What's in Your Mouth Is in Your Body
Modern dentistry has achieved extraordinary things in pain management and structural repair. It has also left tens of millions of people carrying a toxic load in their mouths that contributes to — or directly causes — neurological disease, autoimmune conditions, chronic fatigue, hormonal disruption, and cancer. The dental profession has been slow to acknowledge this because the materials involved have been in use for over 150 years, and reclassifying them as harmful means acknowledging that an enormous amount of damage has been done.
Biological (or holistic) dentistry operates from the understanding that the mouth is not a separate system from the body. Oral health affects cardiovascular health, immune function, neurological function, hormonal balance, and cancer risk. What is placed in your mouth — metals, polymers, root canal-treated teeth, improperly healed extraction sites — becomes part of your body's total toxic and inflammatory burden, every hour of every day.
"Silver" Fillings — 50% Mercury
What They Are Not Telling You
Dental amalgam fillings are called "silver" fillings. They are approximately 50% mercury by weight. The remaining material is silver, tin, copper, and zinc. Mercury is the binding agent — and it is the most toxic non-radioactive element on earth. The term "silver filling" is a marketing euphemism that has obscured this reality for over a century.
Mercury vapor is released continuously from amalgam fillings — not just when they are placed or removed. At body temperature, mercury vaporizes from the filling surface 24 hours a day. This is not disputed by the FDA, the ADA, or any regulatory body. The dispute is about whether the levels are "safe" — a threshold that has never been established for mercury, which has no known safe level in the human body.
What accelerates mercury vapor release:
Chewing and grinding
Mechanical friction directly increases vapor release. Gum chewing is particularly problematic. Bruxism (teeth grinding) creates sustained high-level exposure during sleep — when detoxification is occurring and the body is most vulnerable.
Hot or cold — any temperature change
Heat increases mercury vapor pressure directly. Cold causes thermal contraction and micro-cracking at the filling surface, also increasing release. Coffee, tea, soup, ice water, cold food — every thermal shift with amalgam present drives exposure.
Fluorescent lighting (UV)
Fluorescent lights emit UV radiation in the low-frequency range. UV energy excites mercury atoms at the amalgam surface, increasing vapor release. Every hour under fluorescent office, school, or hospital lighting is an hour of accelerated mercury exposure.
Electromagnetic fields — cell phones and MRI
A 2008 study in Neuro Endocrinology Letters (Mortazavi et al.) found that mobile phone use and MRI significantly increased urinary mercury levels in amalgam patients. MRI showed the most dramatic effect. EMF physically excites mercury atoms, accelerating vapor release from jaw-level fillings.
Fluoride co-exposure
Fluoride increases mercury's bioavailability and neurological toxicity. Sodium fluoride and mercury together produce greater neurotoxic effects than either alone. Fluoride is in municipal water, most toothpaste, and is applied directly to teeth at dental cleanings — making the combination ubiquitous.
Brushing, cleaning, and whitening
Toothbrushing directly agitates the amalgam surface and increases vapor release — twice daily, every day. Abrasive toothpastes and whitening agents amplify this further by accelerating surface corrosion. Even routine brushing with amalgam fillings present is a twice-daily mercury vapor exposure event.
Mercury vapor is lipid-soluble. It crosses the blood-brain barrier, the placental barrier, and accumulates in the brain, kidneys, thyroid, adrenal glands, liver, and bone marrow. It does not clear quickly. Studies using radioactive mercury tracers in sheep (Vimy and Lorscheider, 1990) demonstrated that mercury from amalgam fillings distributed throughout every organ system within days of placement. The concept of "contained" amalgam is a fiction.
Inside cells, mercury disrupts mitochondrial function by binding to thiol (-SH) groups on enzymes — the same binding sites that glutathione uses for detoxification. Mercury depletes glutathione, disables the antioxidant defense system, triggers oxidative stress, and impairs the electron transport chain. The result is cellular energy failure in the highest-demand tissues: brain, heart, and immune system.
Root Canals — Weston A. Price and the Infection That Never Heals
A root canal procedure removes the living nerve and pulp tissue from a tooth, sterilizes the interior canals, and fills them with a material (usually gutta-percha) to seal the tooth. The tooth is then capped and returned to function. The problem is what happens inside the miles of microscopic dentinal tubules — hollow channels running the length of every tooth — that cannot be sterilized.
Weston A. Price, DDS (1870–1948), the same nutritional researcher known for his work on traditional diets and skeletal health, spent 25 years — while serving as Research Director of the American Dental Association — studying what happens to root canal-treated teeth. He found that the dentinal tubules harbor anaerobic bacteria that, once sealed inside a dead tooth with no immune access, produce highly toxic waste products: thio-ethers, thio-alcohols, and other sulfur compounds that are more toxic than botulinum toxin per unit. These bacteria cannot be reached or killed by the immune system because the tooth has no blood supply. The toxins, however, diffuse continuously into surrounding tissue, the periodontal ligament, the jawbone, and the lymphatic system.
Price implanted root canal-treated teeth under the skin of rabbits. The rabbits developed the same degenerative diseases the human patient had — heart disease, arthritis, kidney disease, neurological conditions. When the root canal tooth was removed from the rabbit and the process repeated with a different rabbit, the new rabbit developed the same condition. He replicated this across hundreds of animals and documented the findings in two volumes published in the 1920s.
