Has the Dental Work in Your Mouth Turned You into a Walking Antenna?

By Lina Garcia, DDS, DMD

When considering the numerous reasons for the increasing prevalence of chronic illness in our society, I think that we should not overlook the possibility that metal-containing dental work, especially titanium implants, could be acting like antennas for the microwave transmissions going on between our cell phones and all of the cell phone towers in our 21st century environment. I strongly suspect that this is an unrecognized source of insidious stress on our physical, mental, and emotional health. The purpose of this article is to bring awareness to the public of this possibility.

If metal dental restorations – especially titanium implants – are acting like antennas for microwave transmissions from cell phones and cell phone towers, then this would ultimately be a new and insidious stress for the human body. In addition to this new type of stress, it is important to be aware that metal dental restorations and implants have already been shown to cause galvanic and electromagnetic stress for the human body. Galvanic and electromagnetic stress occurs when an unnatural electric current is generated by metal ions interacting with the electrolyte-rich fluid known as saliva.

The microwave-attracting stress, along with the galvanic and electromagnetic stress coming from metal dental restorations and implants, can certainly affect all people at any age. In my clinical experience, however, women seem to be more affected than men. This seems particularly true for menopausal women, especially when they have titanium implants. Titanium implants, particularly when combined with other ‘toxic teeth’ that make up what I call a “dirty mouth,” are causing sleep disturbances, anxiety and other neurological problems, thyroid dysfunction, digestive problems, heart problems, and other chronic symptoms in a number of my patients.

After beginning my research in preparation for writing this article, I drove my car past two big cell phone towers that really made me think about what they were doing. I thought about how those antennas were obviously amplifying my phone reception and clarity, and how they were also transmitting microwaves toward my head as I wore my phone headset. So I thought about the possibility that metal dental restorations and especially implants, because they go so deep into the living tissue we call bone, can be adding an additional source of “high tech” stress to our bodies, bodies that are already being “hammered” with stress from so many other sources. I have never heard any other researcher or health care practitioner make this connection.

The big question is: What is an individual’s tolerance to this type of stress? I do believe there are a growing number of people who are finding out for themselves just what the answer is, and it is not likely to be a pleasant experience of discovery.

I recently saw a patient who came to my office after visiting 20 different physicians. This patient had been experiencing what she described to me as “nightly adrenaline rushes,” which produced a racing heartbeat that kept her from being able to sleep. Even though this patient told every physician she saw that her symptoms started after having a titanium dental implant put in and worsened after having a second titanium dental implant put in, none of physicians had any interest in considering these implants as the reasons for this patient’s persisting problems. The physicians did a number of “standard of care” tests but could not find the cause of this patient’s distress. Unfortunately, the only “treatment” this patient was offered was antidepressants and sleeping pills.

After searching the Internet and other resources, this patient decided to call me for a consultation. The first question I asked was, “What had been done to your body before you started having these symptoms?” This patient then told me about the two titanium implants and also about having a root canal done around the same time that the second implant was put in. I further learned that this patient had a long history of extensive dental work, including mercury-amalgam fillings, metal crowns, porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns, root canals, and a permanent metal retainer.

Adding the titanium implants and another root canal certainly could have pushed this patient into the seriously imbalanced state of being she was experiencing. Adding to this the insidious stress of the implants picking up microwave transmissions from cell phone towers could have caused this patient’s body to get stuck in a state of ‘fight or flight’ stress response. Her symptoms were certainly a strong indication of this. After I removed her mercury-amalgam fillings and her permanent metal retainer, she experienced a lessening of her symptoms. I expect that she will see further improvement after the removal of her titanium implants. Despite this patient’s extensive medical workup with supposedly qualified physicians, none of them even considered the connection between her present illness and her extensive dental work.

When considering whether metal implants will be safe for us or not, I believe it is prudent to acknowledge the reality that we are already exposed to many stressors in our environment, from the toxic chemicals and metals in our air, water, and food supply, to insidious sources of radiation and microwaves coming from the ever-increasing number of cell phone towers. Plus, we struggle to balance the ongoing stress of our jobs and the challenging relationships that seem to be part of everyone’s life. And now it is becoming common for Americans to have somewhere between three to five titanium implants imbedded into their jawbone, just a few inches from their brain.

