Oral-Electro GALVANISM – Super charged fillings
Loosely adapted from the ebook “Let the Tooth Be Known” by Dawn Ewing, R.D.H., Ph. D., N. D.
You may be familiar with the term ‘galvanism’ in reference to batteries, defined as; the production of direct-current electricity from a chemical reaction, e.g. between dissimilar metals. But did you know that if you mix any two or more different metals in the mouth in the form of metal fillings with saliva, which acts as a conduit, an unnaturally high electric current will flow through your head? Ultimately the result of the various metals in fillings reacting with saliva is that the oral cavity essentially becomes a living battery.
Bizarre as it might sound, it is possible to measure oral electrical currents with medical equipment sensitive enough to measure very low voltage. The body’s normal electrical (bioenergetic) reading is right around 450 millivolts, but when saliva mixes with amalgam (or metal) fillings a measurable electric current of up to 1,000 millivolts can be detected. This kind of highly charged electrical current is suspected of overpowering the body’s normal electrical flows and potentially interfering with energy flow to the brain. It is also suspected of causing various irritations to the nervous system.
How It Works
There are two types of electrical activity on the surface of a filling. One is just like a regular battery, called ‘bimetallic’. Bimetallic activity happens when two or more dissimilar metals are in an electrolyte solution that conducts electricity. This bimetallic activity will produce a current or a flow of electrons. The other type of electrical activity is called differential aeration. This occurs between saliva and areas that contain different amounts of oxygen. This can be seen in the saliva covering a filling, because there is less oxygen than the saliva on the top of unrestored enamel. This differential aeration thus produces a current.
Potential Problems of Oral-Electro Galvanism
The electric currents and ionic flow between various dental alloys has been shown to cause irritation in the trigeminal nerve which is the main cranial nerve system; blocking the flow of major acupuncture meridians, which can in turn lead to greater dysfunction throughout the body.
Electro galvanism can cause or contribute to physical ailments such as:
- Epilepsy
- Hearing loss
- Eye problems
- Insomnia
- Psychological problems
- Tinnitus
- Lack of concentration and memory
- Vertigo
- Mouth pain
Additional signs and symptoms of galvanism include: headaches, an unpleasant metallic taste in the mouth, fainting spells, nausea, a burning sensation to tongue and unusually dry mouth. Medications may relieve some of these symptoms but removal of the material and replacement with a more biocompatible material is by far the best solution — and a better option than long-term use of medications that may have serious side effects.
Visual Detection
When mercury fillings are in close proximity to gold crowns, the mercury released into the body can be as much as ten times greater when compared to mercury fillings alone. A visible warning sign of galvanism is corrosion of the metal in the mouth. This corrosion results in leaching of metal ions into the body which can cause allergic or pathogenic disturbances. In gold or amalgam filling signs of pitting with oxidation are strong indicators of galvanism leading to the release of heavy metals into the body.
Exacerbating Illnesses – And Making Things Right
Once released into the body through galvanism, trauma or corrosion different dental metals are attracted to different tissues in the human body. For example, mercury will migrate to the brain, joints and kidneys, beryllium (used in some dental alloys) will deposit in the liver and kidneys; dental solders and dyes contain cadmium which is known to accumulate in the liver and kidneys; and nickel deposits itself into the skin, the central nervous system, as well as in the lungs and kidneys.
Biological dentistry is concerned with helping patients recover overall good health and well-being and we seek out anything that might cause a disturbance to the immune system; galvanism is just one of the issues we look for, particularly in patients whose immune system may be showing signs of compromise.