Replacing amalgam (while BFing) & curing my cavities- *HELP*

[changingseasons]

Just visited a new biological dentist today, and found out that not only do I have like 10 cavities, but my one amalgam filling is cracked and he is recommending I get it replaced asap. (He follows the IAOMT protocol [which I haven't researched yet]; uses charcoal before/after, IV vit C, chlorella after, oxygen,...)

I am still nursing DD (29mo), and was planning on TTC in the next few months. Obviously, this is an issue. Any thoughts about when would be the best time to do this? DD isn't anywhere near ready to wean, but I obviously don't want to be dumping mercury into her- she's got enough health issues of her own.

Also- he's recommending fillings for all these other teeth. I just don't want to do it. Give me your best pointers for healing cavities, keeping in mind:
- DD is allergic to dairy, so I can't do butter oil or raw milk or any of that stuff
- DD is allergic to almost everything, so we're on a very limited diet which I can't change (we pretty much eat meat, veggies, quinoa & buckwheat)

[ASusan]

Whoa, CS, I am so sorry.

I am NOT an expert in this situation, and most of what I know I learned here.

I have been to a biologic dentist (after my 'regular' dentist removed/replaced 5 amalgams with no protection while DS - 4.5 mos - was nursing. He developed eczema about 2 days afterward.). He recommended replacing the remainder of my amalgams AND removing my 2 caps to see what is under there and replace them. TONS of money. He would remove them "properly" - and I think he was comfortable doing it while I was nursing DS (then 2 yrs). I have not yet done anything further.

My first 3 thoughts are:

fermented CLO
packing/cleaning the teeth with clay
xylitol

Those, I think, are based primarily on some of the threads in dental here.

Check out the work, product, and webpages of this dentist, who seems to have a xylitol protocol for healing cavities.

ETA - I would remove and replace the cracked filling now, as it is likely releasing (lots?) of mercury now, and your daughter is likely getting that dose via breastmilk. I suspect that DS has mercury from me and my fillings (and bad filling removal) that is partially (or fully) mediating his allergic reactions.

[changingseasons]

Oh, how frustrating Susan about your old dentist and your LO's reaction.

Thanks so much for the information. This dentist seemed very against replacing the filling while I'm nursing, so I'll be curious to see what others experiences have been with this. I agree that, done safely, it seems like it shouldn't be any more risk than what I'm already dumping.

eta: I should note that this dentist was really surprised and bothered by the fact that I am STILL breastfeeding at 2 years. He gave me a big long lecture about how it's taking away from my body and how "she doesn't need it anymore." So... my point is that this guy is obviously not the most educated about breastfeeding.

We are doing CLO, but not fermented. Maybe I'll add that onto my Azure order for next month, now that I noticed they carry it (for really cheap!) And I'll have to find a NON-corn-derived xylitol, since DD is allergic to corn... anyone know of one?

I do have a bottle of pascalite. Do I just make it into a paste with water and let it sit on the teeth? Or brush with it? Or both?

I'm using EcoDent atm- any thoughts about that, good or bad?

eta: man... I really don't have the energy to heal my teeth right now. I've got so many other health issues for DD and myself that I'm trying to work on. There's my whine for the day. boo hoo

[ASusan]

I've been reading/skimming that dentist's page since I posted it. I am re-sold on xylitol. The benefit, I think, is from it being on the teeth/in the mouth, not in swallowing it. Can you swish, rinse, and not swallow? Do you think your DD would be affected by that level of exposure?

I don't know specifically about the clay. I haven't used it, but I'm pretty sure you have the right kind.

I empathize with you about not having the energy to deal with it right now. I didn't even want to read the dentist's page. I still don't think I will start a protocol, even though I should. (I have "bad" teeth, and I'm starting to notice that DS has bad breath. Ugh.) It's all very overwhelming.

You need to practice the evil eye, with one eyebrow raised, to aim at anyone who starts to suggest you're breastfeeding too long.

[Theloose]

Aw, man, cs! just remember, it's all part of the big picture. you're getting a bunch of (sucky) pieces to your puzzle all at once. Mercury can oxidize b12, so that you need lots more. The big nutrients for teeth are A/D/K2, plus bone broth. Can you start eating marrow and more liver for k2? Really, really load up on bone broth? Can you do any fish? Fish bone broth is supposed to be extra high in minerals.

there is a birch-derived xylitol, but I forget who makes it.

[lil_miss_understood]

no ideas just

[WuWei]

You're probably doing about everything, already. There is a xylitol made from birch or beech tree bark. Some folks have cross-reactivity, iirc. And there are controversial issues to xylitol killing microbials in the mouth. We use xylitol for ds who doesn't like to brush consistently. Only once a day though, and not for 10 minutes or whatever. I think it helps.

But, you don't want to chew gum with mercury fillings. :::sigh::: Avoid hot liquids also.

Bone broth has phosphorus, calcium and magnesium for tooth health. Have you seen the 'curing cavities with nutrition' thread. It is long and again, I imagine you're doing it already. Have you considered just having that single tooth extracted?


Here is an old post about Foods that heal teeth:

* Feed your child every meal a soup of blended greens or softly
cooked vegetables.
* Key Vegetables for soup:
* Kales (and lots of dark greens), Zucchini, Celery, Green Beans,
Potatoes
* Add copious amounts of seaweed when the broth is done and the
soup is cooler.
* Never discard the vegetable liquid, it contains numerous vitamins.
* Raw Grass Fed Butter
* Organic and raw yogurt, and kefir
* Raw Grass fed Goat and Cow Milk.
* Cod Liver Oil (must be taken with the raw butter)
* Lacto-Fermented Foods and Beverages to enhance digestion and
assimilation
* Finely mashed up proteins from - Eggs, Fish, Organ Meets, or
other meets (grass fed only please!)
* Bone broth such as fish or chicken soup broth
* Fresh or cooked fruits
* Soaked, and sprouted nuts finely ground
* Really Raw Honey (may be okay)
* Sprouted/ fermented grains, (only for children over 1.5 years)
* There are many herbs that can be cautiously used to provide
minerals to the teeth,
* These include Horsetail, lemon grass, red raspberry leaf,
nettle's, lemon balm.



Foods that remove minerals from body and cause tooth decay and general
depletion.

* Almost every kind of sugar, even organic, especially fruit juices
* Bread, wheat, cookies, crackers, cereals, grains, nuts, seeds, pasta's
* Peanut Butter
* Any processed baby food
* Soy or soy formula
* Pasteurized milk
* Dried Fruit
* Iodized salt � cheap processed salt.
* Non-organic animal products such as eggs, meat, chicken ect.



http://www.amazon.com/Cure-Tooth-Dec.../dp/1434810607
http://www.yourreturn.org/Articles/E...ries_Cured.htm

Healing Early Childhood Tooth Decay Naturally:
http://www.mothering.com/discussions/showthread.php?t=529174&highlight=foods+hea\
\
\
l+teeth

http://www.westonaprice.org/traditio...ry_wisdom.html
http://www.ppnf.org/catalog/ppnf/Articles/Rootcanal.htm


The big thing is alkalizing the oral ph.


Pat

[WuWei]

Wow, Susan, that is really upsetting about the amalgam removals.


Pat

[mamafish9]

Just a different perspective - I think it would be really difficult to remineralize your teeth while nursing/pg. And you have sooooo many issues on your plate already. And if those teeth get worse, they will be a far bigger and more expensive headache than they are now. Me personally, I'd get the teeth filled, get the filling removed (maybe - the dentist should be able to tell you if it's leaking more mercury the way it is or coming out), and try to implement any "healthy teeth" stuff you can that's easy moving forward.

[ASusan]

From Dr. Ellie's blog (that I posted earlier)

Zellies gum is made in the Birchwood area of Scandinavia - a company that has made xylitol gum this way for decades.

Zellies is her brand of candies/gum, I believe.

[changingseasons]

Originally Posted by WuWei

But, you don't want to chew gum with mercury fillings. :::sigh::: Avoid hot liquids also.

Bone broth has phosphorus, calcium and magnesium for tooth health. Have you seen the 'curing cavities with nutrition' thread. It is long and again, I imagine you're doing it already. Have you considered just having that single tooth extracted?

Which tooth? The one with the amalgam, or all the teeth with cavities?! Why would I get it extracted? The one with the amalgam doesn't even have a cavity atm- he just wants to get it out before it becomes a cavity.

Yeah- the dentist told me no hot liquids too. I drink a pot of tea every morning and every night.

Originally Posted by mamafish9

Just a different perspective - I think it would be really difficult to remineralize your teeth while nursing/pg. And you have sooooo many issues on your plate already. And if those teeth get worse, they will be a far bigger and more expensive headache than they are now. Me personally, I'd get the teeth filled, get the filling removed (maybe - the dentist should be able to tell you if it's leaking more mercury the way it is or coming out), and try to implement any "healthy teeth" stuff you can that's easy moving forward.

But I don't want more fillings in my mouth. And my other issue is that I'm pretty sure almost every cavity he found was in/around an old filling. I feel like I got cavities filled (like 10 years ago) that probably didn't need to be filled... and now those fillings are suddenly cracking or separating from the teeth, or whatever, and that's where I'm getting the new cavities. So by get MORE fillings I feel like I'm just setting myself up for even more cavities in the future. Did that make any sense? So yeah- I know I definitely need to get those old fillings replaced; I don't think that's anything I can "fix" on my own. But then I'm thinking maybe try for reminerilization on the remaining cavities? (depending on how many there are. I was going to ask them for a copy of my report when I left, but I was so distracted/upset by the breastfeeding lecture that I just wanted to get out.)

[changingseasons]

I have a total OT to share that has been intriguing me since the dentist told me. Apparently, having 2 types of metal in your mouth (like amalgam fillings, braces, tongue piercing, any/all of the above) causes an electrical current which can cause health problems. (And he might have said it would also increase the release of mercury from the amalgam- but don't quote me on that part.) I'm googling and googling and have found very little written about it. The dentist suggested that I take out my tongue piercing at least until I get my amalgam replaced. Anyone ever heard of this before?

[lil_miss_understood]

Originally Posted by changingseasons

I have a total OT to share that has been intriguing me since the dentist told me. Apparently, having 2 types of metal in your mouth (like amalgam fillings, braces, tongue piercing, any/all of the above) causes an electrical current which can cause health problems. (And he might have said it would also increase the release of mercury from the amalgam- but don't quote me on that part.) I'm googling and googling and have found very little written about it. The dentist suggested that I take out my tongue piercing at least until I get my amalgam replaced. Anyone ever heard of this before?

I have but the word "quack" was also usually used. Considering the source in hindsight now, I wonder about the truth.

[Theloose]

Originally Posted by changingseasons

I have a total OT to share that has been intriguing me since the dentist told me. Apparently, having 2 types of metal in your mouth (like amalgam fillings, braces, tongue piercing, any/all of the above) causes an electrical current which can cause health problems. (And he might have said it would also increase the release of mercury from the amalgam- but don't quote me on that part.) I'm googling and googling and have found very little written about it. The dentist suggested that I take out my tongue piercing at least until I get my amalgam replaced. Anyone ever heard of this before?

Just ran it by uber-skeptic dh, and he says, sure, it's possible - that's how batteries are made. Two different metals plus a salt bridge (your saliva). How it relates to health issues is where his skepticism lies.

[claddaghmom]

DD has presented with some food intolerances and a rash that led me to researching this issue. I don't have any mercury fillings but I can see other events in my life that might have given me a mercury load. I wonder if I passed it along to her. I am pregnant right now, too, and I don't want to do anything yet at the same time I feel I should do something.

It leads me to wonder if some of the intolerances you have found in your daughter are related to your mercury load? I wonder if oral chelation for her would help her.

[changingseasons]

Originally Posted by whoMe

Just ran it by uber-skeptic dh, and he says, sure, it's possible - that's how batteries are made. Two different metals plus a salt bridge (your saliva). How it relates to health issues is where his skepticism lies.

Yeah- that's where I'm at too. I mean it makes sense (the electrical charge), but is it really something that I need to worry about?

Originally Posted by claddaghmom

DD has presented with some food intolerances and a rash that led me to researching this issue. I don't have any mercury fillings but I can see other events in my life that might have given me a mercury load. I wonder if I passed it along to her. I am pregnant right now, too, and I don't want to do anything yet at the same time I feel I should do something.

It leads me to wonder if some of the intolerances you have found in your daughter are related to your mercury load? I wonder if oral chelation for her would help her.

We've both done a hair test, and neither of us showed as mercury toxic (although my test might not be accurate because I'm breastfeeding and that can skew the results.)

[tanyalynn]

Originally Posted by changingseasons

Thanks so much for the information. This dentist seemed very against replacing the filling while I'm nursing,

Thank God for one dentist who removes safely but still recognizes there's mercury exposure. So many say it's fine, but IME, it would've been really, really sucky for DS to be nursing when I got my amalgams out.


so I'll be curious to see what others experiences have been with this. I agree that, done safely, it seems like it shouldn't be any more risk than what I'm already dumping.

I admit I don't understand this argument, though I've heard it many times. Amalgam is just a mixed up mess of metals, I think the outside layer cools just like the inside. So if it's cracking, it's a bit more surface area, but that's pretty minor compared to how it's puddled and pooled in molars. Maybe I'm wrong, but new decay in a cracking amalgam filling would worry me more than extra mercury.

eta: I should note that this dentist was really surprised and bothered by the fact that I am STILL breastfeeding at 2 years. He gave me a big long lecture about how it's taking away from my body and how "she doesn't need it anymore." So... my point is that this guy is obviously not the most educated about breastfeeding.

I'll have to chime in that I agree about the bolded part. I think you're well aware of your daughter's needs, and he's probably pretty clueless about your situation, but honestly, I think nursing is a big nutritional drain. I know I'm in a minority, at least among the vocal at MDC, but I think I want a break between nursing one child and TTC another. I've gotten bit now on getting nutritionally depleted due to pregnancy (and I think nursing added to that), and I don't want to do that again.

We are doing CLO, but not fermented. Maybe I'll add that onto my Azure order for next month, now that I noticed they carry it (for really cheap!) And I'll have to find a NON-corn-derived xylitol, since DD is allergic to corn... anyone know of one?

I do have a bottle of pascalite. Do I just make it into a paste with water and let it sit on the teeth? Or brush with it? Or both?

I'm using EcoDent atm- any thoughts about that, good or bad?

eta: man... I really don't have the energy to heal my teeth right now. I've got so many other health issues for DD and myself that I'm trying to work on. There's my whine for the day. boo hoo

This is tricky right now, and I think extra hard for you, compared to the typical person who's dealing with this. You've got some weird stresses going on, and they're really tricky to fill out.

You've got cell salts, right? You started those recently? Seems like it may help, but I don't know if it's enough.

Originally Posted by mamafish9

Just a different perspective - I think it would be really difficult to remineralize your teeth while nursing/pg. And you have sooooo many issues on your plate already. And if those teeth get worse, they will be a far bigger and more expensive headache than they are now. Me personally, I'd get the teeth filled, get the filling removed (maybe - the dentist should be able to tell you if it's leaking more mercury the way it is or coming out), and try to implement any "healthy teeth" stuff you can that's easy moving forward.

I think that's a reasonable approach too, though if the new cavities are abutting old fillings, that doesn't speak well to the old fillings helping. Then again, maybe that's a vulnerable point for everyone, but it's still the environment that's the bigger factor. But (how many times can I go back and forth just in one paragraph??) you've got trickier things to figure out than most for this. I think I've been able to avoid cavities with the kids by throwing lots and lots of nutrients at the problem, but that's a lot harder for you--just finding safe supps is tricky.

I think the pascalite clay is made into a paste and packed on, at least from what I've read.

I know that was really wishy-washy and not very helpful. The only thing I know for sure is that replacing an amalgam while you're nursing your DD would be a horribly bad thing for her.

[changingseasons]

lol- thanks Tanya.

Originally Posted by TanyaLopez

I know that was really wishy-washy and not very helpful. The only thing I know for sure is that replacing an amalgam while you're nursing your DD would be a horribly bad thing for her.

Even if the current amalgam is cracked? You confused me because you said "Maybe I'm wrong, but new decay in a cracking amalgam filling would worry me more than extra mercury." earlier. From what I understand, the filling is already cracked and "leaking" (meaning it's pulled away from the tooth, so bacteria can get under it and cause more decay.)

[tanyalynn]

Originally Posted by changingseasons

lol- thanks Tanya.



Even if the current amalgam is cracked? You confused me because you said "Maybe I'm wrong, but new decay in a cracking amalgam filling would worry me more than extra mercury." earlier. From what I understand, the filling is already cracked and "leaking" (meaning it's pulled away from the tooth, so bacteria can get under it and cause more decay.)

When people talk about "leaking," as far as I can tell, it's a supposed increase in the rate at which mercury is leaking from the filling. But the filling is just a chunk of metal, I don't think the top surface was in any way different from the center. And while I clearly think the general mercury leaching from fillings is bad bad bad, it's a relatively small amount every day--it's the accumulation over time that kills you. And I don't understand how a crack would significantly increase that daily dose of mercury--it's a bit more surface area, to me it seems comparable to _maybe_ having one extra amalgam filling. In the short term, that's not an issue. The exposure you get when that amalgam is replaced will be a lot more in the short-term--though that at least has the benefit of reducing long-term exposure.

The decay issue is separate, at least that's my impression of the "leaking" topic. And given your other decay, that seems more problematic, and I don't have a good solution for that. You've got some suggestions, I'd pack pascalite around that tooth as well, and if you haven't been taking the cell salts long (you take the ferrum one, right?) then give those time to help. The marrow suggestion up above seemed good, but fundamentally, something atypical seems to be stressing your body, and finding THAT and fixing it seems the best bit. Not like that's any surprise to you.

[changingseasons]

Yeah, I'm doing cell salts.

The way he defined "leaking" to me was how I explained it above- definitely not the same as leaching.

So I thought that the exposure when removing amalgams was from breaking up the metal, which releases the mercury?? (Which is why they recommend taking it out in large chunks if possible, to avoid breaking it up more.) How would that be different from it cracking while it's on my tooth? I really know nothing about this stuff, only what I've heard in passing...