Amalgam/Mercury fillings and dry eye theory

[jack_bristow]

For the last few years life has been hitting me on the head with a hammer in several directions.

1) my dry eye isn't getting any better, possibly worse
2) my teeth are deteriorating (genetic, at least partially)
3) I exhibit a variety of aging symptoms that appear to be too early for my age (32) and being physically active - receding hairline, half of my hair is gray, I get the "hung over" feeling in the morning, my joints start to make cracking sounds more often

A few weeks ago I noticed a tiny spot under my tongue. It could've been either something horrible, or an amalgam tattoo. I got it removed and biopsied, it was an amalgam tattoo (supposedly harmless).

But if God exists, and he's giving me signs as to how to fix what's wrong with my body, he couldn't be more clear.

This week my orhodontist declared that two more of my teeth with older Russian amalgam fillings have to be crowned.

At first I was devastated - I hate it. I have low tolerance for needles, dentists, its one of my worst fears. I felt like life keeps hitting me on the head with a hammer without mercy.

But then I started thinking... what if I'm being lead to being CURED ? What if I am being hit over the head in the oral health department because that's the SOURCE of all my problems ?

It is FACT that I have a sensitive nervous system which freaks out at some drugs. It is FACT that the only foreign object I have had in my body for a long time, has been AMALGAM FILLINGS. It is also FACT that they release mercury vapor over time. Finally, it is FACT that mercury is the most toxic non-radioactive material known to man.

Finally, I stumbled on some anecdotal reports online from people whose eye health has improved after getting rid of those amalgam fillings.

So maybe I should get rid of all of them. Not just the two, but all of the remaining ones. It may be worth it. Here's to hoping.

[20/20_Hindsight]

Amalgam is something I worried about (and have lots of it in my mouth), as I developed an autoimmune disorder right around the time I had the onset of cavities and got fillings.

My dentist advised against removing them all, and as they break, we have replaced them with porcelain ones. Any new cavities have had porcelain also. I think he thought I had lost my mind when I told him I thought there might be a connection to the amalgam and autoimmune problems.

Interesting though....my teeth are wearing out at an accelerated rate also, and pieces just seem to be breaking off these days. In my case, it may be a somewhat dry mouth that has helped speed things up.

My eyes went over the cliff after Lasik surgery though (became severe), however, they had been dry and I was contact lens intolerant since the time of the original fillings... Interesting theory. Around the same time, I had used Accutane as well, so that might have also caused some issues.

[Lucy]

I will add my 2 cents for what they're worth. Not much, I can assure you.
My 3 siblings and I all have/had bad teeth. We are older than Jack Bristow and 20/20, but were raised on a farm and we didn't have city water. No fluoride, but our dentist was always giving us "fluoride" treatments in the office. I don't think it helped much and wonder how much it cost my parents!

I began my dry eye odyessy almost 10 years ago after Lasik surgery. Two years ago, I was diagnosed with Sjogrens. Duh, duh, duh. All those ophthalmologists I traveled to see in other states, highly profiles docs, not one of those suckers or even my own Lasik fellow ever suggested Sjogrens. My rheumy guessed the start of my Sjogrens was about the time of my Lasik. (No connection intended on her part.) I have much more than dry eyes and mouth, many neurological things going on. It was me who led the docs to this diagnosis.

Is this the reason I've always had bad teeth? Most are now caps and crowns and have been for many years. No sibling reports autoimmune symptoms. My daughter has good teeth, but does have autoimmune as in Type I diabetes and Graves disease.

Jack Bristow, I hope you do what you feel is the right thing for you. I also hope it's not enormously expensive. But, you're quite young and if you think this is your cause, or even partly, it might be worth the investment. Nix to bad teeth, dry eye, autoimmune problems, bad doctors, etc. etc.
Lucy

[calli66]

My story is much like Lucy's. Bad teeth and Sjogren's (but no Lasik). I've gotten rid of the amalgam because of so many crowns, and the rest are filled with the composite material.

But just this year I heard some report about this composite material actually leaching harmful chemicals. So now what? I'm not going back to mercury amalgam, that's for sure.

C

[rhad]

even if you have all your amalgam fillings removed, some experts recommend chelation therapy to remove the mercury that has accumulated in your body. as Mercury is pulled into the blood stream from your Amalgam fillings, also their is something called Mercury vapor that is emmitted from the fillings. Mercury is one of the most toxic metals to man. It affects the nervous system the most. Mercury can affect virtually any organ in your body, where it accumulates. maybe the Mercury isn't the direct cause of your problem, but maybe it is causing one or more organs or glands in your body to not function properly, because of mercury accumulation in your tissues.

