Don’t be cavalier about removing an amalgam filling. I learned that lesson the hard way back in 2008! I went to a dentist who wasn’t trained to take the proper precautions and ended up very sick. It took me several years to recover.
Having a seemingly simple filling removal ruin my health made me very passionate about educating others regarding safe dentistry.
Most people don’t realize amalgam fillings are actually about 50% mercury. Since anything above 0 parts per billion (ppb) of mercury is toxic, it’s imperative to take proper precautions when removing these fillings. I’m not going to go into the details of off-gassing or why removing amalgams is important in this post, so if you’d like to read more on these topics, click here or here.
Before you get your mercury amalgams removed, here are some important things to consider:
- Is the dentist properly trained to safely remove amalgam filings? I recommend the IAOMT website, IABDM website, DAMS website, or Consumers for Dental Choice website – all great places to search for a dentist in your area. The closest dentist may be a couple of hours away, but we think it’s worth the drive to see someone who’s properly trained. We personally go to Dr. Pfister at Biodentist Alabama in Dothan, AL. It’s a two hour drive each way, but worth it for us to know we’ll be healthy when we walk out the door.
- When you find a dentist you think is a good fit, call their office and talk to them about the precautions they take during the removal. Keep in mind that just because a dentist says he’s “holistic” doesn’t necessarily mean he will align with your desires. It’s important to talk about the precautions they plan to take for your safety and the safety of the dental staff.
- The precautions should include:
a. A rubber dam should isolate the tooth with a thin piece of latex, so the particles of the toxic metals being drilled out don’t mix with your saliva and become absorbed into the gums or swallowed.
b. Oxygen for the patient, to reduce inhalation of airborne particles.
c. The dentist should remove the filling in chunks, using the drill only as much as absolutely necessary.
d. Both low and high-speed drills to remove the last bits of amalgam from the tooth to minimize the risk of killing the tooth.
e. The dentist or assistant should spray on the tooth throughout the procedure to keep the tooth cool.
f. A vacuum to trap and remove toxic metal particles.
g. Masks for the dentist and assistant to protect them from mercury vapor. If the dental staff doesn’t wear masks to protect themselves, then you know you’re in the wrong place!
h. Glasses for the patient, dentist and assistant.
i. A well ventilated office with a vacuum hose to draw the mercury vapor and particles away from the patient and dental staff, with proper disposal. - Talk to the dentist or staff about the dental materials they will use to fill the tooth, create a crown, inlay, the kind of anesthetic, etc.
- Ask about the price of the filling and see how much your insurance will cover. Often, insurance companies won’t cover the full cost because they think this is an unnecessary procedure. The procedure often isn’t cheap, but knowing what I know now, I would have gladly saved up and paid $1,000 to have my filling removed years ago. It would have been far cheaper than what I ended up spending to get my health and life back!
- I know in our society, it’s not “normal” to walk into a doctor’s office with a list of questions and preferred methods of treatment, but don’t be afraid to speak up. Biologically trained and holistic dentists are used to this – they will welcome your questions. In fact, when I first called Dr. Pfister, he talked to me for half an hour about the exact methods he uses to practice safe dentistry. That’s the kind of doctor I want to work with!
How to Detox After the Mercury Amalgam Filling Removal
It’s imperative you do a dental detox after the filling removal even when you go to a dentist who’s properly trained because some vapors or particles can still enter the body despite the dentist’s best efforts. Using the right supplements and diet can help the body quickly eliminate these toxins so they don’t take residence in your tissues and cause problems.
This is the dental detox protocol we use for our clients at Biodynamic Wellness. Before you get your fillings out, email or call our office – we can ship all these supplements to you (except for the cilantro oil*). The protocol takes place the day of and the six months following the removal of mercury amalgam fillings and other toxic metals.
- Pure Radiance C – This non-GMO vitamin C is derived from organic and wild berries. It acts as a powerful antioxidant for the body during the detox. Take one capsule at breakfast and another at dinner for six months.
- BioSuperfood – This supplement contains spirulina and algae for immune system support. Take one pill at breakfast and another at lunch for the first five days. Thereafter, take one pill at breakfast for six months.
- Quinton Hypertonic or Isotonic – These vials of deep sea water help replace minerals displaced by mercury fillings.
- Organic Sulfur – Sulfur enhances mercury detox.
- Cilantro Essential Oil – Cilantro helps remove heavy metals from the body. It’s imperative you only use a brand of essential oil you know for certain is completely pure. We trust and recommend doTERRA essential oils.
Foods to Eat During the Dental Detox:
The diet should be free of all processed foods, sugar, alcohol, and artificial sweeteners. We recommend our clients follow the Foundational Food Plan, available to you when you purchase the supplements from our office, which includes vegetables, pastured meats, eggs, raw dairy, fermented foods, properly prepared nuts, seeds, legumes and grains, plenty of water, and healthy fats (like butter, ghee, coconut oil, duck fat, lard, tallow, etc).
Other Detox Therapies:
Karack’s Oil Treatment – Hold a mouthful of unrefined sesame oil (from a dark bottle) in your mouth for 3-10 minutes, intermittently swishing it around, “chewing it,” and gargling. When you can’t hold it any longer (without serious drooling!), spit it out. Then gargle and rinse with salt and baking soda, and brush your teeth Do this treatment daily for 3-6 months after all amalgams have been removed. The change in oil color from golden to white as well as the change of texture from thick to thin you’ll notice upon spitting out the oil indicates the degree of lipophilic (fat-loving) toxic chemicals, metals, and microbes that have been absorbed into the oil from the oral mucosa, as well as throughout the entire body as the blood circulates through the oral mucosa. Environmentally sensitive individuals particularly like the chemical-clearing effects of Dr. Karack’s Ayurvedic sesame oil treatment.
Near Infrared Sauna – The sweating promotes elimination of toxic chemicals, radioactive particles and other toxins. It also increases the skin’s ability to eliminate poisons.
I hope you find this post helpful! If you have further questions, please leave them in the comments below.
Sources:
Biodynamic Wellness
Radical Medicine by Dr. Louisa Williams
5-Day Dental Detox by Dr. Louisa Williams
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