Sandra Finley

Synergistic Toxicity. Stop the mercury. Start the Cure.

 Mercury poisoning, dental amalgams. See also Vaccinations.  No Responses »
May 022012
 

Powerful information.  Synergistic toxicity.

From the website “Safe Minds” (Sensible Action For Ending Mercury Induced Neurological Disorders“.

Recommend:  there is other excellent information on this website.

With thanks to Daeran:

Here are links to 1978 study on mice (Shubert et al. Combined Effects in Toxicology – A Rapid systematic Testing Procedure: Cadmium, Mercury & Lead. J. of Toxicology & Environmental Health 4:763, 1978).

http://www.safeminds.org/mercury/synergistic-toxicity.html

Synergistic Toxicity

(NOTE:  I copy the text to guard against “cannot find the web page”  in the future.)

How can 1 + 1 = 100?  “Synergistic toxicity” refers to the effect that when exposed to two toxins, the toxicity level is far greater than the additive toxicity levels of the two toxins.  A good example demonstrating ‘synergistic toxicity’ is a 1978 study on mice (Shubert et al. Combined Effects in Toxicology – A Rapid systematic Testing Procedure: Cadmium, Mercury & Lead. J. of Toxicology & Environmental Health 4:763, 1978).  The study took the amount of mercury salt that kills 1 in 100 mice and 1/20th of the amount of lead salt that kills 1 in 100 mice.  When these amounts of mercury salt and lead salt were administered, the synergistic toxicity of these two toxins killed 100 in 100 mice:

If Additive toxicity, one would expect 1 + 0.05 = 1.05 mice to die (1 or 2)
With Synergistic toxicity, the results were: 1 + 0.05 = 100 mice died

Synergistic Toxicity

It is important to understand the concept of ‘synergistic toxicity’, as research is increasingly showing that different toxins are typically synergistic rather than additive in the human body.  However when testing is performed on a toxicity of a substance, the ‘level of harm’ is set based on an assumption that the substance is the only toxin to which he body is being exposed.

Synergistic toxicity is likely highly relevant in the causality of autism.  Assume, as example, that a fetus or young infant already has high levels of toxins (e.g. lead and mercury from environmental sources) due to a lessened ability to excrete toxins.  Then multiple vaccines are administered which contain an aluminum salt (e.g. aluminum hydroxide) which is specifically included as an “adjuvant” to elicit an abnormally large immune reaction (the adjuvant is essentially what makes a vaccine work as it causes the body to build an immune response to the disease-causing virus or bacteria such as measles, pertussis, etc).  Additionally, the vaccines can contain live virus, endotoxins produced by the bacteria, and/or organic mercury.  There is significant potential for unexpected ‘synergistic toxicity’ effects from vaccines, particularly for a susceptible population that may already have high toxin levels due to a lessened ability to excrete toxins.  Yet synergistic toxicity of vaccines has not been studied – studies have focused on only individual toxicity of a single component of the vaccines (e.g. mercury or measles virus).  Further, the toxicity of an environmental toxin is generally studied independently of other toxins, although the few studies on combining toxins typically show a strong synergistic toxicity effect.

(war/peace) Stop it from below: please watch (2 min) and PASS ON We Love You – Iran & Israel

 Lockheed Martin, War Economy (includes Cdn Census & Trials), Peace or Violence, Take back the University  2 Responses »
Apr 302012
 

Hi Sandra,

i am sending this to absolutely everybody i know!   It speaks for itself.   SEE  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrhtFKE2V4I (We Love You – Iran & Israel)

Love, brigitte

(2 minutes)   April 30, 2012:   22,640  views in the am.    22,798 by suppertime.

