Metal filling for teeth?

wasnt the metal filling for teeth ment to be banned for some reason?
Answer:
Mercury and other heavy metals are toxic and can be absorbed by inhalation, swallowing and through the skin. Were mercury to be found in its vapour state it would be dangerous. In dental amalgam the mercury is bound to the other constituents and is not free to be absorbed.There is a huge industry in replacing amalgam fillings under the justification that it is unsafe and because people are gullible. Amalgam is banned not because of its health risk but because of the damage to sewage systems brought about by having metal particles in the system.One thing nobody seems to recognise is that the lifetime exposure to amalgam is highest amongst dental staff. Why are they not all ill? In fact there is no evidence of increased heavy metal related health problems in dental staff than in the general population. That's a bit worrying for the anti-amalgamists and is therefore ignored.Facts are never allowed to get in the way of a good conspiracy theory though, are they?

---

Not sure, but they should...I've heard and read stuff about a possible link to MS.

---

YES, Do to the %26quot;MERCURY CONTENT%26quot;. %26quot;VERY POISONOUS%26quot;, don't have them implanted very, very bad for your health. Plus when you smile people will see %26quot;Black%26quot; stuff in your teeth. YUCK!!
It has been linked to many illnesses over the years because the mercury leaks out into your blood stream and destroys nerves, blood cells, organs. Lot of central nervous system issues when pertaining to mercury poisoning!

---

yes, all children should now have white filllings, but some dentists still give adults mercury amalgam fillings, you have to pay extra for white but it is worth it. I grind my teeth and have therefore absorbed lots of mercury over the years, not good, plus the white fillings don't seem to need as much attention.

---

No, lead fillings were banned a long time ago but metal ones are still around because they are cheaper than white ones.

---

There is no definate proof as to not putting amalgam into teeth(this contains mercury) but my advice is to always have white fillings and not to put any metal substance in. The NHS will only pay for white ones in certain teeth and amalgam in the others as this is so much cheaper. It is worth paying for white fllings as i am sure there will be a case for no mercury at some point.

---

Amalgam fillings have been banned in several states. Still legal in most states. They have never been found to be anything but beneficial. They have the blessing of the: ADA, AMA, World Health Org., American Cancer Society, MS Society, Center for Disease Control, etc. They have been used for about 150 years now. They are made with a mixture of many metals like: copper, silver, bismuth, and mercury. Mercury is the wetting agent. BUT, once they are mixed the mercury is tied up. It is not free mercury, but instead the mercury is chemically changed to become part of the new metal.called amalgam. Having said all of that, I still think it makes sense to get composite fillings. They are tooth colored and therefore look better. AND, they are bonded to the tooth which makes for a tighter seal.PS: the whole MS thing is based on the fact that when you have MS it cycles. The patient feels great for a while and then cycles back into a not so great phase. Of course, there are times when they have silver, (amalgam), fillings right before they begin to feel bad. So, they make the assumption that the amalgam had something to do with it. The MS people have looked at it many times and they do not believe there is any connection.

---

Metals were not intended by nature to be inserted in your mouth. Mercury is a serious toxin,why would you want it in your mouth.I mean,you wouldnt suck on a metal coin or washer;even a dentist would say thats unsafe.
They seem to be phasing out amalgum fillings slowly-if they do it too quickly,all those suffering health problems related to mercury/allergy,etc may get suspicious and claim damages.
Having said that I dont know if white fillings are 100% safe either.Best to keep your pearls so clean,you dont need to see
them (dentists)in the first place. TO THOSE SAYING THERES NO PROOF AMALGUM IS UNSAFE,WHERE IS THE PROOF THAT IT IS SAFE?There is no proof,therefore the benefit of the doubt should be given to the patient.

---

It was looked into cos of the mercury that is in them, but put it this way all the health and safety gone mad now-a-days, they wouldn't be able to use it. Obviously there are precautions to take, but as the filling is being packed into the tooth, any mercury left is %26quot;squeezed out%26quot; for lack of a better term. It does have it's disadvantages in the sense that it doesn't look as nice.

---

Amalgam has been banned in some countries and territories but this is mainly due to the inherent dangers in handling mercury prior to it being mixed with the other constituents of amalgam. In the United Kingdom, amalgam is not banned but special precautions are taken in terms of mercury handling.Mercury is absorbed into the body as a vapour from amalgam fillings but the amount absorbed is so tiny that it is a fraction of the legal levels allowed for industrial exposure. The mercury is bound to other metals in an alloy structure which does not allow the mercury to simply leak out. Indeed, eating seafood may give you a higher exposure to mercury- but again at very low levels.Much of the 'evidence' supporting the role of amalgam in multiple sclerosis etc. comes from the effect of patients feeling better once their fillings have been removed. However, the removal of amalgam fillings actually increases the total mercury dose received- meaning that if the mercury was causing the MS then the disease would actually worsen and not improve following amalgam removal.Furthermore, amalgam is a highly useful dental material- its main disadvantages compared to more modern materials being its colour and lack of chemical bonding to tooth structure. But it is still the material of choice in many situations.I'm really pleased you raised this issue- may I ask why you're so interested?

---