Guest guest Posted June 2, 2006 Report Share Posted June 2, 2006 Volume 4, Issue 5, May 2006 You have received this e-zine because you subscribed to it either on- line or by signing-up at a seminar, lecture, health expo or at our dental office. To manage your subscription, see the end of this issue. You may Pass this issue along to friends and associates - just please keep the entire message intact. Sign me up for this e-zine! Visit our Website at www.wholebodydentistry.com Upcoming Lectures: Three Lectures in June Feature Article: Mercury Fillings in Children - A Look at Two Recent Studies ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------- Health & Wellness Lectures: Monday June 5th ~ The Impact of Dentistry on Your Health - Mark A. Breiner, DDS will discuss numerous aspects of dentistry and its affects on your over-all health. Thursday, June 8th ~ Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy & EEG Neurofeedback - Adam Breiner, ND will discuss the history and use of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) for various conditions such as Lyme Disease, Stroke, Closed Head Injury, Sports Injury, Chronic Fatigue, Fibromyalgia, MS, CP, ADD/ADHD, Autism etc. Also under discussion will be " Real-Time " All Digital EEG Neurofeedback and how this therapy can retrain your brain wave patterns permanently. This therapy can work alone or in conjunction with HBOT for numerous conditions. Wednesday, June 14th ~ Natural Secrets for Youthful Aging - Elena Sokolova, MD, ND will discuss natural approaches to: increase the oxygenation of your cells and tissues; improve your microcirculation; eliminate harmful build-up of toxins; reduce stress; regulate hormones; balance sexual harmony; normalize blood glucose; normalize memory & cognitive functions; normalize bone loss; normalize cardio- vascular function. All lectures take place at 6:30 p.m. in the 2nd floor conference room in our office building. Lectures are Free. Seating is limited. To reserve your seat for the lecture of choice, call Dr. Adam Breiner's office at 203-371-8258. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------- Note From Dr. Breiner: A lawsuit was filed a few weeks ago against the FDA by several citizen groups and several individuals. The suit is asking that mercury amalgams be withdrawn from interstate commerce. The suit states that " The FDA is tasked with ensuring that devices are safe and effective, and must regulate devices in a way that is prompt, efficient and timely. " Essentially the FDA has not done this with reference to amalgam fillings. The FDA has never classified them nor have they ever given an environmental impact statement. The FDA has " never required that amalgam manufacturers prove the product is safe before introducing it into commerce... " Because the FDA has been derelict in its duty to protect the public, the suit is requesting that the Federal courts take action. We can only hope that the plaintiffs will be victorious. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------- Feature Article: Mercury Fillings in Children - A Look at Two Recent Studies Last month I briefly mentioned the studies published in the New England Journal of Medicine evaluating the safety of mercury fillings in children. One study, conducted in Lisbon, Portugal, involved 507 children. The conclusion of the authors of this study was that, " amalgam should remain a viable dental restorative option for children. " The other study, conducted in the Boston area, involved 534 children. It's findings " suggest that the health effects of amalgam restorations in children need not be the basis of treatment decisions when choosing restorative dental materials " . The result was a lot of media coverage proclaiming the safety of mercury fillings in children. I find it interesting and frustrating how much media this received; yet the story about a suit filed against the FDA to ban mercury fillings was totally ignored. (See comments on this suit in section above). As promised last month, I have reviewed the articles and would like to offer some comments: First, let me summarize the two studies: In the Portugal study, children eight to ten years old, having at least one cavity on a permanent tooth, were divided into two groups. One group received mercury fillings over the seven years of the study, the other group composite. At selected intervals, tests were given to assess memory, attention/concentration and nerve conduction velocities. In the Massachusetts study, children 6-10 years old were divided into two groups - one to receive composite fillings and the other mercury fillings. They were treated and tested over five years. In this study they were testing IQ, memory, vasomotor ability, and renal function. These studies are very disturbing. First there is the ethical question about implanting mercury into children. I wonder if I can get a study funded to determine if it is safe to place a lead filling in a child's mouth. I would doubt it - everyone knows lead and children do not mix well. So how is it that mercury fillings are still in use; everyone knows that mercury is unsafe. The authors state that amalgam fillings " emit small amounts of mercury vapor " . Don't you think it would be a good idea to determine what that amount is? Then knowing the amount they are being exposed to, one can determine how much of that amount is being excreted and thus how much is being retained. In the studies the researchers looked at urinary excretion of mercury. This is one route of excretion. However the primary route for getting rid of mercury is in feces. It is interesting to note that in the Portugal study over the first two years the amount of mercury being excreted in the urine of those with mercury fillings almost doubled over baseline. Naturally, there was no increase in the composite group. Over the next 5 years the urinary mercury decreased to a little more than the composite group. Why did the level of urinary mercury decrease? Given that mercury is continuously coming out of the fillings, one would have expected these levels to stay the same. The only logical explanations are: 1) mercury, which is toxic to the kidney, is affecting the kidney's ability to function properly. 