  • But the number of views is understated.
  • The cascade of supporting videos has been phenomenal, more people on the same idea.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

I am VERY sorry.  I lost track of who sent this in,  more on  We Love You – Iran & Israel:

And then there is this, in the face of the psychopaths who are planning to drop bombs on Iran.
It is rather heart-moving.   Israeli-Iranian solidarity exchange sweeps Facebook

On Saturday night, an Israeli couple – two graphic designers named Ronny Edri and Michal Tamir – decided to cut across the growing anxiety and fear over the possibility of an Israel-Iran war, and address Iranian citizens directly. They created a slogan you can impose over your profile picture or any picture of your choice:

I have to admit this is pretty damn cool. (Sandra speaking:  don’t stop at the top few (cynical) examples.  Keep going, it’s really neat.)

http://972mag.com/israeli-iranian-solidarity-exchange-sweeps-facebook/38565/

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Note:  Buffy St Marie’s “Universal Soldier”   SEE  http://sandrafinley.ca/?p=5230 Buffy does a short introduction to explain the origin of “Universal Soldier”.   The theme is individual responsibility.  The lyrics are included.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

One of the great attractions of patriotism – it fulfills our worst wishes. In the person of our nation we are able, vicariously, to bully and cheat.  Bully and cheat, what’s more, with a feeling that we are profoundly virtuous.
Aldous Huxley

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

The biggest bullies are us;  we pay for the war machines.  Will pay for Harper’s stealth bombers.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

I like to believe that people in the long run are going to do more to promote peace than our governments. Indeed, I think that people want peace so much that one of these days governments had better get out of the way and let them have it.

Dwight D. Eisenhower, April 1953, SEE 2011-01-17  WATCH:  President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s 1961 farewell speech  Plus Words of Wisdom from Eisenhower.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = =  = = = = = = = =

Hey!  How about this?  An easy way for us to pitch in.

  • Ronny (the Israeli who initiated the video)  and thousands of others are stopping the making of war on Iran from below. 
  • Lockheed Martin is setting up at the University of Saskatchewan.  Its “collaboration topics” are listed at  http://sandrafinley.ca/?p=5103
  • We challenged collaboration with Lockheed Martin at the last meeting of University Senate. (April 21)
  • The Dean of Engineering, Ernie Barber, (306 966 5593  ernie.barber  AT  usask.ca)  defended the collaboration.
  • The University of Saskatchewan is, at least for now, still owned by the people of Saskatchewan (but the theft continues.  I phoned to ask a question of a scientist who is doing a project with the synchrotron at the University.  The scientist is with the University;  it’s a University phone number.  The phone is answered “Cameco . . . ”.)
  • The “Collaboration Topics” with Lockheed Martin mean that our children will study and research to aid Lockheed Martin develop more weapons.

Lockheed Martin does not care

–  whether  their weapons are illegal,

–  whether the radioactive poisoning from their DU  weapons cause birth defects in the offspring of their own soldiers let alone of the Berbers and Afghans, (Depleted Uranium – which is not depleted at all!) or

–  whether they are used to kill and to create tonnes of more hatred in the world – against us in the end.

  • We can no longer pretend that we are not part of the American corporate war machine, especially not with Lockheed Martin at the U of S and Canadian participation in the war in Afghanistan (that gets almost no coverage in Canadian mainstream media).
  • We CAN help Ronny (We Love You – Iran & Israel, link at top of page) and the tens of thousands of people who are sending messages like his to Iranians.  Iranians are sending messages back.  People from other countries are pitching in.  It is an exciting viral campaign.
  • If the war against Iran is launched, Lockheed Martin will be a promoter and large financial beneficiary.
  • Our contribution to the battle to stop the wars?
  • Quite simple:
    tell Ernie Barber (306 966 5593  ernie.barber  AT  usask.ca) and the University (contact info at http://sandrafinley.ca/?p=5103) that it is wrong to collaborate with Lockheed Martin Corporation.  Doesn’t get much easier than that!
  • Working with courageous and inventive others, using non-violent resistance we CAN stop the destruction and hatred.  We are millions in numbers.  It is FUN and rewarding work!  . . .  Way to go Ronny!  We’ll do what we can here, to further your brilliance.   Again, the video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrhtFKE2V4I (We Love You – Iran & Israel)

 

BUFFY ST MARIE’S “UNIVERSAL SOLDIER”

 George Bush war criminal, Lockheed Martin, War Economy (includes Cdn Census & Trials)  No Responses »
Apr 302012
 

(From:   2010-01-04 People speaking out.  Bill Moyers interview re Wall Street. )

I am reminded of Canadian Buffy St Marie’s “Universal Soldier”  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VGWsGyNsw00&feature=player_embedded.