This research was suppressed and dismissed. It was rediscovered and updated by Dr. George Meinig, DDS — a founding member of the American Association of Endodontists — who published Root Canal Cover-Up in 1994 after reading Price's original research. Meinig, who had performed root canals for 40 years, concluded that Price's findings were valid and the implications had never been honestly addressed by the profession.
German oncologist Dr. Josef Issels treated late-stage cancer patients at his Bavarian clinic for decades and required removal of all root canal-treated teeth as a prerequisite for treatment — finding that unresolved dental foci were present in the vast majority of his cancer patients. The connection between root canal toxins, chronic immune burden, and cancer is not proven in controlled trials. The biological plausibility and clinical pattern observations are significant and repeated across multiple independent practitioners.
The Informed Question
Before a root canal: ask your dentist about the alternative (extraction + implant or bridge) and its implications. Understand that a root canal-treated tooth is a dead tooth with no immune access, sealed bacteria, and a continuous low-level toxic drain. This is not an argument against every root canal — it is an argument for informed consent.
Many patients have root canal-treated teeth with healthy surrounding bone, healthy gum tissue, and no detectable systemic consequence — for decades. The clinical picture is individual. What can be said is: a root canal-treated tooth cannot tell you what is happening inside it. Healthy-looking bone on a 2D X-ray does not mean the tooth is not producing toxins. Only a CBCT or biological assessment can evaluate what's actually occurring at the site.
The Inverse Is Also True: Live Teeth Can Harbor Massive Infection
This is one of the most important nuances in biological dentistry — and one that's almost never communicated. A living tooth with a nerve intact can sit above a significant jawbone infection, with no pain, no visible sign on a standard X-ray, and healthy-looking gum tissue around it. The infection is in the bone — not in the tooth. A 2D X-ray misses it. A CBCT reveals it.
Conversely, some root canal-treated teeth show completely healthy bone, healthy ligament, no immune burden by any imaging or testing. The conclusion is not "root canals are always safe" or "root canals are always toxic" — it is: you cannot know without proper evaluation. Standard dental X-rays are insufficient. CBCT, applied kinesiology in skilled hands, and sometimes energetic testing are what biological dentists use to assess what's actually happening at each site — regardless of whether the tooth is vital or non-vital.
Cavitations — The Hidden Jawbone Infection
A cavitation is an area of dead or dying bone in the jaw — most commonly at a tooth extraction site that did not heal completely. The formal term is NICO: Neuralgia-Inducing Cavitational Osteonecrosis. The condition is widely unrecognized in conventional dentistry because cavitations are invisible on standard X-rays. A 2D dental X-ray cannot show bone density loss below approximately 30–50%. A CBCT (cone beam CT) scan can, but most conventional dentists do not use CBCT for extraction site evaluation.
When a tooth is extracted, the periodontal ligament — the tissue that attached the tooth to the bone — must be completely removed or it can act as a physical barrier preventing proper bone regrowth. If the ligament is left in place (which is standard practice in most extractions), the bone forms a thin shell over a hollow or partially necrotic interior. The result is a dead zone in the jawbone: no blood flow, no immune access, no healing.
Like root canal-treated teeth, cavitation sites harbor anaerobic bacteria and produce toxic metabolites that drain into the surrounding tissue continuously. Cavitations have been associated with trigeminal neuralgia (severe facial nerve pain), chronic headaches, tinnitus, unexplained facial pain, fatigue, and systemic illness. Wisdom tooth extraction sites are the most commonly affected — virtually all wisdom tooth sockets are extracted with the ligament intact, in standard practice.
Biological dentists trained in NICO assessment use CBCT imaging and sometimes specialized ultrasound (Cavitat device) to identify cavitation sites. Surgical remediation involves opening the site, debriding the necrotic bone, removing the periodontal ligament remnants, and stimulating fresh bone growth with ozone therapy, PRF (platelet-rich fibrin), or other regenerative protocols.
Fluoride in Dental Care — A Cross-Reference
Fluoride is applied directly to teeth at most dental cleanings, is present in the vast majority of commercial toothpastes, and enters through municipal water systems — all covered in detail on the Fluoride page. In the dental context specifically: topical fluoride treatments deposit fluoride directly into oral tissue, from where it is absorbed into the gingival capillaries and circulates systemically. Children's fluoride varnishes and treatments deliver fluoride at high concentrations into developing tissues.
In the context of mercury amalgam, fluoride's significance is compounded: fluoride and mercury together produce greater neurotoxic effects than either alone, fluoride increases mercury bioavailability in brain tissue, and fluoride inhibits the same enzymatic pathways (thiol-dependent enzymes) that mercury impairs. Someone with amalgam fillings receiving routine fluoride treatments is receiving two neurological co-toxins simultaneously — one embedded in their teeth, one applied to their gums.
BPA in Composite Resins — The "Safe" Alternative
Composite (tooth-colored) resins were developed as the mercury-free alternative to amalgam and are now the default filling material in most practices. Many composite resins contain bis-GMA (bisphenol A-glycidyl methacrylate) or other BPA-adjacent compounds. Bis-GMA is synthesized from BPA and can break down to release BPA in the mouth — particularly when exposed to saliva, with the highest release occurring shortly after placement.
BPA is a xenoestrogen — an endocrine disruptor that mimics estrogen in the body, binding to estrogen receptors at doses orders of magnitude lower than pharmacological estrogen. BPA from composites enters the bloodstream through oral mucosa absorption and saliva ingestion. It is detectable in urine within hours of composite placement.
