Since teeth are the hardest substance in our bodies (paleontologists say that mammalian history, as known from fossils, feature little more than the mating of teeth to produce slightly modified descendant teeth-a little evolutionary humor, eh) and modern dentistry has evolved to its present state of sophistication, why do we not have a cure for tooth decay? Are we not on the same merry go round of treating only the symptoms and not getting at the ROOT CAUSE? (Charlie Donham)

YES, exactly. 95% of what I do should never have needed doing. I feel like a finish carpenter doing fine cabinetry while the house is burning down. Dentists, like real doctors, make their money on these treatments-so where is the incentive to eliminate teeth problems? (Charlie Donham)

LOTS of incentive. I've built a large, successful dental practice by eliminating our clients' need for us. When they notice we're serious about that, they refer their friends in great quantity AND most people have enough crappy restorative dentistry in their mouths that they're eager to have replaced with the best that we'll never run out of things to do. Also, dental care is LOTS more pleasant, easier and lasts a lot longer in a healthy mouth. People appreciate real quality; it's a win for everyone involved.

Could the bacteria that cause teeth decay (present theory) be like the viruses of the body and only operating as clean up agents? (Charlie Donham)

Yes, of course. The bacteria are only thriving on the "soil" that we provide. High sucrose is their best source of nutrients. One swish of sugar feeds the bacteria for about 20 minutes, during which they break the sucrose di-saccharide molecule into glucose, which they store outside their cell wall for long-term use & fructose, which they use immediately, producing acidic & toxic waste products which perpetuate the gum & tooth disease responses. If we paint the teeth with Pepsi every 20 minutes, the bacteria are fed and excrete acids and toxins 24 hrs per day.

Of course this next question probably sits uppermost in the minds of most H&B readers. So please tell us all you can about mercury fillings and your work with Dr. Hal Huggins.

Yes, our whole office team spent three days with Dr. Huggins in 1974, had blood and hair analyses, and listened to his info. I've subscribed to and read his TERF newsletters intermittently for 18 years and have purchased, given away, and read most of his books and literature. I give this man a lot of credit for rather successfully bucking the medical, dental, and drug establishments and doing so in a rather scientific and credible manner. I've also followed the seminars, letters and publications of other anti-mercury dentists and non-dentists. Of the bunch, I'd rely on Sam Ziff (Box 608010, 4401 Real Ct, Orlando, FL 32860-8010) than any of the others for objective info. I've experimented with variations of the gold foil mercury vapor analyzer (it works) and have even referred folks to the Carson City OSHA commissar to have their breath tested for mercury (most mouths tested would be condemned and shut down if they were work places! True.). I've tried a few of the electronic "Amalgameter" type micro-ammeters and, about a decade ago, fashioned one from some of our electromyography equipment.

Interesting stuff, but I can't yet agree with all Dr. Hal's conclusions. Just because they recognize Hg as a poison doesn't make these folks Natural Hygienists. Huggins' #1 interest since I've known and talked with him is in balancing body chemistry and the LAST time I spoke with him, his conclusion was still that we should all be eating at least 1/4 pound of cow butter per day, along with as much dead animal sarcomere as we can get our claws into. So, what's the bottom line on mercury in your mouth? After a quarter century of study and observation of a few thousand mercury-contaminated mouths and bodies, here's what I tell my clients:

"If it's been measured, it's fact; if it hasn't, it's opinion."

A. FACT (SCIENTIFICALLY PROVEN, MEASURED):

1. "Silver" fillings are about 30-50% mercury (the balance is silver, copper, tin, zinc).

2. Mercury leaks out in very small concentrations.

3. The mercury's absorbed into your body and accumulates in various tissues.

4. Mercury is not known to be biologically helpful and there is overwhelming scientific evidence to show that it's harmful.

B. OPINION (There are lots of opinions.)

OPINION OF MANY 'HOLISTIC' PRACTITIONERS: The mercury leaking from your fillings is probably damaging your immune system and putting you at extremely high risk for muscular sclerosis, AIDS, candida infections, allergic reactions to hydrocarbons and other substances, loss of memory and other mental disorders, etc., etc., etc. All mercury fillings should be removed from all mouths immediately.

