Mercury, we now know, concentrates in the kidneys, and experimental evidence shows that it can inhibit kidney function.[70] Distribution of mercury derived from dental amalgam to the kidney was demonstrated by Hahn et al.[71] In this experiment, the organ that accumulated the greatest amount of mercury following amalgam placement was the kidneys.
Scientists are concluding that dental amalgam is an unsuitable restorative material because of its effects on the kidneys. “From the nephrotoxicity point of view, dental amalgamis an unsuitable filling material, as it may give rise to mercury toxicity. In these exposure conditions, renal damage is possible and may be assessed by urinary excretions of albumin, NAG,and gamma-GT.”[72] Additional studies found harm to sheep’s ability to clear insulin a measure of kidney function (black line) in just sixty days after implanting mercury “silver” fillings.[73]
Critics of the sheep studies claimed that sheep chew too much. Similar studies were conducted on primates (monkeys) fed twice daily and the same distribution pattern for mercury was observed.[74] Animal studies demonstrate exposure to mercury vapor and autoimmunity.[75] One such study showed that dental silver amalgam and silver alloy implanted in the physiological milieu of the peritoneal cavity released enough metals to adversely affect the immune system.[76]
REFERENCES
[70] Boyd, N.D., et al., Mercury from dental “silver” tooth fillings impairs sheep kidneyfunction. American J. Physiol, 261 (RICP 30): R1010-4 (1991). [71] Hahn, L.J., et al., Dental “silver” tooth fillings: a source of mercury exposure revealed bywhole body scan and tissue analysis. FASEB J, 3:2641-6 (1989). [72] Mortada, W.L., et al.. Urology and Nephrology Center, Mansoura University, Faculty ofScience, Egypt. J Nephrol 2002 Mar-Apr;15(2):171-6. [73] Vimy, M.J., et al., “Glomerular filtration impairment by mercury released from dental”silver” fillings in sheep.” Department of Medicine, Pathology, and Physiology, University ofCalgary, Alberta, Canada. The Physiologist August 15 (1990). [74] Hahn, L.J., et al., Whole-body imaging of the distribution of mercury released from dentalfillings into monkey tissues. FASEB, Vol. 4, Nov. 1990, pp. 3256-3260. [75] Warfvinge, et al., Systemic Autoimmunity Due to Mercury Vapor Exposure in GeneticallySusceptible Mice: Dose-Response Studies. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol, 132:299-309 (1995). [76] Hultman, P., et al., Adverse Immunological Effects and Autoimmunity Induced by DentalAmalgam and Alloy in Mice. FASEB J, 8:1183-90 (1994).