We are SMART certified. What is S.M.A.R.T, do you ask? It stands for Safe Mercury Amalgam Removal Technique. The reason I chose to do this is because it has become more and more apparent to me that, though the ADA tells us that amalgam fillings are safe, my own research has shown me that they are loaded with mercury and they release mercury vapors at all times.
A few months ago, a colleague of mine started having symptoms of mercury toxicity. Her symptoms included anxiety, irritability, memory problems, brain fog, and depression. When I looked up the symptoms of toxicity, the only things she DIDN’T have on the early symptom list were numbness and tremors. YET. Those were just the EARLY signs. When I saw the more advanced list, I was shocked! You can find out more about the symptoms of mercury toxicity here: Symptoms of Mercury Toxicity.
Apparently, as the levels of mercury in the body rise, more symptoms appear. Of course, these symptoms may vary depending on age and levels of exposure. But I’m a dentist of childbearing age. My risk factors are very high for mercury exposure. So I decided to do some investigating.
I looked at the MSDS sheets from several different amalgam manufacturers: Henry Schein Brand Amalgam, Midway Dental Brand Amalgam, Dispersalloy Brand Amalgam, and many others. It didn’t matter where I looked! The MSDS sheets very clearly said that the mercury in particular in their ingredients list was hazardous to health, and that people should not be exposed to it without protection. And yet, the ADA clearly has been telling us that Amalgams are safe: ADA position statement on dental amalgams.
I joined the International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology, as well as the International Academy of Biological and Dental Medicine. I learned all I could about dental amalgams, and what struck me was that they were 50% mercury. FIFTY PERCENT! We have all learned that mercury is toxic. When I was a child, I had no understanding that the silver liquid from the thermometers was in fact, toxic. When we broke a thermometer, I would play with the mercury and roll it around in my hand. I had NO idea that I was exposing myself to a hazardous material that, for the same circumstance (breaking a thermometer) would require us to bring in a hazmat team nowadays!
I watched some videos that the IAOMT made, including this one: Smoking Teeth – Toxic Fillings and others. And after opening my mind, I decided that, moving forward, for my patients, for my team, and for my future unborn children (because of course my living children have already been exposed – a situation which I intend to remedy in due time), and for ME, I was going to become certified in the safe amalgam removal. I worked diligently, and shortly thereafter, I became SMART certified.
What does this certification mean to my patients? It means that when my patients come to me and ask me to remove their amalgams, I will be following a very specific series of steps, using some very specific equipment and materials, all designed to keep my patients, my team, and me safe. By becoming SMART certified, I have agreed to follow these guidelines: Steps and Procedures for SMART protocol.
After reading through the links that I have posted regarding mercury toxicity, I hope that you are reassured that our office has committed to following these steps in helping to reduce our collective exposure to mercury. Your safety is just as important to us as our own safety, and we will not compromise on this issue. Feel free to call our office for more details on what the SMART protocol looks like in our office, and how we can help you with your holistic dentistry and oral health needs!