Not all composites contain BPA or bis-GMA in equal amounts, and some have been reformulated to minimize BPA release. The patient's ability to navigate this requires asking specifically: "Does this composite contain BPA or bis-GMA? Can you provide the material data sheet?" A biological dentist will have biocompatible material options — typically bis-GMA-free composites, or ceramic (zirconia/porcelain) restorations for larger replacements.
Metals, Galvanism, and Mixed-Metal Toxicity
When two or more different metals are present in the mouth — which is common in people with both amalgam fillings and metal crowns or implants — a battery effect occurs called oral galvanism. Saliva is a conductive electrolyte. Different metals in contact with the same electrolyte at different positions generate an electrical current. This current accelerates corrosion of the metals, increasing release of metal ions (mercury, nickel, chromium, titanium, zinc) into oral tissue.
Metal crowns, metal-ceramic (porcelain-fused-to-metal) crowns, and conventional titanium implants are all potential galvanism contributors when combined with existing amalgam. Some patients report significant symptom resolution after having all dissimilar metals removed and replaced with ceramic (zirconia) alternatives.
Nickel is particularly significant: it is the most common contact allergen in humans, is carcinogenic, and is found in many older metal alloys used for crowns and bridges. Women with metal costume jewelry sensitivity often have unrecognized nickel sensitivity from dental metals as well.
What Biological Dentistry Offers
Biological dentistry — practiced by IAOMT (International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology) certified dentists and other holistically trained practitioners — approaches oral care from a whole-body perspective. Key differences from conventional practice:
Safe Amalgam Removal (SMART Protocol)
The IAOMT's Safe Mercury Amalgam Removal Technique minimizes mercury vapor inhalation during removal using rubber dams, high-volume suction, sectioning the filling into chunks (minimizing grinding), nasal oxygen for the patient, protective coverings, and a post-procedure oral rinse to bind residual mercury before swallowing. Removing amalgam fillings without these precautions generates extremely high mercury vapor exposure — often worse than leaving them in place. Do not allow conventional removal without SMART protocol or equivalent.
Biocompatible Material Testing
Blood or serum reactivity testing (Clifford Materials Reactivity Testing or similar) identifies which dental materials a specific patient reacts to immunologically. No single "safe" material is safe for all patients — biocompatibility is individual. A biological dentist will test before placing materials.
Zirconia Implants and Ceramic Restorations
Zirconia (ceramic) implants are metal-free, biocompatible, and do not conduct electricity — eliminating galvanism. They have lower bacterial adhesion than titanium. For crowns and inlays, all-ceramic or porcelain alternatives eliminate metal entirely.
Ozone Therapy in Biological Dentistry
Ozone (O3) is a triatomic oxygen molecule with powerful antimicrobial properties. Unlike conventional antimicrobials — which cannot penetrate the miles of microscopic dentinal tubules running through every tooth — ozone in gas or ozonated water form can reach bacteria no irrigating solution, antibiotic, or laser can access. It kills anaerobic bacteria, viruses, and fungi on contact, then converts entirely to oxygen with no toxic residue.
Early Decay Treatment
Ozone applied to early-stage decay can arrest and reverse the lesion without drilling — by sterilizing the bacteria driving demineralization, allowing remineralization to proceed. Not appropriate for all cavities; depends on depth and extent.
Root Canal Sterilization
Ozone irrigated through root canals reaches bacteria in dentinal tubules that gutta-percha and sodium hypochlorite cannot. Used before sealing to reduce the microbial load — though it cannot eliminate all bacteria in a dead, tubule-filled tooth.
Cavitation Site Treatment
After surgical debridement of a cavitation, ozone gas or ozonated saline is used to sterilize the site before PRF and bone grafting. Addresses the anaerobic bacterial environment that caused the osteonecrosis in the first place.
Periodontal Therapy
Ozonated water flushed into periodontal pockets, or ozone gas delivered subgingivally, reduces the anaerobic bacteria driving gum disease. Used in conjunction with scaling, not as a standalone replacement.
Side Effects and Cautions — Ozone Is Not Without Risk
Infection mobilization: Ozone can break up and push an existing biofilm or infection — particularly in cavitation sites — releasing bacterial toxins and byproducts into surrounding tissue faster than the body can clear them. This can cause significant post-treatment pain, swelling, fatigue, and flu-like symptoms as the immune system responds. It is not a sign of failure — but it requires preparation and support.
Pain flare: Particularly after cavitation ozone treatment, pain in the jaw site can increase significantly in the days following treatment before improving. Patients should be warned and have post-treatment support in place — not just told "this is normal" without preparation.
Inhalation risk: Ozone gas is toxic to the lungs. Practitioners must use containment systems (rubber dams, saliva ejectors, proper suction) to prevent inhalation. This is operator-skill dependent. Asking about containment protocol is reasonable before treatment.
Not a replacement for surgery: In established cavitations with necrotic bone, ozone alone is insufficient. It is an adjunct to surgical debridement — not a substitute for it. Some practitioners use ozone as a non-invasive alternative to surgery; this is not supported by the depth of research that surgical remediation has.
Cavitation Assessment and Remediation
CBCT imaging for full 3D assessment of extraction sites. Surgical debridement with periodontal ligament removal, ozone irrigation, PRF (platelet-rich fibrin from patient's own blood) for regeneration. Addresses the root cause of many unexplained chronic conditions.