It is enough of a stress for the body to deal with root canals, mercury-amalgam fillings, metal crowns, and porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns (which are mostly metal). These are obstacles to healing that one’s body would have to overcome in order to maintain balance, or what is medically called homeostasis. Putting titanium implants into the mouth of someone who already has other toxic teeth can push that person even further away from balance and towards an increased susceptibility for disease.

Even if your mouth has no implants, root canals, metal crowns, porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns, or mercury-amalgam fillings, your body still needs to adapt to all of the microwave-transmitting cell phone towers and other environmental stressors. Humans are made up of different layers – different energy fields – including bioelectrical fields and musculoskeletal fields. It takes time for the different layers of our being to adapt to all the changes going on in our environment.

When metal implants or root canals are added to a compromised body that is already lacking enough adaptive or healing energy, the physiology of that body will break down even faster. This is a consequence of stress overload. Metal implants, root canals, mercury-amalgam fillings and other metal restorations will all be a stress to anyone’s body. One person may be able to handle these types of stress, but another person may not. Because of this, we should always be very careful in considering when to have extensive dental work, especially implants. Having extensive dental work at a time when the body is already significantly stressed can result in what I am seeing in a lot of my new patients: neurological issues, insomnia, anxiety, and extreme emotional sensitivity, plus heart problems, thyroid problems, and digestive disorders.

Worldwide, cell phones are being used at an alarming rate. People are not just talking on their cell phones for several minutes a day anymore, but for hours a day. I believe that these everyday microwave transmitting machines are putting a significant stress on the thyroid and brain and causing more autoimmune disturbances and cancers than scientific research can keep up with. From what I have seen in my clinical experience and from what I have heard from my patients, it is a careless mistake to not be attentive to the very real consequences of our modern microwave communication technology and how it seems to be interacting with metals in the mouth from titanium implants, metal crowns, porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns, mercury amalgam fillings, and root canals (which sometimes have metals in them).

Conventional dentists and their patients think it is “normal” to keep adding titanium implants without considering how the whole body will be affected or understanding the dynamics between the implants, the body, and the outside environment. It will certainly be very valuable to your good health to be aware of all these factors. Finding a dentist who truly practices with holistic awareness, along with taking some responsibility for educating yourself about the dental treatments you may be having, will help you make the right choices for your overall and long-term health. You will avoid creating more stress for your body, especially your immune system, and decrease your susceptibility to disease. We have only one body to live this life – one body to be the home of our spirit. If you don’t take care of your body – where are you going to live?

March 7, 2012

Dr. Lina Garcia is a Doctor of Medical Dentistry as well as a Doctor of Dental Surgery. She has been on staff at St. Alexius Medical Center since 1998. She graduated from the University of Nova Friburgo Dental School in 1985 and did her residency at Sesi Hospital in Rio de Janeiro. She graduated from the Boston University Advanced Dental Program in 1991. Since then, Dr. Garcia has been dedicated to the research and teaching of alternative solutions for conventional dentistry.

Effect of Electro Magnetic Field (Emf) on Dental Amalgam and General Health

Sundaresan Balagopal1, Virudhachalam Ganapathy Sukumaran2, Vandana James3

1Professor, Dept of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics,Tagore Dental College, Chennai – 600127 2Professor and Head of the Department, Department of Conservative Dentistry, Sree Balaji Dental College and Hospital, Bharath University, Pallikaranai, Chennai-600100 3Senior Lecturer, Dept of Conservative Dentistry & Endodontics, Tagore Dental College, Chennai – 600127

DOI : https://dx.doi.org/10.13005/bpj/759

Abstract

Electromagnetic radiation (EMR) is energy in waves emitted from a source. This energy is both electric and magnetic. Electromagnetic radiation from a source penetrates the surrounding area, creating an electromagnetic field (EMF).  It affects the behavior of objects in the vicinity of the field. This includes the amalgam fillings in particular and other metal restorations and components of prosthesis and appliances and the dental implants. Even humans beings are store house of different bio-electrical fields. The muscles and hence the body move and different organs like heart function due to the bio electric stimulus. These bio-electrical mechanism which smoothly maintain our lives can be altered through external interfering EMR. This often results in varying types of stress one suffers. This article is about a true health incidence that happened to an acquaintance of mine and I think all practicing dentists should be aware of such conditions in the current Hi-Tech world. I assure that this article is worthy of your time and it is sure to kindle your brains.

