I have three amalgam fillings. They’ve been bothering me. There’s nothing really wrong with them. It’s just that now that I know what’s actually in them I keep panicking that they’re poisoning me. I spoke to my dentist about it and he feels that I’m overreacting. He told me it’s actually more dangerous to remove them than to leave them be. I feel like I’ve got a time bomb in my mouth. What do I do? Is he right?

Sophie D.

Dear Sophie,

You’re not alone in your fear of amalgam fillings. Even when they were first used in the 1840s they knew for marketing purposes they’d need to call them silver fillings, even though they’re made mostly of mercury. As a known toxin, many patients are uncomfortable leaving them in their mouth, despite the American Dental Associations insistence they’re perfectly safe.

I’m glad you wrote. It sounds like your dentist doesn’t know how to do a sanitary amalgam removal. If he removed them, it would be unsafe. The fillings can release mercury vapors if not done properly. Those are equally, if not more, toxic.

If you’re seriously considering removing your silver/amalgam fillings, you’ll need to go to a mercury free dentist. They’ll use a stopper dam and other equipment in order to do a sanitary removal. These are safe and keep you from inhaling or ingesting any mercury.

Even if your fillings are fine now, they will age and eventually start leaking. It doesn’t hurt to remove them early.

Another option is for you to do a search for a holistic dentist. They’ll also be able to do a sanitary removal. They’ll replace your fillings with white/composite fillings. These have many advantages over their silver counterparts, including strengthening the tooth structure.

This blog is brought to you by Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Susan Dennis of Portage, MI.