If you really want to know if this is a possible cause for your problems, you should really get a Hair Analysis Done, It is the most accurate method of the methods available, to check for heavy metal toxicity. do some research you'll know what I mean. the blood tests aren't accurate, they only test the current level of metals in your bloodstream, not the metals that are accumulated in tissues, which is where most of metals are found. also, it would give you a good idea of the mineral levels in your body. you see, your hair is one way your body gets rid of excess metals and minerals, etc.

rhad

[Lucy]

Rhad, chelation therapy is a VERY CONTROVERSIAL thing. I advise people to speak with their medical professionals before embarking on something like this.
Mr. doc does chelation therapy, but he'd never sell me on the idea. Lucy

As non-medicals (I'm not, maybe Rhad is) we must be careful about advising people to "you should take chelation...." Lucy

[rhad]

ok...sorry Lucy. Alot of experts recommend taking chelation therapy, but you should ask your doctor, or an expert about it. taking chelation therapy while you still have the amalgams in, is suppose to be dangerous. as it could pull the mercury from your fillings, right into your bloodstream, which wouldn't be good.

[faithfully]

I would like to add to this extremely interesting theory concerning mercury fillings because I also have a mouth full of them. Ever since I was a preschooler I have had mercury fillings put in an refilled. I am now a middle aged woman who was in excellent health until a d/x of Sjogrens which started out as extremely dry eyes that no drop would work, still wont.
I have thought about getting all these mercury fillings out but the cost would be tremendous plus my dentist thinks you get just as much mercury from eating tuna and other fish. I also went to another dentist for a second opinion. He said the same thing and yet he only uses the composite ones.
If I knew it would work I would have the mercury fillings removed. I have exhausted so many areas with trying to find out what it wrong with my body, why it is in rebellion?
I would like to know if anyone truly has been "healed" of autoimmune diseases by having the mercury fillings taken out?
I too am praying for an answer and, someday I believe it will come.
BTW, what does a mercury tattoo look like? That would be a sign for me too.
Thanks and hope to hear more from others out there.
faithfully

[Lucy]

Rhad, Faithful, et al. I felt I should put in the disclaimer on "chelation" therapy. I don't think many people know what it is. Or perhaps think it's something other than what "it" is. I'm wondering if there is several types of chelation.

I only know what little I do know, is because my GP does chelation. He does it for heart disease. He has a room set up for chelation therapy. I can tell you there is big bucks in it. I also think it's not a proven cure for heart disease, mercury fillings or any of that. I've talked with people receiving their therapy and they highly believe they have been cured of heart disease and/or related things by chelation therapy. Some have been doing it for 20 years. I talked to one elder fellow who was doing it for his "heart disease" and said his cardiologist did not know he was doing chelation!

I do take IV vitamins with clelation patients sometimes and it gives me a chance to talk with them. I don't know what I would say if my doc said to me "you have this heart disease and chelation will help you." Would I just hook up? I don't know. I do have a cardiologist and I'll ask him next time I see him. lol.

[ttdub]

What is chelatin theropy? And has anyone been cured of autoimune diseases by it??

[Lucy]

Do a "google" for chelation. No, no one has been cured by chelation of autoimmune or I would have been there too. I realize that there are many who would claim to be cured--and I would never agrue with them. But, it it was a cure......well.....most of us would have had the treatment.

If it is also recommended for heart problems and autoimmune, and heaven knows what else, wouldn't the public be more aware of it. I am not going to keep writing about chelation as it's kind of off subject. Just IMO that people do lots of research before looking at it. Lucy

[david2404]

I'm also really curious about the effects of having amalgam fillings since I've had a mouth full of them since a young age. I had a tooth removed and a root canal around the start of the year and I'd guess this may have had some effect in relieving tension headaches i was getting but I couldn't say it helped my eyes really. But then I still have at least half a dozen amalgum fillings left!

Also, forgetting the mercury issue for a moment, the other thing i'm curious about...If you have bad teeth then why? If it's genetic is it because of an inherent deficiency in something? Could the same deficiency/problem be the cause of MGD?

[Gretchen]

Dental problems can be a result of dry mouth. Dry mouth as well as dry eyes can be symptomatic of Sjogren's syndrome.

Gretchen

[bernmee]

This is a really interesting thread.

B.

[david2404]

Sjogrens is definitely one link between the two. For me i suspect if it's not the amalgam it's something else as i don't have sjogrens. I don't get dry mouth but then my eye problem is mgd not necessarily lack of water.

I think for me it may be due to a ph imbalance. My teeth are bad because my mouth/saliva is too acidic. I also got told by an ophthalmologist (does everybody have to do a spell check on this word every time they write it!) that my tears were the wrong ph - they are too acidic. I don't think he did any tests to tell me this. He just announced it and didnt' provide any solutions. But it feels right. My eyes do often feel 'acidic'. But i'm none the wiser how to fix it. Suggestions welcome