Keywords

Electromagnectic radiation (EMR); dental amalgam; electromagnetic field (EMF); dental metal restorations

Is There A Battery In Your Mouth?

by Dr. Michael Rehme, DDS, CCN | Jan 27, 2013 | Heavy Metals, Mouth-Body Health | 59 comments

That’s a strange question to ask or is it? Did you know that most metals found in your mouth have the ability to create an electrical charge? This charge can be responsible for numerous side effects that are rarely associated with the dental work found in your mouth.

Galvanic current is a term that has been used in dentistry for over 100 years. It is a condition created by the presence of dissimilar metals in the oral cavity of the teeth and gums, with saliva serving as the electrolyte. Have you ever felt a “shock” to your teeth caused by a piece of tin foil or a spoon that touches a sliver or mercury filling in your mouth? If you answer yes to this question, you’ve experienced a galvanic event.

There are several different types of galvanism: 1) A silver/mercury filling is placed in opposition or adjacent to a tooth restored with gold. These dissimilar metals in conjunction with saliva and body fluids constitute an electric cell. When brought into contact, the circuit is shorted, the flow of electrical current passes through the pulp, and the patient experiences pain. 2) Dissimilar metals coming into contact when the upper and lower teeth come together and touch each other. 3) Two adjacent teeth are restored with dissimilar metals. The current flows from metal to metal through the dentine, bone and tissue fluids of both teeth resulting in discomfort and tooth sensitivity.

We learned about the galvanic current in dental school. We’ve read about it in dental journals. However, how often do dentists follow the protocols that are necessary to avoid this condition from occurring? The dental profession needs to be more aware of the negative effects that are caused by galvanic currents and be committed to prevent the unwanted, and often harmful, electrical charges or imbalances from occurring.

Other than tooth sensitivity, galvanism can cause a metallic or salty taste in the mouth, increase salivary secretion, and burning or tingling sensation of the tongue. Other systemic complications may include headaches, chronic fatigue, memory loss, sleep deprivation and even irritability due to its effects to the central nervous system.

The brain operates on 7 to 9 nano-amps which is 1000 times weaker than the currents resulting from non-precious metals found in the oral cavity. That is the difference between touching a 9 volt battery and sticking your finger in the light socket as far as the brain is concerned. Since the upper teeth are less than 2 inches from the brain, it is of concern that adding this much excess electrical activity has the potential of creating mis-directed impulses in the brain.

How can you tell if you have a galvanic current occurring in your mouth? The good news is that it can be measured. An electrical potential meter known as the Rita Meter can be used to measure electrical charges on fillings, crowns and metallic appliances. (Normal readings range from +2/-2 micro-amps.)

Healthy gold crowns or composite resins (tooth colored fillings) most often register a positive charge. When they register a negative charge greater than -2, it usually indicates either decay under an old filling or there’s an amalgam/mercury filling under a crown.

If these symptoms sound familiar or if you’ve had 4 or 5 different dentists caring for your dental needs over the years, chances are much greater that there are several dissimilar metals to be found in your mouth.

Metals will not necessarily always cause the galvanic effect in the mouth. It depends on the specific metal and alloy being used along with quantity and placement in the mouth. However, knowing that some of the above symptoms could be dental related may provide you with an opportunity to evaluate your mouth from a different perspective and discover once and for all if there is a galvanic current present in one or multiple sites in your mouth.

Solution? Remove the offending material(s) connected with that particular tooth or teeth in order to reduce this unwanted electrical charge and create a balanced condition. Biological dentistry views galvanism as an obstacle to achieving overall health and wellness. Keep it simple, keep it safe. A balanced body is a healthy body.
 After Mercury Removal – What Is the Best Material to Replace Your Filling With?
DR LINA GARCIA
March 28, 2014

For decades, it’s been known that mercury is dangerous to human health because it accumulates in the body and damages its cells.

Mercury is a potent neurotoxin that can cause memory loss, headaches, loss of coordination, weakness, kidney damage,respiratory damage, infertility, birth defects, and psychiatric effects.  Mercury has also been linked to multiple sclerosis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, arthritis, and lupus.