It is tax-payers who are responsible for illegal war and the deaths and dislocations that accompany it – – they provide the money to make it possible.   Lockheed Martin feeds at the public trough.  Without tax-payers’ money Lockheed Martin, a destructive force in the World, would not exist.   I have criticized the American public for being complicit.   I will not now be complicit when Lockheed Martin and the American military worm their way into Canada.  I will not pay the portion of my taxes that go to fund what is malevolent, irrational and that displays incapacity to engage in creative problem-solving.

Sometimes it seems that we can never overcome the evils.  But in fact we can, because there are so many of us.

THE LYRICS, UNIVERSAL SOLDIER  (listen to Buffy sing it, includes a short commentary from her:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VGWsGyNsw00&feature=player_embedded)

He’s 5 foot 2 and he’s 6 feet 4

He fights with missiles and with spears

He’s all of 31 and he’s only 17.

He’s been a soldier for a thousand years

He’s a catholic, a Hindu, an atheist, a Jain

A Buddhist, and a Baptist and Jew.

And he knows he shouldn’t kill

And he knows he always will kill

You’ll for me my friend and me for you

And He’s fighting for Canada.

He’s fighting for France.

He’s fighting for the USA.

And he’s fighting for the Russians.

And he’s fighting for Japan

And he thinks we’ll put an end to war this way.

And He’s fighting for democracy,

He’s fighting for the reds

He says it’s for the peace of all.

He’s the one, who must decide,

who’s to live and who’s to die.

And he never sees the writing on the wall.

But without him,

how would Hitler have condemned him at Dachau?

Without him Caesar would have stood alone

He’s the one who gives his body

as a weapon of the war.

And without him all this killing can’t go on

He’s the universal soldier

And he really is the blame

His orders comes from

far away no more.

They come from him.

And you and me.

And brothers can’t you see.

This is not the way we put an end to war

2012-04-30 How Canada is leveraging its PPP expertise worldwide

 Corporatocracy or Democracy or Administrative State or WHAT?  No Responses »
Apr 302012
 

http://www.bwob.ca/industries/technical-services/how-canada-is-leveraging-its-ppp-expertise-worldwide/

Early experience with public-private partnerships have enabled this nation’s deal makers and builders to exploit the global trend

(INSERT:  From the top of the webpage:

  • “CONTENT PROVIDED BY (logos) Canadian Business,  (Globe&Mail’s) Report on Business, (The Economist) Economist Intelligence Unit”.
  • “BROUGHT TO YOU BY HSBC”)

 

Canadian public-private partnerships have come a long way since 1992, when the federal government inked a deal with Strait Crossing Incorporated to design, build and, for 35 years, maintain and operate a bridge between Prince Edward Island and the mainland. Opened in 1997, the $840 million Confederation Bridge was a turning point for public-private partnerships (PPPs or P3s) in this country.

(Photo: Walter Bibikow)

Since then, governments at all levels have been increasingly relying on P3s to reduce public risk, speed up construction timelines, improve efficiencies and give private enterprise an opportunity to innovate on major infrastructure projects like bridges, roads, hospitals and schools. Partnerships BC was founded in 2002, Infrastructure Ontario in 2005, Infrastructure Quebec in 2010 and Partnerships New Brunswick in 2011, while the federal Crown corporation PPP Canada was created in 2009. The Canadian Council for Public-Private Partnership lists 169 P3 projects in Canada, with 49 now under construction. Now, key players are leveraging that experience to take the Canadian P3 model global.

“Canada has developed a mature market with a robust deal pipeline,” says Matti Siemiatycki, an assistant professor of Geography and Planning at the University of Toronto, who has authored several papers on Canadian P3s. ”When the Council [for Public-Private Partnerships] hosts its fall conference, the whole world is at that conference.”