No Fluoride Treatments
Biological dentists do not use fluoride varnishes or treatments. Instead: tooth powder (baking soda daily; pascalite clay for periodic acute use), oil pulling, and dietary mineral support — whole-food calcium, magnesium, fat-soluble vitamins through real food.
Xylitol — commonly recommended in biological dental circles for cavity prevention — is not recommended here. The concerns are significant and compounding: the Cochrane review found the cavity-prevention evidence "still unproven"; chronic use produces resistance in S. mutans, the primary cavity-causing bacteria; most commercial xylitol is derived from GMO corn cobs via nickel-catalyst hydrogenation; it is acutely toxic to dogs even in small amounts; and — most critically — a 2024 Cleveland Clinic study (Hazen et al., European Heart Journal) found that xylitol elevates cardiovascular risk through the same mechanism as erythritol: increased platelet aggregation and clotting, with elevated blood xylitol levels associated with significantly higher rates of major adverse cardiac events (MACE) including heart attack and stroke. This is not a theoretical risk. It is a documented cardiovascular signal from a large prospective cohort. Xylitol gum, mints, and dental products are not a safe substitute for fluoride.
⚠ Warning: Nano-Hydroxyapatite Toothpaste
Nano-hydroxyapatite (nHA) toothpaste is aggressively marketed in biological and natural dental communities as the safe, fluoride-free alternative — because "hydroxyapatite is the same mineral as your teeth." The bulk mineral is. Nano-scale particles are a different substance with different biological behavior. Independent research has documented that nHA particles cross biological barriers, show neurotoxicity in cell studies, and accumulate in tissue. The safety literature is almost entirely industry-funded. The EU Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety found the evidence "insufficient" to confirm safety. This is not a clean alternative. It is a new problem wearing a natural label.
Read the Full nHA Research →Your Dental Detox Roadmap
This is a long-term process — not a single appointment. Trying to do everything at once is counterproductive and can overwhelm detox pathways. Work with a biological dentist and a practitioner who can support your body's ability to clear mercury before, during, and after removal.
Step 1 — Before Anything Else: Find a Biological Dentist
Find an IAOMT-certified biological dentist
The IAOMT (iaomt.org) maintains a directory of members trained in SMART amalgam removal, biocompatible materials, and biological protocols. Not all holistic dentists are IAOMT-certified — verify training specifically in safe amalgam removal and CBCT assessment for cavitations. Also: IABDM (International Academy of Biological Dentistry and Medicine) — iabdm.org.
Get a full dental assessment — including CBCT if any extractions in your history
A biological dentist will perform a comprehensive oral exam including assessment for cavitations (especially wisdom tooth sites), galvanism evaluation, assessment of all existing root canals, and examination of existing metals. Ask specifically about cavitation sites at previous extractions — especially third molars (wisdom teeth).
Do NOT let a conventional dentist remove amalgam without SMART protocol
Standard amalgam removal by drilling generates a mercury aerosol. Without proper protective measures, this can produce mercury vapor exposures hundreds of times higher than the filling's baseline release. Improper removal can cause acute mercury toxicity and significantly worsen overall mercury burden. Wait for a SMART-trained dentist.
Step 2 — Support Detox Pathways Before Removal
Support glutathione production — your primary mercury detoxifier
Glutathione binds mercury for elimination. Dietary support: sulfur-rich foods (cruciferous vegetables, onions, garlic, eggs — particularly egg yolks). These are the most sustained and safest glutathione precursors available.
Glutathione supplements: Oral glutathione does not survive digestion intact — it is cleaved in the gut before reaching systemic circulation. Liposomal glutathione bypasses some of this but is not necessary when food precursors are adequate. More critically, pushing glutathione artificially without addressing the mercury load first can mobilize mercury into circulation faster than the body can clear it — redistribution, not elimination. Support detox pathways first; supplement later only under practitioner guidance.
Whey protein — use with caution: Whey is a cysteine-rich glutathione precursor, but commercial whey protein concentrates are high in free glutamate — a known excitotoxin. In mercury-burdened individuals, whose blood-brain barriers are already compromised, excitotoxin exposure adds neurological stress on top of existing mercury burden. If using whey, choose cold-processed, non-denatured whey from grass-fed sources — minimally processed, lowest free glutamate content. Avoid whey isolates, hydrolysates, and any product with "natural flavors," which are high in free glutamate by formulation.
Excitotoxins broadly: Mercury-toxic individuals are disproportionately sensitive to excitotoxins — MSG, free glutamate, aspartame, and related compounds that overstimulate NMDA receptors. These are found in processed foods, protein powders, broths, hydrolyzed proteins, and supplements labeled "natural flavors." Reducing excitotoxin load is part of neurological protection during any mercury detox period.
Ensure liver and kidney drainage pathways are open
Mercury mobilized from fillings is processed by the liver and excreted through bile/stool and kidneys/urine. If these pathways are compromised, mobilized mercury redistributes — causing redistribution toxicity. Support: castor oil packs over the liver, adequate hydration, bile flow support (artichoke, beet, dandelion root). Work with a practitioner familiar with detox sequencing.
Chlorella — GI binding agent Use with caution
Chlorella (broken-cell-wall) has documented mercury-binding capacity in the GI tract and can interrupt the enterohepatic recirculation of mercury. It is commonly used by biological dentists pre- and post-removal — but it is not tolerated by a significant number of people and should not be treated as a standard protocol.
