Malibu dentist aims to ban mercury amalgam fillings
Malibu dentist aims to ban mercury amalgam fillings
Dr. James Rota
Published:
Wednesday, August 13, 2008 1:19 PM PDT
The FDA has recently reversed its stance on the fillings containing mercury.
By Melonie Magruder / Special to The Malibu Times
The federal Food and Drug Administration has recently revised its long-standing position on the safety of mercury-based dental fillings and is now listing possible health hazards from the use of such amalgam fillings on its Web site. This action is the result of a 30-year battle against the dental establishment, as represented by the American Dental Association, or ADA, and others, by small, yet vocal consumer groups and safety advocates like Dr. James Rota, a practicing biological dentist and Malibu resident.
"The research is abundant, but the communication has been anything but clear on this subject," Rota said in an interview with The Malibu Times. "Mercury is the second most deadly metal on the planet, next to plutonium, and it is my professional responsibility to alert the public to the FDA's new guidelines."
Rota is speaking this week, Wednesday, in Westwood at a free seminar on the topic of the dangers of the mercury silver filling, protocols for safe removal and body detoxification.
Rota helped establish the dental school at UCLA and invented dental techniques in use today. After years of extensive biochemical research, Rota became convinced that some of his own health problems were due to a compromised immune system originating in mercury poisoning.
"The Roman Empire died out from complications of lead poisoning from the lead in their plates and knives," Rota said. "I believe that we are now being as affected by mercury poisoning from fish, local water and in unnecessary dental fillings."
Studies have linked mercury exposure from the environment to a number of illnesses, including chronic fatigue, depression, immune systems suppression, neurological problems, kidney and heart disease and respiratory disorder.
For more than 100 years, mercury has been used with a combination of other metals, such as silver, as material for dental fillings, with mercury comprising at least 50 percent of the mixture.
While they say they support ongoing research, the ADA insists that, properly combined in dental amalgam fillings, the toxic properties of mercury are rendered harmless.
The ADA believes any evidence of mercury poisoning from fillings is anecdotal and unsupported by peer-reviewed science.
"People depend on the FDA ... to help protect their health. It's critically important that public health recommendations are based on sound scientific evidence," ADA President Mark J. Feldman said in a press release.
A 2003 paper published in the New England Journal of Medicine states, "Patients who have questions about the potential relation between mercury and degenerative diseases can be assured that the available evidence shows no connection."
However, much like with the controversy surrounding fluoridation of public water supplies, mercury amalgam fillings have galvanized citizen groups to lobby the FDA, the American Medical Association and Congress to ban mercury as a component in fillings, particularly for children and pregnant women.
"Fluoride, asbestos and pesticides all became political issues before people started seriously considering regulation," Rota said. "My hope is that proper education will alert our public to the dangers of mercury poisoning and what can be done about it. It's grassroots activity that will pressure the FDA to ban this toxin from our environment."
Through July 28 of this year, the FDA had been collecting comments supported by empirical data and scientific evidence concerning classification of and special controls for dental amalgam, and will issue a final rule after reviewing the comments.
While the FDA has yet to recommend that people who already have mercury amalgam fillings remove them, Rota believes that this process is the first step to detoxification and elimination of a substance that can continue to affect people all their lives.
"The heat of a dentist's drill can vaporize mercury, so strict protocols must be in place to remove fillings," Rota said.
Dr. Heidi Hame is a dentist who has practiced almost 20 years in the Los Angeles area and recently opened an office in Malibu to treat children. She said she does not offer mercury amalgam fillings at her Malibu practice.
"There has long been controversy about mercury in fillings and I started to hear more about problems in the last five years," Hame said. "People worry about autism and carcinogens, so I don't even use mercury amalgams with children. I only offer composite fillings."
Composite fillings are a mixture of glass or quartz filler in a resin that produces a tooth-colored filling. While practically as durable and more aesthetically pleasing than silver-colored amalgams, composites are usually slightly more expensive, a cost that many insurance companies will not cover.
"The cost difference is not that much and I always tell my patients, 'This is what I would do for my own child,'" Hame said. "But patients do have a right to know of available choices."
Hame said that until the FDA takes a strong stand against mercury amalgam fillings, they would remain on the market.
"But if a patient insists he wants the amalgam filling, I ask him to sign a form saying that he has been informed the dangers and his choices," Hame said.
Meanwhile, Rota is promoting a call to action.
"Awareness is the first thing," he said. "But we must emphasize a solution, not just the problem. I believe mercury is a ticking time bomb in our environment."