Since financing, contract negotiations and procurement are increasingly taking place on a global playing field, national borders matter much less. Robert Shouldice, a partner in the Vancouver office of Borden Ladner Gervais, is currently working for a Canadian client on a light-rail project in India and last year worked on a light-rail project in Istanbul, both P3 initiatives by local governments. Shouldice’s associate, Doug Saunders, has represented a German company negotiating a P3 in Norway.

“These projects are, from a legal perspective, 95% to 98% commercial contract negotiation. Local law really has very little impact on those negotiations,” says Shouldice. “In fact, a lot of times, for international projects, the parties will choose to have the contracts governed by a different law, just to have the dispute-resolution procedure something other than the local courts.”

Each P3 deal is unique, complicated and, in many cases, expected to spell out the roles of the public and the private partners for decades. The private partner may just design and build a project, or, like with the Confederation Bridge, might also maintain, operate and own it before transferring the property back to the government. With a relatively early start compared to other countries, Canadian players have built a solid P3 reputation.

“The deal history gives us a database of solutions,” says Saunders. “The same experience we’ve gained in terms of the Canadian model is also applicable to those Canadian companies who have understood and gotten involved in the model here. So when they see a P3 project in another jurisdiction, it’s an easy entrée because they know that 95% to 98% of the deal will be the same.”

Mark Romoff, president and CEO of the Canadian Council for Public-Private Partnerships, says Canada has become known for P3 projects that are transparent, fair and good value for money.

“As the Canadian model gets adopted internationally, then it puts in place provisions that should enable Canadian companies to at least compete on a level footing in those jurisdictions,” says Romoff. For example, working with the Canadian Commercial Corporation, Toronto-based construction and infrastructure giant Aecon was chosen as lead contractor for the US$700 million project to design, build, finance, operate and maintain the new airport in Quito, Ecuador (the facility is scheduled to be complete in October 2012).

P3s are often associated with large, elite finance, engineering and construction companies. That was a point of contention when Saunders met recently with British Columbia’s Independent Contractors and Businesses Association, an organization that represents mostly small- and medium-sized contractors. But the finance side and the construction side are different animals. “The reality is that if you look at someone like Macquarie [the large Australia-based provider of banking, financial and investment services], they don’t have one person that has a hammer. Many of these companies coming from overseas are bringing managerial expertise. You’re still going to need local labour, local content for the physical construction.”

Siemiatycki says there is some potential for second-tier Canadian companies to gain access to P3 projects around the world, but it’s not easy. “Because of the way these deals are structured, because part of it is about transferring more risk to the private sector, you need to be a relatively large and relatively well established firm to play in this market. From an export perspective, that raises questions about whether Canadian firms are big enough to participate at that scale. What I have observed is that international firms moving into local markets will partner with domestic firms that have a reputation within the industry already and have networks already in place.”

Canada is not the world leader in P3s. The United Kingdom holds that title and its Partnerships UK, founded in 1999, was a model for Partnerships BC and Infrastructure Ontario. Partnerships UK even earns revenue by advising on P3 deals for non-UK projects, working with more than 14 governments, according to a 2008 working paper out of Stanford University, which looked at similarities and differences between some of the major P3 agencies worldwide.

Perhaps surprisingly, the U.S. has lagged behind the Canada, the U.K., Australia, Spain, France and Portugal.

“In the U.S., this model continues to be controversial and is still going through lots of debate and is still being resisted at a number of different government levels,” says Shouldice. “The P3 model hasn’t caught on there like it’s caught on here and in Europe.” Early toll-road projects in the U.S. were unpopular, says Saunders, giving P3s a bad reputation. Many jurisdictions are still reluctant to change legislation to allow them.

Although Canada’s P3 agencies and contract templates are attracting attention, no P3 model is likely to be one-size-fits all. “It would be misleading to think that an agency designed to fit the rules, codes and conventions of Canada, France or Portugal could be transplanted, say, to the United States, without considerable reinterpretation and recontextualization,” states the Standford working paper. “One important lesson that emerged during the course of this study was that there is no global best practice for agency set-up.”

