Holistic Dentistry Blog

 

How to detox mercury after amalgam filling removal

By Dr John Murphy

 

Last month I wrote about the steps you can take in the lead up to amalgam filling removal to start cleansing your body of mercury. This month, I wanted to follow up with the best advice on how to continue your heavy metal cleanse once you’ve had your amalgam fillings and the mercury within them removed.

Safe removal of amalgam fillings

Firstly, it’s important to stress that amalgam filling removal should only be carried out according to the strict protocols as laid out by the International Academy of Oral Medicine & Toxicology (IAOMT). These steps are designed to limit any mercury exposure to the patient and the dental team during the removal process.

Mercury detox post filling removal

In a paper focusing on mercury toxicity and how to eliminate it from the human body, Dr Joseph Mercola and Dr Dietrich Klinghardt (the leading physician in mercury detoxification) undertook a review of the published evidence supporting mercury toxicity and outlined the most effective techniques for ridding the body of this toxicity. These detox techniques include changes to your diet, taking the right antioxidants and chelating agents. We take a closer look at these techniques and more below.

Diet

Getting your diet right is the first important step in cleansing your body of harmful toxins. The advice below is a useful guide to follow after you’ve had your amalgam fillings replaced.

DO:

Maintain a diet high in protein

Eat plenty of fresh vegetables

Take in plenty of water

Take unprocessed pure oils including flax oil, sunflower oil and sesame oil

Take healthy, natural fats including seeds, nuts, avocado and free range poultry and eggs.

 

DON’T

Consume predatory fish such as tuna or salmon. These larger fish have levels of mercury much higher than smaller fish such as sardines

Chew gum

 

Garlic

Three cloves of garlic a day is thought to enhance sulphur in the body which helps the body to remove mercury. Garlic tablets or a liquid garlic supplement can be taken instead of fresh cloves if you prefer.

Regular bowel movements

Removing mercury from the body involves excretion through bowel movements. 2 or 3 movements per day is thought to be optimal. Taking freshly ground flax seed can help this.

Water

Up your daily intake of fresh water to at least 2 litres per day. This will help your body through the elimination process.

Chlorella

I highlighted the powerful detoxification qualities of chlorella in my post on preparing for amalgam filling removal. This is something I would advise post amalgam filling removal also. It binds to metals in the body which facilitates their removal through the bowel. I would always advise caution in using chlorella however, as one third of people do not have the enzyme required to break it down.

Start with a very small dose, about 500mg once a day to ensure that you don’t show any sensitivity to this algae. If your body proves tolerant, you can up this dose to 1 gram, 3 4 times a day. If you feel unwell, discontinue use and contact your holistic dentist. It’s Important to listen to your body.

Chelating Agents

A chelating agent is a substance whose molecules can bond to metal ions, helping to remove them from the body. These can come in a tablet or intravenous drip form of medication. In this regard, it’s best to discuss your options with your holistic dentist.

However, nature also provides its own natural chelating agents. These include;

• Milk thistle
• Cilantro (Chinese parsley) extract

 

Antioxidants

It is likely that you will have started taking the recommended antioxidants prior to your amalgam filling removal. These might include vitamin E, vitamin C, and selenium.

Vitamin E has been shown to protect the brain from methylmercury. Vitamin C mobilises mercury, preparing for its removal from the body. Oranges, guava, kiwi, strawberries, Brussels sprouts, broccoli and dark green leafy vegetables are just some great sources of vitamin C. Selenium will help to stabilise your immune system and your overall health. I discussed antioxidants to complement mercury detoxification in this post.

Contact us at Holistic Dentistry

This post is designed as a rough guide on the kind of diet and supplements that might be recommended following your amalgam filling removal. However, a more detailed and personalised plan will be given to our patients following a full consultation with our team. You may notice the benefits within the first week or you may find it taking 60-90 days before you start to notice an improvement. This can be frustrating, however we would encourage you to stick with it and if you have any questions please contact the surgery on 01 2866394 / 012867001 or through our online contact form here.