5
dental conditions
that could seriously
impact your health
and what you can do to
avoid them…
Dr Prue King
Toxic substances and diseases from our
mouths could be killing us!
Dental amalgam was until recently the most
common substance used to fill cavities in your
teeth, because it's durable, inexpensive and
easy for dentists to use. The problem is, dental
amalgam contains about 50% of the toxic
metal, mercury which is one of the most
harmful metals to the human body. 1
Nobody refutes the fact that mercury vapor
from those fillings leaks into the mouth and
into our systems regularly, what is debated is
whether or not it is an "acceptable" level of
mercury.2
Toxic dental fillings are not the only potentially
life threatening problem from our mouths,
oral cancer for instance kills over 600 people
every year in Australia and although it does not kill nearly as many as other cancers, it has
one of the highest mortality rates of any cancer at 49%, because it is usually not detected
until it is too late.3
The lack of awareness of toxins and diseases emanating from our mouths made writing this
report a necessity, in the hope that it encourages many more Australians to take this
seriously and do something about it, ultimately saving lives!
By being informed and taking action, we can protect
those we love from another possible threat to their
overall health and wellbeing.
Approximately 3 Australians are diagnosed with oral cancer
every day and over 600 die from it every year4.
Oral cancer is a condition that very few people are aware of and as a result it is usually not
detected until it is too late.
 Oral cancer usually starts in the cells
lining the mouth, lips, tongue or floor
of the mouth, it can also occur on the
palate, gums and cheeks.
 It is not generally screened for
routinely so discovery is generally in
late stages - no screening program in
place as for cervical or breast cancer.
 Three Australians are diagnosed with
oral cancer every single every day
 The death rate is higher for oral cancer
than other cancers due to late
detection5
 Only 51% of patients diagnosed with
oral cancer are still living after 5 years6
The symptoms of oral cancer are a persistent mass, ulcer or blood blister
that doesn’t heal, impaired tongue mobility, swollen lymph glands and
often there is no obvious pain
The risk factors of oral cancer include:





Smoking (smokers are six times more at risk than non smokers)
Drinking alcohol (heavy drinking)
An increased exposure to the sun of your lips
A poor diet and
The human papilloma virus.
To avoid late detection of this deadly disease, you must have
regular checkups by a dentist or hygienist who is aware of
these symptoms and includes oral cancer in their checkups.
When tooth decay begins to cause pain, people often ignore it and the
teeth become infected. This can lead to major health issues.
 Impacted teeth (usually wisdom teeth) and root filled teeth can become chronically
infected and create major health problems.
 Pericoronitis (inflammation around an impacted tooth) is due to pocketing and
infection under the flap of skin covering the partially erupted tooth.
The symptoms of chronically infected teeth are swelling and redness, pus collecting around
the tooth, difficulty opening the mouth, bad breath or sour taste, pain in the area which may
run along the entire jaw and/or ear, swollen lymph nodes in the neck.
Untreated it can lead to a much more serious infection (cellulitis), swelling of the throat and
difficulty in swallowing and breathing.
Root filled teeth can also be chronically infected and have a draining
sinus which leaches pus into the mouth constantly. There may be no
pain or discomfort associated with this but it can affect your general
immune system and create serious illness in other parts of the body.
The gums can become inflamed and infected which leads to loss of
bone and supporting structure around the teeth, creating pockets
around the teeth which trap food & plaque.
 Even if you are brushing well, the process may be continuing below the gums
without your being aware.
 Symptoms of gum disease include bleeding, bad breath, swollen gums and
sometimes pus collecting in the pockets and leaching into the mouth.
 Teeth can become loose as bone is lost, in fact more teeth have to be extracted due
to gum disease than from tooth decay7.
 Research links gum disease as a causative factor in heart disease and diabetes – it
could also actually be a symptom of the same disease process - chronic
inflammation and connective tissue breakdown - the mouth provides a mirror to
what is happening in the rest of the body8.
Regular checkups with a good dentist or dental hygienist are essential to
detect gum disease and treat it before it progresses too far.
Missing teeth can indirectly cause a number of major health issues
When some of our teeth are missing, our aesthetics is compromised and we’re often
conscious of the way we look. But our looks are actually the least of our problems!
Missing teeth can lead to health problems purely because our inability to chew our food
properly causes poor digestion and our body no longer gets the same nutrients as it did
when our teeth were present.
How missing teeth cause headaches
The loss of support at the back of the mouth can
lead to jaw joint problems, pain in the ears and
jaw joint, tinnitus, head and neck pain, locked
jaw and inability to open properly.