More information about the seminar, "Poisons in Your Mouth - Mercury Dental Filling and Detoxification," can be obtained online at www.DrRota.com or by calling 310.208.4297
Dr. James Rota
Published:
Wednesday, August 13, 2008 1:19 PM PDT
The FDA has recently reversed its stance on the fillings containing mercury.
By Melonie Magruder / Special to The Malibu Times
The federal Food and Drug Administration has recently revised its long-standing position on the safety of mercury-based dental fillings and is now listing possible health hazards from the use of such amalgam fillings on its Web site. This action is the result of a 30-year battle against the dental establishment, as represented by the American Dental Association, or ADA, and others, by small, yet vocal consumer groups and safety advocates like Dr. James Rota, a practicing biological dentist and Malibu resident.
"The research is abundant, but the communication has been anything but clear on this subject," Rota said in an interview with The Malibu Times. "Mercury is the second most deadly metal on the planet, next to plutonium, and it is my professional responsibility to alert the public to the FDA's new guidelines."
Rota is speaking this week, Wednesday, in Westwood at a free seminar on the topic of the dangers of the mercury silver filling, protocols for safe removal and body detoxification.
Rota helped establish the dental school at UCLA and invented dental techniques in use today. After years of extensive biochemical research, Rota became convinced that some of his own health problems were due to a compromised immune system originating in mercury poisoning.
"The Roman Empire died out from complications of lead poisoning from the lead in their plates and knives," Rota said. "I believe that we are now being as affected by mercury poisoning from fish, local water and in unnecessary dental fillings."
Studies have linked mercury exposure from the environment to a number of illnesses, including chronic fatigue, depression, immune systems suppression, neurological problems, kidney and heart disease and respiratory disorder.
For more than 100 years, mercury has been used with a combination of other metals, such as silver, as material for dental fillings, with mercury comprising at least 50 percent of the mixture.
While they say they support ongoing research, the ADA insists that, properly combined in dental amalgam fillings, the toxic properties of mercury are rendered harmless.
The ADA believes any evidence of mercury poisoning from fillings is anecdotal and unsupported by peer-reviewed science.
"People depend on the FDA ... to help protect their health. It's critically important that public health recommendations are based on sound scientific evidence," ADA President Mark J. Feldman said in a press release.
A 2003 paper published in the New England Journal of Medicine states, "Patients who have questions about the potential relation between mercury and degenerative diseases can be assured that the available evidence shows no connection."
However, much like with the controversy surrounding fluoridation of public water supplies, mercury amalgam fillings have galvanized citizen groups to lobby the FDA, the American Medical Association and Congress to ban mercury as a component in fillings, particularly for children and pregnant women.
"Fluoride, asbestos and pesticides all became political issues before people started seriously considering regulation," Rota said. "My hope is that proper education will alert our public to the dangers of mercury poisoning and what can be done about it. It's grassroots activity that will pressure the FDA to ban this toxin from our environment."
Through July 28 of this year, the FDA had been collecting comments supported by empirical data and scientific evidence concerning classification of and special controls for dental amalgam, and will issue a final rule after reviewing the comments.
While the FDA has yet to recommend that people who already have mercury amalgam fillings remove them, Rota believes that this process is the first step to detoxification and elimination of a substance that can continue to affect people all their lives.
"The heat of a dentist's drill can vaporize mercury, so strict protocols must be in place to remove fillings," Rota said.
Dr. Heidi Hame is a dentist who has practiced almost 20 years in the Los Angeles area and recently opened an office in Malibu to treat children. She said she does not offer mercury amalgam fillings at her Malibu practice.
"There has long been controversy about mercury in fillings and I started to hear more about problems in the last five years," Hame said. "People worry about autism and carcinogens, so I don't even use mercury amalgams with children. I only offer composite fillings."
Composite fillings are a mixture of glass or quartz filler in a resin that produces a tooth-colored filling. While practically as durable and more aesthetically pleasing than silver-colored amalgams, composites are usually slightly more expensive, a cost that many insurance companies will not cover.
"The cost difference is not that much and I always tell my patients, 'This is what I would do for my own child,'" Hame said. "But patients do have a right to know of available choices."
Hame said that until the FDA takes a strong stand against mercury amalgam fillings, they would remain on the market.
"But if a patient insists he wants the amalgam filling, I ask him to sign a form saying that he has been informed the dangers and his choices," Hame said.
Meanwhile, Rota is promoting a call to action.
"Awareness is the first thing," he said. "But we must emphasize a solution, not just the problem. I believe mercury is a ticking time bomb in our environment."
More information about the seminar, "Poisons in Your Mouth - Mercury Dental Filling and Detoxification," can be obtained online at www.DrRota.com or by calling 310.208.4297
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