As Dr. Mercola mentioned in his October 12, 2010 newsletter,mercury-amalgam fillings are essentially unethical human experiments:  “If you have “silver” amalgam dental fillings, I’m sorry to say that you, too, have been the subject of an ill-fated experiment.

In the words of Charlie Brown, president of the World Alliance for Mercury-Free Dentistry:“Amalgam is a primitive, polluting, 19th century product that began when physicians were sawing off legs.

Medicine has since moved forward.”Unfortunately, this aspect of dentistry has not. The American Dental Association (ADA) continues to give amalgam (mercury) fillings their seal of approval despite the known fact that mercury is a potent neurotoxin that can damage your brain, central nervous system and kidneys.A single dental amalgam filling releases as much as 15 micrograms of mercury per day, which is absorbed directly into your body. Canada advised dentists to stop placing amalgam in children and pregnant women in 1996 — nearly 15 years ago! Denmark, Norway and Sweden have essentially banned amalgams. But in the United States, they’re still regarded as the “gold standard” of dental care — unfortunately once again at the expense of your health.”

Many of you have probably decided to take the next step toward better health by removing your mercury fillings. But have you considered what material will replace your old amalgam? This choice is incredibly important. If you do not use the most bio-compatible material available, you may compromise your well-being and take a step backwards in your health, rather than forward.  Don’t undermine your healthy choice to remove your mercury-amalgam fillings by restoring them with harmful materials!  Patients today have several choices when it comes to selecting dental restoration materials: porcelain, composite resin, all-metal, and porcelain-fused-to-metal.
Porcelain is an Excellent Choice

I believe that the ideal replacement for a mercury-amalgam filling is an all-porcelain inlay or onlay.
Porcelain is a ceramic material that most closely resembles natural tooth enamel in terms of appearance and functionality, and it is the most bio compatible restoration material available on the market today. (“bio compatible” means that it is as neutral as possible when placed in your mouth, and it is most agreeable with the rest of your body.)

Porcelain is the best choice, even if bio compatibility tests conclude that you would be okay with other materials like gold, platinum, or composite resins (made of an acrylic plastic). Why? Because porcelain is chemically inert and does not contain any ionized metal or plastic.
Composites are Weak and Contain Plastic

The plastic content in composite resin fillings and bondings make them susceptible to shrinkage and dilation in response to temperature changes, such as when you drink hot or cold liquids. This can affect the seal between the filling and the tooth and allow bacteria to leak under the material, which can cause tooth sensitivity and decay.  Composites are also relatively weak — they wear down much faster than natural tooth enamel, which can lead to fractures and tooth loss.  In addition, dental composites typically contain compounds that are derived from bisphenol A (BPA), a synthetic chemical that is potentially toxic. BPA mimics the body’s natural hormones (specifically, estrogen), disrupting the function of the endocrine system. BPA has been shown to affect reproduction and brain development in animal studies.
In humans, it has been identified as a possible cause of breast and uterine cancer, prostate cancer, decreased testosterone levels, and developmental effects in children.  (This is why we currently favor drinking water out of glasses rather than plastic bottles, why parents are switching to BPA-free baby bottles, and why lawmakers are pushing for restrictions on BPA in baby bottles, sippy cups, and other food containers.)
Be Careful Not All Porcelains are Created Equal

You need to be aware that when a conventional dentist uses porcelain as a replacement material the base of the actual replacement is actually a metal and then it is covered with porcelain. The next section discusses some of the problems with using metals in your mouth.

Ideally you would want a metal-free porcelain replacement to avoid the problem with electric currents that may interfere with the proper functioning of your brain.
Metals Cause Galvanic Activity and Immunological Responses