2012-04-26 Mercury Jamboree, first VIDEO IS UPLOADED! “Amalgam – Facts, Fiction and Manipulation”

 Mercury poisoning, dental amalgams. See also Vaccinations., Take back the University  No Responses »
Apr 262012
 

Re:  Dental amalgam, “Silver” fillings  (which are really 50% mercury).

“Amalgam – Facts, Fiction and Manipulation”

Presentation by Dr. Nestor Shapka, President  and Dr. David Warwick, IAOMT (International Academy of Oral Medicine & Toxicology)

Part 1 – unedited proceedings of the Mercury Jamboree, Saskatoon March 30-31, 2012.

The higher resolution video is at: http://youtu.be/2hVbe1bBGww. If you email or embed links use this one.

(The lower resolution video is at  http://youtu.be/qu9n9WsWbE4)

The videotapes of the remainder of the presentations will be uploaded as they are ready.

On behalf of all of us, many thanks! to Daeran Gall and to Rod Gibson for shooting the Citizens’ Assembly to figure out how to stop the use of mercury fillings (“dental amalgam”).   Any number of people, anywhere, can now access the information provided by Drs. Shapka and Warwick.

Daeran has woven the visual and audio recordings from his camera, from Rod’s camera, and from an additional microphone into this one video.  It represents a huge amount of time, which is in addition to the time that he and Rod spent recording.

Drs Shapka and Warwick gave freely of their time and costs.

As did our other presenters whom you’ll see in the videos that are yet to come.

Wow!  Great work, everyone!

– – – – – – – – – – –  – – – – – — – –

Would you like?

  1. It would be helpful to others if someone would write up a summary for posting, of the main topics covered in the video.  Please get in touch if you would like to do that.  Don’t be shy!  It won’t be done, if you don’t volunteer!
  2. A DEDICATED BLOG, MERCURY FILLINGS, FOR CANADIANS?!

I have not found a Canadian blog on mercury fillings. …  READ MY MIND!! … Would you like to set up such a blog?!
We could transfer info onto it.

With many thanks to Grant (majority) and others, we currently have 57 postings on my blog (www.sandrafinley.ca)  under the “Category” HEALTH, Mercury poisoning, dental amalgams.  (right-hand sidebar).

 

2012-04-26 RE: “Go softly” approach to getting rid of mercury fillings (“dental amalgams”)

 Mercury poisoning, dental amalgams. See also Vaccinations.  No Responses »
Apr 262012
 

The history of the “go softly” approach in Canada is this:

–  1996,  Health Canada issues a request to every dentist in Canada:  don’t use mercury fillings in children and pregnant women.

Since then, more than a million children in Canada have had mercury fillings inserted.

As a consequence of the 1996 action Canada has sometimes been cited as a “leader” in stopping the use of amalgam.

The figures for use of mercury fillings in Canada show a decline, but then a re-bound.

Today, those who know the state of affairs in Canada say that we are WAY behind other countries.  And it is the case that Canada is seen as obstructionist in the amalgam part of the negotiations on the international treaty to stop the use of products that contain mercury (going into 4th round of negotiations in June).

If we don’t apply sufficient pressure, Health Canada will not change its position.   Peter Cooney, Chief Dentist, is working for the amalgam industry.  They have more money and influence than we do, and a whole lot at risk.

We should work very hard in the next 6 weeks:  the  4th Round of international negotiations is in June and the final 5th round in Feb.  The use of  “silver” fillings (50% mercury, they should be labelled as what they are – “mercury fillings”)  is unconscionable.  The science is there to know it.

Mercury toxicity is known.  It is a liquid at room temperature.  Like water, it vaporizes when it is heated.  Our inside body temperature is warmer than the air around us.  It is known that mercury vaporizes inside the body and that it metholates in the body.  We know very well that it bio-accumulates.  (Why do we think we are different from fish in this regard?)

The use of mercury fillings has to be stopped for ALL people.  The use of mercury in the face of the alternatives is indefensible.

I just posted Ten Reasons to Support Mercury-Free Dentistry It’s another compelling document (and succinct).

To me, the “go soft” approach may ensure that white middle- and upper-class people aren’t exposed to mercury. However, others will continue to be less fortunate.  I do not understand:  cannot people see that if mercury fillings are used ANYWHERE, mercury goes into the environment, in large amounts?  It is deadly stuff.

