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<channel>
	<title>Cent4dent Blog</title>
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	<link>http://blog.cent4dent.com</link>
	<description>Bringing News from the Practice to our Patients</description>
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		<title>ACTUAL PASSPORT LETTER&#8212;&#8211;HILARIOUS!</title>
		<link>http://blog.cent4dent.com/2010/08/actual-passport-letter-hilarious/</link>
		<comments>http://blog.cent4dent.com/2010/08/actual-passport-letter-hilarious/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 22 Aug 2010 13:13:01 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Steve Markus</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Rant]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.cent4dent.com/?p=333</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[ This letter is a thing of beauty (even if
 the language is a bit rough)..
 You definitely feel the guy&#8217;s pain! An
 actual letter to the passport
 office&#8230;
 Dear Sirs,
 I&#8217;m in the process of renewing my passport,
 and still cannot believe this.
 How is it that Radio Shack has my address
 and telephone [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p> This letter is a thing of beauty (even if<br />
 the language is a bit rough)..<br />
 You definitely feel the guy&#8217;s pain! An<br />
 actual letter to the passport<br />
 office&#8230;</p>
<p> Dear Sirs,</p>
<p> I&#8217;m in the process of renewing my passport,<br />
 and still cannot believe this.<br />
 How is it that Radio Shack has my address<br />
 and telephone number and knows<br />
 that I bought a cable t.v. from them back<br />
 in 1987, and yet, the Federal<br />
 Government is still asking me where I was<br />
 born and on what date.</p>
<p> For Christ sakes, do you guys do this by<br />
 hand? My birth date you have on<br />
 my social security card, and it is on all<br />
 the income tax forms I&#8217;ve filed<br />
 for the past 30 years. It is on my health<br />
 insurance card, my driver&#8217;s<br />
 license, on the last eight damn passports<br />
 I&#8217;ve had, on all those stupid customs<br />
 declaration forms I&#8217;ve had to fill out<br />
 before being allowed off the plane<br />
 over the last 30 years, and all those<br />
 insufferable census forms that are done<br />
 at election times.</p>
<p> Would somebody please take note, once and<br />
 for all, that my mother&#8217;s name<br />
 is Maryanne, my father&#8217;s name is Robert and<br />
 I&#8217;d be absolutely astounded if<br />
 that ever changed between now and when I<br />
 die!!!!!!</p>
<p> I apologize, I&#8217;m really pissed off this<br />
 morning. Between you an&#8217; me, I&#8217;ve<br />
 had enough of this bullshit! You send the<br />
 application to my house, then you<br />
 ask me for my address?</p>
<p> What is going on? Do you have a gang of<br />
 Neanderthal asses working there!</p>
<p> Look at my damn picture. Do I look like Bin<br />
 Laden? I don&#8217;t want to dig up<br />
 Yasser Arafat, I just want to go and park my<br />
 ass on a sandy beach.</p>
<p> And would someone please tell me, why would<br />
 you care whether I plan on<br />
 visiting a farm in the next 15 days? If I<br />
 ever got the urge to do something<br />
 weird to a chicken or a goat, believe you<br />
 me, I&#8217;d sure as hell not want to<br />
 tell anyone!</p>
<p> Well, I have to go now, &#8217;cause I have to go<br />
 to the other end of the city<br />
 and get another copy of my birth<br />
 certificate, to the tune of $60. Would it<br />
 be so complicated to have all the services<br />
 in the same spot to assist in<br />
 the issuance of a new passport the same<br />
 day?? Nooooo, that&#8217;d be too damn easy<br />
 and maybe make sense. You&#8217;d rather have us<br />
 running all over the place<br />
 like chickens with our heads cut off, then<br />
 find some idiot to confirm that<br />
 it&#8217;s really me on the damn picture &#8211; you<br />
 know, the one where we&#8217;re not<br />
 allowed to smile?! (bureaucratic morons)<br />
 Hey, you know why we can&#8217;t smile?<br />
 We&#8217;re totally pissed off!</p>
<p> Signed &#8211; An Irate Citizen.</p>
<p> P.S.. Remember what I said above about the<br />
 picture and getting someone to<br />
 confirm that it&#8217;s me? Well, my family has<br />
 been in this country since 1776<br />
 &#8230;&#8230;.I have served in the military for<br />
 something over 30 years and have<br />
 had security clearances up the<br />
 yingyang&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;.However, I have to get<br />
 someone &#8216;important&#8217; to verify who I am &#8211;<br />
 you know, someone like my doctor WHO WAS BORN AND RAISED IN INDIA !</p>
<p> Sincerely,</p>
<p> You Sure In The Hell Should Know Who I Am.</p>
<p> &#8230;&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;And you want to run our<br />
 health care system?!?</p>
<p>Read more about mangled care: www.cent4dent.com </p>
]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>&#8220;Mission Accomplished&#8221; in the Gulf?  Hardly!</title>
		<link>http://blog.cent4dent.com/2010/08/mission-accomplished-in-the-gulf-hardly/</link>
