Mercury from Amalgams Poisoning Dentists

Multiple studies have found that dentists who install and remove amalgams containing mercury have higher levels of mercury in their bodies. And mercury is a proven toxin with neurological effects.

Over a hundred dentists tested for mercury

The most recent study comes from University of Michigan’s School of Public Health. The researchers analyzed data from 131 dentists from the Michigan Dental Association, and sampled their hair and urine for mercury levels. They found a direct correlation between their mercury levels and their handling of amalgams. Their hair mercury levels ranged from 0.31-0.44 parts per million, and their urine mercury levels were 0.60-0.83 micrograms per liter.

Another study from the University of Michigan, from some of the same researchers, collected hair and urine samples from 515 dentists and dental workers such as dental hygienists and dental assistants. In this study, the average mercury urine levels were 1.06 micrograms per liter and the average hair mercury levels were .49 parts per million.

This study found that the dentists had 82% higher levels of urine mercury than did the non-dentists (those who worked in the dental office but weren’t dentists). The dentists also had more than twice the levels of mercury from hair analysis than did the non-dentists in the study.

Other studies have indicated that dentists have higher mercury levels than the general population. A 35 year study from Scotland indicated that those working in dental offices have higher concentrations of mercury using hair analysis.

However, the University of Michigan studies and others have tried to determine why dentists do not seem to have higher likelihood of neurological disorders such as Parkinson’s disease and others. A study from Denmark, for example, showed that dentists did not have higher rates of hospital admissions for neurological disorders.

The University of Michigan researchers are theorizing that there is an epigenetic response among the dentists – that they may be processing mercury differently than the rest of the population.

Mutating genes

This of course indicates that their genes are mutating as a result of their higher exposures. Whether this mutation will create issues for coming generations in their family is yet to be determined. One study found no obvious issues among children of dentists. But then again, epigenetic research has indicated that genetic effects of mutations can skip generations.

What we know for a fact is that dentists are poisoning themselves with a known neurological toxin. The long-term effects of our putting toxins in our teeth over the past half-century are still to be determined. The fact that mercury is a neurological toxin is now a well-accepted medical fact.

These gene mutations tells us there may be a relationship with cancer, as noted in arsenic studies.

REFERENCES:

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