Mercury

Having mercury fillings may be no laughing matter if you are suffering from Crohn’s disease. The idea that mercury could be harmful to our bodies was dismissed by most dentists for many years and in some circles still is. If as a child you went to an NHS dentist who was paid per filling by the government then, like me, you possibly started adult life looking like a James Bond villain every time you smiled. However, things are about to change.

A Timely Ban

The European Parliament has put a ban on amalgam fillings from 1st January 2025 (source) so at long last the dangers of placing a highly toxic substance in people’s mouths appears to be gaining recognition. But could this substance that may have been in your mouth for many years really be contributing to your digestive problems? I was certainly sceptical until I read this:

  ‘….I started recording changes that amalgam produced and categorizing them…(5) Miscellaneous: This category is crowded and can include chronic fatigue, brainfog, digestive problems and Crohn’s disease. ‘Source: ‘It’s All In Your Head’ by Dr. Hal A. Huggins (P41 & 42).

A simple internet search returns similar results, this being just one from gerson.org:

‘Mercury fillings – sometimes called “silver fillings,” “metal fillings” or “amalgam fillings” – are incredibly toxic. Mercury fillings continuously emit mercury vapor, which is absorbed into the body in small amounts. But those “small amounts” can really add up when you have fillings in your mouth leeching mercury vapor into your body every day for one, five, twenty or even fifty years! Mercury exposure has been linked to serious medical conditions ranging from mental confusion and fogginess to birth defects, neurodegenerative diseases, autoimmune diseases and many other illnesses. Cognitive functions in particular are negatively affected by mercury exposure.’ Source.

Comment

When I read Hal Huggins’ book I became convinced that my mercury fillings  needed to be removed and replaced by composites. My ever helpful GP suggested having blood tests a couple of days before the procedure took place in order that we could verify whether removing my amalgam fillings would really make a difference. I saw a fabulous dentist in Wales and chatted the process through with him. He confirmed that mercury is the most toxic non-radioactive element found on the earth and could indeed be contributing to my problems. Source.

A few days after having all 11 amalgam fillings  removed and replaced with composites (in which the dental team all wore protective equipment!) I returned to work. A couple of months later the phone rang and I heard my doctor ask: ‘Are you feeling okay?‘ Not really what you want to hear from your doctor but he went on to explain that my blood tests had revealed ‘industrial levels of mercury poisoning‘ and asked if I had ever worked in the industry (which I hadn’t). Reference range is 0-16 nmol/L source whilst my blood test returned 60 nmol/L.

We agreed removing the amalgam fillings was the most important step I could have taken and I set about detoxing my body of the residual mercury. This was accomplished by eating plenty of green leafy vegetables, ‘green’ drinks and I ate plenty of coriander/cilantro. After 3 months my blood test returned 30nmol/L and then about a year later it was back within the reference range. During this time I moved house and changed my GP. It was interesting to note that when he read my records he recommended further blood tests to ensure the mercury was in fact being removed from my body. 

Whilst mercury (and other metals) can be detoxified from your body naturally there are a variety of good options available using specific protocols. You may wish to research this further. Sites like https://detoxifyme.co.uk/  have plenty of ideas – Nicki is very helpful and knowledgeable.