Access to all articles, new health classes, discounts in our store, and more!
“Silver” Tooth Fillings Are Implicated in the Spread of Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria
Dental amalgams are commonly known as "silver" fillings, but they contain 50% mercury. The mercury released from these dental fillings is inhaled and swallowed. The biological effects of this released mercury can be seen by genetic changes in the common bacteria which normally inhabit the mouth and intestine of primates, including monkeys and humans. Most bacteria typically cannot survive in the presence of mercury, but those bacteria which continue to exist do so by acquiring a genetic resistance to the toxic effects of mercury.