OPINION OF 'THE ESTABLISHMENT' (AMERICAN DENTAL ASSOCIATION, ACADEMY OF GENERAL DENTISTRY -- I'm a non-agreeing member of both):Mercury does escape from your amalgam "fillings" and it is absorbed into your body, but it's a problem only to the 1% of the population specifically sensitive to it. But if a dentist has any left over after inserting it into someone's mouth, the excess must be stored in a tightly closed container, under water, in order to protect the dental office. (They've changed--when I was in dental school, I was taught that mercury can't escape from the filling material.)

FREQUENT QUESTIONS: "Is mercury causing my symptoms?" and "Will removing my mercury fillings make my symptoms improve or improve my general health?"

THE UNFORTUNATE ANSWER: Fact: I don't know. MY opinion: No one knows. Removal of exposure to a known toxin is one thing you could consider to improve your overall health. If your symptoms improve after mercury removal, it's a wonderful side benefit. We don't know that they will.

CONCLUSION (my "opinion"): I don't know of a test available at present to reliably determine what harm mercury from your fillings is doing to you. We don't recommend removal of amalgam "fillings" to cure any diseases or improve any systemic symptoms. But we don't REFUSE to remove them if requested by an informed person. The responsibility for deciding what's inserted in and removed from a human body belongs to the owner of that body. Mercury's just one more pollutant that's filling up your "rain barrel.". When your resistance drops and that rain barrel gets leaky, you get symptoms. When the barrel gets completely full, you get LOTS of symptoms and maybe quit living.I had a personal bias against use of silver amalgam in teeth LONG BEFORE the current mercury scare. The material provides no strength to protect or support the tooth, but relies on the tooth to hold it in place; it expands and contracts eleven times more than tooth structure with the temperature changes between soup and ice cream; it reacts with saliva and expands over time, helping teeth to fracture; the zinc and mercury leech into the dentinal tubules and turn teeth grey. The above thoughts on mercury, by the way, were all written in 1985, and I haven't changed any of them in nine years.

Want some even badder news, so you can REALLY get worried? A relatively recent newsletter of Sam Ziff's "Foundation for Toxic Free Dentistry" featured a lead article on 'Dental Mercury as an Environmental Hazard'. I respect Dr. Sam & he states that the mercury that's already IN folk's teeth eventually ends up contaminating our environment because it's excreted each day in the owner's urine and feces, it's vaporized into our atmosphere through crematoria, it's dumped into our landfills through waste-disposal from dental offices and into our waste-water systems from the same source. Interesting and scary. So even offices like ours, who don't PLACE mercury in peoples' teeth can contribute to environmental pollution by REMOVING it (our waste traps catch the major bulk but small particles and molecular mercury pass through --November '94 'Dental Products Report' sez that since Germany, Switzerland, Sweden, Italy, Norway & Austria claim to "disallow mercury from entering their water supplies" (& probably soon plan to repeal the law of gravity?), "officials" in San Bernadino, CA are trying to do likewise. They're testing mercury separators on the dental chairs at Loma Linda University & report that mercury amalgam is "Considered to be safe and effective in the mouth [[but].... a potentially serious environmental problem...". God bless "officials". (I won't.).) If you want to receive info on this stuff, write to Sam and son, Michael F. Ziff, DDS at the address above.

My own symptoms? 'til recently, I thought there were none, after all, I haven't placed any mercury fillings in anyone's mouth since about '77 & even before that, did it only if people insisted. However, our cosmetic/health-oriented practice REMOVES lots of it, and I'd been noticing an INCREASING sensitivity to the airborne residue of this removal process (despite the latest in high-volume air evacuation systems). About 1/94 it became intolerable for the first time. The roof of my mouth and back of my throat became coated with a metallic-tasting film that lasted all day. After noting this in the morning I wore a special Hg-absorbing mask made by 3M for folks who work around mercury vapor. I'll be wearing such a mask whenever I'm removing this stuff in the future. CONTINUE