		<comments>http://blog.cent4dent.com/2010/08/mission-accomplished-in-the-gulf-hardly/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 17 Aug 2010 23:49:36 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Steve Markus</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Activism]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[BP]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[crisis]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[dental care]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[gulf oil]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.cent4dent.com/?p=330</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[BP has the problem solved?  Hardly, We've Only Just Begun]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>As BP and government leaders rush to hang a <strong>&#8220;Mission Accomplished&#8221;</strong> banner on the BP drilling disaster, troubling environmental and community impacts have not been addressed by BP, state or federal leaders.   To view it, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/healthygulf1">click here</a>, or go to You Tube, and search Gulf Network or Healthy Gulf.  </p>
<p>This episode of GRN&#8217;s Gulf Tides covers plans for over 100 miles of dredged sand berms to block oil from Louisiana&#8217;s marsh. We interview Len Bahr, Ph.D., of LACoastPost.com, the coastal science advisor to 5 former Louisiana Governors, who questions the wisdom and effectiveness of the berms, while GRN&#8217;s own Matt Rota underscores the unintended negative impacts of other decisions made in the coastal area, such as cutting oil &#038; gas canals through the marsh.</p>
<p>We also spend time with Boat People SOS&#8217;s Danny Lee, who discusses the challenges the Vietnamese commercial fishing fleet has had joining BP&#8217;s Vessels of Opportunity Program to get work on the clean up effort.  With many commercial shrimpers choosing to forgo the August shrimp season (which opened yesterday) due to concerns about the shrimp and the seafood markets<br />
The Gulf Restoration Network remains committed to bringing you authentic voices and views from the Gulf&#8217;s affected communities. This episode features great local music from NOLA&#8217;s Anders Osborne, Stanton Moore and Irvin Mayfield.  We are once again honored to have Academy Award-winning actor Tim Robbins narrate the series.</p>
<p>Our call to action for this YouTube episode links to supporting our campaign to make sure the story doesn&#8217;t fade once the media move one.  Once you&#8217;ve watched and shared Gulf Tides, please click through and support GRN&#8217;s work with a donation!<br />
So please watch the video, and learn more about the sand berm proposal, and the challenges facing the Vietnamese shrimping community. Then, please share the video with your friends, family or facebook.  </p>
<p><a href="http://www.cent4dent.com">Dr. Steve Markus</a>, of Haddon Heights, NJ has joined forces with dental colleagues across the country to extend the following offer:  ALL NEW PATIENTS WHO VISIT OUR OFFICE BETWEEN NOW AND THE END OF OCTOBER WILL HAVE 10% OF THE FEES THEY PAY DONATED TO SUPPORT THIS INDEPENDENT NON-PROFIT THAT HAS BEEN OVERSEEING THE GULF FOR OVER 16 YEARS.  VISIT THE WEBSITE FOR <a href="http://www.SmilesForWildlife.org">&#8220;SMILES FOR WILDLIFE&#8221;</a> WHERE YOU WILL FIND MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS PROGRAM, AND LINKS TO GULF RESTORATION NETWORK.</p>
<p>For the Gulf, our coast, and communities<br />
Aaron Viles<br />
Campaign Director</p>
]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Civil War Surgeon General was court-martialed for ordering end to mercury</title>
		<link>http://blog.cent4dent.com/2010/08/civil-war-surgeon-general-was-court-martialed-for-ordering-end-to-mercury/</link>
		<comments>http://blog.cent4dent.com/2010/08/civil-war-surgeon-general-was-court-martialed-for-ordering-end-to-mercury/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 17 Aug 2010 23:16:09 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Steve Markus</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Mercury Toxicity Information]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[civil war]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[fillings]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[mercury]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[toxicity]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.cent4dent.com/?p=328</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[How can the American Dental Association keep dentists ignorant for so long?  What is their ulterior motive?]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Sometimes we must all pause and ask: Why do the pro-mercury dentists resist change so vociferously?  Why do these protectors of a primitive, polluting product put quick-and-easy profits ahead of patient health, the environment, and worker safety?  It’s tempting to say such resistance is unprecedented.</p>
<p>Not so.</p>
<p>Last week, I toured the National Museum of Civil War Medicine in Frederick, Maryland.  While at the museum, I bought its book about Civil War medicine: Death in the Breeze by Bonnie Brice Dorwart, M.D.  Mercury’s use was so prevalent, and even then so controversial, that the author devotes two chapters just to mercury &#8212; prescribed by physicians in that era to treat soldiers for dysentery, typhoid, malaria, pneumonia, and syphilis.</p>
