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One of the most widely known recommendations for women while pregnant is to avoid eating fish due to the mercury content. But what about amalgam fillings? Today’s question is posed by Emily, a concerned mother who wants to know if her breast milk is safe for her baby to drink because of the metal fillings she has. Join us to find out why Dr. B has both a short and a long answer to today’s question, and why he believes that it is safe for Emily to be breastfeeding. We hear all about the forms of mercury that are present in our environment, and which are the most dangerous to our health. Dr. B explains why he doesn’t use metal fillings anymore, and why getting them removed during pregnancy or breastfeeding is an absolute no-no. We also hear a list of things that contain mercury that we can absorb and the test that Dr. B recommends to quantify your mercury levels. For all this, and so much more, tune in today!
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Key Points From This Episode:
- How wildfires made Dr. B think about the functional approach to dentistry [0:01:48]
- A different definition of functional dentistry from a fellow functional dentist [0:02:40]
- Today’s question: is your child being exposed to mercury from your fillings when breastfeeding? [0:05:24]
- The short answer as to why Emily shouldn’t worry [0:07:25]
- The forms of mercury you need to be worried about, and where they are found [0:08:21]
- The different types of mercury in our environment [0:10:45]
- Why Dr. B stopped using metal fillings [0:14:16]
- Mercury in human milk and why fillings won’t affect the baby [0:15:29]
- Why you shouldn’t get an amalgam filling removed during pregnancy and the procedures that protect you if one is essential [0:23:56]
- Dr. B’s list of things that can increase your mercury absorption [0:25:27]
- How to test your mercury levels: the test that Dr. B recommends [0:29:55]
- A summary of today’s episode [0:32:28]
How to Submit Your Question:
Record your question for Dr. B at speakpipe.com/askthedentist
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Eat, Sleep, Breathe Oral Health: Why your mouth matters
A Link to an Article on Dr. B’s Favorite Filling
Links to Studies on Mercury in Breast Milk
Mercury and Lead During Breast-feeding
2017 Paper on The Replacement of Amalgam Fillings Increasing the Transfer of Mercury to Baby
SMART Member Listings on the IAOMT
Mercury Tri-Test and Blood Metals Panel
Mercury Fillings Dangers, Who Is At Risk & Removal Checklist
Admira Fusion – The Dental Advisor
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Follow Dr. B on Twitter @askthedentist
