Here is a summary of the BBC Panorama program on Dental Amalgam.

Poison In The Mouth : Broadcast June 1994.

I realise that the quality of TV coverage on scientific issues such as these is variable, however this program presented studies from the World Health Organization (W.H.O), and other quality sources. In the program's opening statement: "Mercury is so toxic that at certain levels, it drives people mad, but even the tiniest amounts are regarded as unsafe. At lower levels, and no-one knows how low they are, mercury attacks the brain, and the central nervous system, producing symptoms that include nervousness and irritability, lack of concentration, loss of memory and self confidence, mood swings, anxiety, depression, fatigue and insomnia. Because there can be other causes for these symptoms, nobody has associated amalgam with it"

Dr. Lars Friburg is probably the worlds leading authority on mercury poisoning, and was chief advisor to the World Health Organization on mercury safety. He is the author of recognised standard textbooks on the subject. Upto this point in time, he has remained neutral in the debate - however he has carried out intensive research into the subject, and has arrived at a conclusion. When interviewed on the program he states that there is NO safe level, and that he is of the opinion that amalgam should not be used. The program then quotes research conducted 10 years ago, that showed that mercury is NOT safely locked into the amalgam, but leaks away. Electron microscope pictures of old fillings showed holes where the mercury has evaporated - typically 40% of the mercury can be released over a ten year period. Picking up on this research, Fritz Lorscheider (Professor of Medical Physiology at University of Calgary) and Murray Vimy (World Health Organization consultant) conducted an experiment, where a Sheep was give amalgam fillings prepared with a radioactive isotope of mercury that shows up on X-rays. It was shown that large amounts of the mercury leaked and was absorbed by the body. Dental experts raised an objection - a sheep chews and grinds its food a lot more that a human - so the research was re-conducted with monkeys, with the same results. They found that the mercury actually damaged the kidneys of the sheep. [My note - if anything humans are put at greater risk of exposure than the sheep in this experiment - humans can have thier amalgams drilled/replaced continously over a 70 year lifetime.] Murray Vimy was asked "When you look at all the current scientific evidence, what do you think its trying to tell you?" He replied "It tells me very succinctly that there is a chronic low-dose exposure to a toxic heavy metal that 80-85 percent of the industrialised world have implanted in their teeth, and its a situation of timed-release poisoning."

Professor Vasken Aposhian, world-renowned head at the Dept of molecular and Cellular biology of the University of Arizona, conducted a study of humans, using chelating agents (DMSA) to flush mercury from the body of volenteers. He established that on average two-thirds of the mercury in the body comes from amalgam fillings - disproving the dentist's claims that none of the mercury from amalgam is absorbed by the body. Dr David Eggelston of the University of Southern California, an eminent dentist, has conducted post-mortem research that showed that dental mercury accumulated and stayed in the brain - for around 40 years. His research again confirmed that mercury is released from amalgam fillings. Quoting him: "My greatest worry would be among children. Children are going to school, they are being taught things, they are being taught how to handle everyday situations, they're being given information that we hope they'll keep in their minds for a better way of life. It is concievable that, as they're being educated and as they're being trained to do something, their training will not stay with them as long, they may not be able to do things as quickly, and therefore they will not be able to be judged proficient in certain tasks"

Dr Boyd Haley, head of medicinal and biochemistry at the University of Kentucky is conducting research into the link between dental mercury and Alzheimer's disease. He is quoted as saying that while he would not like to specifically say (yet) that mercury causes Alzheimer's disease, there is no doubt in his mind that low levels of mercury present in the brain cause neural cell death that causes a dementia similar to Alzheimer's. He has just made a dramatic breakthrough, that establishes that dental mercury inhibits the production of vital chemicals (tubilin), leading to changes identical to the changes that occur with Alzheimer's disease. He considers that amalgam is a time-bomb. (A quote from him from another source: "If I was diagnosed as having alzheimers, I would start taking DMSA (anti-mercury chelator) like it was going out of fashion).

The program then had an interview with Professor Gustav Drasch, of the University of Munich. He has examined the brains of dead babies and foetuses and found mercury deposits had appeared in their skulls. He said "I think the implications are serious. It is a question fo whether or not we have to restrict the application of dental amalgam for women, not only of childbearing age, but even before - because if, for instance, a girl of 15 gets an amalgam filling, this filling lies in her mouth for ten years, all the time releasing some mercury. If this girl gets pregnant, say five years after she has a mercury filling, the mercury goes to the baby. So really the question now being discussed in Germany today is, not to forbid it, but to restrict amalgam fillings for women from, say, 15 to 50 years"

Dr Diana Echeverria, a neuro-toxicologist, has completed a remarkable new study. It tested the reaction times of Dentists to do specific manual tasks, and showed losses in manual dexterity and concentration. She is quoted as saying that the exposure of mercury for patients with a large number of fillings and Dentists overlap - ie. patients are at the same risk. The US environmental protection safety limits for mercury vapour are 10 Micrograms per day, yet research shows that fillings contribute between 1 and 29 ug/day - 3 times the limit. Dr Steven Challacombe, Professor of oral medicine at St Guys and one of Britian's leading dental researchers, has followed this new research and is not satisfied amalgam is safe. He believes that further action and research is required by the British government.

