Some dental procedures can be daunting, especially if you don’t know what materials your dentist puts into your mouth. However, with current dental technology, there are several safe dental procedures and options of safer alternative materials used by holistic dentists.
One of the services holistic dentists can provide is safely removing silver fillings or amalgam. The materials used in these fillings may be toxic to you. Here’s why you should get silver fillings swapped with healthier materials by your holistic dentist.
What Materials Are Used in Silver Fillings?
Dental amalgams are made with several toxic materials that could cause health issues. The mixture combines liquid (elemental) mercury and a powdered silver, tin, and copper alloy.
When placing a silver filling, your dentist will drill the tooth to remove the decay and then shapes the tooth cavity for the amalgam. They will then safely mix the powered alloy and liquid mercury to form an amalgam putty that allows them to place and shape the filling in the prepared cavity.
Mercury can be the main source behind some people’s adverse health problems. Although for many people, mercury can be eliminated from bodily fluids and tissues, including the kidneys and brain, there is still a chance of it accumulating in the body resulting in damage to organs.
What Are the Potential Health Risks of Silver Fillings
This silver filling method continues to be taught in dental schools and is often used within the dental field. However, some risks come with silver fillings, including:
- Mercury exposure leads to adverse effects on the brain and kidneys.
- Developmental issues to fetuses or young children who breastfeed.
- Adverse health effects for particular groups of people, such as pregnant women.
- Potential allergy or sensitivity to mercury or other components leading to oral lesions.
