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Karen Palmer, Mercury Poisoned Dental Assistant- 2006 FDA Testimony As a dental assistant I handled mercury every day for years until 2004 when I was diagnosed with heavy metal mercury poisoning. I am disabled and can no longer work due to the neurological damage from occupational exposure to mercury.
Karen Burns, Mercury Poisoned Dental Assistant - 2010 FDA Testimony Today I want to speak to the panel and urge them to help the FDA do their job. I testified at the FDA hearing in 2006, I watched the FDA panel vote 13-7, based on the fact that they could not prove amalgam was safe. I don't know what happened after that. It seems like they didn't do anything except make claims of safety without proof.  
Dr. Graeme Munro-Hall B.D.S mercury related heart problems and UNEP work Dr. Graeme Munro-Hall BDS discusses his mercury related heart problems and his work towards banning dental mercury amalgam by participating in the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP).

Dr. Janet Stopka D.D.S. shares her mercury toxicity story with FDA My name is Dr. Janet Stopka D.D.S.  I am a practicing dentist from Chicago.  I have not used mercury as a restorative material in 14 years and my patients are given informed consent.  No one has ever asked me to place mercury in their mouth and they understand immediately its toxic. But many of them don’t know they have it in their mouth!
Dental Amalgam Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) Overview The purpose of the MSDS is to protect workers by supplying them with the most crucial facts about the hazardous material at their jobsite, such as the physical properties of the material, proper storage and handling techniques, known health risks and essential emergency procedures.
IAOMT - Safe Removal of Mercury Amalgam Fillings - Video Dentists remove amalgam fillings every day, with no regard for the possible mercury exposure that can result from grinding them out.  The International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology has established a mercury safe protocol that protects both staff and patients during amalgam removal.
Inhalation of Mercury-Contaminated Particulate Matter by Dentists: An Overlooked Occupational Risk The vast amount of mercury contaminated particulate matter dentists are exposed to comes from the removal of amalgam fillings. This respirable mercury contaminated particulate matter represents to mercury levels thousands of times over the safety limit as set by OSHA.
Diane Meyer DDS Recovers from her debilitating health problems due to mercury toxicity In search of answers about her debilitating health problems, Diane Meyer, D.D.S., B.S., went from doctor to doctor and was told “It’s your hormones honey,”. Until she attended a seminar and learned of her constant exposure to high levels of mercury vapor.
OSHA requires employers to provide a workplace free of serious recognized hazards and in compliance with OSHA Standards You have the right to a safe workplace. OSHA requires employers to provide a workplace that is free of serious recognized hazards and in compliance with OSHA Standards. David Kennedy shares stories of occupational exposure to mercury in the dental workplace. 
NIOSH - Criteria for a Recommended Standard Occupational Exposure to Inorganic Mercury The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 created The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). NIOSH is an agency established to help assure safe and healthful working conditions for working men and women by providing research, information, education, and training in the field of occupational safety and health.
The Difference Between Mercury-Free and Mercury-Safe Dentistry Mercury free dentists have been known to polish and remove  "silver" amalgam fillings thereby exposing their patients and staff members to thousands of micrograms of mercury vapor and particulate matter. "Mercury Safe" dentists take every precaution to protect the patient, staff and environment from harmful mercury vapors and mercury contaminated particulate matter.
Mercury leaking from Kerr amalgam capsules during trituration Multiple federal service dental clinics have reported that mercury is released from Kerr amalgam capsules during trituration. Users have reported mercury in the mixing chambers of their triturators and have witnessed mercury ejection during trituration. The USAF Dental Investigation Service contacted The Kerr Corporation, who confirmed mercury is released from its capsules.
Exposure of Dental Workers to Mercury Dentists and their assistants were surveyed for potential health hazards associated with mercury amalgam fillings. Data collected during this study demonstrated the almost complete unawareness of most dental assistants and of many dentists that mercury could be hazardous; consequently, precautionary measures were almost nonexistent.
Mercury toxicity in the dental office: a neglected problem No longer can the dental profession ignore the problem of mercury contamination in the dental office. It is the moral responsibility that the dentist protect himself and his employees from any source that may be injurious to either his own physical well being or that of auxiliary personnel. It is also a legal responsibility under the enactment of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970.
Affordable Dental Office Mercury Screening by Mercury Instruments USA With public concerns related to mercury becoming more common, it is essential to have a partner that you can trust with your mercury compliance needs. Mercury Instruments USA has made it affordable for you to easily prove and defend that your dental practice is compliant with the OSHA & NIOSH (REL) recommended exposure limits for mercury vapor in the workplace.
OSHA rebukes the American Dental Trade Association and reiterates encapsulated amalgam is a hazard that requires an MSDS OSHA has noted the American Dental Trade Association's (ADTA) position that Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDSs) fall within FDA's definition of labeling. As we have discussed in earlier meetings, this is unfounded.
Chronic neurobehavioural effects of elemental mercury in dentists A significant increase in aggressive mood measured by the profile of mood states was found between exposed and control groups. This increase in aggressive mood seemed to be related to dose, suggesting possible effects of exposure to mercury vapour on personality. 

