My Mercury Amalgam Removal Story
Let's talk about why I had my metal fillings removed!
In my studies to become an NTP, we had an incredibly eye-opening Detoxification module. We learned about the dangers of mercury exposure and the implications it can have on the body. Impacts of mercury are different for everyone and can include but are not limited to headaches, insomnia, neurological issues, hearing and vision loss, emotional instability and developmental delays. Conventional dentists may tell you that, if mercury is contained as it is in a filling, then it will not do damage to the body. This is simply false and depends on each individual case. Also, metal contracts and expands with changes in temperature, so as we eat and drink, our metal fillings do the same and can crack teeth over time. this leads to more dental work and the allowance of more decay and tooth sensitivity. If a filling is silver, it contains mercury, and I just found out that dentists are STILL using it. People accept this because they are told other materials will cost them more money out of pocket, and they don't know any better.
Coincidentally, when I learned about the dangers of mercury exposure I already had an appointment at my regular dentist scheduled to have one of my metal fillings removed because the tooth was cracked. This module came just in time for me to cancel that appointment and find a biological dentist.
Biological dentists understand the harmful effects that mercury fillings can have on the body. Drilling out the fillings themselves is dangerous because you are essentially turning them to dust and getting a heaping exposure to the mercury during that removal process. I am happy with my conventional dentist in general, but they simply do not take the precautions that biological or holistic dentists do.
I will share my experience with my removals, though keep in mind it might not be this exact process for everyone.
I had a 2 hour consult with the dentist when we first met- can you even believe a doctor took that much time with one patient?! I was blown away. He wanted to make sure I understood everything and that I was prepared to take the detoxification supplements. He even talked at length about supporting my dental health through diet. Wow.
I had 3 mercury fillings overall, so the plan was to remove and replace them with white fillings. One ended up having to be a porcelain crown, and I also had two other teeth worked on during this process that needed resin fillings to be replaced.
This will probably be an over-simplification, but here's the gist on mercury detox: Chelation is the process of removing metals from of the body. A "chelator" is a supplement that can bond to these metals and help remove them from the body by carrying them to your bloodstream and then out through your urine. It can be dangerous to take chelators before all fillings have been removed, and dangerous to take the chelators outside of the recommended timing schedule. Basically you can end up recirculating the mercury through your system or having it bind to other sites within the body that will do more damage than the original exposure site (e.g. thyroid damage). If you're going to do this, do it right. Follow a respected protocol, do your research, and take it seriously.
I will tell you what I did, but this is NOT a recommendation for anyone else to do the same. I am simply sharing my experience. Unfortunately, even when you find a biological dentist who is certified through the International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology (IAOMT) like I did, they might be misinformed on the safety of various chelation supplements. So again, do your own research and follow a reputable protocol.
Prior to my appointments to have the mercury removed, this dentist wanted me on some supplements. I started taking vitamin C and selenium, and added zinc and magnesium. He wanted me to take glutathione and Alpha-Lipoic Acid as well, but through a very helpful classmate who had been through chelation I was cautioned against taking those supplements before ALL mercury was out of my body. According to the Andy Cutler Chelation Protocol, the four most important supplements to take while trying to rid your body of mercury are Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Magnesium and Zinc. Once ALL of the mercury fillings have been removed (AND NOT BEFORE), use of the strong chelators can be used (ALA, DMPS, or DMSA). Even then, strict adherence to the schedule of taking the supplements is a must, because of things like half-life and re-exposure and SCIENCE. I would not be able to truly do this subject justice, so please see the links below for in-depth explanations of why this timing is so important, what the options for supplements are, and what symptoms to look for regarding toxicity.
Once I had the information from my NTP program and this dentist, I wanted the mercury out NOW. I also wanted to get pregnant, and didn't want to wait 3 weeks between each removal (to allow for healing and less discomfort) like he recommended. I had all the work done within a 2 week period, and it was brutal. I was on pureed or soft foods for a while and my pain and tooth sensitivity were extreme at times.
