Nexus - 0210 - New Times Magazine-pages

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IS HYPERSENSITIVITY NATURE'S WARNING? ".., this element was not initially given a high priori- ty, because the patients did not ene the familiar symptoms of inorganic mercury poisoning such as loose teeth, sore gums, and tremors." loose teeth, sore gums, and tremors." medicine to look for and recognise what appears to be a The recent discovery that amalgam mercury can be convert- . blue-print in Nature for health. There is ample evidence ed to methylmercury by common oral streptococci bacteria® a8 discussed earlier, to suggest that Nature provides for a mini- and preliminary studies which show that dental amalgam can | Mum exposure to mercury compounds. The hypersensitivity adversely affect the quantity of T-lymphocytes make the reas- reactions themselves seem to be in effect warning signs that surances of the dental profession even less convincing. our bodies’ natural mechanisms to cope with mercury entering In the light of these findings it is to be admitted that the the human system, are being taxed beyond their capacity. A weight of argument favours the conclusion that mercury poi- recent review of 41 published clinical cases of allergy to dental soning from dental amalgam may constitute an inconspicuous 2Malgam showed 30 of the cases involved females.* This but serious health hazard. apparent increased sensitivity of females is itself revealing when one considers that a fetus is particularly vulnerable to any mercury exposure by the mother.” It seems that Nature THE MERCURY THREAT TO DENTAL has therefore allowed potential mothers to be much more sen- sitive to increases in their mercury uptake as a warning sign in symptoms of inorganic mercury poisoning such as T= mercury amalgam picture illustrates the failure of STAFF order to prevent over-exposure of the fetus. n the foregoing discus- The continued use of mercury amalgams to fill cavities com- [s we have considered bined with strict instructions for meticulous the mercury problem dental hygiene and fluoride treatment place unnatural burdens on both our bio- chemistry and daily routines. Nature has not evolved toothbrush like protuberants from the vantage of the patient with amalgam fill- ings. There is in addition the grave health threat "Fatigue is another pervasive on the ae of paces - ome “4 posed to dentists and their * sugar cane but she provi ibre an support staff who work symptom, and many patients a protective mineral and biological bal- directly with the material. report diminished work ance. Even Huggins’ modest esti- sae . While we know that refined carbohy- mate of 15,000 U.S. den- capacities, both physical and drate foods are the most carcinogenic of tists making use annually of mental." all foods, A.K. Adatia points out that in one hundred and fifty tons 1937, it was found that sugar cane juice of mercury in the name of and whole wheat, in contrast to refined dental therapy provides sugar and white flour, contained factors cause for alarm.” Many which reduced the solubility of tooth dentists fill teeth at an aver- enamel when incubated with saliva. age of four amalgams per Factors which reduce the solubility of hour. Given conditions of poor ventilation (eg closed win- tooth enamel are also present in, for example, wheat bran, dows, small rooms, etc) and particularly air conditioning | wheat germ, and in the hulls of oats and peanuts. these factors which simply recirculates mercury vapour, the potential for © are water soluble and seem to be extracted during mastica- mercury poisoning by exposure of dental staff and their _tion.* Furthermore, it seems that mastication itself plays a role patients from such sources as these cannot be ignored.* Inone __ in incorporating these protective factors into the tooth enamel study undertaken by the University of Texas Dental Branch at _—_ during the compression processes.® Houston a longitudinal study revealed that as dental students On reflection, it can be seen that Nature's mechanism to pro- proceed through their course, they become progressively tect teeth, in the presence of man inserted mercury amalgams hypersensitive to mercury. At the onset of their course, first turns into a process for releasing hazardous mercury vapour. ycar students exhibited hypersensitivity levels to mercury as —_— Not only that, but the refining of foods as well as removing low as 2.0%, but by their senior year, hypersensitivity levels _ factors which protect tooth enamel, also removes zinc“ a factor had risen to 10.8%. These levels are all the more extraordi- _ involved in stimulating the endogenous production of metal- nary when it is appreciated that the degree of student exposure _lothionine, the protein used by the body to detoxify heavy met- to mercury by way of filling teeth was not all that great. _als such as mercury.© Second year students averaged only two restorations each, for After reviewing dental caries and periodontal disease in the an average total of twelve exposures. As third year students —_ context of refined carbohydrate foods and disease, Adatia con- with an average of 27 total exposures, hypersensitivity levels cluded that meticulous oral hygiene and cariostatic food addi- had risen from the initial figure of 2% to a staggering 10.3%. —_ tives such as fluorides were of limited benefit.“ Instead he There is little doubt that the impact of mercury poisoning _ suggests that: upon practising dentists and their staff, as well as their “Inclusion in the diet of unrefined foods of firm patients, is no trivial matter, and it is clear that sufficient fibrous consistency would encourage vigorous masti- research has now accumulated to serve as a salutary reminder cation which would aid digestion, induce secretion of to health authorities that the potential health hazard arising out of the use of dental amalgam should no | be trivialized. . 8 ne iwert — Continued on page 64 The recent discovery that amalgam mercury can be convert- ed to methylmercury by common oral streptococci bacteria and preliminary studies which show that dental amalgam can adversely affect the quantity of T-lymphocytes® make the reas- surances of the dental profession even less convincing. In the light of these findings it is to be admitted that the weight of argument favours the conclusion that mercury poi- soning from dental amalgam may constitute an inconspicuous but serious health hazard. STAFF "Fatigue is another pervasive symptom, and many patients report diminished work capacities, both physical and mental." 18¢NEXUS THE MERCURY THREAT TO DENTAL Continued on page 64 OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 1992