Removing My Amalgam Fillings
The day I had my amalgam fillings removed was a long-awaited day. I had also been dreading it! I had been researching the proper techniques for removal and how to prepare for the day for a long time. In my research, I had come across stories of people who became very ill after their amalgam filling removal, because the procedure had not been done correctly. While my dentist had all the necessary removal equipment needed to keep me safe, there was still a huge “what if” in the back of my mind.
The Morning of:
- Woke up at 4:30 am for a run outside to get the lymph flowing and my detoxifying organs fired up for the big day
- Decided to fast for the morning so my body was not burdened down by digestion
- Drank plenty of filtered water to help my kidneys along
- Took my preparatory supplements. I encourage you to do your own research on supplementation and consult with a holistic dentist to get the correct regimen.
- I decided to stop breastfeeding after having my fillings removed because I did not want to expose my son to mercury if it got into my system. He was almost 2 years old so I felt he had a good run. I nursed him for the last time right before I left for my appointment. Knowing that it was the last time was really hard for me. Really hard!
- Left for my appointment at 8:00
The Procedure:
I did not want my dentist to think I was too “granola” and questioning her skills so I had to have a certain finesse when asking for the necessary precautions to protect me from the mercury. I asked to get “happy gas” because I knew it would be a separate source of air for me to breathe and would protect me from any mercury vapor. Plus, happy gas is totally awesome!
I also requested a rubber dam, to protect me from any filling pieces that might fall into my mouth. They had the necessary suction and water to keep everything cooled and suctioned away.
They numbed me, gassed me, and pulled those suckers out. She simply drilled along the side of my filling for a few seconds and the fillings popped out! Within minutes they were out of my mouth. What a relief. They took pictures of my teeth before they filled them with BPA and aluminum free composite. I asked if I could keep the pictures and they agreed. Please note that these are multiple pictures of the same teeth, I don’t have that many fillings! So here they are….
1. The white streak is new decay that was under my amalgam filling (if not for that, my insurance would not have covered the filling removal)
2. The pink spots are tooth pulp
3. The dark spots are not decay, they are stains left behind from the amalgam (mercury!) fillings. My dentist cleaned this off
This picture shows a new spot of decay. I am hoping to “remineralize this spot”! Stay tuned for updates on this process. Read “Cure Tooth Decay” for more on the remineralization process.
After the procedure (which took about 2.5 hours!)
I took some more supplements to bind the mercury and ate a large salad filled with cilantro. I encourage you to do your own research on the post-procedure supplementation.
For more information on oral health and how to take care of your teeth, please check out the following books:
Don’t forget to check out my other two posts about my amalgam filling removal:
Hi, my name is Kate.
I love food. Real food. We eat all of the things that nursing school taught me were bad for you: butter, eggs, bacon, and raw milk.
I am a Nurse, a Mom, and a Real Food loving blogger. Just trying to save the world.