Date: Fri, 4 Nov 94 15:00:53 -0500 From: Bob Broedel To: als@huey.met.fsu.edu Subject: ALSD#142 ALS-ON-LINE =============================================================== == == == ----------- ALS Interest Group ----------- == == ALS Digest (#142, 04 November 1994) == == == == ------ Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) == == ------ Motor Neurone Disease (MND) == == ------ Lou Gehrig's disease == == ----- == == This e-mail list has been set up to serve the world-wide == == ALS community. That is, ALS patients, ALS researchers, == == ALS support/discussion groups, ALS clinics, etc. Others == == are welcome (and invited) to join. The ALS Digest is == == published (approximately) weekly. Currently there are == == 380+ subscribers. == == == == To subscribe, to unsubscribe, to contribute notes, == == etc. to ALS Digest, please send e-mail to: == == bro@huey.met.fsu.edu (Bob Broedel) == == Sorry, but this is *not* a LISTSERV setup. == == == == Bob Broedel; P.O. Box 20049; Tallahassee, FL 32316 USA == =============================================================== CONTENTS OF THIS ISSUE: 1 .. AMALGAM ===== = Please note that this is a controversial topic. It is being posted = because of the many many requests we have had for the info. Please = remember that the ALS Digest is not a peer-reviewed scientific journal, = it is not edited by a medical professional, it is not sponsored by = nor does it a product of any professional organization, etc. = rgds,bro ===== (1) ===== AMALGAM ========== Subject : FAQ Amalgamrelated illness Part 2(2) Date : Wed, 19 Oct 94 23:01:24 +0100 Newsgroups: sci.med >From : Leif_Hedegard@public.se (Leif Hedeg rd) Frequently asked questions about Amalgamrelated illness. FAQ Amalgamrelated illness Part 2(2) v1.8 941019 =======Part 2(2) of this FAQ follows here=============== 6 What are the sources to mercury exposure in your body? ***6.1 General sources. According to WHO (WHO. 1991) these are the general sources of mercury in the body (ug/day): Air: 0.040, Fish 2.34, Non-fish food 0.25, Drinking-water 0.0035, Dental amalgams 3-17. Yes, amalgam alone is a bigger source than all the others sources together. Breast milk from fish-eating mothers can be quiet high in mercury. ***6.2 Mercury from dental amalgam-fillings. The uptake of 3-17 ug Hg/day that is reported for normal amalgambearing people from their amalgamfillings, on a group level(WHO 1991), can be compared to about 100-250 ug Hg/day where subclinical effects, on a group level, have been reported in persons occupationally exposed to inorganic mercury. Few persons, preferebly people with heavy bruxism, have higher exposure reported from their amalgam, maybe as much as 50 ug Hg/day. Amalgam seems to contribute to at least 75 % of the mercury in urine and 50 % of the mercury in blood-plasma in non-occupationally exposed amalgam-bearing individuals on a group level (Molin 1990). In deceased adult humans there is, on a group level, a correlation between the amount of Hg in brain and the number of amalgam-fillings they have(Nylander 1987). The presence of raised mercury levels, in it self, do not need to give pathologic reactions - the levels will have to exceed a persons threshold level. The problem is that we do not know the lowest possible threshold level in sensible individuals. "There is very little information available on brain mercury levels in cases of mercury poisoning, and nothing that makes it possible to estimate a no-observed-effect level or a dose-response curve" (WHO 1991 p20). But the levels in brain/CNS from amalgam-fillings alone ARE, on a group level, BELOW the levels that occupationally exposed individuals, for example dentists, show without being diagnosed as suffering from mercury-poisoning (Nylander 1991). In foetuses / children we have even less information about which mercury levels one could look upon as safe. Therefore a report that show that mercury from amalgam-fillings passes over to the foetus in animals (Vimy 1990) have awoken some concern. Drasch (1994) has reported that mercury levels measured in deceased human foetuses(kidney cortex and liver) and deceased infants(kidney cortex and brain cortex) significantly correlate with the number of dental amalgam fillings of the mother. Some levels in some children were above those that adults without amalgam have, but the mercury levels in both foetuses and children were, on a group level, below those that deceased amalgam-bearing adults have. However, some