Inhaling poisonous vapor is more common than you think. When it comes to toxic chemicals, mercury is the most poisonous non-radioactive substance known to man (i). When under pressure, the chemical vaporizes into an odorless, tasteless gas.
Why, then, would this chemical be used in dental fillings?
Amalgam fillings, know for their silver appearance, are comprised of silver, tin, and up to 50% mercury. Larger cavities require larger amounts of dental amalgam to fill their hole. The larger the amount of dental amalgam, the more mercury it contains. Large cavities can be filled with amalgam comprised of over 60% mercury.
Mercury Toxicity in the Mouth
Unlike white composite fillings, mercury amalgam fillings are never sealed. Instead, the amalgam is pressed into the cavity and left to naturally corrode. As this corrosion progresses, the filling is naturally secured into the enamel of the tooth. However, several things make this unsafe:
1. Teeth, and the fillings therein, are exposed to great amounts of pressure and continual grinding due to natural chewing, anxious jaw clenching, and unconscious teeth grinding during sleep.
2. The mouth is naturally one of the warmest regions of the body.
3. The mercury in dental amalgam vaporizes when exposed to continual warmth and pressure.
4. Once vaporized, the mercury is odorless and tasteless.
Since the vapor comes from a filling within the mouth of a person, it is inhaled at about 10-50 times the amount that the U.S. Public Health Service calls safe (ii). The only true way to prevent mercury poisoning is to seek a dental professional who specializes in safe mercury removal. Replacing old silver fillings with white composite fillings is a safe step towards long term health.
About this Author
Read more about Amalgam Filling Removal. Assure a Smile Miami Dentists specialize in safely removing amalgam (silver) fillings. For more information, visit Assureasmile.com.
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