Let us begin this article with a few findings.
An autopsy study conducted in 1992 showed that individuals with more than ten amalgams have 83.3 ng Hg/g in the liver (0-2 amalgams: 17.68 ng Hg/g) and 504 ng Hg/g in their kidney tissues (0-2 amalgams: 54 ng Hg/g).
According to a 2007-study, mercury levels were 200 ng Hg/g in the pituitary gland and 55 ng Hg/g in the thyroid gland. Again, the correlation pointed out at the number of amalgam fillings.
In 2008, an autopsy study by the European Commission’s Scientific Committee on Emerging and Newly Identified Health Risks (SCENIHR) found that compared to individuals with only 0-3 amalgam fillings, those with more than 12 amalgam fillings have more than 10-times higher mercury levels in some tissues including the brain.
With the rise in the number of such studies and results highlighting the possible hazardous effects of dental amalgam mercury on the human body, many dentists have been recommending metal-free fillings to their patients. But there are several more reasons behind this recommendation. Read those below.
Trigger Sensitivity
Your tooth dentin and enamel protect the tooth nerve against temperature changes when you eat and drink hot or cold foods and beverages. A healthy tooth has effective insulation, but a metal amalgam filling decreases its ability to insulate against temperature changes effectively. It is because metal is a poor insulator. It conducts heat and cold into your tooth, thus making it more sensitive. Also, heat makes metal amalgam fillings expand. It puts pressure on teeth and nerves and causes discomfort.
Damaging To Teeth
The expansion of metal fillings because of heat and contraction can damage your teeth. The pressure created on a tooth with a metal filling can cause it to develop cracks. These may deepen when you bite and chew, ultimately leading to pain and crack. Similarly, when metal fillings contract because of cold, it creates space around the filling. Bacteria and acids can easily penetrate this gap, thus causing damage to the tooth.
Unattractive Look
First, metal amalgam fillings are highly noticeable. These do not match up to the look and feel of the original tooth, which makes it a tell-tale sign that you have had tooth and got silver fillings. Second, metal fillings often oxidize and turn black gradually. It makes your tooth or teeth as bad as these looked when you had a cavity. Moreover, this discoloration can cover the entire tooth, even if the filling itself is less visible, and make you look both aged and negligent of oral hygiene.
Harmful To The Environment
When you have metal fillings, your body releases some amount of mercury through urine and excreta. This mercury harms the environment by contaminating watersheds. Something even more dangerous is the mercury that evaporates during the burning of bodies. Crematoria are among the primary sources of airborne mercury. If cremation is a part of death rituals that you follow, consider getting your fillings removed.
Great Alternatives
The availability of better options that match your tooth color and look subtle is another reason doctors advise patients to choose metal-free dental fillings. The change in your smile will make you feel delighted for sure.
If you are considering metal-free fillings, choose better and consult your dentist today.
