Mercury Detoxification

Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients, May, 2001 by Mitchell A. Fleisher

The earliest symptoms of organic mercury exposure may include: forgetfulness, inability to concentrate and focus attention; cognitive decline; irritability; outbursts of anger; depression; apathy and indifference; headache; and, fatigue. Later manifestations consist of: progressive loss of memory; emotional instability; general CNS dysfunction; incoordination; numbness and tingling of the lips, hands and feet; muscular weakness progressing to paralysis; dim or restricted vision; hearing loss; speech disorders; kidney damage; immune dysfunction; and, dermatitis. [6] There is growing scientific evidence that long-term exposure to dental mercury amalgam causes Alzheimer's disease and/or senile dementia. [7]

Both inorganic mercury, in the form of the mercuric cation ([Hg.sup. 2]), and methyl mercury bind to cell membrane proteins resulting in structural and functional damage to critical receptor sites, transport channels and ion pumps, e.g., [Na.sup. ]/[K.sup. ] ATPase, etc., that eventuate in the disruption of normal cellular physiology and, ultimately, in cell death [8] (see table 6).

Dental Amalgam Proven to be a Major Source of Mercury Toxicity

Dental amalgam is comprised of approximately 46% to 56% elemental mercury with varying amounts of silver, copper, zinc, tin and other trace metals depending on the manufacturing source. A large dental amalgam may contain more than 750 mg of elemental mercury. After placement of a mercury/silver dental amalgam, there is persistent, low level release of elemental mercury vapor into the body for many years thereafter. Scientific research has proven that the corrosion of dental amalgams by chewing, exposure to oxygen in breathed air, food acids and the electrolytic effect of minerals in saliva (called "oral galvanism"), causes the continual release of elemental mercury vapor into the body 24 hours a day and the uptake of inorganic mercury in swallowed saliva that exceeds known standards of exposure by 10 to 100 times. Studies have shown that a single 0.4 [cm.sup.2] ocdusal amalgam can release 15 mcg of mercury vapor per day. Human autopsy research has validated the statistical correlation between the number of d ental amalgam fillings and CNS mercury levels. [8]

US government risk assessment studies prepared by the Public Heath Service in 1994, established standard minimum risk levels (MRLs) for acute and chronic mercury exposure for the general population. The acute mercury exposure MRL is 0.02 mcg per cubic meter of air which translates into an intake of 0.4 mcg per day. The chronic mercury exposure MRL is 0.014 mcg per cubic meter of air which translates into an intake of 0.28 mcg per day. From conservative estimates of the daily intake of amalgam mercury vapor determined by medical and dental experts, the USPHS has concluded that the average daily intake of amalgam mercury vapor exceeds the established MRLs. The USPHS has ruled that chronic exposure to mercury from dental amalgams is not without risk to the general population (USPHS, ATSDR; Toxicological Profile for Mercury: Update TP-93/10; page 125). Moreover, in 1991, the World Health Organization confirmed that dental amalgam is the greatest source of mercury Vapor in the non-industrially exposed population, significantly exceeding that from food or air. [10]