of the children in Drasch's report had mercury levels in their kidneys as high as those of amalgam-bearing adults or children. ***6.3 Pharmacological, preservatives... There is mercury in some medicines, vaccina, contact lens solutions... Look for the words; thiomersal, merthiolate or words with; -mer- or hydrarg in the information about them. Usually they are preservatives, the amounts are not high enough to affect people other than those who use a lot of medicine and/or are extra sensitive to mercury. Mercury has been used, in humans, as mercuric chloride solution under operations to kill cancer cells implanted on healthy tissue(Laundy 1984) or as a local antiseptic(Merbromine), as far as I know this still IS the case sometimes - the mercury amount absorbed here IS enough to cause intoxication in some cases. ***6.4 Skin lightening creams/soaps. There are soaps / creams sold to lighten ones skin. These soaps / creams can sometimes contain 1-10 % mercury as one ingredient. These amounts of mercury can cause intoxication. Mercury containing soaps / creams are banned in most countries in the western world. (WHO 1991). ***6.5 Paint. Mercury is used as preservative in some latex-paints. When painting with such a paint the air-mercury-levels will raise and be raised for weeks-months. (Aranow 1990). However, usually, not to such high levels that it affects normal people. But if you have a raised sensitivity towards mercury you should know about it, because there is mercury-free latex-paint available. ***6.6 Mirrors. Old mirrors could be coated with a mercury-containing amalgam on the back side. If it is so they are normally not painted on the back side. Silver-coated mirrors on the other hand are normally painted on the back side. A mercury-mirror will liberate mercury as mercury vapour(Hadsund 1993), but again far from the amount enough to affect normal people. ***6.7 Mercury spill from thermometers, barometers... Yes, mercury spill will result in vaporisation of the mercury before the mercury is properly cleaned up / eliminated. Even spill of the small amount of mercury in a thermometer, not properly cleaned up, has been reported to cause intoxication in young children(von M#hlendahl 1990). To clear spilled mercury; try to pick it up with some instrument and poor it into a bottle filled with water. Then seal the bottle and get rid of it (in an environmentally correct way). Then if there are any remaining mercury: use powdered sulphur or finely divided zinc and spread it all over the area where it is suspected to be remaining mercury. Brush it up - do not use vacuum cleaner (will blow mercury up in the air and the vacuum cleaner will be contaminated). If you finally (after successfull total mercury recover) use the vacuum cleaner, immediately dispose the vacuum-cleaner bag after the cleaning is finished as an extra precaution. If the mercury has been spilled on something from which it is difficult to remove it entirely, for example a rugged carpet it is usually recommended to get rid of the mercury-contaminated thing if it is possible, otherwise(as for wooden floors with slots...) try to decontaminate it and then monitor the air-mercury-levels nearby to check if they have decreased to an acceptable level. It is really not dangerous to get mercury on your hands if; A) it is a once in your life experience and nothing you do every day, and B) you are not oversensitive to mercury. ***6.8 Bringing mercury, non-voluntary, home from work. It has been reported that people occupationally exposed to mercury can, non-voluntary, bring mercury home (probably in/on there clothes / shoes) in such amount that raised urinary mercury levels can be detected in their children(Hudson 1987). 7 Concluding remarks If you are convinced / believe that at least some of your symptoms are (non-allergic-) amalgam-related, you should know that it is NOT proven that one can have an (non-allergic-) amalgamrelated illness. If you still want to take the chance of having your amalgam-fillings exchanged, to see if you will benefit from it, as other people and inconclusive reports have pointed out to be possible, you should be aware of some of the potential risks with amalgam-removal, to be able to make a well grounded decision: At least six risk factors, to be considered, before you have your amalgam-fillings exchanged, have been pointed out: A) Failure to detect another (treatable) disease because you are so concentrated on the amalgam