Email this article to a friend

Printable Version

Articles Related to This Article: • Mercury Fillings Shattered! FDA, ADA Conspiracy to Poison Children with Toxic Mercury Fillings Exposed in Groundbreaking Lawsuit • The great thimerosal cover-up: Mercury, vaccines, autism and your child's health • High Fructose Corn Syrup Contaminated with Toxic Mercury, Says Research (opinion) Sign the Health Revolution Petition Join the call for genuine health freedom in America. End FDA tyranny and Big Pharma corruption. Watch the video and sign the petition here.

The term "mad as a hatter" will forever be linked to the madcap milliner in Lewis Carroll's classic children's book, Alice in Wonderland. But few actually know that the true origin of the saying relates to a disease peculiar to the hat making industry in the 1800s. A mercury solution was commonly used during the process of turning fur into felt, which caused the hatters to breathe in the fumes of this highly toxic metal, a situation exacerbated by the poor ventilation in most of the workshops. This led in turn to an accumulation of mercury in the workers' bodies, resulting in symptoms such as trembling (known as "hatters' shakes"), loss of coordination, slurred speech, loosening of teeth, memory loss, depression, irritability and anxiety -- "The Mad Hatter Syndrome." The phrase is still used today to describe the effects of mercury poisoning, albeit from other sources.

These days, we are infinitely more aware of the deadly toxicity of mercury exposure, yet mercury remains more common than one might think. Mercury can be found in our cars, homes, food, medicine cabinets -- even in our mouths. The biggest challenge with diagnosing heavy metal toxicity is its indolent, slow, smoldering effect that never lets the affected know that mercury is the root of the problem. Exposure to mercury begins in the womb, where the mother transfers mercury to the fetus through the placenta. Once the fetus is out of the uterus, there are many ways for mercury levels to begin to accumulate. Common items that mercury can be found in include:

Pesticides	Paint pigments and solvents
Fertilizers	Cinnabar (used in jewelry)
Amalgam (silver fillings)	Laxatives
Drinking water (tap and well)	Cosmetics (mascara)
Auto exhaust	Floor waxes and polishes
Felt	Wood preservatives
Plumbing (piping)	Adhesives
Bleached flour	Batteries
Processed foods	Air conditioner filters
Fabric Softeners	Fish
Calomel (talc, body powder)

Mercury and Dental Health

Some interesting facts related to the common dental filling (amalgam):

• Scientific research has demonstrated that mercury, even in small amounts, can damage the brain, heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, thyroid gland, pituitary gland, adrenal gland, cells, enzymes and hormones and suppress the body's immune system.
• Mercury is continually released from mercury dental fillings in the form of mercury vapor and abraded particles. These mercury vapors can increase as much as 15-fold by chewing, brushing, drinking hot liquids, etc. The World Health Organization recently concluded that the daily intake of mercury from amalgam dental fillings exceeded the combined daily intake of mercury derived from air, water and food (including fish).
• In human autopsy studies, it has been found that there is a direct correlation between the amount of mercury found in the brain and the number and surfaces of mercury fillings in teeth.
• Mercury causes normal intestinal micro flora to become mercury resistant and antibiotic resistant. In the intestinal tract, mercury-resistant bacteria cause mercury to be converted back into vapor and then recycled back into the body. Antibiotic resistance is becoming a major medical concern.
• Recent scientific research has shown high levels of mercury in the brains of individuals who died from Alzheimer's disease. Other research demonstrates mercury can cause pathological effects in the brain similar to those seen in Lou Gehrig's disease. Laboratory studies of spinal fluid from Alzheimer's and Lou Gehrig's disease patients have confirmed that mercury inhibits key brain detoxification of enzyme systems.

A Brief History of Mercury Fillings

Removing Mercury Fillings

Chelation Therapy as a Treatment Option

Chelation was first used in the 1940s by the U.S. Navy to treat lead poisoning and was subsequently approved by the FDA as a safe method of treating heavy metal toxicity. Chelation therapy is a medical treatment that improves metabolic and circulatory function by removing toxic metals and abnormally located nutritional metallic ions (such as iron) from the body. This is accomplished by administering an amino acid, ethylene-diamine-tetra-acetic acid (EDTA), by either an oral or intravenous infusion.

When a molecule of EDTA travels through the blood stream, it grabs on to the heavy metal particles, binding tightly and pulling them out of the membrane or body tissue in which they are embedded. Since EDTA is an artificial amino acid, the body regards it as a foreign substance and delivers it to the kidneys to be excreted in the urine.

Physicians familiar with the administration of chelation therapy treatment alternatives can thoughtfully review the benefits of undergoing such therapeutic treatments with their patients.

Dr. Connealy, M.D., M.P.H. began private practice in 1986. In 1992 she founded South Coast Medical Center for New Medicine, where she serves as medical director. Her practice is firmly based in the belief that strictly treating health problems with medications does not find the root cause of the illness. Dr. Connealy writes monthly columns for Coast and OC Health magazines and is a biweekly guest on Frank Jordan's "Healthy" radio show. She routinely lectures and educates the public on health issues.

Mercury Fast Facts:

• Mercury is the most toxic non-radioactive element on earth.
• A silver-colored mercury amalgam filling normally contains 52 percent mercury.
• On average, amalgam fillings weigh 1 gram and contain ½ gram of mercury.
• The typical adult carries 10 amalgam fillings containing 5 grams of mercury.
• Half a gram of mercury in a 10-acre lake would warrant issuance of a fish advisory for the lake.

Symptoms of Metal Toxicity:
Insomnia	Paraesthesias (numbness and tingling)
Nervousness	Hallucinations
Dizziness	Headaches
Anxiety	Fatigue
Loss of self-confidence	Muscle weakness
Irritability	Hearing difficulties
Drowsiness	Emotional stress
Depression	Skin inflammation
Weight loss	Lack of coordination
Tremors	Kidney damage

Get articles like this delivered to you FREE in our popular email newsletter

Related CounterThink Cartoons:

Related Articles: • Mercury Fillings Shattered! FDA, ADA Conspiracy to Poison Children with Toxic Mercury Fillings Exposed in Groundbreaking Lawsuit • The great thimerosal cover-up: Mercury, vaccines, autism and your child's health • High Fructose Corn Syrup Contaminated with Toxic Mercury, Says Research (opinion)	Take Action: Support NaturalNews.com Email this article to a friend Share this article on: NewsVine | digg | del.icio.us Permalink to this article: http://www.NaturalNews.com/016544_mercury_amalgams_dental_health.html Reprinting this article: Non-commercial use OK, cite NaturalNews.com with clickable link. Embed article link: (copy HTML code below): <a href = "http://www.NaturalNews.com/016544_mercury_amalgams_dental_health.html">The Mad Hatter Syndrome: mercury and biological toxicity</a>