Re: appealing dental insurance payment: help?

[Guest guest]

Exposure To Low Doses Of Mercury Changes The Way The Arteries Work

ScienceDaily (Oct. 27, 2008) ­ An international team of researchers

has shown that mercury is another important factor in cardiovascular

disease as it changes the way arteries work. One of the possible

sources of exposure of humans to mercury is by eating contaminated

fish.

The main effects of mercury affect the central nervous system and

renal function. Over recent years the scientific community has

reported an increase in cardiovascular risk following exposure to

mercury, " although the mechanisms responsible for this increase are

not completely known " , state the authors of the new study that has

been published recently in the American Journal of Physiology-Heart

and Circulatory Physiology explain.

Ana María Briones is a researcher at the Universidad Autónoma of

Madrid (UAM) and is one of the authors of the study. Briones explains

the aim of the investigation to SINC: " Because the relationship

between mercury and cardiovascular risk has been explained recently,

and that cardiovascular risk is known to be related to changes in

vascular function, we intended to see whether a relationship existed

between mercury and changes in vascular responses " .

The aim of the study was to evaluate whether really low

concentrations of mercury, administered over a prolonged period of

time, " could have a prejudicial effect on vascular response " , that is

to say, on the way the arteries behave.

Data confirm that low doses of mercury have a harmful effect on

vascular function. Mercedes Salaices, one of the other authors of the

study, emphasises that the impact of mercury " could be compared to

the impact produced by other more traditional cardiovascular risk

factors such as hypertension, diabetes or hypercholesterolaemia " .

The researchers analysed whether chronic exposure to mercury causes

an endothelial dysfunction in resistance and conductance arteries.

Treatment with mercury induces an increase in oxidative stress, which

is responsible – at least in part – for the deterioration in vascular

responses. " Arteries contract more and relax less because there is

less nitric oxide " , the vasodilator factor that is attacked by

oxidative stress, underlines Briones.

The risk of exposure to mercury today

Humans have been exposed to different metal pollutants such as

mercury, although the possible consequences to health are not known

in depth. At the present time, exposure to mercury is due, mainly, to

the consumption of polluted fish, to the administration of anti-

fungal agents and Thimerosal antiseptics in vaccines and to the

inhalation of mercury vapour from some dental re-constructions

The European Environment Agency (EEA) recommended a reference blood

mercury concentration of 5.8 nanograms per milliliter (ng/ml). It is

considered that there are no adverse effects below this level. Data

reveal that the concentration of mercury in the general population is

less than 1 ng/ml, whereas in workers who suffer exposure in polluted

zones, the levels are between 7 and 10. The percentage reaches up to

5.6 ng/ml amongst people who eat fish on a regular basis.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081023222556.htm

For the first time, the FDA has issued a warning that the mercury

contained in silver dental fillings may pose neurological risks to

children and pregnant women.

" Dental amalgams contain mercury, which may have neurotoxic effects

on the nervous systems of developing children and fetuses, " reads a

statement that has been added to the agency's Web site. " Pregnant

women and persons who may have a health condition that makes them

more sensitive to mercury exposure, including individuals with

existing high levels of mercury bioburden, should not avoid seeking

dental care, but should discuss options with their health

practitioner. "

The warning was one of the conditions that the FDA agreed to in

settling a lawsuit filed by several consumer health groups.

" Gone, gone, gone are all of FDA's claims that no science exists that

amalgam is unsafe, " said Brown, a lawyer for Consumers for

Dental Choice, one of the plaintiffs.

" It's a watershed moment, " said Bender of the Mercury Policy

Project, another plaintiff.

Mercury is a well-known neurotoxin that can cause cognitive and

developmental problems, especially in fetuses and children. It can

also cause brain and kidney damage in adults.

So-called dental amalgams, or fillings made with a mix of mercury and

other metals, have been used since the 1800s. Although it is known

that small amounts of mercury are vaporized (and can be inhaled) when

the fillings are used to chew food, and though Canada, France and

Sweden have all placed restrictions on the use of mercury fillings,

the FDA has always insisted that amalgams are safe.

Dental amalgams are considered medical devices, regulated by the FDA.