Why chlorella makes some people very sick
Mercury mobilization without adequate clearance: Chlorella can pull mercury from the GI tract into circulation faster than the liver and kidneys can process it — particularly in individuals with already-compromised detox pathways. This causes redistribution symptoms: intense fatigue, headache, brain fog, nausea, and neurological flares that can last days. This is not a "detox reaction to push through." It is a sign that mercury is being moved without being cleared.
Immune reactions: Chlorella is a potent immune stimulant. In individuals with autoimmune conditions, mold illness, or already-dysregulated immune systems — which describes many people with high mercury burden — chlorella can trigger immune flares, histamine responses, and worsening of existing conditions.
Heavy metal contamination in the product itself: Many commercial chlorella products contain their own heavy metal contamination — arsenic, lead, cadmium — from the water sources they are grown in. Third-party testing is essential. Most products on the market have not been independently verified.
Better-tolerated alternatives for GI mercury binding
Pascalite clay — hand-mined bentonite-type calcium bentonite from Wyoming; independently tested for heavy metals; binds toxins in the GI tract without mobilizing them into circulation; gentler mechanism than chlorella; widely used in biological dental protocols.
Activated charcoal — non-selective GI binder; effective for acute post-removal binding; does not mobilize mercury systemically; timing matters (take away from food, medications, and supplements).
Modified citrus pectin — gentler binding agent; some evidence for heavy metal support; better tolerated than chlorella in sensitive individuals.
Dietary fiber — adequate fiber intake supports bile and stool transit, reducing enterohepatic recirculation passively through elimination regularity — no mobilization risk.
Those who do use chlorella typically start with a very low dose and ensure bowel regularity is established first. It is not commonly used in close proximity to amalgam removal.
Step 3 — During the Process
Remove amalgams one quadrant at a time — not all at once
Removing all amalgams in one session overwhelms detox pathways with a large acute mercury load. Standard biological protocol: one quadrant per appointment, 4–8 weeks between sessions minimum, allowing the body to clear between removals. Start with the largest fillings or the ones showing most corrosion (highest vapor release).
Request biocompatibility testing before choosing replacement materials
Clifford Materials Reactivity Testing (ccrlab.com) or Biocomp Labs testing identifies your individual reactivity to specific dental materials via serum antibody testing. What is biocompatible for one person may not be for another. Ask your biological dentist about pre-placement testing.
Address cavitations when found — do not defer indefinitely
If CBCT reveals cavitation sites, these represent ongoing immune burden from continuous low-level toxin drainage. Surgical remediation with a skilled biological oral surgeon, using ozone and PRF regeneration protocols, is the standard biological approach. Recovery requires adequate mineral status and whole-food nutritional support.
Daily Oral Care — Biological Approach
Switch to fluoride-free, SLS-free toothpaste — and verify what's in it
Daily: water and baking soda — dip a wet boar hair brush into a small amount of baking soda. Antibacterial, alkalizes oral pH, no unknown ingredients. Optional paste variant: raw coconut oil + baking soda. Periodic or acute use: pascalite clay (hand-mined, non-nano, independently tested clean). If using a commercial paste, verify it against Lead Safe Mama's tested list — many "natural" brands carry Prop 65 warnings or have returned lead and arsenic in independent testing. Avoid nano-hydroxyapatite, activated charcoal, and fluoride-containing toothpastes.
California's Proposition 65 requires products containing detectable levels of lead, arsenic, or other listed chemicals above threshold levels to carry a warning label. Many toothpastes — including ones sold in health food stores — carry a Prop 65 warning, often in small print near the barcode. That label is not a reassurance. It is a disclosure. Read it.
Toothpaste Heavy Metal Testing — Independent Lab Results
53 products tested · Lead, cadmium, mercury, arsenic · Updated April 22, 2025 · Source: Tamara Rubin / Lead Safe Mama · Community-funded, freely published
Non-Detect — tested clean for all four metals (5 of 53 products)
⚠ Amber row = clean for heavy metals but still contains fluoride — not recommended
| Brand / Product | Type | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Dr. Brown's Baby Toothpaste | Fluoride-free · Kids | Infant/toddler · USA |
| Kids' Spry Tooth Gel with Xylitol | Fluoride-free · Kids | Contains xylitol · USA |
| Pegciz Toothpaste (Foam) | Low fluoride ⚠ · Kids | France — clean for metals, contains fluoride |
| Orajel Training Toothpaste | Fluoride-free · Kids | Training paste · USA |
| Miessence Toothpaste | Fluoride-free · Adult | Australia |
Ingredients that correlated with heavy metal contamination across tested products
Contamination originates in the raw ingredient supply chain — mined and soil-derived ingredients carry the heaviest metal load. For full per-product numeric data and original lab reports, see tamararubin.com/toothpaste/.
All Tested Products — Sorted by Lead Level (ppb)
April 22, 2025 data. Lead values in parts per billion (ppb). ND = Non-Detect. D = Detected. 🧒 = marketed for children.
