Mercury fillings or Root Canals as possible PSC triggers

[Guest guest]

I asked my dentist (a big supporter of removing mercury fillings)

whether my root canal was equivalent to having a mercury filling. I

am one of only two who have replied no on the mercury fillings poll.

My dentist said that he believes root canals are usually worse than

mercury fillings in their negative impact on people. He explained

that teeth are actually quite porous internally, having microscopic

veins where blood travels while alive. After a root canal these

become great places for anaerobic bacteria to take up residence where

the body can't reach to fight them. He said these bacteria then emit

toxins that for some people cause serious problems.

He recounted a number of significant health improvements that have

occurred with his patients after mercury fillings have been removed,

but he said the really amazing improvements have taken place when

people with a root canal had the tooth removed. (I am not very

excited about doing that)

He believes there is a likely correlation between metal fillings and

autoimmune diseases, but probably a stronger correlation between

autoimmune diseases and root canals.

One theory is that certain disease agents/bacteria are fairly similar

to things in our body. Antibodies that form to fight those diseases

may have a hard time distinguishing what is our body vs disease, and

so start attacking our body also. (If this is true, it might explain

how mono or certain infections could be a trigger to PSC or UC)

Has anyone else heard this before? Any studies that you are aware of

that supports any of this?

I am wondering if we can add an option " have/had a root canal " to the

mercury filling poll, or start a new one that asks about root canals?

Darryl

PSC/UC 96, Tx 02, PSC again 04

[Guest guest]

I did have a root canal (when I was 14 or so) due to a bicycle mishap. It was

redone 10-15 years ago. The technique back then was to insert a silver pin in

the root ( " Silverpoint " technique). They no longer do that, since eventually

the silver, a fairly reactive metal in that environment, migrates and initiates

an immune response, loosening the tooth to the point it may need to be removed.

Mine was caught in time, after an argument with an old school dentist. They now

use gutta percha as the filler, which has a much longer longevity and is nearly

inert, chemically. Numerous " slivers " are inserted to fully fill the vacant

root. http://www.endomail.com/articles/asd09fittingpoint.html

With the typical diet these days, at least for those of European descent, I

suspect the number of people who have had root canals is several orders of

magnitude more than those who have PSC.

Need more data again, but certainly possible as an initiating environmental

" insult " .

Arne

[Guest guest]

While the pulp cavity of the tooth may be completely filled during a

root canal, the dentist explained this does not fill the microscopic

paths that blood traveleled through the dentine. These paths are

supposedly where anaerobic bacteria can live for many years.

re:> They now use gutta percha as the filler, which has a much longer

longevity and is nearly inert, chemically. Numerous " slivers " are

inserted to fully fill the vacant root.

http://www.endomail.com/articles/asd09fittingpoint.html

> With the typical diet these days, at least for those of European

descent, I suspect the number of people who have had root canals is

several orders of magnitude more than those who have PSC.

No doubt. There is certainly not a one to one correlation. This is

true for mono and other possible triggers. However, assuming that

certain people are predisposed to PSC or UC by genetic factors, then

it may require some combination of triggers and predisposition to

initiate the disease. Knowing any of the trigger factors could be

helpful for future prevention.

Darryl

PSC/UC 96, Tx 02, PSC 04

[Guest guest]

Hi Darryl

> He believes there is a likely correlation between metal fillings and

> autoimmune diseases, but probably a stronger correlation between

> autoimmune diseases and root canals.

> One theory is that certain disease agents/bacteria are fairly

similar to things in our body. Antibodies that form to fight those

diseases may have a hard time distinguishing what is our body vs

disease, and so start attacking our body also. (If this is true, it

might explain how mono or certain infections could be a trigger to PSC

or UC)

While I certainly think these findings require further investigation,

we need to remind ourselves that we're still only looking at

correlational data for now.

It doesn't explain why some of our younger group members with PSC have

it. Nor does it explain why some people with a mouth full of mercury

fillings don't have PSC. I'm not sure if mercury fillings are an

option with dentists anymore (I know my dentist doesn't offer them),

but I would hazard a guess that most young kids getting a filling in

the the last 10-15 years don't get mercury anymore. Also, most people

getting a root canal are generally having it done somewhat later in life.