Even the FDA's new warning stops short of admitting that dental

amalgams are dangerous for the general population. Instead, it

focuses on the same population that has already been warned to limit

mercury exposure by consuming less seafood: children and pregnant

women. The FDA says it does not recommend that those who already have

mercury fillings get them removed.

Millions of people have received amalgam fillings, although their

popularity has dropped off in recent years. Currently, only 30

percent of dental fillings contain mercury - the rest are tooth-

colored resin composites made from glass, cement and porcelain. These

alternative fillings are more expensive and less durable than

amalgam, however.

In 2002, the FDA began a regulatory review of amalgam that was

expected to be complete within a few years. In 2006, with the review

still incomplete, an independent FDA advisory panel of doctors and

dentists rejected the agency's position that there is no reason for

concern about the use of amalgam. While the panel agreed that the

majority of people receiving such fillings would not be harmed, panel

members expressed concern for the health of certain sensitive

populations, including children under the age of six.

The panel recommended that the FDA conduct further studies on the

risks to children from dental amalgam, and that it consider a policy

of informed consent for children and pregnant: that is, warning those

groups of the risks associated with the fillings before installing

them.

Part of the lawsuit centered on the FDA's failure to respond to these

recommendations in a timely fashion.

" This is your classic failure to act, " federal judge Ellen Segal

Huvelle told the agency.

As part of the lawsuit settlement, the FDA must reach a final

decision on the regulation of amalgam by July 28, 2009.

" This court settlement signals the death knell for mercury fillings, "

Brown predicted.

But J.P. Securities analyst Ipsita Smolinski disagreed, saying

that the FDA is unlikely to ban amalgam entirely

" We do believe that the agency will ask for the label to indicate

that mercury is an ingredient in the filling, and that special

populations should be exempt from such fillings, such as: nursing

women, pregnant women, young children, and immunocompromised

individuals, " Smolinski said.

In EOHarm , Elsass wrote:

>

> On principle, I am appealing my insurance company's refusal to

fully cover a composite (vs. amalgam) filling -for me in this case- I

do have Lupus, but in my letter I want to also make the case that the

entire policy should be changed due to the dangers of amalgams. I

will include letters from my doctors as well advising that I should

not be exposed to mercury if there is a viable alternative.

>

> Do any of you have any abstracts or other info that I could print

to send that would support my contention that these fillings(or even

just mercury) are dangerous for those with or without autoimmunity? I

have noted the recent article that has been making the rounds about

the FDA statement on amalgams in pregnant women and little ones- does

anyone have a link to the actual statement on the FDA site?

>

> The company is United Healthcare- I don't expect to get anywhere on

the larger issue, but I am pretty darn adamant about appealing my

little lowly claim:)

>

> Thanks,

>

>

[Guest guest]

,

It's kind of late right now, and I don't have the time to address all of the questions you brought up, BUT I do think you may benefit from avoiding aluminum in your daily life, if you are suffering from from lupus. A psychologist at my school had symptoms of "lupus", but realized they came from the aluminum utensils she had at home after her husband (also a psychologist) alerted her to a TV program outlining the signs of aluminum poisoning. When she went on a camping trip, her symptoms and/or signs subsided. It turned out that on their camping trip, no aluminum-containing utensils were used. Try to eliminate the use of aluminum in your life for some weeks, and see if you may feel a bit better.

Aasa

Subject: appealing dental insurance payment: help?To: EOHarm , "Boyd Haley" Received: Friday, December 5, 2008, 1:39 AM

On principle, I am appealing my insurance company's refusal to fully cover a composite (vs. amalgam) filling -for me in this case- I do have Lupus, but in my letter I want to also make the case that the entire policy should be changed due to the dangers of amalgams. I will include letters from my doctors as well advising that I should not be exposed to mercury if there is a viable alternative.

Do any of you have any abstracts or other info that I could print to send that would support my contention that these fillings(or even just mercury) are dangerous for those with or without autoimmunity? I have noted the recent article that has been making the rounds about the FDA statement on amalgams in pregnant women and little ones- does anyone have a link to the actual statement on the FDA site?

The company is United Healthcare- I don't expect to get anywhere on the larger issue, but I am pretty darn adamant about appealing my little lowly claim:)

Thanks,