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SIERRA VISTA — For the past two years Jo Boone has been on a campaign to raise awareness about potential health hazards of mercury exposure, specifically through the amalgam fillings used by some dentists.
“Very few people know about this extremely serious health issue,” Boone said. “I’m a member of DAMS International, an organization that has been fighting mercury and the dental association for some time now.”
A retired registered nurse who has lived in the Sierra Vista area for 21 years, Boone has been following the research efforts of DAMS (acronym for dental amalgam mercury syndrome) International and cites a list of neurotoxic side effects the organization attributes to mercury exposure.
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“Babies are born with deformities because their parents have mercury fillings,” she said. “Research has shown that mercury is capable of moving right through the placenta while the baby is developing and it continues to be passed to the child through the mother’s breast milk.”
Boone claims exposure to mercury causes such health defects as Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson’s, cardiovascular disease, dyslexia, and Alzheimer’s disease, to name a few. According to information published by the DAMS organization, for those with amalgam fillings, the amalgams are the person’s greatest source of mercury exposure. The fillings’ composition are 50 percent mercury, combined with silver, tin and zinc.
The organization is pushing for mandatory notification if dentists are using mercury in their practices. While there are mercury-free dental practices, most dentists still use amalgam fillings, Boone said.
“I’ve found one mercury-free practice in Sierra Vista,” she said. “And I have called every dentist in the phone book. High Desert Dentistry does not use amalgam fillings in its practice.”
After making a number of random calls to different dental practices, it was found that while mercury is still used, most dentists prefer resin fillings.
Phone messages left for comment last week at a few local dentist offices were not returned. “Our goal is to require all dentists using amalgam fillings to warn their clients, especially pregnant women and families with children of the potential risks,” Boone said.
Amalgam labels warn dentists about the risks of exposure, but those warnings are rarely passed on to patients, Boone said.
Examples of such label warnings include the following: Amalgam maker Dentsply/Caulk has this on its label, “The use of amalgam is contraindicated. In children 6 and under …” and “… In expectant mothers.” And Kerr Inc. warns, “The health authorities of the various countries, including Canada, Germany, France, the United Kingdom and Austria have recommended against the placement or removal of an amalgam in certain individuals such as pregnant and nursing women and persons with impaired kidney function.”
Leo Cashman, executive director of DAMS and a full-time educator on the mercury issue, agrees with Boone’s disclosure assertion.
“Not only is there a disclosure issue, we believe mercury should be entirely banned from dental practices,” Cashman said.
To learn more about DAMS and the issues of dental mercury and fluoridation, the public is invited to a presentation at 2 p.m. today at Little Chapel of All Nations in the Ada Pierce McCormick Building, 1401 First St., on the University of Arizona Campus in Tucson. Presented by Cashman, discussions will focus on the health hazards of mercury exposure, as well as touch on some of the fluoride issues. The presentation is free, but donations will be accepted.
Cashman will be in Tucson for forums on Friday and Saturday, along with his presentation on Sunday.
For information about the mercury issue and DAMS, go to the Web site at www.dams.cc or call a toll free number, 800-311-6265. For information about fluoride, go to www.fluoridealert.org.
herald/review reporter Dana Cole can be reached at 515-4618 or by e-mail at dana.cole@svherald.com.
shuni wrote on Apr 18, 2008 12:11 AM: