[helloos]

Not sure if this is the right section to post this either !

But my dentist mentioned to me that I should take out my amalgam fillings and put in the white fillings as I grind my teeth and it could be causing leakage which could be making my symptoms appear and maybe aggrivating the Lupus.

I did some research and in fact some information says amalgam fillings can bring out lupus, ms, etc. etc. Also I read the contradictions of all of this. It was ruled that they were considered safe and that removal would be more dangerous if not removed properly. So much information and stories that it really is a toss as to which is true and untrue.

However, I remember when I used a night guard and it was turning a darkened color and the dentist then said he never ever saw that happen to the piece before in all his practice. I said could it be from my fillings? It seemed like common sense to me that the fillings are silver and the mouth guard was turning dark. But he didn't think so. I did.

So it does seem likely for me that mine would be "leaking" and that it by no way can be healthy for me. I have almost a full mouth of these fillings and well, if I wasn't grinding, maybe it wouldn't be a concern.

So I find out that the holistic dentists and their whole procedure of removal for precautions of contamination of the mercury is a long one and that a regular dentist should not be doing it. Well this is a regular dentist.

My other concern is that the whole immune system thing and you being able to process it out.

I also remember a long time ago that someone on here said they got them all out and felt so much better and I guess that post was removed because I couldn't find it under search.

Also - I realized I have been here for 3 years ! I kept thinking I had Lupus for 2 years, ooopsss......

So interested on your thoughts or if anyone actually had them removed while having Lupus?

I will not do anything before discussing this all with my rhemo in Sept. anyway.

Thanks!

 

[sjink]

Hi Paula

My sister-in-law had all her amalgams out over a period of a year. She felt no better at all. She has a thyroid and pernicious anaemia problem and had been told (not sure who by but suspect the dentist) that it would help her energy levels and mood if the amalgams were out. It cost a fortune and in fact there were times when she thought having had it done had made her worse. I think it is impossible really to look for any one thing as a cause of auto-immune problems. I got the feeling with my sister-in-law that she was desperate not to feel ill and got conned.

My dentist who is pretty up to date on things said he thought the drilling of the amalgams to get them out would put more mercury into the system and that it was a bad idea to do so. He said there was no way to be sure that this did not happen. He also said the stress of any dentistry does not go down well with lupus sufferers and each treatment no matter how careful can open us up to infection. He proposed that all my new fillings were white ones and if there were problems with old fillings that then was the time to remove them.

I trust him, he was recommended by the dental hospital here in Manchester.

Hope this helps
Sara

 

[lazylegs]

Hi Paula,

When any of my amalgams weakened they were removed and replaced with the white ones. So far I have never had any problems that were apparent to me.

Take care,
Lazylegs

 

[Salopsally]

Hi Paula,
Before I was diagnosed with Lupus I was searching everywhere to find out what was wrong with me as I was diagnosed with RA but my symptoms wernt typical.
I read up lots on amalgam fillings and root canals and mercury poisoning. I was convinced that was what I had as most of the symptoms for mercury poisoning I had. I had my root canal out against the advice of my dentist just because there was no other help from anybody as to why I could hardly move half the time. I had suffered no end to keep that tooth and have the root canal done but I thought oh well.. its only a tooth if it is that I might be able to move.
I also got my doctor to do a mercury test which he says they hardly ever do as nobody ever has it. He was convinced it was not that but he never mentioned Lupus either.
The test came back negative as he said it would.
My steroids were upped a bit about the same time so I did seem to get better after having the tooth out.
It probably wasnt anything to do with that now I know what Lupus symptoms are but at the time I was desperate to find some reason.
Ive got lots of amalgam fillings too but one thing I know is I dont have mercury poisoning which I suppose is what we worry about with them.
This isnt really much help to you I know but it made me think of my story. Now I wish I had that tooth back but there you go. I was desperate at the time. A lost tooth seemed the least of my worries.
With what I read it is quite dangerous it seems to have them out and it would be best to look into either very safe removal or maybe leaving them where they are. Not sure what that dark staining could be though. It does sound like it wants investigating. Dont you just hate that when the experts say..Oooo I dont know why that is then and dont even try to find out.
Hope you find some more answers.
Luv Sal x

 

[Maia]

I'm pretty sure that no studies have ever shown/proven improvement in lupus symptoms with amalgam filling removal. You'll have to make your own decision about whether you want to give it a try but there are probably risks with each choice, but it's likely that there are more risks with taking out a mouthful of those fillings in my opinion.

One thing is certain, those white fillings would probably look a lot better!

PS: I don't think the post was deliberately removed - but older posts were "lost" when we switched to another server the last time.

 

[Raglet]

well, I am just not sure about this - personally I think that I will start replacing damaged fillings with white fillings because they are a lot prettier to look at when I peer in my mouth.

But, I also think that this makes lots of money for dentists, so I would be a little skeptical if a dentist suggested this to me. I'd wonder if he/she was a little short of work that month ........ (I am a dreadful cynic).

I do know that some people claim that amalgam fillings cause everything from lupus to chronic fatigue to galloping dandruff and who knows, maybe it does. But I don't think I would be shelling out all that money without a study or two to support it.

good luck with your decision

raglet

 

[Clare.T]

I am not sure that the experiences of people on the forum is all that useful to making such a decision because it can only be subjective. In the absence of any medical proof. There's a strong incentive to "feel better" after spending all that money. It's quite possible that they would have been feeling better anyway because the disease has gone quiet and or their medicines have taken effect.
Controlled studies are not possible because they would require people to go off all their meds or all be on the same ones and get a group of people with as similar sorts of lupus as possible which is very difficult indeed. And such studies cost a lot.

My contribution, for what it's worth, is that I was also recommended by a dentist to have all my amalgum replaced. He said it had vastly improved his wife's RA. I don't have RA. I think he was sincere but another dentist I asked said there is so little mercury in modern fillings that it can be discounted as a cause of anything.

As it happens, I had all my teeth capped three years ago and I suppose the only metal in my mouth now is some silver posts. It hasn't made the slightest difference as far as I can see. So long as I take my meds regularly and avoid the sun and do my destressing and coping techniques & exercises diligently I am fine.

What has very clearly made the greatest difference in my experience, backed by all medical opinion, is stopping smoking. I started again at one point and noticed my skin got much worse again. Of course maybe the stress that caused me to start again was partly responsible too, but I have since had similar stressors and they didn't affect me.
I dont think you do smoke so that's not much good to you, sorry.

I also think that great attention to diet helps a lot even if it is only the knock on effect of general wellbeing. No animal fats or transfatty acids, no processed sugars. I also find that red wine has an inflammatory effect on my skin which figures because it expands the blood vessels.
I can't talk about sodas because I don't drink them.

My gist is that there are plenty of ways of exploring how to improve general health and reduce inflammation that cost nothing and can't do any harm.



Clare

 

[sjink]

Claire

Totally agree, with me the best improvement in my well being has been from cutting sugar, trans fats, processed food etc from my diet, and also limiting gluten (by varying the grains I eat and adding in corn, millet, buckwheat etc). Red wine also has the same effect on me and has done since my teens.

I also stopped smoking three years ago and had more breath and more energy. I now limit myself to one cigarette on very very special occasions, more because I am a born rebel than anything and had smoked since I was a teenager. Sara

 

[helloos]

I definitley agree with all of you that there are other methods - safe - that can be tried and in fact, I have. I eat rather well and healthy.

The only thing - loly pops - I have to cut out of my diet. :lol:

My husband went to the dentist last night and asked the dentist that he wanted to remove his silver fillings for white filings and what were the risks. This dentist said no risk ! We can remove three at a time and what are you worried about? He said digesting them. She said we use the suction and it all goes in there, maybe some pieces fly in the air, but no problem at all.

So I think with that - and what I read - I will not be having this dentist do anything !

Some dentists agree some don't. I will mention to my rhemo in Sept. and let you all know what he says too.

I do beleive that my grinding is making them loose and wearing them and so yes, they probably do leak. But I also think that removal can be dangerous too. Especially with a supressed immune system.

I will have to do some thinking.

 

[Surferboy]

Hmmmm. This has got me thinking. Up until march this year I was absolutely fine. No aches. no pains. Absolutely active and fit.

Then in march, a couple of days before I headed to the ski slopes, I went to the dentist to get two fillings replaced. I got rid of the silver nasty looking fillings and had them replaced with white fillings.

But it was about a month after this trip to the dentist that my first ever symptoms of SLE showed - knees and elbows seized up......

Could something in the replacement of my fillings have caused the onset of lupus?

These are just thoughts I'm chucking into the debate.

 

[ALWIN]

Thank you for this post.

I too started reading research into amalgam fillings a couple of years ago and considered having the lot removed until i understood the pitfalls.

I remain unsure about the value of removal, but very clear about the financial and posible health costs.

As a result i refuse to allow my children to have amalgam fillings and plan to replace my own damaged amalgams with white ones as and when the time comes. So far 1 down and 7 to go. The problem is they are very hard wearing and do appear to want to last for ever!

 

[helloos]

Yes very true those fillings do last !

There is no evidence that amalgam sets on Lupus, MS or anything else. It is just speculation as is everything else.

If there was no internet, we would do what the doctor says. Because of the internet, we go and search and read and search and read. I suppose that has its ups and downs. Researching so you can make the best decision for your health and know the up to date treatments and the downfalls of other treatments is great. But then research about things that doctors agree/disagree and have so much controversy about, leaves you wondering and that is when I don't like the internet too much !

Another example. My last dentist said don't medicate for mitro valve prolapse anymore, the guidelines changed. Well my doctor said yes, medicate. This dentist says they did change it but only a year ago, so I am still having my patients medicate. She said after a year of non medicating, things could come up and they change their minds again. It is too early in the game to disregard yet.

We don't know what actually brings Lupus out or even if your genes play a role or if the environment plays a role. Some viruses too. Same thing with the fillings.

I just agree that amalgams are mercury and common sense to me says they aren't healthy to be in your mouth and really cannot understand why they would ever think that to begin with.

My only main concern is not that they are in my mouth, but that I grind my teeth so it tends me to lead to believe that they do leak as I grind away at them. Plus the proof on my mouth piece that it was turning very dark and that orthodontists never saw that happen !

But the debate continues with the dentists, as it will for many years to come.

I do intend to talk to my rhemo about his thoughts about removal and how my body can handle the removal. At this point, that is my main concern.