At the 2 appointments I had for removal of the fillings, my face was draped to protect me from the mercury bits that fly around during drilling. I was placed on oxygen through my nose so I wouldn't inhale the mercury vapors and dust, and a vacuum-like tube was suspended above my face and it sucked up the air as they drilled to carry the dust away. After drilling I rinsed with a special solution. It's hard to believe that "regular" or conventional dentists don't take any of these precautions. I've had metal fillings removed before and I had no idea of the risks. Everyone's immune systems are different, but for those who are exceptionally sensitive to metals, mercury exposure can be truly life-altering. I'm talking the potential triggering of auto-immune conditions, years of recovery and missed diagnoses, and irreparable damage to the body and mind. I am lucky this didn't happen to me from previous removals, but I'm glad I didn't take the chance when deciding to have the rest of my fillings removed.
Five months after all work was completed, I can say I feel MUCH better. No pain at rest whatsoever, but I still experience some sensitivity when I bite down hard on one side. I had the work checked by my regular dentist just to get a second opinion, and he thought the teeth looked great.
I paid out of pocket for all the dental work I had done with my biological dentist since he was out of network, but I ended up being reimbursed for at least 1/3 of the costs since they submitted the claims for me anyway! It was worth a shot! In other areas, you might be able to find an in-network provider, but in my area of southeastern PA choices were just very limited.
I am so grateful for the information I have learned about mercury exposure and its associated risks, and if I could go back, I would do it all again- just sooner!
RESOURCES:
Visit the International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology (IAOMT) website to learn more about the potential toxic side effects from mercury fillings and to search for a certified dentist in your area.
https://iaomt.org/resources/dental-mercury-facts/dental-mercury-amalgam-side-effects/
Weston A. Price Foundation website- info about chelation and the Andy Cutler Protocol for mercury detox
https://www.westonaprice.org/health-topics/environmental-toxins/using-the-andy-cutler-protocol-to-address-mercury-poisoning/
Facebook has a private group for the Andy Cutler Chelation Protocol- join by requesting if interested.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/acfanatics/
In my studies to become an NTP, we had an incredibly eye-opening Detoxification module. We learned about the dangers of mercury exposure and the implications it can have on the body. Impacts of mercury are different for everyone and can include but are not limited to headaches, insomnia, neurological issues, hearing and vision loss, emotional instability and developmental delays. Conventional dentists may tell you that, if mercury is contained as it is in a filling, then it will not do damage to the body. This is simply false and depends on each individual case. Also, metal contracts and expands with changes in temperature, so as we eat and drink, our metal fillings do the same and can crack teeth over time. this leads to more dental work and the allowance of more decay and tooth sensitivity. If a filling is silver, it contains mercury, and I just found out that dentists are STILL using it. People accept this because they are told other materials will cost them more money out of pocket, and they don't know any better.
Coincidentally, when I learned about the dangers of mercury exposure I already had an appointment at my regular dentist scheduled to have one of my metal fillings removed because the tooth was cracked. This module came just in time for me to cancel that appointment and find a biological dentist.
Biological dentists understand the harmful effects that mercury fillings can have on the body. Drilling out the fillings themselves is dangerous because you are essentially turning them to dust and getting a heaping exposure to the mercury during that removal process. I am happy with my conventional dentist in general, but they simply do not take the precautions that biological or holistic dentists do.
I will share my experience with my removals, though keep in mind it might not be this exact process for everyone.
I had a 2 hour consult with the dentist when we first met- can you even believe a doctor took that much time with one patient?! I was blown away. He wanted to make sure I understood everything and that I was prepared to take the detoxification supplements. He even talked at length about supporting my dental health through diet. Wow.
I had 3 mercury fillings overall, so the plan was to remove and replace them with white fillings. One ended up having to be a porcelain crown, and I also had two other teeth worked on during this process that needed resin fillings to be replaced.
