Although the past couple of years have been rough going, they’ve also included some great developments as well. For one, the FDA finally acknowledged that dental amalgam—the mercury alloy used to make “silver” fillings—is NOT, in fact, safe for everyone. They now say roughly two-thirds of the U.S. population should avoid it due to the risks it poses to human health.

Since then, the two major dental supply companies in the U.S. have chosen to stop making and marketing amalgam. Meantime, an amendment to the Minamata Convention on Mercury—a global treaty to reduce mercury pollution—was recently accepted, requiring nations to discourage the use of mercury amalgam in children under the age of 15 and in pregnant and nursing mothers.

Mercury is a neurotoxin, dangerous to the brain, and it’s off-gassed with every bite and swallow. Once that vapor is inhaled, it’s a quick trip from the lungs into the bloodstream and from there to organs that have a special affinity for attracting heavy metals, particularly the kidneys and brain. “Mercury-Free” is Not Enough.

When people learn about the health hazards posed by dental amalgam, they naturally favor healthier—not to mention more aesthetic— alternatives. This consumer demand has inspired more dentists to quit the material even before the changes of the past couple of years, but mercury-free isn’t mercury-SAFE, and safety is paramount when it comes to removing old amalgams, whether that removal is due to wear or breakage, or because a patient chooses it for health reasons. Such exposure could make a healthy person sick and a chronically ill person even sicker. Instead of solving the problem, it’s worse. Special precautions MUST be taken when removing mercury amalgam, to protect the health of patients, dental workers and the planet.

An acronym for Safe Mercury Amalgam Removal Technique, SMART-certified is what to look for when opting to have mercury removed from the mouth. The gold standard, SMART-certified practitioners ensure the highest degree of safety and success.

For more than two decades, the Holistic Dental Center NJ has provided exceptional biological dentistry with surgical expertise in a friendly, home-like environment. All their dentists are SMART-certified. This science-based protocol was developed by the International Academy of Oral Medicine & Toxicology (IAOMT), a professional association devoted to biocompatible, biological dentistry. While any dentist can follow the IAOMT’s strict guidelines, the only assurance of having amalgams removed safely is by choosing a dentist who is SMART-certified.

Holistic Dental Center NJ is located at 91 Millburn Ave., Millburn. To learn more about mercury amalgam filling removal, call 973-609-5984 and/or visit HolisticDentalCenterNJ.com.