So if younger individuals are getting PSC, (and I'm guessing but I

think the odds are greater that they don't have mercury fillings or

root canals) we would need to look at what other factor(s) are

contributing to the onset of PSC as it is likely not a clear-cut

direct relationship.

[Guest guest]

As to my son and myself, I grew up with no floride and have a mouth full of silver, no PSC yet.My son had floride and has one or two non mercury fillings and has the PSC and probably has had it as a missed pediatric case.I think the genetics have to be there and then the 'triggers" need to be fired. I guess the questions are:What are the genetic predisposition's?What are the triggers?How can we identify them?Once fired how can we shut them off?How can we normalize the immune system ?Since it seems there are going to be many different triggers that are hard to identify, should efforts concentrate on turning off the response?But if it can be re-triggered [as those who have recurrent PSC after transplant have shown us] then should we concentrate on identifying and correcting the genetic susceptibility?We need research !! There are many questions and we need answers.Lee> He believes there is a likely correlation between metal fillings and > autoimmune diseases, but probably a stronger correlation between > autoimmune diseases and root canals. > One theory is that certain disease agents/bacteria are fairlysimilar to things in our body. Antibodies that form to fight thosediseases may have a hard time distinguishing what is our body vsdisease, and so start attacking our body also. (If this is true, itmight explain how mono or certain infections could be a trigger to PSCor UC)

[Guest guest]

,

Sorry that I haven't replied any sooner on this posting, I have been

away on business.

While I agree with much that you are saying, there are other ways

that the population can be exposed to mercury. I don't think that

anyone is saying that if you have fillings you will end up with PSC.

I think that we expose ourselves to too many things in this world

that our bodies are not designed to deal with and therefore we can

not say, one way or another, what would be a " trigger " for PSC or

other diseases. I think that the cause is a multitude of specific

factors coming together and meeting up with genetic susceptibility,

the " perfect storm " .

Mercury exposure is one of those environmental factors that is has a

major negative impact on the human body. I think that it could

contribute to " setting up " the susceptible people to be hit with PSC.

All ages can be exposed to mercury without knowing. Fillings are the

obvious way, but a fact that most people don't realize is that all

vaccinations up until 2001 were administered with mercury based

adjuvant (it helps trigger, the immune response). Babies could be

exposed from the leaching fillings from their mothers while still in

the womb. Young children could be exposed through Vaccinations.

As you stated, there are likely no clear-cut direct relationships,

but it there is the potential that mercury could contribute to people

being more susceptible to detrimental environmental factors.

Food for thought.

McLean (PSC & UC 2005)

>

> Hi Darryl

>

> > He believes there is a likely correlation between metal fillings

and

> > autoimmune diseases, but probably a stronger correlation between

> > autoimmune diseases and root canals.

> > One theory is that certain disease agents/bacteria are fairly

> similar to things in our body. Antibodies that form to fight those

> diseases may have a hard time distinguishing what is our body vs

> disease, and so start attacking our body also. (If this is true, it

> might explain how mono or certain infections could be a trigger to

PSC

> or UC)

>

>

>

> While I certainly think these findings require further

investigation,

> we need to remind ourselves that we're still only looking at

> correlational data for now.

>

> It doesn't explain why some of our younger group members with PSC

have

> it. Nor does it explain why some people with a mouth full of mercury

> fillings don't have PSC. I'm not sure if mercury fillings are an

> option with dentists anymore (I know my dentist doesn't offer them),

> but I would hazard a guess that most young kids getting a filling in

> the the last 10-15 years don't get mercury anymore. Also, most

people

> getting a root canal are generally having it done somewhat later in

life.

>

> So if younger individuals are getting PSC, (and I'm guessing but I

> think the odds are greater that they don't have mercury fillings or

> root canals) we would need to look at what other factor(s) are

> contributing to the onset of PSC as it is likely not a clear-cut

> direct relationship.

>

>

>