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Tom McGuire, DDS: Mercury Amalgam (Silver) Filling Removal & Mercury Detoxification: Current Article

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Article # T100: My Mercury Amalgam Story

Date: Sept 2004

I believe I know as much about amalgam fillings and their relationship to chronic mercury poisoning as anyone on this planet. But I wasn’t born with this knowledge, nor did I get it by lying on the beach in Hawaii. 

At one point in time, I was as ignorant about this subject as anyone. I’m not talking about high school when I thought I knew everything. I’m talking about when I was in dental school and should have known or at least suspected, but didn’t have a clue. In the story of how I changed from one of the most ignorant to one of the most knowledgeable you will discover that you and I have much in common. 

When It Comes to Mercury, Ignorance Isn’t Bliss

When I was a child, my parents, my friends, their parents, and just about every other human being knew nothing about amalgam fillings being a source of chronic mercury poisoning. To be sure, dentists knew mercury made up 50% of the filling. Some even knew that mercury is a poison. The problem was that since no one told them that mercury was released from amalgams, they didn’t even consider it. No one seemed to care, except a very few enlightened beings who kept challenging the American Dental Association’s (ADA) position that “mercury amalgam (silver) dental fillings are not a health hazard.” Over the years I’ve heard that ignorance is bliss about 10,000 times. But when it came to amalgam fillings, my, my parents, and our dentist’s ignorance would never result in bliss. Even without knowing I was being poisoned, my dental experiences were so negative and painful that I swore that once I left home I would never go to a dentist again. With that happy thought and about 20 amalgam fillings in my teeth I blithely moved on with my life. It wasn’t long before found myself in dental school. How ironic, when I had a thousand painful reasons not to be in the same room with a dentist, that I became one.

Why I Changed My Opinion about Mercury Amalgam Fillings

What’s even more ironic is that I didn’t learn about the health hazards of mercury amalgam fillings until after I graduated from dental school. As a new dentist my knowledge of mercury was limited. Heck, I always associated the word mercury with something positive—the planet Mercury, the car Mercury, the Greek god Mercury, the town in Nevada called Mercury, and the mercury thermometer. I first became aware that there was a problem in 1970, two years after starting my dental practice. Thankfully, one of my patients told me about a book that said that amalgam fillings were poisonous because they released mercury. 

The ADA Is Wrong about Mercury Fillings

After reading this book I began to question the safety of amalgam fillings. Of course, what the book said was the exact opposite of what the American Dental Association (ADA) says: Don’t worry, be happy; these fillings are perfectly safe!  As I continued to research the available literature, my concerns grew. What I subsequently learned literally raised the hair on my arms. I not only learned how poisonous mercury is, but discovered that it doesn’t form stable bonds with the other minerals found in amalgam fillings. At that time there was no instrument that could accurately measure the mercury vapor released from silver dental fillings. But fortunately there were studies available that proved that most people who were suffering from health problems related to mercury poisoning got better after they had their fillings removed. 

Proof about the Health Hazards of Amalgam Fillings

That was proof enough for me. Even though I didn’t have access then to the conclusive information that is available today, I knew I’d never put another mercury amalgam filling into anyone’s teeth. Since that memorable awakening I’ve accessed hundreds of studies that prove that mercury is not only released from amalgam fillings, but can be released in amounts that have profound health effects. In addition, there are thousands of studies that have confirmed that mercury is extraordinarily damaging to human health. I doubt if you could find any scientist who would want to be in the same room with it, let alone have it in their teeth. 

Yet because of the ADA’s conspiracy of silence there are kind and caring dentists who still don’t believe they are poisoning their patients. In fact, there are thousands of dentists who don’t yet realize they are responsible for poisoning fetuses, nursing babies, and young children. But with all the available information ignorance is no longer a valid excuse. 

Is Your Dentist Poisoning You?

I could have more sympathy for these dentists, but the irrefutable fact is that one of the most poisonous substances on our planet is being released from amalgam fillings and accumulating in people’s bodies. Those that still continue to place these fillings and insist they are harmless can no longer be considered “naïve and innocent.” If I were going to dental school today and my instructors didn’t teach me this and I found out later they hid this information from me, I’d sue the dental school and the ADA. 

It is insane for dental schools to continue to take the ostrich approach to mercury amalgam fillings. I believe it is morally, ethically, and legally wrong. It defies logic and common sense that in spite of all the evidence the ADA, pro-amalgam dentists, and dental schools are taking the same position on these fillings that they took when I went to dental school. They are just as wrong today as they were then. Until their attitude about mercury amalgam fillings changes, the health of both dentists and their patients will continue to suffer.    

You Are Not Alone

Until I saw the light about mercury amalgam fillings, I was no different from you and tens of millions of other people who had them. The only reason people are so ignorant about them is that the ADA and its pro-amalgam supporters have covered up the truth. They have preventing millions from making a critical choice about a serious health issue: chronic mercury poisoning. When I discovered the truth about these toxic fillings I was able to make an informed choice. Yet, at first I felt guilty. I somehow felt I should have known better and was responsible for what I didn’t know. But I learned my lesson. I wasn’t the guilty one, I was the victim and I feel it is important that you understand that about your situation. 

The Blame and the Shame: Where Do They Belong?

The dentist who put amalgam fillings in your mouth without informing you that he was exposing you to a powerful poison is the one responsible for this crime. Intentionally or not, you’ve been poisoned by these fillings. If you want to blame or be angry at someone the person you should focus your energy on is the pro-amalgam dentist and ultimately the ADA who dictates what he does. The shame and guilt is his, not yours! Be angry if you wish but unless you channel that anger into doing something constructive you will continue to be the victim.  

I suggest that you turn a negative into a positive. Doing so will allow you to focus your energy on undoing the damage done to you and spreading the message to others. You will find satisfaction in sharing your experience and peace of mind in knowing that you are no longer being poisoned. I urge you to take advantage of the information in our books and website to begin your healing process. I wish you well. 

In Health,

 

Dr. Tom 

 

Last updated:Thu, Aug 19, 2004