Metal restorations can cause a large number of harmful side effects, so these are the worst choice for replacing your amalgam fillings. Metal crowns, inlays, and onlays constantly release metal ions into patients’ mouths due to corrosion and galvanism. These ions are distributed through the lymphatic system and bloodstream to the entire body.  This constant exposure to metallic ions can cause toxic, allergic, and immunologic reactions. Depending on their genetic makeup, individuals may tolerate more or less exposure to metals before showing adverse systemic effects.
The immunological effects of metals can be either very general, such as the activation or suppression of the immune system, or very specific, such as allergy, inflammation, and autoimmunity (any disease in which the body attacks itself,like multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis).  Furthermore, metal restorations cause galvanic activity.  Dental metals contain all the ingredients you need to create a charged battery in your mouth. A battery only requires two or more different metals and a liquid that can conduct electricity (i.e., an electrolyte), like saliva.  An electric current, called a galvanic current, is generated by the transportation of the metal ions from the metal-based dental restorations into your saliva.  This is called “oral galvanism.” Oral galvanism increases the rate of corrosion of metal restorations, causing even more metallic ions to be released into your body. It can also cause a constant metallic or salty taste or a burning sensation in your mouth, unexplained pain, nerve shocks, ulcerations, and inflammation.  Moreover, there is concern that oral galvanism directs electrical currents into brain tissue and can disrupt the natural electrical current in the brain.  Even if you have only one metal filling or crown in your mouth, you may still be exposed to galvanic toxicity.

All-metal and metal-fused-to-porcelain restorations can contain any number of different metals, because they are always made of alloys (metal blends). No pure metals are used, not even gold, because the physical characteristics are inappropriate.  Since I am dedicated to providing my patients with the most bio-compatible treatments available, my dental practice is completely metal-free.  Even though researchers are beginning to test metal
sensitivity in patients and test the role of metals in chronic disease, I take my practice one step further by offering only ceramic implants and restorations, even if test results show that a patient can tolerate a particular metal.I believe that most people WILL respond immunologically to ionized metals — if not today, then at some point in the future, as a result of cumulative dental, medical, and environmental exposure.  Therefore, I choose only the best materials currently available in order to fulfill my patients’ functional and cosmetic needs while minimizing the toxicity in their mouths(which could influence the rest of their bodies). And right now, ceramics are the most bio-compatible choice.
What About Aluminum and Zirconium Oxides?

Many patients ask, “Doesn’t porcelain contain aluminum oxide,which is a metal?” Most ceramics, including porcelain and zirconia (which we use for dental implants and bridges), consist of one or more varieties of a metal oxide, a compound of a metal and oxygen.But these oxides are NOT cause for concern, because ceramics do NOT release metallic ions into your mouth.  Once the metal is chemically bonded to the oxygen (or“oxidized”), it becomes a chemically inert, non-metallic ceramic. The metal is completely bound and is part of a crystalline lattice structure; it is no longer available to ionize or dissociate and bind chemically with our tissues when placed in the body. (The binding to our tissues is what creates toxicity concerns.)An oxidized metal no longer acts like a metal — for example,its electrons are not available for donation and therefore does not cause galvanic activity — which is why it is classified as a ceramic.

This makes porcelain highly bio-compatible, unlike dental metals such as mercury, gold,copper, nickel, and titanium.  Think of it this way: porcelain is as different from its components, aluminum and oxygen, as table salt is from its components, sodium and chlorine. Sodium and chlorine are highly reactive and are potentially toxic in their natural states. But when they are combined to create sodium chloride —table salt — they change into a completely new, edible compound.  The same is true for porcelain.  When the aluminum is oxidized, it becomes a ceramic and no longer releases metal ions that are bio-available to chemically bind with the tissues in your body. Thus, porcelain does not create the same health concerns as metallic materials.  Furthermore, no local or systemic adverse reactions have been reported in relation to ceramic dental materials.
What About Bio-Compatibility Testing?

It is common for many biological dentistry to do a bio-compatibility blood test of a patient’s blood. This is a test that evaluates the reactivity of the patients’ blood to many different dental materials, including metals.  Those materials are being used for root canals, implants, temporary and permanent restorations, removable partials, bridges, and cements, which is essentially, all the available dental materials. After 25 years of private holistic practice, it is of my professional opinion, that the majority of the materials being tested do not belong in a patient’s mouth.  As previously stated, metals interact with the patient’s saliva causing galvanic activity and immunological response.  In the long run and sometimes acutely, these materials will compromise a person’s health, even if the bio-compatibility test measures inert or non-reactive to your blood at the time it was done.

