Mercury amalgam dental fillings, commonly referred to as ‘Silver’ dental fillings, contain between 48 & 55% mercury. While the American Dental Association originally denied that mercury from these fillings was leaking and being absorbed into the body, in recent years, facing numerous studies to the contrary, have had to concede that ’silver fillings’ , do indeed leak mercury vapor, one of the most toxic substances known to man.

States Pam Floener, a spokesperson for the International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology, states that ” The metallic mercury used by dentists to manufacture dental amalgam is shipped as a hazardous material to the dental office. When amalgams are removed, for whatever reason, they are treated as hazardous waste and are required to be disposed of in accordance with OSHA regulations and it is inconceivable that the mouth could be considered a safe storage container for this toxic material.”

This new information, comes straight from the National Institute of Health and has been brought to light by Citizens for Mercury Relief (CFMR), a Canadian Group that in 1998 initiated a Federal Class Action Lawsuit against the manufacturers of mercury dental amalgam and Health Canada, that is currently awaiting court certification.

The summary of events that occurred are as follows:

– Ernie Mezei, a participant with CFMR who holds degrees in chemistry and electrical engineering, started looking for epidemiological data to support the damage done by mercury fillings. His search led him to the Framingham Heart Study, but it was concluded that the information required to conduct a statistical analysis was absent.

– When contacted, a representative from the National Institute of Health suggested that a study that would have the information that was required for analysis would be the NHANES III Study (National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey), a study that according to the mission statement of National Center for Health Sciences “is to provide statistical information that will guide the actions and policies to improve health of the American people. As the Nation’s principal health statistics agency, NCHS leads the way with accurate, relevant, and timely data.”

– CFMR then retained Datastep, a company in California who specializes in running statistical analysis. Datastep was asked to run a statistical analysis to see if they could find any links to dental fillings and adverse health conditions.

– Their initial figures revealed that while 78% of the American public have dental fillings, 95% of the people with International Classification of Disease Codes 340-349: Disorders of the Central Nervous System which include MS, Epilepsy, Paralysis and Migraines, have dental fillings.

That is an almost 22% increased risk in people with dental amalgams.

In addition, initial figures also demonstrated that in the Major Chapter of Circulatory Disorders ( ICD-9-M Codes 390-459 which includes rheumatic fever, heart disease, pulmonary circulation, hypertension, and arterial disease), that this group is 33% filling free, an astounding result considering that the rest of the American population is 18% filling free. Mezei says “clearly the survivors of heart disease have a much higher rate of being dental filling-free, and we know heart disease is the #1 Killer in the United States” but also stated that “he would not be surprised if the American Dental Association tried to say that these figures meant that dental fillings prevented heart disease”.

Dr. Mark Richardson, formerly a Health Canada Risk Assessor, is author of The Richardson Report, a controversial government report, which resulted in Health Canada publishing a position paper that advised that pregnant women and children should not have mercury amalgams placed and should restrict their intake of fish. He has reviewed the preliminary statistics produced by the US study and both he and DataStep agree that the initial information is compelling and that money should immediately be made available for more statistical analysis to be done.

At very least, it has been determined that dental fillings rates do have a correlation with disease for the American public, but according to Mezei, it is now up to the Americans to pick up the ball and run with it.