“Go soft” was used in 1996.  It didn’t work.  I am sorry, given what I know the time is past for “Go soft”.

 

2012-03-20 D’Arcy Hande’s letter to Ministers re Peter Cooney & UN Environmental Treaty on mercury.

 Mercury poisoning, dental amalgams. See also Vaccinations.  1 Response »
Apr 262012
 

Dear Ministers Kent and Aglukkaq,

Canada’s Chief Dental Officer Dr. Peter Cooney appears to be in a serious conflict of interest by not only representing the Canadian government at the United Nations environmental treaty on mercury conference, but by also simultaneously representing the European-based World Dental Federation or Fédération Dentaire Internationale (FDI), a private trade group funded by its “corporate partners”– major amalgam manufacturers and distributors Dentsply, Henry Schein Inc., and Ivoclar Vivadent.

United Nations Environment Programme Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC 2) has convened a series of five conferences to put together the environmental treaty on mercury, a treaty that represents a chance for the world to rid itself of amalgam, and rid dentistry of mercury.

Dr. Cooney attended the second of these conferences, held in Japan in January 2011.  Upon rising to speak, Cooney actually announced, “I am wearing two hats”!  The fact that Canada’s Chief Dental Officer spoke on behalf of FDI also gives the organization undue authority, implying that it is government-backed when it is not. Cooney also used his title and influence to secure prime time slots for FDI presentations that private entities do not get.

Representing  DI at INC 2 in Japan last year, Dr. Cooney participated in a disgusting example of FDI double-speak.  According to FDI’s web site [I have highlighted questionable statements in red below],

“The FDI’s team is working in close co-operation with members of the International Association for Dental Research to articulate to the INC that dental amalgam currently constitutes an important element in maintaining and protecting global public health, as reflected in FDI General Assembly Resolution on Dental Amalgam (GA 2009) and Dental Amalgam Motion (GA 2010).

“Importantly, FDI made an intervention at the INC 2 plenary session highlighted strategies that phase up effective prevention for dental caries and associated health programmes that we believe will result in the phase down of restorative materials, including dental amalgam.  This will lead to the reduction in the use of all dental restorative materials and ensure optimal oral health, particularly for those most disadvantaged and in need of treatment.”

< http://www.fdiworldental.org/html/WDC/1-2011/english/story5-utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=1.2011.htm>

This FDI statement undermines the more progressive stance of the Canadian government position, endorsed by Health Canada and in Environment Canada, which already indicates that dentists here should stop using amalgam on our children and our pregnant women.   The fact that Canada’s Chief Dental Officer spoke on behalf of FDI gives the organization undue authority, implying that it is government-backed when it is not.  Dr. Cooney also used his title and influence to secure prime time slots for FDI presentations that private entities do not get.

Along with many others, I request that you

  • address the problems raised by Dr. Cooney’s use of his government position to lobby for FDI and to undermine stakeholders opposed by FDI.

I also need assurances that with respect to future FDI negotiations:

  • that Dr. Cooney will not participate in the FDI delegation’s decision-making
  • that he will not be permitted to attend future conferences to put together the environmental
    treaty on mercury and in intersessional meetings with his incompatible “two hats,” and
  • that the damage he has already inflicted will be redressed.

We taxpayers do not know – but would like to know:

  • if Cooney drew his government salary during these FDI negotiation sessions.
  • Did he forfeit his salary?
  • If not, why did we the taxpayers pay a man to lobby against the interests of his own government, all the time using his public position to maximize his impact?
  • Who paid for this trip.?
  • Was Cooney at this comfortable Japanese resort as a guest of the World Dental Federation?
  • If so, how could this not be “accepting economic benefit,” prohibited in the Values and Ethics Code for the Public Service?

