A Biological Dentist Can Safely Remove Your Toxic Old Mercury Fillings

You can find and lean on a biological dentist to remove old mercury-containing silver amalgam fillings. Getting rid of harmful materials and replacing them with biologically compatible non-toxic alternatives is an important part of holistic dentistry.

According to Biological Dentist, Paige Woods, DDS we can take some or all of the steps below to ensure that our old mercury fillings are safely removed, so they can be replaced with modern composite filling material and other safe restorations:

1. Cooling the filling material. The drills used to get rid of mercury fillings can heat the material up, but dentists who practice biocompatible dentistry know to cool the filling with air and water to prevent dust and the release of harmful mercury vapor.

2. Cutting the amalgam into chunks instead of drilling it out. While some drilling is necessary, a biological dentist will often limit drilling and try to release the material in chunks so it can be carefully removed by hand or suction and disposed of safely. When chunks are removed, less dust and vapor is created.

3. Usage of a high-volume evacuator. Powerful suction tools called evacuators are now standard in the offices of biological dentists and should be placed very near the filling during its removal to ensure that small particles are sucked away. No tool does this better than a high-volume evacuator.

4. Provision of alternate air. While not widely done, providing you alternative air means you can breathe better through your nose and are less likely to breathe through your mouth and suck in any mercury particles that have escaped and aren’t yet cleaned away.

5. Usage of a rubber dam. Expect your biological dentist to use a rubber dam placed over much of your mouth that exposes just the teeth being worked on and those immediately surrounding them. This way, teeth and lips are protected from mercury and a dry work area can be established for installing composite filling material.

6. Disposal of gloves plus mouth and facial cleaning after mercury removal. One important aspect of biological dentistry is quickly clearing away any mercury that’s released. This means you should expect those working on you to remove and throw away gloves and wipe any debris from your mouth and face to prevent mercury absorption. Your mouth may be rinsed for at least 15 seconds to clear any stray particles as well.

7. Quick handling of other cleanup tasks. The rubber dam and other materials used in your dental procedure must be cleared away and contained quickly as well to prevent mercury from escaping into the air. The biological dentist’s assistant usually does this, and the dentist should verify that it’s taken care of.

8. Filtration of air throughout the practice office. In general, expect your dental practice to filter all air. Patients, office staff and the dental professionals are all protected when the air is cleaned of pollutants, including any escaped mercury.

9. Usage of additional air purification during the procedure. In some cases, a special air purifier will be used near your mouth during mercury filling removal. This can catch any mercury particles that are released by the procedure and not caught with other methods.

10. Recommendation of active charcoal before the procedure. Evidence has show promise from taking activated charcoal 10 or 15 minutes before the removal of a mercury-containing filling. The charcoal can bind with any mercury that gets into the system and keep it from being absorbed, preventing harmful effects.

Steps 1 through 3 are the most common and most important steps you can expect your biological dentist to take when removing a mercury filling. These steps are often sufficient to protect everyone. But don’t be surprised if you observe extra measures being taken.

Biological dentistry is about eliminating harmful and non-biocompatible materials from the body, and you can expect your biological dentist to do everything possible and practical to help you move forward without toxic mercury in your body.

More about San Diego Dentist, Dr. Paige Woods
Read about wisdom tooth pain