Mercury-Safe Dentistry
Mercury Safe Biologic Dentists in Orange County, NY
Mercury Safe Dentistry in Orange County
We are a mercury-free and a mercury-safe dental office.
- Mercury-free means we do not place mercury fillings.
- Mercury-safe means we have a protocol for removing mercury safely.
Protocol for Safely Removing Mercury Fillings
We follow the International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology (IAOMT) recommendations for the removal of mercury dental fillings from the mouth. We make no claims nor offer guarantees relative to improvement in one’s health following removal of mercury dental fillings. There are two things we can promise you.
- We will do our best to remove all mercury safely, with little to no exposure to you or our team to the vapors of mercury.
- Once all the mercury-containing fillings are removed from your teeth, we will not add to your body burden of mercury from your mouth.
It’s only through careful study of comprehensive blood chemistry that one can tell the body burden of mercury and its effect on one’s health. Without that kind of study, it is not our custom to recommend any supplements that should be taken prior to and after the removal of mercury from your teeth. To reiterate, we trust the protocol to protect you and our team from the vapors of mercury. Randomly taking supplements, without evidence to indicate their need, may be dangerous to one’s health.
Are Mercury Fillings Safe?
Our profession is divided on the safety issue of mercury dental fillings. The reason for this is that there is no study that has two groups of people who are exactly the same in all parameters except that one group has mercury dental fillings and the other doesn’t. Mercury is the great imposter, manifesting itself in a myriad of ways within each of us.
So this is what we do know:
- First, that mercury is a serious neurotoxin. It is especially dangerous to the young, whose neurological systems have not matured.
- Secondly, there are no known safe levels of mercury in the human body.
- Finally, we know that contrary to long standing beliefs, mercury vapors are released from the mercury dental fillings for the life of the fillings.
Each of us is genetically unique and each of us handles toxins in our own unique ways. Some of us can push the mercury out through the gut, urine, skin, etc. and some of us can’t. Those who can’t, in many cases, pay a huge price due to the deleterious effects of this toxin.
What Happens After a Mercury Filling Is Removed?
When mercury fillings are removed from the mouth, as dentists, we cannot put the scraps in our normal trash. We can’t even put them into the medical waste bags. We must store them in a closed container and periodically have a company come by, pick up this container, and dispose of it in a special way. We are then given a certificate that verifies that the proper protocol was followed in its disposal. It seems odd that it was O.K. while in the mouth but now that it is out of the mouth, it is a serious hazard to our environment.
Despite the debate regarding the safety of mercury fillings and the fact that body chemistry varies from person to person, our philosophy is to avoid any problems by promoting the usage of mercury free dental care.
Highlights of Protecting Against Mercury Vapor
- An alternate source of oxygen is provided during the removal process.
- A non-latex rubber dam is used to isolate the teeth with the mercury fillings; it serves to protect the patient from swallowing particles of the old filling as well as keeping bacteria off the teeth when they are ready to be restored.
- Water constantly bathes the mercury dental filling to prevent vapor from escaping. The filling is also removed in sections where possible.
- A special trap captures the silver particles of mercury filling so that they don’t enter the environment.
- “Nosey” is a charcoal filtered suction unit that pulls fresh air across the patients face to provide additional protection from mercury vapor and tiny mercury particles, thus ensuring these mercury sources does not contaminate the operatory or the office.
- Treatment room window is opened.
- The dental team is protected with a charcoal filtered mask.
You can never take your safety too seriously. That’s why at our office, we want to provide top-of-the-line care for removing mercury fillings. If you have a mercury filling, we will be more than happy to safely remove it. If you have additional concerns or questions about our protocol for removing mercury fillings, do not hesitate to contact us. If you have a mercury filling and would like it removed, call our biologic dentists Orange County, NY residents rely on. We will make sure that your health and safety are our top priority during your appointment. Come to our mercury-safe dentistry today!
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Scott Udoff DMD
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