A friend mentioned that she'd had a few metal amalgams removed.
I thought she was talking about her star chart...
alas, I am stupid. Amalgams are dental fillings.
Like most good Canadian children who were raised on pixie sticks and MacIntosh toffee, I have a fair share of mercury amalgams myself so naturally I asked her why she was getting hers removed.
Apparently, mercury is a dangerous substance to have in our bodies (right Jeremy Piven??) and they've outright banned mercury amalgams in many countries. In Canada, they're not given to pregnant women or children. But the U.S. FDA seems to think they're okay.
I realize there are always two sides to the story, and having read a bit on both points of few, decided to share my favorite article (at least the one that made me groan, chuckle and gasp with fear):
http://www.oneradionetwork.com/health_-_articles/dental_healing_-_articles/mercury_dental_amalgams_banned_in_3_countries_20090114717/
I especially liked the bit about a school evacution due to a teeny tiny amount of mercury leaking from a necklace.
Perhaps this will age me, but when I was in school -- elementary and highschool -- a big highlight in science class was a game of Let's Chase the Mercury! whereby the teacher spilled the silver liquid on the floor and we stupid unsuspecting and now quite poisoned children ran after the little balls as they scattered about.
Any one else?? LOL
Guess I'll see you on the Alzheimer's Ward in a few...
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My dentist is in the process of changing my amalgam fillings over to the white type. I haven't had so many problems as I have since he started doing that. Oy, I could go on a big long rant about this one ... apparently it takes a lot of skill to create the non-amalgam fillings and if they don't get it right, it hurts like hell. (And then they suggest a root canal for $1000 when it's their filling that's the problem) Akk, enough already, Leah!
Yes, we used to play "chase the mercury" too.
Hey Leah -- so what prompted the change for you?
And I had no idea that the white ones were problematic.
Re Root Canals - I fear them like a kid fears the boogey man. Don't know why,... I've never had one (yet) but they are what my nightmares are made of.
I've only had two changed out - both because bits of my teeth around the filling had chipped off so in order to replace the now missing spot, he ground out the old filling and replaced it.
They have to make sure the tooth is totally dry underneath before they start packing the composite in, or they've trapped an air bubble beneath the filling, and it has to be ground down to just the right height or it causes problems if it bumps up against your top/bottom teeth.
Guitar Hero has the same dentist and he had a filling replaced for some reason, and the dentist ended up doing a root canal twice on him because of it. (I guess he didn't get all the root out the first time?)
I really liked this guy - I'm normally terrified of dentists and this guy went out of his way to make me comfortable - plus he's a real cutey, but I can't go back now.
I remember playing with mercury in school, too.
Mercury! Oh yes, it's been linked to MS, Alzheimer's, Candida overgrowth, you name it. Thank God mine are gone, too!!
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