Are Dental X-rays Dangerous?
An article appeared today in the journal Cancer titled “Dental X-Rays May Be Linked to Benign Brain Tumors.” X-rays (dental or otherwise) have never been anything to play around with. We know that, and we don’t prescribe them unless we think the benefit outweighs the risk. I encourage you to read the article – not just the headline. Especially note that this is based upon individual recall of x-rays taken from the time of childhood by people whose average age was 57. It i... Read More
What are Mercury Removal Protocols?
As I’m sure you have noticed by now, I’m not a fan of mercury and it’s use in dentistry. I think its days of usefulness have long passed – if they ever really did exist. My personal opinion is that people make a wise choice in deciding to have their old mercury fillings removed. But there are some valid concerns about their removal. Isn’t the patient exposed to mercury during their removal? How significant is this? And how can we minimize their exposure ... Read More
Our 30 Year Anniversary!
Hard to believe, but this month marks 30 years since we opened the doors to our dental office right here at the same location. Where did the time go? This month also begins the holiday season with Thanksgiving, which this year falls on the 24th. The next day is my son Mason’s 13th birthday. It also was 16 years ago this month that I began our dental assisting school, Chairside Dental Academy. So it is a month of landmarks for me this year. It’s been a good 30 years. Lots has... Read More
U.S. State Department decision on mercury fillings:
[caption id="attachment_654" align="aligncenter" width="160" caption="Mercury vapor outgassing from amalgam fillings"][/caption] As usual when the government is involved, you can expect a paradoxical response. In this case, the government agreed that there are issues with mercury in dental amalgam fillings, and recommended a “Phase down” in their usage. What that means is anyone’s guess. Our position at New Health Dental is that mercury has no place in the human body, an... Read More
Mercury fillings in the news:
U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT ANNOUNCES POSITION ON MERCURY FILLINGS WASHINGTON, DC, [Oct. 23, 2011]—For the first time in history, the U.S. Department of State (DOS) is evaluating international regulations that would ban mercury-containing products including silver/amalgam dental fillings, which contain 50% mercury and are already in the mouths of more than 122 million Americans. The DOS will present their official position on the use of mercury in amalgam fillings and other medical devices a... Read More