2) Many fillings were done on baby teeth and many of these teeth were lost as the children aged over the seven years of the study. In the Massachusetts study the urinary mercury excretion was also significantly higher in the amalgam group. In their study this level remained higher during the five years of assessment. This may be due to the fact their group was younger at the start than the Portugal group and younger at the conclusion of the study, thus retaining more baby teeth with mercury in them. Nevertheless, both studies demonstrated mercury came out of the fillings and exposed these children to a known neurotoxin. Considering some fillings were placed in the mouths of the children during the later years of the study in Portugal, it is probable that the kidneys were not able to excrete this extra load or else one would expect the urine mercury to have gone up. An additional consideration that should have been studied was the elimination of mercury via the stool. Was this impaired? Unfortunately this was not looked at. Remember, 90% of mercury is excreted in the stool. Testing the urine mercury only shows that when mercury is placed in the mouth, mercury comes out of the fillings and some is excreted in the urine. Not a good thing to be placing a known neurotoxin in the mouth which travels through the body. How much is being retained is the critical question. This brings up another point, the result of the various tests give averages. However, research is showing there is a subset of the population (about 25%) that genetically is less able to excrete mercury. This is seen in autistic children. It would have been prudent, in trying to determine the safety of implanting mercury in a child's mouth, to test for these genetically compromised children. Then look at excretion and retention of the mercury in these children versus the others and look for differences in the tests results of the various assessments being done. Possibly, in the Boston study, urinary excretion of mercury stayed higher then in the Portugal study because there were less of these genetically compromised children. In the various testing conducted regarding IQ, memory, etc., both studies found there wasn't a difference between the mercury group and the control group. Again we are looking at averages. Also we are looking at a short period of time. At what point in time will symptoms occur? Mercury is associated with Alzheimer's Disease. Twenty year olds do not get Alzheimer's. Often, it takes decades until the body's compensatory mechanisms can't compensate. What is going to be the long term effect of placing mercury in a child's mouth when that mercury is continuously coming out of the filling like a slow dripping faucet? At what point is that individual going to exceed their personal threshold and get sick? Does it make sense to be testing a known neurotoxin to see if it is neurotoxic over a brief period of time? Where is the logic in this?? The history with lead is instructive. Originally it was thought that the effect of lead on children was either death or complete recovery. As time went on, various subtle, harmful effects were discovered and the amount of exposure which is considered " safe " has been continuously lowered over the past 50 years. A new patient came in a few weeks ago requesting that her mercury fillings be removed. She had asked her dentist a few months before about this and he said, " There is no problem with silver fillings. The mercury in them is perfectly OK. " She was satisfied with that, trusting his expertise. When she got home, she had a message to call her son's school. It turned out there was a problem - someone broke a mercury thermometer in chemistry class. The kids were evacuated and a change of clothes had to be brought to the school, and the State was called in to clean up the spill. One molar mercury filling has about the same amount of mercury as a thermometer! After that, the mother realized how illogical it is to keep an " open thermometer " in her mouth. © 2006, Mark A. Breiner, DDS The information presented is for educational purposes only. You should consult a qualified dentist or health practitioner for diagnosis and treatment. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------- Additional Information on mercury toxicity is covered in Dr. Breiner's book, Whole-Body Dentistry, available on-line at www.wholebodydentistry.com or by phone at 1.800.BOOKLOG (800.266.5564). ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------- About Dr. Breiner: Whole Body News Update expert, Mark A. Breiner, DDS, FAGD, FIAOMT, is a leading authority and pioneer in the field of holistic dentistry. He is the author of the popular consumer education book, Whole-Body Dentistry, a guide to the " dental connection " to whole-body wellness. With more than 30 years experience, Dr. Breiner has helped patients from across the US and other countries attain a higher overall level of dental health and general well-being. Dr. Breiner is a past President of The International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology. He is in private practice in Trumbull, Connecticut. " Whole-Body Dentistry is more than whether your teeth are healthy; it's whether you are healthy! " - Dr. C. Atkins, M.D. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------- Attention Meeting Planners: Need an expert to talk about dentistry and whole-body health for your group or organization? Dr. Breiner, a popular speaker, addresses both lay and professional audiences. Call 203.371.0300 or send an e-mail inquiry to DoctorBreiner@... ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------- Yes, you may pass this e-zine along to family, friends, or associates that you feel may benefit from this information. Just please keep the entire issue intact. If you are interested in using this article in your publication, please contact DoctorBreiner@... for reprint permission. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------- Whole Body News Update is your free monthly e-zine to stay up-to-date on many dental health issues as well as other important alternative health topics; featuring articles, interviews with experts, actual patient stories, Q & A on holistic health topics, with emphasis on the " Dental-Whole-Body Health Connection " . This e-zine is designed to help you become a knowledgeable participant in your health care choices. If you would like to offer feedback or suggestions for future topics for this e-zine please e-mail Dr. Breiner at DoctorBreiner@... To learn more about Dr. Breiner and Whole-Body Dentistry, visit www.wholebodydentistry.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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