“Silver amalgam fillings make you sick.”
Clinical evidence does not show that ordinary amalgam fillings cause illness in most people. Mercury exposure is real, but detecting it is not the same as demonstrating clinical harm.
Most people do not need to remove intact amalgam fillings to protect their health. Controlled research has not shown the broad illness effects claimed by “mercury detox” marketing. Choosing a new filling and removing an existing one are different decisions.
A five-year randomized child study found higher urinary mercury with amalgam but no significant difference in the tested cognitive or kidney outcomes. It did not study every vulnerable group.
Removing a sound filling temporarily increases mercury exposure and removes healthy tooth tissue. That is why preventive removal is not automatically safer.
Safety note: Discuss alternatives for new fillings during pregnancy, pregnancy planning or breastfeeding, for young children, or with kidney/neurological disease or metal allergy. These precautions do not establish illness from existing fillings.
Talk to a healthcare professional if: Ask a dentist about a damaged filling, possible material allergy or a specific higher-risk circumstance.
An existing sound filling is not a reason to assume that your body is being poisoned.
Keep routine dental checks and avoid elective removal solely for detox claims.