Quick review of mercury and what it does
Mercury, the substance in dental amalgam fillings, is one of the oldest toxins known. The endocrine disruptive effects of this toxin have recently become a public concern. Amalgams release mercury vapours into the human body 24 hours a day.
Mercury is a toxic chemical but it is particularly dangerous for the thyroid. Your thyroid needs iodine to produce its hormones. However, mercury and iodine are chemically very similar to each other, so your thyroid will quickly absorb and store mercury too.
If your thyroid stores mercury in place of iodine, it won’t have enough iodine to produce adequate levels of T4 and T3 hormones, which will lead to hypothyroidism. Then, this puts you at risk of developing an autoimmune disease, which is when your immune system can no longer recognize your thyroid cells as your own and attacks them to get rid of them.
The primary storage sites of mercury are the brain, thyroid, liver, and adrenals.
3-Step Detox Program
Step 1: Get your body ready
This step is very important because it will optimize your ability to detox safely.
1) Enhance gut function – eliminate any allergens, and take probiotics and enzymes
2) Improve nutritional status – include healthy fats (omega 3, olive oil, flax oil), amino acids, and minerals, especially zinc and selenium
3) Improve your liver – take folate and vitamins B12 and B6, and increase green vegetables
4) Enhance elimination – drink lots of fluids, use fibre, or magnesium citrate ( one to two 150mg capsules twice a day). You can try stronger laxatives if you have to such as senna tea. You can also do a cleanse to help your body cleanse and detox prior to mercury removal.
Step 2:
Find a biological/holistic dentist to discuss your mercury fillings and options for replacing them. The removal of fillings can be done slowly over time. A biologic/holistic dentist will plan the removal in a way that avoids unwanted exposure to more mercury during the removal process.
Step 3 – THIS STEP MUST BE DONE WITH MEDICAL OR NATUROPATH SUPERVISION:
1) Use binding agents to pull the mercury out of your body. The safest and most effective treatment is oral DMSA. It is taken as follows: one 100 to 250mg capsule of DMSA orally three times a day before meals. Take it for 3 days. Then take 11 days off. Do this for 6 months.
Other chelating agents that bind mercury and help excrete it are:
– garlic (fresh)
– chlorella
– selenium
– vitamin C
2) Saunas are helpful on the days when doing DMSA.
3) Some recommend intravenous vitamins and antioxidants for 3 months. This can help you feel better during the process.
4) drink lots of water and fluids
5) make sure you have bowel movements twice a day. This is really important so that you don’t reabsorb the mercury from the gut. You can add ground flax seeds to your food or shakes, or take one to two 150 mg magnesium citrate capsules twice a day if you are not going regularly. You can also use a stronger laxative such as senna.
Looking to remove amalgam fillings?
Dr. Bis provides holistic dental services in Oakville. Dr. Bis uses extreme care in removing amalgam fillings from patients’ mouths and alleviate related health issues such as thyroid disease. To schedule a consultation to discuss amalgam removal, call our office at 905-338-6684 or click here to contact us.
