Resources:
Mercury Free: The following resources may all have different lists of mercury-free, or biocompatability based, or holistic, or biologic...dental practices. If you are having trouble finding one near you, try all these resouces. You'll proabably be successful! Good luck!Then read the article "Finding a Good (holistic) Dentist" listed in "Topics/Info" page.
DAMS (Dental Amalgam Mercury Syndrome), is a lay (not professionals) network of individuals interested in getting out the word about how they feel they have been adversely affected by mercury toxicity and how they were helped by having it removed. (phone: try 800-311-6265).
IAOMT is another great organization (Inernational Association of Oral Medicine and Toxicology). It is a network of professionals - physicians, dentists, other healthcare providers and research scientists dealing with toxicity issues ....Tel:407-298-2450 Fax:407-298-3075
IAOMT Mission Statement: "to promote the health of the public at large by examining and compiling scientific research relating to the BIOCOMPATIBILITY of oral/dental materials to insure their informed use in clinical practice."
Environmental Dental Association - Maintains a list of Mercury-Free Dentists in many areas. For a list of dentists in your area and probably some helpful general info, send a self-addressed stamped envelope with 55 cents postage to:
EDA
PO Box 2184
Rancho Santa Fe, CA 92067Phone: 619-586-7626
PPNF (Price-Pottenger Nutrition Foundation) is another great organization. PPNF is all about increasing our knowledge of what's healthy and what's not. A lot of their material deals with nutrition and also with issues of what may be toxic to humans that we come in contact with in the food we eat, as well as substances we come in contact with. Dental materials like mercury (used in "silver" fillings) is a big issue. Certain aspects of root canal treatment have been questioned. I support PPNF in its fine non-profit work. Its members include healthcare professionals as well as laymen. I question some of their ideas but overall they are committed and well-intentioned as far as I can tell.
They are the folks that have kept the ideas of Dr Weston Price alive. Dr George Meinig (Root Canal Treatment...Exposed) is on their board so I question whether they can be "objective" regarding root canal treatment information. Nevertheless, I think they are sincere and well-meaning and will help you from their particular point of view. It's up to you to find the balance that makes sense to you.
email: info@price-pottenger.org phone:1-800-366-3748
Consumers for Dental Choice, spearheaded by Charlie Brown, Esq. (a lawyer), is the organization working to abolish the use of mercury in dentistry. They also have a list of biological and holistic dentists who support CDC, which will also serve consumers looking for holistic dentists nationally.
They are trying to put together a huge class-action mega lawsuit [claiming millions of patients have been harmed by the use of dental mercury amalgam] like nothing we've seen before, so they certainly are not an objective group and whether they are self-serving or public minded remains to be seen...however they do maintain a list of dentists that are anti-amalgam so they may be able to help you find a mercury free dentist in your area. They may possibly ask for a donation to help fund the lawsuit....
Go to: www.toxicteeth.org
CFMR (Canadians For Mercury Relief)
CMFR is actually a motivated group seeking to promote and diseminate information about the potential problems related to mercury use in dentistry specifically and is as of 5/99 engaged in developing a huge class-action lawsuit in Canada based on mercury use. News about its activities and views as well as a promised listing of mercury-free dentists (with some helpful supplementary info) should be available at website http://www.talkinternational.com
Pathways Magazine
A quarterly journal, free in the Washington DC area to provide useful articles, information, and to advertise and educate about services available to the public covering a wide range of services under the general umbrella of "alternative" or "new age" or "holistic"or "spiritual". You can find physicians, mental health services, dentists, acupuncturists, chiropractors and so on... you will also find Tarot, Astrology, Yoga, Tai Chi , Meditation and the like. You can also subscribe to Pathways or find resources on its website http://www.pathwaysmag.com. You will find me in there, too. Other major cities may have similar publications.
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These organizations are daring and dedicated. What they promote flies in the face of established authorities, often placing them on the hotseat of controversy. They are committed and believe what they say. Time will prove them right or wrong, but to me, what they say is mostly compelling and makes sense. Even if they are only partially correct, they raise warning flags for us where others are not even noticing evidence of potentially huge dangers! ...or worse, are burying their heads in the sand because of political and/or monetary conflict....
Be your own advocate! Read and learn, include a "grain of salt" with any of it and then decide for yourself.
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Holistic dentistry is an approach to dental treatment, primarily caring for patients' health and safety from both a conventional as well as "alternative healthcare" point of view. It is sometimes called "biological" dentistry or "biocompatible" dentistry. In it's fullest sense, I believe it acknowledges and deals with the mind, body and spirit of the patient, not just his or her "teeth". See Topics / Info.....
Cosmetic dentistry is about doing quality , esthetic dentistry in a way that looks natural to begin with, and furthermore, can even improve one's attractiveness through techniques such as bonding, bleaching, veneers, caps, implants and more. It can be like "instant orthodontics" in correcting crooked, twisted or misplaced teeth in many instances. Dark or mis-shapen teeth can be restored. Smiles that lack youthful vigor or beauty can be revitalized! See Topics / Info..
In holistic dentistry there is an effort to find biocompatible materials to use to reduce toxicity for everyone, especially the chemically sensitive. Amalgam use is avoided in holistic dentistry (" amalgam free" or "mercury free") due to concern about possible toxicity problems. Amalgam removal and replacement with natural-looking bonded materials is a common holistic dentistry treatment as well as a common cosmetic dentistry treatment. Detoxification, especially of residual mercury deposits in body tissues from amalgams is often done. Root canals are controversial in holistic dentsitry and are discussed under topics. And much more....
Bleaching, veneers, bonding, caps, bridges, and implants are cosmetic dentistry treatments that are also discussed in Cosmetic Dentistry, and more...
