Doctors warn that 80% of patients are contaminated with high levels of toxic mercury

(NaturalNews) Mercury is one of the most toxic heavy metals known to man and is categorized as one of the top 10 most dangerous chemicals by the World Health Organization.

Despite knowing the health risks associated with mercury for over 100 years, the toxic heavy metal is steadily finding its way into our systems in forms that could be prevented.

Dental amalgam fillings and seafood are the two most common sources of mercury exposure, with the fillings containing up to 50% mercury and the rest a combination of silver, tin and copper.

Due to these primary sources, one doctor says that more than 80% of his patients have tested positive for having elevated levels of mercury via hair, serum and/or urine testing.

After 20 years of testing, doctors found that 80% of their patients have elevated levels of mercury

Dr. David Brownstein is a board-certified family physician who specializes in holistic medicine and has lectured tirelessly about his success in using natural hormones and nutritional therapies in his practice.

He and his partners have spent the last 20 years testing nearly all of their patients for heavy metal levels, all of whom have shown that "mercury toxicity is alive and well in the 21st century."

Recently, Brownstein presented at the International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology (IAOMT) in Austin, Texas. A group of 13 dentists who believed mercury fillings were hazardous formed IAMOT in 1984. Today, the organization has more than 700 active members, with affiliated chapters in 14 other countries. Its goal is to promote safe, non-toxic methods in dental care.

During a break at the conference, Brownstein was asked why he wasn't more outspoken about the dangers of mercury. Brownstein thought his views on mercury were crystal clear, so he was actually shocked by the question. The inquiry led him to write a blog clarifying his views on mercury.

"Mercury is a poison with no known therapeutic value to the human body. Mercury is known to destroy the functioning of hundreds of enzymes in the body.

It is a neurotoxin that has been associated with a host of neurological and immune system disorders, such as depression, anxiety, seizures, autism, ADHD, Alzheimer's, dementia and Parkinson's disease. We should all try to limit our exposure to mercury."

The EPA estimates that about 120,000 dental offices in the U.S. use or dispose of amalgam fillings that contain mercury

Amalgam fillings, one of the main sources for mercury exposure, are responsible for releasing 28.5 tons of mercury into the environment each year, a figure Brownstein says the American Dental Association (ADA) should be ashamed of and held liable for. The ADA still backs mercury fillings 100%.

Any dentists who still use dental amalgam fillings should have his or her license revoked and doesn't deserve your business, insists Brownstein. Claims that mercury fillings are inert, meaning no mercury will be released from the filling, has been disproven in http://www.optimaldental.com.au/upload/modules/file_storage/ASOMAT preliminary NHMRC submission Sept 97.pdf">several studies.

"Every time you chew or expose the filling to hot food or drink, mercury is released as a vapor, which is quickly taken up by the body. Studies have clearly shown a direct correlation with the amount of mercury in the body and the number of mercury amalgam fillings."

Brownstein recommends avoiding all mercury-containing flu shots as well, stressing that completely averting the metal can help protect your body and brain.

As mercury is so common in the environment, getting yourself tested for high mercury levels is a smart move, especially if you're unknowingly suffering from illnesses caused by the metal.

Here is a link for finding a holistic healthcare provider who can help test and treat elevated mercury levels.

Sources:

http://blog.drbrownstein.com

http://iaomt.org

http://icimed.com

http://www.naturalnews.com

http://www.who.int

http://www.toxicteeth.org

http://www.optimaldental.com.au/upload/modules/file_storage/ASOMAT

http://www.lakeconews.com

http://www.ada.org