<p>Some physicians opposed pushing mercury onto unsuspecting patients.  In fact, an early hero of the mercury-free movement was none other than the Surgeon General of the United States himself, William A. Hammond.  Realizing that mercury should have no role in medicine, Hammond courageously issued General Order #6 on May 4, 1863, banning its use by Army physicians.  But by issuing an order to protect soldiers from dying from mercury toxicity, Hammond signed his own political death warrant.  Immediately, the medical establishment started calling for his ouster.  The American Medical Association assigned delegates from every state to work against Order #6.  On August 18, 1864, the AMA’s smear campaign succeeded:  Surgeon General Hammond was court-martialed and cashiered out. </p>
<p>The American Medical Association defeated Hammond, but could not defeat the truth.  More dissident physicians sprung up to oppose mercury, including the renowned Boston poet-physician Oliver Wendell Holmes (the father of the famous judge).  Surgeon General Hammond was ultimately vindicated.  Today, the Civil War use of mercury as a tonic is ridiculed.  In the prologue to Dr. Dorwart’s 2009 book, Dr. H. Ralph Schumacher Jr., Professor of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, states:  “Many therapies such as purging and mercury may have hastened death.”  Then he adds, prophetically:  “What will our successors think of our efforts 150 years from now?”</p>
<p>Future generations not only will condemn the American Dental Association for implanting a neurotoxin into the human body, but no doubt they will resent cleaning up after the irresponsible dentists who polluted our planet with mercury.  However, like Surgeon General Hammond, we now have the opportunity to stand up publicly against mercury abusers.  Then it was the medical establishment; today it is the dental establishment.</p>
<p>In preparation for the hearings on dental amalgam to be held in December, FDA is accepting public comments online.  Speak out for mercury-free dentistry by clicking here to submit a comment.  Tell FDA about:<br />
•	your injuries caused by amalgam,<br />
•	your children’s exposure to mercury,<br />
•	how your mercury fillings were implanted without your informed consent,<br />
•	how bad dental mercury is for the environment,<br />
•	how deceptive FDA’s dental amalgam website is, or<br />
•	any other concerns relating to mercury fillings.<br />
You might want to tell FDA, too, that the American Medical Association did all that it could to protect mercury in the 19th century, endangering countless lives.  Now the ADA is doing all it can to protect mercury in the 21st century.  Will FDA stand up to the American Dental Association like Surgeon General Hammond stood up to the American Medical Association, or will FDA continue to defend mercury implanted in children’s teeth?</p>
<p>&#8211; Charlie<br />
Charles G. Brown<br />
National Counsel, Consumers for Dental Choice<br />
President, World Alliance for Mercury-Free Dentistry<br />
17 August 2010</p>
<p>For more information, visit the mercury issues pages of www.Cent4Dent.com </p>
]]></content:encoded>
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		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Thank you, Servando!</title>
		<link>http://blog.cent4dent.com/2010/08/thank-you-servando/</link>
		<comments>http://blog.cent4dent.com/2010/08/thank-you-servando/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 04 Aug 2010 13:05:59 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Steve Markus</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Mercury Toxicity Information]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[mercury detoxification]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[mercury fillings]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.cent4dent.com/?p=326</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The mercury free desire of this patient ledto a hunger strike, and finally Spanish government concession.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Thank you, Servando!</p>
<p>After a month-long lock-in at a Spanish hospital and a bold hunger strike, Professor Servando Pérez has won the right to detoxification treatment for his dental mercury poisoning. </p>
<p>As president of the Spanish amalgam-poisoned patient association Mercuriados, and First Vice President of the World Alliance for Mercury-Free Dentistry, Servando is a well-respected leader of the mercury-free dentistry movement. His Spanish court case established that Spain’s public health care system is required to pay for the chelation of amalgam-poisoned patients.  When the hospital attempted to subvert the court’s decision, Servando refused to leave the hospital until he received treatment.  Harassed and pressured by hospital staff, he declared a hunger strike last week to protest this egregious denial of treatment.  People from around the world contacted the hospital administrators and the Spanish government, voicing their support for the Gandhi of the mercury-free dentistry movement. </p>
<p>Finally, the hospital relented late last week.  Servando was referred to a toxicologist for treatment – a step hospital administrators should have taken over a month ago.  While there remain concerns over the quality of treatment (there is a proper way to remove mercury, be sure to visit the mercury issues pages of www.Cent4Dent.com) he will receive, this achievement is nonetheless a momentous leap forward in the battle to help amalgam victims. </p>
