What makes filling removal “mercury-safe”? A skilled biological dentist in Clearwater, FL, explains.

Many “mercury-free” dentists along the Gulf Coast and elsewhere warn of the dangers of amalgam fillings, how the toxin in amalgams is continuously emitted and absorbed in the brain, kidneys, liver, lungs, and GI tract, where it accumulates. Absorption is accelerated when patients grind their teeth or consume hot beverages and foods. Patients who visit biological practitioners like Natural Dentistry may have some of the 250-plus symptoms of mercury exposure identified by the International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology. A proud member of the IAOMT, Dr. Beata A. Carlson and her associates understand actual symptom resolution involves adhering to the academy’s protocols for mercury-safe removal at her Clearwater, FL office.  

How are mercury fillings removed? It matters!

The techniques and processes in place to remove fillings that contain mercury are critically important. You may be wondering why is that the case when the process of getting or modifying a composite filling seems so easy? Just as the mercury from fillings is released in your body at higher rates when you grind your teeth or drink hot tea, there are certain behaviors and situations during the filling removal process that make you more vulnerable to mercury exposure.

Dr. Beata A. Carlson and her associates, as well as the environment, are also vulnerable to mercury released during the process of removing your amalgam fillings. Yes, one of the great things about composite resin or metal-free dental materials is that they do not contain mercury. So, if they need to be repaired or replaced due to wear and tear or other trauma, the process is straightforward. These restorations are made from safe materials. But that is not the case with silver-colored amalgams made from a mix of metals; notably, mercury.

As Dr. Beata A. Carlson and her associates take the step to lift the filling from your mouth, the mercury may be released in two different ways:

• As vapors
• As particles or particulate matter

The amount of mercury released directly correlates with the amount of heat that comes in contact with the filling material. For this reason, mercury is released at significantly higher levels when your teeth come in contact with hot foods and drinks, and the act of “drilling out” the filling produces friction and generates heat. The heated mercury is released as tiny particles and vapors.

Safety precautions taken when removing silver amalgam (mercury) fillings

Do you have silver mercury fillings in your mouth? Mercury can be harmful and should be removed with care. Watch this video to learn the safety protocols followed at Natural Dentistry to keep their patients safe.

Video Transcript

Safety precautions practiced when removing silver amalgam (mercury) fillings.

Mercury vaporizes at room temperature. Such vapor will come out soon as a dentist touches an amalgam filling with a drill. If the patients breathe this vapor, it goes into the lungs.

Breathing in the mercury vapor can make the patient ill. To prevent this from happening, we take the following safety precautions:

Safety glasses are put over your eyes to protect them from settling mercury particles and vapor. We have you breathe pure bottled oxygen through a nasal cannula (tube) to minimize your breathing in the air around your face, which is full of mercury vapor.

A rubber dam will be placed over your mouth. It is a sheet of rubber that helps keep the mercury from going down your throat.

A high-volume air evacuator is placed directly in front of your face while the filling is being drilled out. It pulls all the air-borne particles away from your face, to prevent you from breathing/swallowing them.

Copious amounts of cold water will be constantly squirted on the filling as it’s being drilled out, to keep the temperature down.

A clean-up device will be used when necessary. The clean-up fits over the tooth and is attached to the suction, so it pulls all particles away from the tooth as the filling is being drilled out.

Powdered charcoal and chlorella are placed in your mouth under the rubber dam. Both these substances can absorb mercury particles before they get absorbed into your system.

The fillings will be taken out with as little drilling as possible, in as large chunks as possible, to minimize the amount of mercury vapor released into the air.

An industrial-strength ion generator is mounted over the patient’s chair, which electrostatically captures any particles of mercury vapor that are released.

The dental staff protects themselves by wearing industrial-grade gas masks while the mercury is being drilled out. They know that the air around them is full of mercury vapor, which could be a liability to both their bodies and to yours.

Studies have found that dental amalgams’ removal led to short-term flare-ups of wide-ranging health complaints, from heart palpitations to diarrhea, to flu-like chills and nausea. Dr. Beata A. Carlson and her associates have minimized mercury vapors and particles’ release, reducing the health and environmental risks. There is no “silver bullet” to protect from considerable mercury exposure associated with filling removal. Instead, Natural Dentistry has invested in several different products, protective gear, and equipment as safeguards against breathing in or swallowing harmful mercury vapors and particles. Some of these precautions include the use of:

• Safety glasses
• Dental masks
• Bottled oxygen
• Rubber dams to prevent swallowing mercury
• Clean-up devises to suck up particles
• Chlorella, charcoal absorbent slurries
• Industrial-grade masks for staff
• An industrial-strength ion generator to capture harmful vapors
• A high-volume air evacuator to minimize the airborne matter

Additionally, Dr. Beata A. Carlson and her associates at Natural Dentistry are appropriately trained on techniques to manage the heat that generally arises when the dental drill comes in contact with tooth structure, natural or otherwise. The amalgam will be removed in larger chunks, and water will be applied throughout to keep the treatment site cool.

Even after you are free from the worry and risks associated with mercury fillings, the process of restoring your health is not over. Natural Dentistry enjoys working with you on detoxification therapies and diets and monitoring how your body responds to these changes.

You deserve to be healthy, and, to get to that state, you need to partner with an authentic mercury-free and mercury-safe practice like Natural Dentistry. Call 727-888-6929 to schedule your appointment with Dr. Beata A. Carlson and her associates at the Clearwater, FL office.

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