I was just diagnosed with high blood pressure and it totally caught me off guard. I certainly can’t claim to be a super healthy person, but I try to watch what I eat, stay pretty active and I don’t smoke. I even checked to see if anyone in my family has high blood pressure and no one does. I don’t want to go on medication even though my doctor is suggesting it, so I’ve been researching what else I can do. I read some information about silver fillings causing high blood pressure. My mouth is full of fillings and I’m wondering if I should see a mercury-free dentist to have them removed and replaced with white fillings. Do silver fillings affect blood pressure and would I benefit from having all of mine taken out? — Stan
Stan,
The American Dental Association (ADA) and many other well-respected agencies, including the FDA maintain that amalgam fillings are safe. Despite the fact that the FDA says they’re safe, they have also printed research that contradicts that and one paper even indicated that amalgam does have an effect on blood pressure and that the level of mercury released by amalgam fillings is often more than the levels documented in medical studies which can lead to adverse effects. The document goes on to state that many people experience improved health from various health conditions after having silver fillings removed.
So how much mercury is safe? The World Health Organization says 300 ug per week or 42 ug per day, the EPA says 2ppb in water is safe, and yet cognitive effects, as well as increases in blood pressure occur at just 1 ug per liter. A standard amalgam filling releases 1-3 ug per day of mercury vapor, though some studies have shown it may climb as high as 27 ug per day.
People are choosing mercury-free dentists more and more these days, and it certainly wouldn’t hurt for you to consult with one in your situation. There’s no guarantee that your high blood pressure will be cured if you have your fillings removed. Unfortunately, there’s limited scientific evidence to correlate amalgam removal with lowering blood pressure. Deciding if it’s worth a try is something you will have to decide after meeting with a mercury-free dentist.
This blog post is brought to you by Des Moines cosmetic dentist, Dr. Phelan Thomas. For more information on the services he provides, please visit his Des Moines cosmetic dentist website.