I’ve had a couple of old silver fillings for years. My daughter keeps telling me how dangerous they are to my health if they start leaking and that I should get rid of them. But, she insists I need to go to a mercury-free dentist. I asked my regular dentist if he could get rid of them and he said there’s no real reason to, but he will. He thinks it’s all hype to sell the new fillings. I’m not sure who’s right.
Della M.
Dear Della,
The American Dental Association still says that amalgam fillings are safe. The research has been mostly on static fillings and there haven’t been any significant studies done on how much mercury is released with eating, drinking, and brushing, etc. However, if they start leaking you will be ingesting mercury. If they’re old, it’s probably better to go ahead and replace them.
What’s more important than whether or not a mercury-free dentist removes them is if they know how to do sanitary amalgam removal. You want a dentist who knows how to prevent you from ingesting any mercury fragments or inhaling any of its vapors. Mercury-free dentists generally know how to do that, as well as holistic dentists.
Another important issue is to be certain your dentist is keeping up to date with the developments in dentistry. Like everyone, it’s easy for practitioners to get stuck doing things the way they’ve always been done. Improvements in dentistry also mean improvements to your quality of living with your newer dental care.
The truth is the newer composite fillings are better for your teeth. They strengthen the bond, have no toxic ingredients, and prevent sensitivity that comes from metal’s conducting heat.
This blog is brought to you by Dr. Susan Dennis.