<p>Clara Valverde, President of the Spanish environmental illness association Liga SFC, issued the following statement on behalf of Servando: “We want to thank all the scientists, doctors, associations and individuals who, all over the world, during Servando’s lock-in and hunger strike, have contacted the Spanish and the Galician [provincial] authorities to protest for Servando&#8217;s situation and who have shown support for our fight. We hope to continue to count on your support.” </p>
<p>Thank you to everyone who spoke out in support of Servando.  And thank you, Servando, for all the work you do for this movement. </p>
<p>&#8211; Charlie</p>
<p>Charles G. Brown<br />
President, World Alliance for Mercury-Free Dentistry<br />
National Counsel, Consumers for Dental Choice<br />
3 August 2010</p>
]]></content:encoded>
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		<item>
		<title>Mercury Fillings Removed Properly</title>
		<link>http://blog.cent4dent.com/2010/08/mercury-fillings-removed-properly/</link>
		<comments>http://blog.cent4dent.com/2010/08/mercury-fillings-removed-properly/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 03 Aug 2010 01:00:18 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Steve Markus</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Mercury Toxicity Information]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[blurred vision]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[brain fog]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[mercury fillings]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.cent4dent.com/?p=324</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[There are few dentists who understand the proper technique for mercury filling removal.  Visit the mercuryissues page of www.cent4dent.com ]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Dr Markus ,</p>
<p>After 18 to 20 years of psychiatric drugs, (which usually made me feel<br />
worse) one deviated septum operation, and trying every supplement on the<br />
market  I was totally deflated. I am 42 and I was becoming convinced I had<br />
early on-set Alzheimer&#8217;s. I was losing not only my vision, but also my<br />
hearing, memory and ability to  &#8220;think on my feet&#8221;. </p>
<p>The severe headaches were becoming common and my joints hurt so bad , I would wince in pain<br />
whenever I would utilize them. You and your staff quickly determined, it was<br />
likely I had heavy metal poisoning. I went to The Chung Institute at your<br />
recommendation. Having the Mercury Laden Amalgam fillings removed by an experienced professional<br />
(you) was the single most important step I could take to restore my health!</p>
<p>Dr. Shin is still working with me to remove the heavy metals. When I first<br />
went to see him, he told me, &#8220;get all the silver/mercury fillings  removed from your teeth and<br />
then we can proceed.&#8221; A lot of people think being poisoned by your fillings<br />
is hooey. I would like to tell them, when they come to their senses, to go<br />
see you and get the poison removed from their mouths.</p>
<p>Thanks,<br />
Geoff</p>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://blog.cent4dent.com/2010/08/mercury-fillings-removed-properly/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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		<item>
		<title>Mercury Fillings Removed &#8211; feeling better</title>
		<link>http://blog.cent4dent.com/2010/08/mercury-fillings-removed-feeling-better/</link>
		<comments>http://blog.cent4dent.com/2010/08/mercury-fillings-removed-feeling-better/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 03 Aug 2010 00:58:37 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Steve Markus</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Testimonials]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[brain fog]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[mercury fillings]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[vision problems]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.cent4dent.com/?p=322</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Dr Markus ,
After 18 to 20 years of psychiatric drugs, (which usually made me feel
worse) one deviated septum operation, and trying every supplement on the
market  I was totally deflated. I am 42 and I was becoming convinced I had
early on-set Alzheimer&#8217;s. I was losing not only my vision, but also my
hearing, memory and ability [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Dr Markus ,</p>
<p>After 18 to 20 years of psychiatric drugs, (which usually made me feel<br />
worse) one deviated septum operation, and trying every supplement on the<br />
market  I was totally deflated. I am 42 and I was becoming convinced I had<br />
early on-set Alzheimer&#8217;s. I was losing not only my vision, but also my<br />
hearing, memory and ability to  &#8220;think on my feet&#8221;. </p>
<p>The severe headaches were becoming common and my joints hurt so bad , I would wince in pain<br />
whenever I would utilize them. You and your staff quickly determined, it was<br />
likely I had heavy metal poisoning. I went to The Chung Institute at your<br />
recommendation. Having the Mercury Laden Amalgam fillings removed by an experienced professional<br />
