I have read a number of the posts concerning mercury in amalgams. Quite frankly, I am appalled at the potential for harm here.

I have 3 amalgam fillings that I got when I was 19, from a dentist in the US Navy. I am now 50 and have experienced no ill effects that I can identify. However, that doesn't alleviate my concern. So I have a few questions.

What is the amount of mercury concentration needed to cause symptoms?

How many grams/ounces of mercury are in a typical amalgam?

I weigh 185 lbs. I assume that eventually all the mercury will move from the amalgams into my body. What would be the increase in my mercury concentration if all the mercury moved into my body?

What is the test for mercury concentration in the body?

How much does it typically cost for the removal of mercury and how do I know it is all gone?

Mercury is ultra toxic. Any amount, no matter how small will compromise your body in some way. The more you have the worse it is. Mercury can go anywhere and everywhere in your body. Where it sits depends on what it does to you.

– if you are perfectly healthy then maybe no need to do anything. Mercury in amalgam filling leaks out….the older the amalgam the less mercury remains in it and the less leaks out.
If you are strong and fit and well you should be in a good position to have the amalgams replaced. The problems occur when real sick people get amalgams replaced and it make them sicker. Amalgam removal always lead’s to mercury exposure.
Taking a chelator like dmsa, dmps, ala is not recommended with amalgams in, however some people with old amalgams seem to be ok. Then again some people get seriously badly sick when they chelate with amalgams in place. I would not myself.

I don’t know how many grams or ounces, depends on the size of the filling, but as a approx figure I have read amalgams are 50pct mercury, but they all vary a lot. Considering how toxic mercury is…20-30-40-50-60pct …whatever….that is a lot of mercury.

“What is the test for mercury concentration in the body?” no test for that. But there are tests to show how much mercury comes out when you take a chelator but that does not mean anything. It shows you have mercury in your body but not the quantity. Your symptoms are your guide to how much mercury you have in you.

“I weigh 185 lbs. I assume that eventually all the mercury will move from the amalgams into my body. What would be the increase in my mercury concentration if all the mercury moved into my body?” – not sure about this. Not all mercury is stored in the body. Some is excreted. When you do a hair test, you are testing how much mercury is being excreted in the hair….so some is coming out that way…not much….but some. you also excrete some in your Bm’s and urine.

cost. Mine cost £180 each filling, £700 for inlays. For dollar equiv double it, (but it doesn’t really work like that, should not be that expensive in usa.)

Hi Linear,

3 fillings is not much considering how many most have on this forum. I'm very glad for your sake, because if I've heard correctly, dentists are not actually supposed to put more than "4" in our mouth. If this is true? Even they have violated their own code on this one, much-less violated us by putting ANY in our mouth at all. Mercury, being quicksilver and easily vaporised is an unseen, insidious quiet poison.

But in saying that about the 3 fillings, I read that for some people, just ONE filling can be enough to cause health effects. Some can occur surprisingly quickly, some unfortunately as time goes on (which is why amalgam toxicity is often overlooked as a factor). You maybe ok leaving things as they are, if you are doing ok and seeing as you do not have a load of amalgam in there. But whatever you do, NEVER get gold put into your mouth or any other metals. I'm sure you know about the galvanic response (battery effect). I know people who had amalgams and seemed to cope fine, until they went and had gold put in as well or some other metals and suddenly deteriorated rapidly. So even the most healthy person who copes with amalgam can go down hill when that happens.

Apparently the body does not start excreting the stored mercury until every scrap of amalgam is removed. Once that occurs, it seems to set off a mechanisism, which hits alot of people. It is actually very common and I wished I had known at the time what it was! I was distressed beyond measure because I didn't know what was happening to me (about a year and a half post removal, my body began to dump the stored metals). Andrew Cutler calls it the second phase of suffering. The body, in realising there are no more daily intake of these toxins, starts to dump the storage. Going from storage mode, to detox mode. This can feel like respoisoning and is probably (for me at least) one of the most painful things to go through. I gather much of that was due to my tendency to retain toxins anyway, plus my hypersensitivity to metals. So I spent much of that time in bed, salivating uncontrollably into a bowl, crying with ceasing, or going into the bathroom to do it. Very strange. It was like an eruption of toxins would bust through my face. I did not excrete the poisons normally and this went on daily pretty much. I did not understand it, I also did not know how to chelate myself properly or safely, so I caused even MORE suffering trying to push the metals out even faster, but unfortunately I usually mobilised them, rather than removed them with a logical protocol like Cutler's. Don't be put off, I was a more extreme case. A doctor here in New Zealand (Dr Mike Godfrey) knew exactly what it was and he was concerned too. He's treated hundreds and hundreds of mercury patients and I think my reactions to excretion were even in his eyes pretty extreme. He called it retention toxicity too, because my body held onto them, rather than readily eliminated. So my body would be under great strain to erupt them out. Horrible horrible times. Cutler's protocol began to make this a much faster and easier process. I did start getting well and I can tell you, the results were like coming out into the sunshine (excuse the pun sunshine). I cannot explain it, but sometimes you do not even realise the cloud you were living under. Something lifts off you.

The second phase of suffering (which can occur anytime post amalgam removal, early or late) can be reduced by appropriate and early chelation. And to keep chelating to get as much metal out of the tissues/organs as possible so one can speed up the process and lessen the impact, plus hopefully avoid future problems. It can take a couple of years, more or less, depending on the level of toxicity, immune status, and how much chelation the person does.

You may never get rid of every bit of mercury, but you do not need to. You also do not need to chelate yourself into an invalid in the process either, which some do because they're so desperate to get rid of metals. that doesn't achieve much except a lot of unnecessary backfire effects from redistributing metals . It's very much an individual thing. You may start noticing changes/improvements, which can give you a better idea as time goes on that things are happening and you continue chelating when further improvements are no longer noticed and that in stopping chelation, you no longer "regress". Problem is, some people stop too early and then start getting symptoms again. This is because the still remaining mercury is still leaking back out of them and it simply builds back up again. There comes a time where the chelating agents usually grab this before it can build up, so it can make you "feel" well at some point. The trick is, to keep chelating for about a year or so AFTER you "feel" well, to ensure more permanent improvements! Stopping prematurely may not get enough metals out, to ensure improvements will be sustained and those metals will continue leaking out of you and of course, no chelating agents to grab them, so they just build up again. You should improve again of course once chelation is resumed. Just means you got more in there and need to chelate for longer.

Sorry I am not able to answer more of your technical questions in regards to amounts etc.