D’Arcy Hande

(contact information)

 

“Top Ten Reasons to Support Mercury-Free Dentistry”, from Consumers for Dental Choice

 Mercury poisoning, dental amalgams. See also Vaccinations., Take back the University  No Responses »
Apr 262012
 

For the “Top Ten Reasons”, click on:   www.toxicteeth.org (also copied below)

Consumers for Dental Choice

Top Ten Reasons to Support Mercury-Free Dentistry

1. Amalgam pollutes our environment

Amalgam pollutes 1) water via dental clinic releases and human waste; 2) air via cremation, dental clinic emissions, sludge incineration, and respiration; and 3) land via landfills, burials, and fertilizer.[i] Once in the environment, dental mercury converts to its even more toxic form: methylmercury and becomes a major source of mercury in the fish people eat.[ii] Dental mercury in the environment can cause brain damage and neurological problems, especially for children and the unborn babies, according to the United States Environmental Protection Agency.[iii]

2. Amalgam endangers our health
Amalgam emits mercury vapor even after it is implanted into the body.  This mercury is bioaccumulative, and it crosses the placenta to accumulate in fetuses as well.  Dental amalgam’s mercury is a known health risk, especially for children, fetuses, nursing infants, and people with impaired kidney function especially.[iv] Even the U.S. Food and Drug Administration concedes that the developing neurological systems of children and fetuses are more susceptible to “the neurotoxic effects of mercury vapor” – and that there is no evidence that amalgam is safe for these populations.[1]
3. Amalgam damages teeth
Placing amalgam requires the removal of a significant amount of healthy tooth matter.  This removal, in turn, weakens overall tooth structure which increases the need for future dental work.[2] On top of that, amalgam fillings – which expand and contract over time – crack teeth and once again create the need for still more dental work.[3]
4. Amalgam endangers dental workers
Due to mercury exposure from amalgam in the workplace, studies have shown that dental workers have elevated systemic mercury levels.[4] Few of these dental workers – mostly women of child-bearing age – are given protective garb or air masks to minimize their exposure to mercury; many are not aware of the risks of occupational mercury exposure.  As a result, dental workers have reported neurological problems, reproductive failures, and birth defects caused by amalgam in the workplace.[5]
5. Amalgam is frequently implanted without informed consent
Most dentists do not inform consumers that amalgam contains mercury.  As a result, over 76% of consumers do not know that amalgam is mainly mercury according to Zogby polls.[6] But once they are informed, 77% of people do not want mercury fillings – and they were even willing to pay more to avoid this unnecessary source of mercury exposure.[7]
6. Amalgam perpetuates social injustice
While middle class consumers opt for mercury-free filling materials, people in developing nations, low-income families, minorities, Native Americans, military personnel, prisoners, and people with disabilities are still subjected to amalgam.  In his testimony before Congress, former Virginia state NAACP president Emmitt Carlton described this injustice as “choice for the rich, mercury for the poor.”  A recent study shows that while African-American and white numbers are comparable, a disproportionately high percentage of Hispanics and Native Americans still get amalgam.  Of course, any child still getting amalgam is too many.
7. Amalgam costs taxpayers
Taxpayers foot the bill for the environmental clean-up of amalgam and the medical care associated with mercury-related health problems.  Meanwhile, the dentists who dump their mercury into our environment and our bodies are not held financially responsible.
8. Amalgam is diverted to illegal gold mining
Amalgam is commonly shipped to developing countries labeled for dental use, but then it is diverted to illegal use in artisanal and small-scale gold mining.[8] Not only are the miners exposed to the risks of mercury poisoning, but the dental mercury they use to extract gold is released into the environment.[9]
9. Amalgam can be replaced by mercury-free filling materials
Amalgam is interchangeable with numerous other filling materials – including resin composites, compomers, and glass ionomers – that have rendered amalgam completely unnecessary for any clinical situation.  In fact, the mercury-free alternatives have made amalgam so non-essential that entire nations, such as the Scandinavian countries, have banned the use of amalgam.[10]