(you) was the single most important step I could take to restore my health!</p>
<p>Dr. Shin is still working with me to remove the heavy metals. When I first<br />
went to see him, he told me, &#8220;get all the silver/mercury fillings  removed from your teeth and<br />
then we can proceed.&#8221; A lot of people think being poisoned by your fillings<br />
is hooey. I would like to tell them, when they come to their senses, to go<br />
see you and get the poison removed from their mouths.</p>
<p>Thanks,<br />
Geoff</p>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://blog.cent4dent.com/2010/08/mercury-fillings-removed-feeling-better/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>With World Questioning Mercury Fillings, FDA Backs Down</title>
		<link>http://blog.cent4dent.com/2010/06/with-world-questioning-mercury-fillings-fda-backs-down/</link>
		<comments>http://blog.cent4dent.com/2010/06/with-world-questioning-mercury-fillings-fda-backs-down/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 22 Jun 2010 22:29:19 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Steve Markus</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Activism]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mercury Toxicity Information]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[FDA]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[mercury fillings]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[WHO]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.cent4dent.com/?p=320</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Charlie Brown hits it out of the park before the WHO - The FDA is tottering.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Dear Friends,</p>
<p>After months of preparation and an overwhelming response from you when we asked for help to get our movement to the world mercury treaty negotiations, we had an enormous impact at the first negotiating session in Stockholm, Sweden (to view photos click here*).  We had our first opportunity to address a hundred nations at once about our cause during our opening speech to the governmental delegates (<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_HIrjoaWpTE ">to watch speech click here</a>).  Our highly talented and energetic international team of advocates and mercury-free dentists from seven nations ran an information booth, distributed literature, gave presentations, networked with like-minded organizations, educated delegates, and convinced the world that it must find a solution to the dental mercury problem:</p>
<p>&#8212; The United Nations Environmental Programme officials observed that dental amalgam drew more interest than any other single issue during the session.  As a result, substantial attention will be devoted to dental mercury between now and the next session in January.</p>
<p>&#8212; The Scandinavian nations pointedly asked the world’s nations to join them in phasing out amalgam.</p>
<p>&#8212; Leaders from four developing nations asked us to assist them in organizing pilot programs for phasing out amalgam, a critical step according to the UN. </p>
<p>&#8212; Diplomats from the U.S. State Department and top officials from the U.S. EPA were engaged in our message and requesting more information.</p>
<p>&#8212; The leaders of the World Health Organization shifted from defending amalgam use to outlining the steps it endorses to reduce its use.</p>
<p>I can’t say enough about the team we assembled in Stockholm.  We were tutored by Elisabet Carlsson, the advocate whose work led to the Swedish ban on amalgam.  Dentist Graeme Munro-Hall of Great Britain, co-author with his wife Lilian of ToxicDentistry Exposed, eloquently explained the science supporting mercury-free dentistry.  We joined forces with the dedicated leaders of our movement in other major countries, such as Servando Pérez-Dominguez of Spain, Marie Grosman of France, and Angela Kilmartin of Great Britain.  The multi-lingual talents of Anita Vazquez Tibau of California and Kathy Huddlestone of France allowed us to reach out to even more delegates.  And so many other outstanding folks stepped in to help out.</p>
<p>When the U.S. Food and Drug Administration showed up at the Stockholm session to protect mercury fillings, our international team was right there to expose the flaws in the agency’s amalgam defense.  Back in the United States, FDA was already facing a grassroots outcry from the American people and three separate petitions filed by Jim Turner, by Bob Reeves and Jim Love, and by emeritus University of Virginia professor Dr. Richard Edlich.  With the Scandinavians announcing that “dental treatment without mercury is becoming the norm” and other health departments at least putting limits on amalgam use, FDA realized that it is the pariah on the dental mercury issue (countries such as Sweden, Norway, and the Netherlands have phased out amalgam; Germany and Canada direct dentists not to use it in vulnerable populations; Japan uses it in less than 4% of fillings; etc.).  In an attempt to save face the day before the negotiating session ended, FDA announced that it will hold hearings in December before the next UN session to consider whether American children, pregnant women, and other vulnerable populations should be protected from dental mercury exposure.     </p>