| Brand / Product | Lead ppb | Cd | Hg | As | Fluoride / Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🧒 Dr. Brown's Baby Toothpaste | ND | ND | ND | ND | Fluoride-free · USA |
| 🧒 Kids' Spry Tooth Gel with Xylitol | ND | ND | ND | ND | Fluoride-free · USA |
| 🧒 Pegciz Toothpaste (Foam) | ND | ND | ND | ND | Low fluoride ⚠ · France |
| 🧒 Orajel Training Toothpaste | ND | ND | ND | ND | Fluoride-free · USA |
| Miessence Toothpaste | ND | ND | ND | ND | Fluoride-free · Australia |
| Radius Organic Toothpaste | 18.8 | D | ND | D | Fluoride-free · USA |
| 🧒 Risowell Kids Mineral Toothpaste | 26.0 | D | ND | D | Fluoride-free · USA |
| Boka Nano-Hydroxyapatite (Orange Cream) | 27.4 | ND | D | ND | Fluoride-free · nHA base · USA |
| Boka Nano-Hydroxyapatite (Ela Mint) | 32.0 | ND | D | D | Fluoride-free · nHA base · USA |
| 🧒 Attitude Nature Care Baby Leaves | 47.3 | ND | ND | D | Fluoride-free · USA |
| 🧒 NOBS Jr. Bubblegum Berry Blast | 54.4 | D | ND | D | Fluoride-free · USA |
| 🧒 Weleda Oral Care Children's Tooth Gel | 55.0 | ND | ND | D | Fluoride-free · Switzerland |
| Truvani Clean Toothpaste | 56.9 | D | D | D | Fluoride-free · USA |
| 🧒 Kinder Karex Toothpaste | 72.8 | D | D | D | Fluoride-free · Germany |
| 🧒 BOTAO Grow Naturally Baby Toothpaste | 83.6 | ND | ND | ND | Fluoride-free · Israel |
| 🧒 Dr. Brite Kids Mineral Toothpaste | 86.0 | D | D | D | Fluoride-free · USA |
| 🧒 Feed Your Good Guys (FYGG) Toothpaste | 89.0 | ND | ND | D | Fluoride-free · USA |
| 🧒 Orajel Kids Anticavity — Paw Patrol | 100 | ND | D | ND | Contains fluoride ⚠ · USA |
| 🧒 Batao Grow Naturally Kids Anticavity | 112 | ND | ND | ND | Contains fluoride ⚠ · Israel |
| Sensodyne Extra Whitening | 116 | ND | ND | D | Contains fluoride ⚠ · USA |
| 🧒 Jack N' Jill Toothpaste | 120 | ND | ND | ND | Fluoride-free · Australia |
| 🧒 Crest Advanced Color Changing | 132 | ND | ND | D | Contains fluoride ⚠ · USA |
| Dr. Bronner's Toothpaste | 160 | ND | D | D | Fluoride-free · USA |
| The Green Beaver Company Natural | 196 | D | ND | D | Fluoride-free · Canada |
| 🧒 Dr. Jen Toothpaste for Kids | 200 | D | D | D | Fluoride-free · USA |
| 🧒 Tom's of Maine Toddler Natural | 210 | ND | D | ND | Fluoride-free · USA |
| 🧒 Desert Essence For Kids Toothpaste Gel | 218 | ND | ND | ND | Fluoride-free · USA |
| 🧒 Tom's of Maine Kid's Natural | 240 | ND | ND | D | Fluoride-free · USA |
| 🧒 Himalaya Botanique Kids | 243 | D | ND | D | Fluoride-free · India |
| Single-Ingredient Hydroxyapatite | 261 | D | ND | D | Fluoride-free · nHA contamination · USA |
| 🧒 Wellnesse Children's Toothpaste | 273 | D | ND | D | Fluoride-free · Reported to WA state · USA |
| 🧒 Happy Tooth Kids Premium Natural | 284 | D | D | D | Fluoride-free · USA |
| Single-Ingredient Calcium Carbonate | 302 | D | D | D | Fluoride-free · Canada |
| 🧒 Colgate Watermelon Burst (kids) | 302 | ND | D | ND | Contains fluoride ⚠ · USA |
| Revitin Prebiotic Toothpaste | 308 | D | D | D | Fluoride-free · USA |
| 🧒 Zebra The Toothpaste | 336 | ND | D | ND | Fluoride-free · USA |
| Crest Regular Toothpaste | 399 | ND | ND | D | Contains fluoride ⚠ · USA |
| Now Solutions Xyliwhite Toothpaste Gel | 421 | ND | D | D | Fluoride-free · USA |
| 🧒 Hello Dragon Dazzle Toothpaste | 426 | ND | D | ND | Fluoride-free · USA |
| Burt's Bees Purely White Toothpaste | 446 | ND | D | ND | Fluoride-free · USA |
| Davids Premium Natural Toothpaste | 457 | ND | D ⚠ | ND | Fluoride-free · Hg 202 ppb · USA |
| 🧒 Jason Kids Only Fluoride Free | 478 | ND | D | ND | Fluoride-free · USA |
| Hello Fluoride Free Toothpaste | 493 | ND | D | D | Fluoride-free · Reported to FDA · USA |
| Colgate Total Whitening Toothpaste | 539 | ND | D | ND | Contains fluoride ⚠ · USA |
| 🧒 Spry Kids Gel Toothpaste Anti-Cavity | 560 | D | ND | D | Fluoride-free · USA |
| 🧒 Just Ingredients Tooth Powder | 583 | D ⚠ | ND | D ⚠ | Fluoride-free · Cd 267 ppb · As 1,500 ppb · Reported to WA + FDA |
| Redmond Earthpaste Natural w/ Silver | 3,500 | D | D ⚠ | ND | Fluoride-free · Hg 2,700 ppb · Reported to WA + FDA · USA |
| VanMan's Miracle Tooth Powder | 4,258 | D | D | D ⚠ | Fluoride-free · As 5,821 ppb · Reported to WA + FDA · USA |
| 🧒 Primal Life Dirty Mouth Kids Tooth Powder | 7,820 | D | ND | D ⚠ | Fluoride-free · Kids · As 5,900 ppb · USA |
Lead values in ppb. D = detected above instrument threshold. Cd = cadmium · Hg = mercury · As = arsenic · ⚠ = notably elevated. 4 additional products pending disclosure (see source). Exact numeric values for all metals at tamararubin.com/toothpaste/. Verify current formulations — manufacturers change ingredients without notice.