The American Dental Association spreads the myth that amalgam costs less, but according to the dental cost calculator recommended by the ADA itself, http://www.ada.org/news/6028.aspx , it is always cheaper to get resin in front teeth and only slightly more (and sometimes less) to get resin in back teeth.  http://www.fairhealthconsumer.org/ Developing nations have benefitted from modern mercury-free techniques, such as atraumatic restorative treatment (ART), which costs but half as much as amalgam and can be done by trained non-dentists, hence making dental care more accessible for children.[11] The ADA, fearful of losing its monopoly position, opposes it.   The beneficiaries of amalgam are not patients or parents, but the dentists who get quick and easy profits.
10. Amalgam drives up the price of mercury-free alternatives
The continued use of amalgam keeps the price of mercury-free filling materials high by decreasing demand for these alternatives.  As use of mercury-free materials increases, their price is expected to decrease even further.[12]
[2] Terry L. Meyers, When less is more — Technology increases minimally invasive procedures, Dental
Economics, http://www.dentaleconomics.com/index/display/article-display/6295266301/articles/dental-economics/volume-100/issue-5/columns/when-less_is_more.html (explaining that “with the resins and composites developed over the past 30 years, we don’t have to remove nearly as much tooth structure as we did when using amalgam. Before these new materials with their bonding capacity came along, in some cases dentists had to take out the whole back side of the tooth to get enough amalgam in there to work.”).
[3] Davis MW, Nesbitt WE. The wedge effect: structural design weakness of Class II amalgam.  AACD J 1997;13(3):62-8, http://www.smilesofsantafe.com/pdfs/WedgeEffect.pdf.
[4] Marcelo Tomás de Oliveira et. al., Effects from Exposure to Dental Amalgam on Systemic Mercury Levels in Patients and Dental School Students, Photomedicine and Laser Surgery (October 2010, Vol. 28, No. S2: S-111-S-114), http://www.liebertonline.com/doi/abs/10.1089/pho.2009.2656
[5] See Mercury Policy Project, Neurotoxic Effects of Mercury in Dental Nurses (7 September 2006), http://mpp.cclearn.org/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/fdadentalmppnorwayfinal0907061.pdf
[8]U.S. Geological Survey, Peru Mercury Inventory (2006), p. 18,  http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2007/1252/ofr2007-1252.pdf
(describing how dental supply shops in Peru sell amalgam to customers without any professional documentation, noting that several gold shops are nearby).
[9] Norimitsu Onishi, In Rush to Find Gold, Indonesians Defy Dangers, New York Times (7 July 2011), http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/08/world/asia/08indo.html
[10] See Bio Intelligence Service/European Commission, Review of the Community Strategy Concerning Mercury (p.229), 4 October 2010, http://ec.europa.eu/environment/chemicals/mercury/pdf/review_mercury_strategy2010.pdf
[11] Pan American Health Organization, Oral Health of Low Income Children: Procedures for Atraumatic Restorative Treatment (PRAT) (2006), 53, http://new.paho.org/hq/dmdocuments/2009/OH_top_PT_low06.pdf (“The costs of employing the PRAT [procedures for atraumatic restorative treatment] approach for dental caries treatment, including retreatment, are roughly half the cost of amalgam without retreatment.”).
[12] United Nations Environmental Programme, Mercury-Containing Products Partnership Area Business Plan (2008) (noting that “it is certain that the cost of alternative dental fillings will continue to decrease.”).
[i] See Michael Bender, Mercury Policy Project, Facing Up to the Hazards of Mercury Tooth Fillings: A Report to the U.S. House of Representatives Government Oversight Subcommittee on Domestic
Policy (8 July 2008), http://mpp.cclearn.org/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/finalreportfrommpptestimony0707082.pdf
(provides a description of the multiple pathways by which dental mercury reaches our water, air, and soil).
[ii] See United States Environmental Protection Agency, News Release (27 September 2010), http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/d0cf6618525a9efb85257359003fb69d/a640db2ebad201cd852577ab00634848!OpenDocument
[iii] See United States Environmental Protection Agency, News Release (27 September 2010), http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/d0cf6618525a9efb85257359003fb69d/a640db2ebad201cd852577ab00634848!OpenDocument
[16] United Nations Environmental Programme, Mercury-Containing Products Partnership Area
Business Plan (2008) (noting that “it is certain that the cost of alternative dental fillings will continue to decrease.”).
 Older Entries  Newer Entries