Mercury tooth fillings. what are the symptoms of health effects?

I have some fillings from the 70's, when mercury was used for tooth fillings. what are the symptoms of health effects associated with being poisoned by the mercury?

I am a dental hygienist and I would like to take this opportunity to educate the public. There is absolutely nothing harmfula bout having amalgam fillings that conatin mercury in your mouth. You actually expose yourself to more mercury by having the fillings drilled out than you do by just having them in your mouth or even placed in your mouth.
Someone got very rich by making this up.
I work in the field and every filling in my mouth is amalgam except for two, and only because I did not have a choice when it came to those two.
Tooth colored fillings, also known as composites or resins, are esthetically pleasing, however they do not last nearly as long as amalgams do, meaning they need to be replaced more often, they stain easily and usually take longer to get "use to" than the silver ones do.
Amalgam fillings are much less expensive than composites. A one surface amalgam filling where I work can cost you $80 and a composite will cost you $120. Add on top of that, my amalgams I have had for up to 14 years (I have patients that have had them 30+yrs.) One of my composites I had done 3 years ago and already it needs to be replaced.
Any dentist that tells you otherwise is only trying to make money off of you, sad but true there are many dentists that r only after $$$$$$$$$$$$$$.
I say if its a posterior tooth, amalgam is the way to go!

Rosie you seem to be very a very bitter person. No one said all dentists are after your money and it would be foolish to believe that there aren't some that are. I think you need some enlightening yourself. May you find happiness and peace. Report It

MS, immune problems, headaches.

I agree with the hygienist about the toxicity of amalgams. It ends there. Mercury is the 13th most common element on earth and we would all be hard pressed to avoid it, if that were even possible.

Amalgam fillings have approximately 50% mercury content. Just like the mercury in thermometers, they expand and contract. As time goes by this constant, daily expansion and contraction causes damage to the tooth in the form of fractures.

Most of us had amalgams put in as children and teens. Ask any dental insurance rep why they will agree to replace them every five years and they will tell you, because they are not meant to be long term restorations. By the time a person reaches 35 or so, the amalgams have done a lot of damage and teeth start to crack and crowns are required to fix them. Anyone placing a large amalgam on any posterior teeth will be looking at crowning those teeth, period. And, for posterior teeth, gold is still the best material.

As for amalgams, they are just plain ugly, and there is a percentage of the population whose reaction to mercury ranges from mild to anaphylactic. So, dismissing mercury fillings out of hand as safe and cheap and the best way to go is disservicing all dental patients who would assume you are the professional and therefore can be relied upon for factual information. Showing only one side of the coin is not fully informing your patient and discredits dentists who do believe they are acting in the very best interest of their patients.

As for the last remark, about dentist just wanting to take your money, that was snide, just awful. You should be ashamed of yourself for saying such a thing. If that is truly how you feel then you are definitely in the wrong profession. If this is what you counsel your patients your dentist should look elsewhere, perhaps the AACD, for a more enlightened team member.

Or, take a course now and then that actually has to do with dentistry and not just electric toothbrushes and chocolate flavored polishing paste.

There are no side effects. Do not have yours taken out. Your insurance will not cover it unless there is something wrong with them. Composites do not last as long. I am a dental assistant and I agree with everything the hygienist said. I'm so tired of people whining about this. And yes, they are money hungry if they tell you how terrible amalgams are and how good composites are. I've had mine for 15 years with no problems.

Ok, I think the theory about amalgam fillings causing sickness is crap, but that's just my opinion on it. But, I disagree with fatima; composite fillings are the way to go. Large amalgam fillings often cause crack lines in the tooth due to the filling expanding and contracting in a way that the tooth can't handle. Often times, and I see it at least 3 or 4 times a day, the tooth with a larger silver filling needs to have a crown put on it. Composite fillings do expand and contract but in a way the tooth can handle better. Amalgam fillings are also just basically shoved into the hole where the cavity was. This leaves a open margin where bacteria can seep in causing decay to brew under the filling. This decay is hard to detect because metal shows up bright white on x-rays and is really hard to detect until it is bigger then the filling. I'd say, 9 out of 10 times, you'll find decay hiding under a silver filling that is more then 3 years old. Composite fillings are bonded into the tooth forming a nice seal. Yes, the margins of the seal do wear away and catch stain fast (maybe every 5 years or so) but if you can see it catching stain, it's easy to fix and it means you can fix it before it gets too large. That is my education towards the public.