Electric toothbrushes generate a strong oscillating magnetic field directly adjacent to the jaw, the temporomandibular joint, and the base of the skull during every use. The motor operates at close proximity to neurological tissue for two minutes or more — repeated twice daily. Published measurements show the magnetic field at the head during use can exceed levels considered safe for pacemaker patients in some device categories.
Beyond the EMF concern: the high-frequency oscillation overstimulates gum tissue. Gum recession in regular electric toothbrush users — despite "pressure sensors" — is well-documented in periodontology literature. The mechanical abrasion model assumes the goal is scrubbing; a boar hair brush and gentle circular motion works with the tissue rather than against it.
The physical materials are also a concern. All electric toothbrushes are constructed from ABS plastic, polycarbonate, or polypropylene handles and nylon bristles. These are the same synthetic polymer concerns as any plastic product in prolonged warm, wet, oral contact. Nylon bristles are often coated with antimicrobial agents (triclosan, silver nanoparticles) without disclosure. The charger base adds a constant low-level EMF source to the bathroom counter.
A wet boar hair brush — soft, natural, non-coated — does the job. No motor, no field, no nylon, no charger.
Oil pulling with coconut oil or sesame oil — 15–20 minutes daily
Oil pulling draws lipophilic toxins (including mercury vapor) from oral tissue, reduces oral bacterial load, supports gum health, and remineralizes enamel. Do before brushing, in the morning before eating. Spit into trash — not the sink (mercury contamination).
No fluorescent lighting — especially important with existing amalgam
Replace fluorescent lights in your home, office (where possible), and work environment with incandescent or red-spectrum lighting below 2700K. Fluorescent lights emit UV that accelerates mercury vapor offgassing from amalgam surfaces. Every hour under fluorescent lighting with fillings in place is unnecessary, avoidable mercury exposure.
Reduce hot beverage temperature with existing amalgam
Allow coffee, tea, and soup to cool to below 140°F before consuming. Heat is a significant accelerant of mercury vapor release. While this is a harm-reduction measure rather than a solution, it reduces the daily vapor burden while amalgam removal is being planned.
On Chelation — A Word of Caution
DMSA, EDTA, DMPS, and other chelating agents are pharmaceutical compounds used to bind heavy metals for excretion. These are powerful interventions with significant risks: they mobilize mercury from tissues throughout the body and redistribute it before it can be excreted — including into the brain. Chelation without complete removal of all dental mercury sources is counterproductive — you cannot chelate mercury while the source is still in your mouth. Chelation performed without proper detox pathway support, in the wrong sequence, or at the wrong dose has made many people significantly worse. This requires expert guidance from a practitioner who specifically understands mercury detox sequencing — not a general integrative MD who has "done chelation." See also: the Pharmacology Library for the drug entry on chelation agents.
Essential Books
Root Canal Cover-Up
George Meinig, DDS — Bion Publishing, 1994. A founding member of the American Association of Endodontists recounts reading Weston A. Price's original research and the conclusions he drew after 40 years of performing root canals.
Dental Infections, Oral and Systemic (2 vols)
Weston A. Price, DDS — Penton Publishing, 1923. The original 25-year research program on focal infection theory. Out of print but available via libraries and some reprints. The foundation of biological dentistry.
The Toxic Tooth: How a Root Canal Could Be Making You Sick
Robert Kulacz, DDS & Thomas E. Levy, MD — Medfox Publishing, 2014. Updated review of root canal pathology with contemporary microbiological research and clinical cases.
It's All in Your Head: The Link Between Mercury Amalgams and Illness
Hal Huggins, DDS — Avery, 1993. Pioneer of biological dentistry and SMART-style mercury removal protocols. Huggins lost his dental license for his outspoken position on amalgam — the book documents why.
Uninformed Consent: The Hidden Dangers in Dental Care
Hal Huggins, DDS & Thomas Levy, MD — Hampton Roads, 1999. Covers amalgam, root canals, fluoride, and the informed consent issues in modern dentistry.
Key Research Papers
Mercury release from amalgam after MRI and mobile phone use
Mortazavi SM et al. Neuro Endocrinol Lett. 2008 Feb–Apr;29(1):78–82. EMF-accelerated mercury vapor release from amalgam fillings.
Maternal-fetal distribution of mercury from dental amalgam
Vimy MJ, Takahashi Y, Lorscheider FL. Am J Physiol. 258(4 Pt 2):R939–45, 1990. Radioactive mercury tracers showing distribution to every fetal organ system within days of amalgam placement in pregnant sheep.
Mercury exposure from silver tooth fillings — questioning a traditional paradigm
Lorscheider FL, Vimy MJ, Summers AO. FASEB J. 9:504–508, 1995. Comprehensive review of amalgam mercury vapor release mechanisms and toxicological evidence.
BPA estrogenicity from resin-based composites and dental sealants
Olea N et al. Environ Health Perspect. 104:298–305, 1996. Demonstrates estrogenic activity of BPA-releasing compounds from commonly used dental composites.
