Is there still silver in your smile?

Remember years ago, when you would visit your dentist and find out that you had a cavity even though you couldn't see it. You would nervously schedule an appointment to have it filled and return in a week or so.

On your return visit the doctor would fill your tooth to prevent the future problems that could arise from a growing cavity. Upon looking in a mirror however you'd noticed that there was an awful looking silver filling. You almost wished it was still the cavity that you couldn't see.

These metallic fillings were standard practice years ago. Not only are these fillings unattractive, but they contain over 50% mercury. Over time, silver amalgam fillings corrode, leak their contents and blacken not only the fillings but often the healthy tooth structure itself.

Mercury in Health Care - World Health Organization

From the 2005 World Health Organization Policy Paper (PDF) on Mercury in Health Care: "Around 80% of the inhaled mercury vapour is absorbed in the blood through the lungs."

"It may cause harmful effects to the nervous, digestive, respiratory, immune systems and to the kidneys, besides causing lung damage."

"Adverse health effects from mercury exposure can be: tremors, impaired vision and hearing, paralysis, insomnia, emotional instability, developmental deficits during fetal development, and attention deficit and developmental delays during childhood. Recent studies suggest that mercury may have no threshold below which some adverse effects do not occur."

"In 1991, the World Health Organization confirmed that mercury contained in dental amalgam is the greatest source of mercury vapour in non-industrialized settings, exposing the concerned population to mercury levels significantly exceeding those set for food and for air." (Source:http://www.who.int/ipcs/publications/cicad/en/cicad50.pdf)

Download and read the World Health Organization Policy Paper (PDF) on Mercury in Health Care