Health problems related to the teeth and jaws
often contributes the causes of headaches.
Another factor that may trigger head pains is
when there is a misalignment of teeth
(malocclusion).
When the upper jaw is canted up on one side,
the lower jaw is forced to move upwards more
on that side to get the teeth together. This
causes the neck vertebrae to rotate in opposite
directions, which sets up pain referral to the
head, leading to pounding head pain on the front of the head.
This can be one of the causes of migraine headaches.
It is very important to replace missing teeth and there are a range of options available. The
usual treatment involves first replacing the missing teeth, then rebuilding the bite and
restoring the function of your mouth and the way you look. Dental implants are often used
as a long term solution, but bridgework can also be fixed and removable dentures used
where other options are unsuitable.
With missing teeth replaced, you will not only look and feel your best,
you will also enjoy a restoration of health. And if you suffer headaches,
you may find they disappear…
Dental amalgam or silver fillings are increasingly the subject of
controversy over health issues. They contain 50% mercury
which is one of the most toxic substances on the planet.
Nobody disputes the fact that
they leak mercury vapor into
your body on a regular basis, the
debate is centered on the amount
they leak and whether or not it is
an “acceptable” level.
Recent studies show that the
fillings corrode over time and
leak mercury into the
surrounding tissues which is then
carried to the brain and other
organs.
Some people cannot
excrete mercury and
other toxins from the body effectively and the levels continue
accumulating until they have reached toxic poisoning levels.
Multiple symptoms of mercury poisoning can include chronic fatigue, brain fog, memory
loss, depression, anxiety, thyroid malfunction, numbness & tingling, indigestion, chronic
candida, joint pain and headaches.
Mercury preferentially accumulates in the placenta and breast milk – So a child can be born
with potentially dangerous levels of mercury, simply because the mother had silver fillings
installed in her teeth.
But the dangers of dental amalgam do not stop there – aside from mercury, other different
metals in the filling materials can also create electrical currents, with saliva as the
conductor, especially when next to gold, and increase corrosion of the fillings, causing many
health problems.
To be safe, it is strongly recommended that your amalgam fillings be
replaced with more compatible materials. However, the substances are
considered to be so dangerous, there are strict protocols in place for
safe amalgam removal so mercury exposure is not increased . Testing
for personal compatibality for the replacement materials beforehand is
recommended.
Dr Prue King is a passionate, established holistic dentist,
who leads a team of dedicated professionals at Lotus
Dental in Sydney.
Lotus operates in purpose-designed offices using the
latest dental technologies for state-of-the-art care,
focusing on the effects of treatment on the whole body
rather than just the mouth and teeth.
Their emphasis is on prevention and early detection of
these potentially deadly conditions through regular
checkups and gum treatments, early minimal
intervention (treating small problems before they
become major ones) and maintenance of healthy teeth
and gums, considering the health of the body as a whole.
Their order of priority for treatment is:
1. Screen for serious diseases
2. Treat infections
3. Stabilise tooth decay and gum disease
4. Remove toxic materials
5. Restore structure and function and at the same time provide a highly cosmetic
outcome to have you looking and feeling fabulous.
A team of naturopaths, GPs, chiropractors, acupuncturists, Kinesiologists, and psychologists
support their dental care.
Call Dr. Prue King to schedule your consultation/examination TODAY so
she can help YOU avoid these 5 potentially deadly conditions
at 02 99535153 or email: admin@lotusdental.com.au
123 Mercury Exposure Levels from Amalgam
“We believe the path to wellness & balanced health lies in educating
people to manage their own health and lifestyle choices.”
References
123
" Mercury Exposure Levels From Amalgam Dental fillings; Documentation of Mechanisms by which
Mercury causes over 40 Chronic Health Conditions; Results of Replacement of Amalgam fillings; and
Occupational Effects on Dental Staff " - Bernard Windham
4
"Rates of Oral Cancer Increasing" - Australian Dental Association Inc, 2012
5
"Detecting Oral Cancer - Oral Care Facts" - Miller Hare
6
" Oral Cancer" - Colgate Dental Programs - The University of Adelaide, A joint program by Colgate Oral
Care and The University of Adelaide
7
"DISPELLING MYTHS ABOUT GUM DISEASE: THE TRUTH BEHIND HEALTHY TEETH AND GUMS
American Academy of Periodontology
8
" Linking Gum Disease With Other Ilnesses" - Australian Dental Association Inc., 2012