Yep I guess I knew that it was going to happen to me one day. Being confronted by a dentist and entering into the mercury debate that is. Just didn't think that it would happen only 4 months or so into my awakening of mercury. You know if this dentist had not been so condescending and haughty from the outset I probably would have let it go. I don't like disagreeing with kind and thoughtful people.

Naturally, I expect that 99% of dentists would try to defend their position if someone said to them 'So I suppose that you have been poisoning your patients with mercury....' I guess a lot of these dentists are just as innocent as the victims. In dental college they are reassured by their lectuers and professors again and again that amalgam is a safe product


This particular dentist did not appear to be so innocent though. I guess knowing that he was in a position of reasonable power and standing in the community I felt that it was my duty to say something. In hindsight I probably could have started it off with something a little more assertive, but hey whats done is done. I guess instead of slowly creeping up to the crux of the matter, my initial comment just propelled us there in 2 secounds instead.

As the disagreement came to a close it was he who started to pull away as he knew that my understanding of the biochemistry of mercury was much greater than his (thanks to Andy Cutler - yes I have been memorising many parts of this book just in case such a situation was to befall me).

At the end he actually admitted to me that he had prostate cancer. I know that he walked away WONDERING.

The scary thing about these dentists is just how little they really know about amalgam and it's effects. Here are a few of his statements which we know are completely incorrect:

- A blood test is the only way to prove mercury poisoning.
- The only symptom of true mercury poisoning is fatigue and tremors.
- Only levels like that of the Minamata disaster are high enough to cause to illness to humans
- Once mercury is mixed with the other metals to form amalgam it becomes completely inert. (I then told him that there was research conducted quite some time ago that shows beyond any doubt that mercury vapour does emit from amalgams. I also told him that the Dental Association of Australia even admits it. He said that he didn't believe me -don't worry that was one of the journal articles I sent him)
- He said that there was no such thing as chronic mercury poisoning only acute mercury poisoning.
The list goes on and on..

Thanks everyone for your kind words and support.