This will probably be an over-simplification, but here's the gist on mercury detox: Chelation is the process of removing metals from of the body. A "chelator" is a supplement that can bond to these metals and help remove them from the body by carrying them to your bloodstream and then out through your urine. It can be dangerous to take chelators before all fillings have been removed, and dangerous to take the chelators outside of the recommended timing schedule. Basically you can end up recirculating the mercury through your system or having it bind to other sites within the body that will do more damage than the original exposure site (e.g. thyroid damage). If you're going to do this, do it right. Follow a respected protocol, do your research, and take it seriously.
I will tell you what I did, but this is NOT a recommendation for anyone else to do the same. I am simply sharing my experience. Unfortunately, even when you find a biological dentist who is certified through the International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology (IAOMT) like I did, they might be misinformed on the safety of various chelation supplements. So again, do your own research and follow a reputable protocol.
Prior to my appointments to have the mercury removed, this dentist wanted me on some supplements. I started taking vitamin C and selenium, and added zinc and magnesium. He wanted me to take glutathione and Alpha-Lipoic Acid as well, but through a very helpful classmate who had been through chelation I was cautioned against taking those supplements before ALL mercury was out of my body. According to the Andy Cutler Chelation Protocol, the four most important supplements to take while trying to rid your body of mercury are Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Magnesium and Zinc. Once ALL of the mercury fillings have been removed (AND NOT BEFORE), use of the strong chelators can be used (ALA, DMPS, or DMSA). Even then, strict adherence to the schedule of taking the supplements is a must, because of things like half-life and re-exposure and SCIENCE. I would not be able to truly do this subject justice, so please see the links below for in-depth explanations of why this timing is so important, what the options for supplements are, and what symptoms to look for regarding toxicity.
Once I had the information from my NTP program and this dentist, I wanted the mercury out NOW. I also wanted to get pregnant, and didn't want to wait 3 weeks between each removal (to allow for healing and less discomfort) like he recommended. I had all the work done within a 2 week period, and it was brutal. I was on pureed or soft foods for a while and my pain and tooth sensitivity were extreme at times.
At the 2 appointments I had for removal of the fillings, my face was draped to protect me from the mercury bits that fly around during drilling. I was placed on oxygen through my nose so I wouldn't inhale the mercury vapors and dust, and a vacuum-like tube was suspended above my face and it sucked up the air as they drilled to carry the dust away. After drilling I rinsed with a special solution. It's hard to believe that "regular" or conventional dentists don't take any of these precautions. I've had metal fillings removed before and I had no idea of the risks. Everyone's immune systems are different, but for those who are exceptionally sensitive to metals, mercury exposure can be truly life-altering. I'm talking the potential triggering of auto-immune conditions, years of recovery and missed diagnoses, and irreparable damage to the body and mind. I am lucky this didn't happen to me from previous removals, but I'm glad I didn't take the chance when deciding to have the rest of my fillings removed.
Five months after all work was completed, I can say I feel MUCH better. No pain at rest whatsoever, but I still experience some sensitivity when I bite down hard on one side. I had the work checked by my regular dentist just to get a second opinion, and he thought the teeth looked great.
I paid out of pocket for all the dental work I had done with my biological dentist since he was out of network, but I ended up being reimbursed for at least 1/3 of the costs since they submitted the claims for me anyway! It was worth a shot! In other areas, you might be able to find an in-network provider, but in my area of southeastern PA choices were just very limited.
I am so grateful for the information I have learned about mercury exposure and its associated risks, and if I could go back, I would do it all again- just sooner!
RESOURCES:
Visit the International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology (IAOMT) website to learn more about the potential toxic side effects from mercury fillings and to search for a certified dentist in your area.
https://iaomt.org/resources/dental-mercury-facts/dental-mercury-amalgam-side-effects/
Weston A. Price Foundation website- info about chelation and the Andy Cutler Protocol for mercury detox
https://www.westonaprice.org/health-topics/environmental-toxins/using-the-andy-cutler-protocol-to-address-mercury-poisoning/
Facebook has a private group for the Andy Cutler Chelation Protocol- join by requesting if interested.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/acfanatics/