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Monday, 31 January 2011 16:06

Dr. Janet Stopka D.D.S. shares her mercury toxicity story with FDA

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Dr. Janet Stopka D.D.S.

Dr. Janet Stopka D.D.S.

Thank you for this opportunity to tell my story. My name is Dr. Janet Stopka D.D.S. I am a practicing dentist from the south side of Chicago. I wholeheartedly support mercury-free dentistry. I became mercury- free and a mercury- safe dentist in 1996 after joining the IAOMT (International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology) who assisted me in saving my life. I was able to get rid of all of my symptoms.

I have not used mercury as a restorative material in 14 years and my patients are given informed consents. No one has ever asked me to place mercury in their mouth. They all understand immediately that it is toxic. But yet, many of them don’t know they have it in their mouth! I learned it was toxic in second grade. I don’t let them breathe it in if it is removed and I no longer allow myself to breathe it in.

"Mercury is a poison not an allergen."

I would briefly like to describe my experience with mercury. I had three small amalgams in my mouth upon entering dental school placed when I was twelve.   My mercury issues started to become a problem when I entered dental school. ;There were approximately 90 students in my class. In technique class for preparing ourselves to work on live patients 90 students opened capsules of amalgam to scrape out fillings without vacuum suctions to pick up the scrap. Most of the bio-hazardous waste sat on the floor until the cleaning crew came in at night. The very next morning I woke up unable to bend five of my fingers. ;(Not a good symptom to have for a prospective dentist).

I went to doctors and they found I was perfectly healthy. Nothing was found wrong with me. I had blood tests done and even served in the USAF (United States Air Force) dental corps for three years. But the military places lots of mercury fillings. After my residency the first year, I was on the amalgam line for recurrent decay and fractured teeth. Over the course of the next few years I developed more symptoms despite the doctors telling me that I was perfectly healthy. My symptoms were not only the five swollen joints but...

Dr. Janet Stopka D.D.S. shares her mercury poisoning testimony with the FDA

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Dr. Janet Stopka D.D.S. shares her mercury poisoning testimony with the FDA

I was unable to digest food. I was unable to eat anything but eggs and yogurt.  Anything I ate made me bulimic.   It sat in my stomach like poison. I could not keep awake and would fall asleep during lectures. I even fell asleep during a comedy club in Las Vegas.  I had to sleep a minimum of 48 hours over the weekend. During the week I had to make myself exercise and sweat excessively and then sit in a sauna for an hour- BECAUSE IT MADE ME FEEL BETTER! My head felt like I had cellophane stuffed inside and my sinuses gave me a pounding headache. I wanted to kill myself. I was depressed. POOR ME - I am perfectly healthy.

 

Looking back at my life there is an old expression that hindsight is 20/20. Listen to what I observed in dental school....

My roommate lost part of her hearing, one of the top students in my class was forced to drop out due to the development of a hand tremor. A girl had her first seizure on the clinic floor while working on a patient - I HEARD THE SCREAM. Most of the girls made frequent trips to the health center for urinary tract infections. Most of the males in my class became alcoholics. One of the amalgam instructors was dying of cancer.

 

There is an old expression that hindsight is 20/20. And we all learned how toxic mercury is in second grade. Why when you graduate from dental school is it rendered nontoxic? Fortunate for me my uncle was a medical doctor (ENT, Allergist) and told me there was a problem with mercury. I remembered him saying that to me while I was in school.

I was mislead and misinformed by the ADA (American Dental Association).
Mercury fillings are a 200 year old mistake of the profession.

Because I wanted to become a productive member of society and graduate I poisoned myself.  I want to help prevent others from getting that ill. I can go on about how I detoxified myself but suffice it to say I can bend my fingers, I have no headaches, my ears are clear, and I can now eat a cow :-)

Dr. Janet Stopka D.D.S.

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1 Comment

  • Comment Link michael everett Friday, 02 September 2011 16:47 posted by michael everett

    Hi Janet, would you mind if I linked this to my soon to be updated website? Hope to see you in las Vegas.

    Mike Everett
    DentAirVac

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