issue(that you fail to see a doctor as you yourself have found the "cause") B) Failure to treat a proposed psychogenic cause because you are so concentrated on the amalgam that you do not believe in other possible causes to your symptoms C) Loos of tooth substance D) Less technically good material E) Oversensibility to the inserted material. F) Paying money to no effect. G) A period of elevated exposure to mercury during an amalgam-exchange-period A-B could be avoided by seeing a physician (and a dentist) and attending psychotherapy if this is recommended, parallel to the amalgam-removal. C can be reduced, but not excluded, by using plastic materials such as composite and glass ionomer cement. D - seems to be a smaller problem now than some years ago, but it is still something to be considered. On the other hand amalgam has been reported to expand and crack the TOOTH in some cases. E - there IS a certain risk, just like there IS with amalgam, that you can be sensitized and develop allergy to most alternative materials. It has been hypotethical concern that composite could cause even non-allergic negative health effects. F - as (non-allergic-) amalgamrelated illness is only a (scientific non-proven) probability diagnosis it could be the case that a person do remove his/here amalgam-fillings with no positive effect. G - could be lowered but not excluded. Especially has there been concern about fetuses of amalgambearing pregnant mothers who want to exchange their amalgam. People that do not have a well-founded reason for suspecting a (non-allergic-) amalgamrelated illness would usually be recommended, from almost all organisations / doctors, not to have there amalgam-fillings exchanged(because of the points C-G above). It seems that the great majority of the amalgam bearing population does not have any reason to suspect an amalgamrelated illness. BUT As science can not tell for sure, what should a individual do who have: 1) Been thoroughly examined, for all of his/her, symptoms by physicians (and a dentist) who did not find any (untreated) differential-diagnose 2) Multiple symptoms, and many of them have been described in mercury poisoning. 3) Connection in time between amalgam-work and symptoms. 4) Been (fairly) convinced that she/he has an amalgamrelated illness ??? If such a person wants to try to have his / here amalgam-fillings exchanged because he / she finds it possible / probable that he / she has an (non-allergic-) amalgamrelated illness, then it seems reasonable to study what: 1) Persons who claim they have / had an amalgamrelated illness says as well as 2) Dentists / physicians and their organisations says And then to try to find something that both parties recommend or at least accept as a functional solution. I my self (Leif Hedegard) do NOT KNOW, beyond all reasonable scientific doubts, if there is or isn't such a thing as a (non-allergic-) amalgamrelated illness. My present belief is, however, that some people are indeed suffering from a (non-allergic-) amalgam-related illness. You can not always get a straight answer in advance and one has, often, to make decisions based upon non-absolute grounds. But in this particular matter it is potentially possible that we will, in the future, get a (more) straight answer with more relevant quality science. I would like to know the answer and therefore I would like to see more such science to clear the question out. 8 References Aronow R, Cubbage C, Weiner R, Johnson B, Hesse J & Bedford J. Mercury Exposure from Interior Latex Paint - Michigan. MMWR 39(8):125-126 (1990) Bergman Bo , Bostrom Harry, Larsson K Sune, L#e Harald. Potential Biological Consequences of Mercury Released from Dental Amalgam. A State of the Art Document. A State of the Art Conference in Stockholm 9-10 April 1992. Buckell Monamy, Hunter Donald, Milton Reginald & Perry Kenneth M A. Chronic Mercury Poisoning. Br J Ind Med 3; 55-63 (1946) Reprinted in Br J Ind Med 50:97-106 (1993) Dathan JG, Harvey CC. Pink Disease - Ten Years After (The Epilogue) Br Med J p 1181-1182 (1965) Dirks MJ, Davis DR, Cheraskin E & Jackson JA. Mercury excretion and intravenous ascorbic acid. Arch Environ Health. 