My advice is to simplify the process by using materials that are more similar to tooth structure, and bone such as porcelain and ceramic materials, which are more biologically inert and better tolerated by the immune system.
Make Sure You Get Dental Replacement Material Correct

Keep in mind that no material is a perfect substitute for your tooth as a result of the issues described above.That’s why prevention is the key to health. We educate our patients in eating healthy for their metabolic type, having excellent oral hygiene, maintaining great sleeping habits, and making good lifestyle choices. And when they remove their mercury fillings, we make sure to follow the right protocol and replace them with only the strongest and most bio-compatible material.
Mouth Can Be Trouble: Oral Galvanism

For all the amazing things modern dentistry has to offer, it still holds forth some pretty bad ideas. Filling teeth with neurotoxic mercury amalgam is one. Another? Placing a variety of metals in a person’s mouth.

Now, there are a number of ways you could wind up with more than one metal in your mouth. For instance,

    You could have a “silver” amalgam filling in one tooth and a gold inlay or crown on another.
    You may have titanium implants holding false teeth in your jaws.
    You may wear a partial or removable bridge that has metal clasps.
    If you’ve had dental work done by more than one dentist or multiple restorations over many years, those restorations likely differ in the metal alloys used to make them.

These types of situations create conditions similar to what you find in a classic galvanic or voltaic cell battery. Electrical currents can generate in the mouth, in a phenomenon known as oral galvanism. You may also hear it described as “electric teeth,” “tooth currents,” or “a battery in the mouth.”

batteriesA battery has two electrodes – the cathode and the anode – made of different metals or other material. When placed in an electrolyte solution, chemical reactions occur at each electrode: One produces electrons while the other consumes them.

This movement of electrons generates an electrical current.

The same thing can happen in your mouth, but in this case, the electrodes are your fillings or other metal restorations or prosthetics. Your saliva provides the electrolyte solution in which chemical reactions occur.

Under the right conditions, a reaction at one restoration produces electrons which are consumed at another, creating an electrical current between the two sites. But instead of that energy being directed to an electrical device, as with a conventional battery, the electrical current flows through your mouth and into surrounding tissues.

The amount of current produced is relatively small. You can’t be electrocuted by it. There’s no immediate harm. What you might notice at first is a slight metallic taste or burning sensation.

Sometimes the two sites are positioned so that they can periodically come into contact with each other. For instance, you could have a mercury filling on an upper tooth and a gold crown on the lower tooth right below it. When the teeth come into contact, the circuit is “shorted,” resulting in a burst of pain.

Oral galvanism even happens temporarily if you put a metal object in your mouth or accidentally chew on piece of foil.

Even if you can’t feel it, oral galvanism can affect your health. After all, your nervous system runs on electrochemical energy. Having extra currents running in your mouth can interfere with these. They can also disrupt energy flow along the meridians associated with the metal-restored teeth and may interfere with the healthy function of other organs on the same meridian.

Commonly reported symptoms of chronic oral galvanism include headaches, fatigue, memory problems, sleep deprivation, irritability and other mood issues, and trouble concentrating.

Oral galvanism may also result in increased mercury release from mercury amalgam fillings, resulting in increased mercury exposure with all of its toxic ill effects.

The solution, of course, is to replace the metal in your mouth with biocompatible alternatives – composite or ceramic restorations and implants, say, or lightweight, metal-free partials. Depending on how long you’ve been living with the effects of galvanism, additional work with an integrative physician or other health professional may be needed to help bring the body back into balance.

And if you don’t have metals in your mouth now, keep it that way. Stick with a dentist who will fix or replace teeth as needed only with metal-free materials. As ever, prevention remains the best insurance there is. 

The benefits of Z-SYSTEMS – ceramic implants at a glance

    Survival rate comparable to that of titanium implants
    Secure osseointegration thanks to the hydrophilic SLM® surface
    Implant and abutment can be prepped
    Higher material strength than titanium
    Less plaque, better gum attachment
    Not electrically conductive, no galvanic elements, no currents
    Sustained aesthetic results
Metal-free CeraRoot implants are fairly new to the U.S. market, but have been the choice implants of Europe and Canada for many years. American biological dentists have long been awaiting an alternative to titanium. Patients also seeking this alternative are heaving sighs of relief, particularly those few who are physiologically sensitive to metal.