Many countries in the world have now officially banned Amalgam fillings, including Sweden and some mid-european countries. Other countries seem to be replacing amalgam by stealth - without actually wanting to admit legal liability. A number of other studies were quoted however the above summarises the principle medical arguments put forward by the Program.

My Comments

The program shows Dentists using considerable precautions when removing fillings - Rubber dams in the mouth, low speed drills and independent air supplies for both patient and dentist. This is because of the very high levels of mercury released when an old filling is drilled out. Similar precautions are now being adopted by many UK dentists. It is interesting to note that there has been much more 'drilling out' of old teeth performed recently than in previous times, since in pre-antibiotic days an infected tooth could be a life-threatening infection, and had to be pulled. Modern dentists make 'rescueing' teeth a high priority - maybe this accounts for an increase in amalgam related problems.

There is just SO much evidence now that:-

A) Mercury is very dangerous. (one of the most toxic metals known to man)

B) It DOES leak from an amalgam filling, often in large quantities. Also, when old fillings are drilled out to make way for new, large amounts of Mercury are released from the old filling. (Remember, those "silver" fillings in your mouth CONTAIN 50% MERCURY! Thats something a dentist never tells you..)

C) Many people consequently suffer serious illness. Incidentally I believe that this is often diagnosed as being ME - which in a way it probably is, since ME is a neurological disorder that is also not understood, and Mercury poisoning is probably at least a contributing factor in some cases. The symptoms of "classic" Mercury poisoning and ME bear some striking resembelances.

"But surely" you may ask, "something this big could not have gone unchecked for so long?" Well, let us ponder on this. The way that the current US/UK medical systems work is very bad - everything seems to be decided by a few quangos, with no really effective feedback from the grass roots. Also the inertia in the system is incredible. Take a classic example - The cause of Stomach Ulcers. For a very long time, specialists have insisted that they were caused by factors like diet, stress, etc. Then, recently, Dr Marshall, an Australian doctor discovered a bacterium living on these stomach ulcers, and postulated they were the cause of the problem. Sure enough, he discovered that patients given a course of a suitable antibiotic fully recovered from the disease. Now the fun starts - was he hailed a hero by specialists the world over? Was he hell! The Drugs companies fought his ideas tooth and nail - after all, instead of feeding patients for 20-30 years with expensive patented acid-inhibiting drugs, the problem can be cured with a simple inexpensive dose of out-of-patent antibiotics. Its taken decades for the establishment to finally admit that 90% of stomach ulcers are in fact caused by this bacterium. And remember - this is a (relatively) simple to prove case - after all you can get a bacterium under a microscope & see it - imagine how much longer the establishment can mess about in the case of a subtle neurological disorder, where so little is understood anyway.

Another case - the UK growth-hormone victims. This treatment was given to children with stunted growth - however evidence came to light showing that this treatment caused a fatal CJD type dementia later in life. The families of victim sucessfully sued the UK government. In the judges summing up, he said that IN SPITE of being aware of the problem with the treatment, the governing medical council took allowed continued use and refused to even discuss the issue.

I really believe that the morality of some of those aurguing otherwise is almost getting to be comparable to the tobacco companies hiring medical "experts" to argue "But smoking isnt really that dangerous.." By the time people became aware of the problem, there were already 100's millions of people with amalgam fillings. No-ones had the guts to stand up and say, "Sorry guys, but.."

I think the answer to the question "is amalgam safe" lies in the answer to the following question:-

"If Amalgam was a NEW treatment discovered yesterday, what chance do you think it would stand of being ratified as being suitable and safe (Given what we already know about Mercury) for Dental use?"

I think the answer to that also answers the question, "Is amalgam safe" finally and absolutely.. Maybe having answered that question, we can consider the questions:- "When will Amalgam be phased out?" and "When will victims be offered proper recourse, support and treatment?" Because, at the moment, they are being misdiagnosed, and worse, denied access to possible curative therapys, advice and treatments.

This information comes from a website used to called UK Amalgam Page, but which is no more. It was maintained by an anonymous.

Also make sure to read these books: Poison in Your Teeth: Mercury Amalgam (Silver) Fillings...Hazardous to Your Health! and Mercury Detoxification by Tom McGuire