and take proper precautions.

Do Not Take For Granted Your Oral Health

You’ve stayed with me until the end friends! Thank you. I hope, at the least, this post offered you some encouragement and understanding of why oral health is so important to address and why mercury in our mouths can be extremely debilitating. Please feel free to contact me with any questions you may have. If you’re ready to read more then visit part 4 which talks about the about the dangers of cavitations. These can be from any tooth extraction but especially wisdom teeth extractions.

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