49(1):49-52 (1994) Drasch G, Schupp I, H#fl H, Reinke R & Roider G. Mercury burden of human fetal and infant tissues. Eur J Pediatr 153:607-610 (1994) Elihu D Richter, Nechama Peled & Menachem Luria. Mercury exposure and effects at a thermometer factory. Scand J Work Environ Health 8(suppl 1):161-166 (1982) Gay Don D, Cox Robert D, Reinhardt John W. Chewing releases mercury from fillings. Lancet 8123:985-986 (1979) Godfrey ME. Chronic illness in association with dental amalgam: Report of two cases. J Adv Med 3:247-255 (1990) Hall G. V-Tox. Int Symposium RStatus Quo and Perspectives of Amalgam and Other Dental MaterialsS European Academy, Ostzenhausen/Germany. April 29 - May 1, 1994. Abstract. Hanson M & Pleva J. The dental amalgam issue. A review. Experientia 47:9-22 (1991) Hadsund P. The tin-mercury mirror: its manufacturing technique and deterioration processes. Studies in Conservation 38:3-16 (1993) Hudson P J, Vogt R L, Brondum J, Witherell L, Myers G & Paschal D C. Elemental Mercury Exposure Among Children of Thermometer Plant Workers. Pediatrics 79:935-938 (1987) Kishi R Doi R Fukuchi Y Satoh H Satoh T Ono A Moriwaka F Tashiro K Takahata N Subjective symptoms and neurobehavioral performances of ex-mercury miners at an average of 18 years after the cessation of chronic exposure to mercury vapor. Mercury Workers Study Group. Environ Res 62(2):289-302 (1993) Laundy T, Adam A E, Kershaw J B & Rainford D J. Deaths after peritoneal lavage with mercuric chloride solutions: case report and review of the literature. Br Med J 289:96-98 (1984) Lichtenberg H J. Elimination of symptoms by removal of dental amalgam from mercury poisoned patients, as compared with a control group of average patients. J Orthomol Med 8:145-148 (1993) Mantyla Donald G & Wright Orson D. Mercury toxicity in the dental office: a neglected problem. JADA 92:1189-1194 (1976) McNerney Richard T & McNerney John J. A Review. Mercury Contamination In the Dental Office. NYS Dental Journey November 1979 pp 457-458' Molin M, Marklund S, Bergman B, Bargman M & Stenman E. Plasma-selenium, glutathione peroxidase in erythrocytes and mercury in plasma in patients allegedly subject to oral galvanism. Scand J Dent Res 95:328-334 (1987) Molin M, Bergman B, Marklund SL, Schutz A, Skerfving S. Mercury selenium and glutathione peroxidase before and after amalgam removal in man. Acta Odontol Scand 48:189-202 (1990) Nilsson CG, G:othe CJ & Molin C. Environmental somatization syndrome. Hur hanteras det yttre milj:osyndromet? (Environmental somatization syndrome. How to deal with the external milieu syndrome?) Nord Med 109(4):121-5 (1994) (In Swedish with English abstract) Nylander M, Friberg L & Lind B. Mercury concentrations in the human brain and kidneys in relation to exposure from dental amalgam-fillings. Swed Dent J 11:179-187 (1987) Nylander M & Weiner J. Mercury and selenium concentrations and their interrelations in organs from dental staff and the general population. Br J Ind Med 48:729 (1991) Redhe O & Pleva J. Recovery from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and from allergy after removal of dental amalgam-fillings. Int J Risk & Safety in Med 4:229-236 (1994) Ronnback Lars, Hansson Elisabeth. Chronic encephalopaties induced by mercury or lead: aspects of underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms. Br J Ind Med 49:233-240 (1992) Skare Ingvar, Engqvist Anita. Amalgamfyllningar en beaktansvard kalla till tungmetallexponering. (Amalgam restorations - an important source to human exposure of mercury and silver). Lakartidningen 89(15):1299-1301 (1992) (In Swedish with English abstract.) WHO Environmental Health Criteria 118. Inorganic Mercury. WHO Geneva 1991 ISBN 92 4 157118 7 Vimy M J, Takahashi Y & Lorscheider F L. Maternal-fetal distribution of mercury (203Hg) released from dental amalgam fillings. Am J Physiol 258:R939-R945 (1990) von M#hlendahl K E. Intoxication from mercury spilled on carpets. Lancet p1578 (1990) Vroom F Q & Greer M. Mercury vapor intoxication. Brain 95:305-318 (1972) 9 Where can I get more information? ***9.1 Official review. The WHO rapport from -91. It is 5 years since the meeting that this WHO-report is grounded on was held, but it still is a good source of knowledge in this field. ***9.2 Pro-amalgam information. (Bergman Bo 1992) ***9.3 Anti-amalgam information. (Hanson M & Pleva J. 1991) The "Bio-Probe Newsletter", a bi-monthly published newsletter with abstract of and comment on science in the field... It costs USD 65/year. Editorial office is at 5508 Edgewater Dr. Orlando, FL 32810. If you want something more easy to read there is the international magazine "Heavy Metal Bulletin" (International forum focusing on immuno-toxic effects of dental-fillings and related disorders.) You can get it from Monica Kauppi, Lilla Aspuddsv. 