Bisphenol A and related compounds in dental materials
Fleisch AF et al. Pediatrics. 126:760–768, 2010. Review of BPA exposure from dental resins, particularly relevant for children.
NICO — Neuralgia-Inducing Cavitational Osteonecrosis: 224 jawbone samples
Bouquot J, Roberts AM, Person P, Christian J. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol. 73(3):307–319, 1992. Landmark paper documenting cavitation pathology in patients with facial neuralgia.
Independent Testing & Consumer Advocacy
Lead Safe Mama — Toothpaste Heavy Metal Testing (Tamara Rubin)
Independent consumer testing of commercial toothpastes — including natural and fluoride-free brands — for lead, arsenic, and other heavy metals. Results have received industry pushback, which does not make them wrong. leadsafemama.com — search "toothpaste" for the full tested product list.
California Proposition 65 — Toothpaste Warning Labels
Prop 65 requires disclosure of products containing chemicals known to California to cause cancer or reproductive harm above threshold levels. Many commercial toothpastes — including "natural" brands — carry Prop 65 warnings. oehha.ca.gov/proposition-65/proposition-65-list — full chemical list. The warning label on a toothpaste is a disclosure, not a reassurance.
Organizations & Directories
IAOMT — International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology — iaomt.org
Practitioner directory for biological dentists trained in SMART amalgam removal, ozone therapy, biocompatibility testing. The professional gold standard for biological dental care.
IABDM — International Academy of Biological Dentistry and Medicine — iabdm.org
Second major directory of holistically trained dentists. Some practitioners belong to both organizations.
Clifford Materials Reactivity Testing — ccrlab.com
Serum biocompatibility testing for dental materials — identifies your individual immunological reactivity before placement.
IAOMT SMART Protocol — full documentation
iaomt.org/topics/amalgam-fillings/ — complete Safe Mercury Amalgam Removal Technique protocol including all safety measures required before, during, and after removal.
Documentaries & Videos
The Smoking Tooth (IAOMT)
The definitive 6-minute video demonstrating mercury vapor release from an extracted amalgam filling using a vapor-detection camera. The smoke you see is mercury vapor. The most compelling visual evidence of amalgam offgassing available. iaomt.org
Root Cause (2018 documentary — Netflix)
Documentary following one person's journey connecting his root canal-treated tooth to chronic systemic illness. Pulled from Netflix after dental association pressure — itself a telling data point. Now available on other platforms.
Hal Huggins interviews and lectures
Multiple lectures by Dr. Hal Huggins available on YouTube covering mercury toxicity, protocol development, and the clinical evidence for biological dentistry. He was a DDS who lost his license for this work — his lectures are the oral history of biological dentistry.
Video in Production
This video is currently being filmed. The full transcript is below — all the information is here while you wait.
Video Transcript
What is in your mouth right now? If you have amalgam fillings — the dark ones your dentist called "silver" — you have mercury in your mouth. Not traces. Each filling is approximately 50% mercury by weight. And it is not sitting inert. It is releasing mercury vapor right now, as we speak, 24 hours a day. It has been doing so since it was placed. And today we are going to talk about everything that accelerates that release — and what to do about it.
Mercury vapor is lipid-soluble. It crosses the blood-brain barrier. It accumulates in the brain, kidneys, thyroid, and adrenal glands. It binds to the same enzyme sites that glutathione needs for detoxification — depleting your antioxidant defense and disabling mitochondria. There is no safe level of mercury in the body. What makes it worse: heat accelerates the release. So does chewing, fluoride, and two things most people would never think about — fluorescent lights, which emit UV that excites mercury atoms, and cell phone use. A 2008 study showed that mobile phone use and MRI increased urinary mercury in amalgam patients — the electromagnetic field vibrates mercury atoms at the surface of the filling, right next to your jaw. If you have amalgam fillings, this is not paranoia. It is chemistry.
Amalgam is not the only concern. Root canal-treated teeth are dead teeth. They have no blood supply. The immune system cannot access them. The dentinal tubules — microscopic channels running through every tooth — harbor anaerobic bacteria that produce toxic waste products more potent than botulinum toxin. Weston A. Price spent 25 years documenting this at the American Dental Association's research division. He implanted root canal teeth in rabbits and the rabbits developed the same diseases the human patients had. His research was suppressed. It was rediscovered in 1994 by Dr. George Meinig — a founding member of the American Association of Endodontists — who concluded Price was right. And then there are cavitations: dead zones in the jawbone at extraction sites that never fully healed, invisible on a standard X-ray, draining toxins into your lymphatic system quietly for years.
Biological dentists do not remove amalgam by grinding it out — which creates a mercury aerosol you breathe in. They use the SMART protocol: rubber dam, high-volume suction, sectioning, nasal oxygen, protective coverings. They use CBCT scans to find cavitation sites. They treat cavitations with ozone and regenerative protocols. They test biocompatibility before placing any material in your mouth. They don't use fluoride. They use baking soda, ozone, and food-based mineral support to remineralize. This is not fringe medicine. This is dentistry that acknowledges the mouth is connected to the rest of the body.
Find an IAOMT-certified biological dentist through iaomt.org. Do not let anyone remove amalgam without SMART protocol. Support your glutathione before you start — cruciferous vegetables, eggs, garlic. And right now, today — if you have amalgam fillings, replace the fluorescent lights in your home with incandescent. That alone reduces one of the most overlooked mercury accelerants in the average person's daily environment. More in the Action Guide.