10, S-12649 STOCKHOLM SWEDEN, Tel/Fax +46 8 184086. Or from IAOMT Great Britain (address below). It costs USD 50/year or low income USD 20/year. 3-4 issues/year. You can receive either the English or German language edition. Another easy to read publication is the "International DAMS Newsletter". It is a quarterly newsletter that focuses on scientific research, personal recovery stories, detoxification methods, mercury toxicity, root canal therapy, cavitations, and fluoride therapy. Subscribe from DAMS (address under point 9.4 below). The subscription rate is USD 20.00/year in U.S., Canada/Mexico USD 25.00/year U.S. funds and USD 28.00/year U.S. fund in all other countries. ***9.4 Patient organisations for people with suspected amalgam-related illness: *Denmark Danish Association for Non-Toxic Dentistry. (Foreningen Mod Skadeligt Dentalmateriale) Herman Triers Plads 4, st. DK-1631 Kobenhavn V Tel/Fax +45 31 39 15 60 *Finland Suomen Hammaspotilasyhditys ry (Organization for Oral Patients in Finland) Anja Olantera PB 213 SF-0021 HELSINKI FINLAND Tel +358 0 607830 *Germany BBFU Bundesverband der Patient Organisation Beratungsstellen f#r Umveltgifte, insbesondere Amalgam, Schwer- metalle und Holzschutzmittel. Marco Gehrke Bandstrasse 114 D-45359 ESSEN GERMANY Tel +49 201 602715 Fax +49 201 693742 *Great Britain A patient organisation is under development. Contact IAOMT Great Britain. (Address below) *Holland Amalgaam Vrij Nederland Derde Oosterparkstraat 63 A 1091 JV Amsterdam HOLLAND Tel +31 20 663 8230 *Italy I.D.P.O. Italian Dental Patient Organization (Associazione Italiana Pazienti Odontoiatrici) c/o Monica Kauppi Lilla Aspuddsvagen 10 S-12649 STOCKHOLM SWEDEN Tel/Fax +46 8 184086 *Luxembourg AKUT Aktionsgruppe f#r Umwelttoxikologie Marielle Hilgert. Georges Goedert. 72, Bd de la P#trusse L-2320 LUXENBURG Tel + 325 492970 *Norway Tannskadeforbundet (Norwegian Dental Patient Organization) Halden Terasse 9 C N-1335 Snaroya NORWAY Tel +47 67 53 6667 *Sweden Tandvardsskadeforbundet (Swedish Association of Dental Mercury Patients) Katarina Bangata 56 S-11639 STOCKHOLM SWEDEN Tel +46 8 641 90 81 Fax +46 8 640 15 44 *Switzerland Verein Amalgam-Geschadigter Erica Br#hlmann-Jecklin Zeughausstrasse 51 Postfach 8021 ZURICH SWITZERLAND Tel +41 1 291 5250 Fax +41 1 291 5266 *USA DAMS (Dental Amalgam Mercury Syndrome.) 6025 Osuna Blwd Suite B Albuquerque NM 87109 NEW MEXICO USA Tel +1 505 888 0111 Fax +1 505 888 4554 DAMS offers a basic information package for USD 10.00 (U.S. funds). ***9.5 IAOMT. IAOMT (International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology). The IAOMT consists mainly of dentists, physicians, scientists... but the general public is welcome in the organisation as well. IAOMT have stated that they are against the use of amalgam. From IAOMT Great Britain you can get a information package, for dentists and the general public, regarding mercury-related illness at the cost of #5. IAOMT Europe Schadowstrasse 28 D-40212 D#sseldorf GERMANY Tel +49 211 133533 Fax +49 211 133555 IAOMT Great Britain 72 Harley Street London W1N 1AE Great Britain. Tel +44 (171) 580 3168 Fax +44 (171) 436 0959 IAOMT international David Kennedy 2425 Third Aveny San Diego Californien 92102 USA Tel +1 619 231 1624 Fax +1 619 222 8177 ***9.6 Dental associations. Please give me information here. ***9.7 Addresses to commercial products/firms. # "Clean Up", an suction handle / nozzle that encloses the tooth on all sides but the chewing side. It costs (in Sweden) under USD 3, it is manufactured and marketed by: AGDA-gruppen AB P.O. Box 124 S-794 22 ORSA SWEDEN Phone +46 250 430 27 Fax +46 250 430 28 and is imported and sold by (among others): Scania Dental AB Verkafsb#ro Deutschland Wilhelmstrasse 40 65582 DIEZ GERMANY Haley Ltd St Georges Road Semington Trowbridge Wiltshire BA14 6JQ GREAT BRITAIN Future Dentistry, Inc. P.O. Box 608634 Orlando, FL 32860-8634 USA Tel +1 (407)290 9670, +1 (800)282-9670 Fax +1 (407)299 4149 #"DentoSafe", is a mercury-capturing system for dental offices that consists of two parts; first a hands free air suction device that is placed over and a bit from the patients mouth and second a selenium filter that can be connected to the vacuum system. Reseller: Brage Nilsson D.D.S Box 33 S-941 21 Pitea SWEDEN Tel +46 (911) 158 55 Fax +46 (911) 171 35 ==========End of FAQ========================= *** SINDBAD Information - Public Networks, Sweden *** === end of als 142 ===