<p>We could not have come this far without all our grassroots activists and supporters, both national and now international.  In the words of FDA Webview, your efforts have been “unprecedented”:  “No final rule in FDA’s modern history, or perhaps ever, has attracted this kind of organized opposition.”  Thanks to all of you, our movement has made FDA realize that the mercury fillings issue is not going away. </p>
<p>&#8211; Charlie </p>
<p>Charles G. Brown, National Counsel<br />
Consumers for Dental Choice<br />
316 F St., N.E., Suite 210, Washington, DC 20002<br />
Ph. 202.544-6333; fax 202.544-6331<br />
charlie@toxicteeth.org, www.toxicteeth.org </p>
<p>* also available at http://toxicteeth.org/World-Mercury-Treaty-Gallery/<br />
**also available at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_HIrjoaWpTE </p>
<p>for further information, visit the <a href="http://www.cent4dent.com">mercury issues page </a>of our website</p>
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		<title>Amalgam on Trial: Will it set precedent for dental treatment?</title>
		<link>http://blog.cent4dent.com/2010/06/amalgam-on-trial-will-it-set-precedent-for-dental-treatment/</link>
		<comments>http://blog.cent4dent.com/2010/06/amalgam-on-trial-will-it-set-precedent-for-dental-treatment/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 18 Jun 2010 01:57:08 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Steve Markus</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Mercury Toxicity Information]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cent4dent.com]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[fillings]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[mercury]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[learn more at the mercury issues page of www.cent4dent.com ]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Even though the American Dental Association (ADA) Council on Scientific Affairs took that stance that dental amalgam is safe, affordable, and durable for dental treatments, The Supreme Court of New York Appellate Division recently upheld an original ruling declining the appeal of dentist, Dr. Bach, for malpractice when he used bulk amalgam instead of encapsulated amalgam for a restoration that poisoned dental patient, Freya Koss, a PA of  Coalition for Mercury-Free Dentistry.<br />
Dental amalgam contains a mix of mercury and other metals and has been used for dentistry over 150 years. It is still used in dentistry world-wide, but dentists have chosen to reduce the quantity of mercury present. Modern alternative dental materials, such as composite resins and porcelain, are now more commonly used. The New England Children&#8217;s Amalgam Trial (NECAT) results indicate that besides the cost benefits and durability of dental amalgam fillings containing mercury, the mercury contains bacteriostatic agents that can limit growth of decay-causing bacteria.<br />
By using mercury-containing bulk amalgam instead of a more suitable pre-measured capsulated amalgam filling, Dr. Bach was seen to depart from standard dental practice procedures that resulted in the plaintiff&#8217;s poisoning. Evidence included vapor test results that indicated the presence of gaseous mercury in the patient&#8217;s mouth. The ruling means that a triable issue of fact has been raised, and the outcome of this trial may or may not set precedent for future regulations in dental treatment.</p>
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		<title>Heavy Metals, Mercury and Cancer</title>
		<link>http://blog.cent4dent.com/2010/05/heavy-metals-mercury-and-cancer/</link>
		<comments>http://blog.cent4dent.com/2010/05/heavy-metals-mercury-and-cancer/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 19 May 2010 16:25:45 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Steve Markus</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Mercury Toxicity Information]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[mercury toxicity]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.cent4dent.com/?p=316</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Heavy Metals, Mercury and Cancer
By Mark Sircus   
Dr. Rashid Buttar testified before congress that “the association of mercury to chronic diseases is well documented in the didactic scientific literature. The search for the association between mercury and cardiovascular disease reveals 358 scientific papers exemplifying the relationship ; between mercury and cancer we find [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Heavy Metals, Mercury and Cancer<br />
By Mark Sircus   </p>
<p>Dr. Rashid Buttar testified before congress that “the association of mercury to chronic diseases is well documented in the didactic scientific literature. The search for the association between mercury and cardiovascular disease reveals 358 scientific papers exemplifying the relationship ; between mercury and cancer we find 643 scientific papers . The association of mercury with neurodegenerative diseases is the most significant, with the references numbering 1,445.” The official position currently is that there is “some” evidence that methylmercury can cause cancer in humans.  The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has classified methylmercury as “possibly carcinogenic to humans”. </p>
<p>Lead and aluminum are other common heavy metals that have been shown to dramatically increase the toxicity of mercury. Interestingly, lead is the final end product of the step by step radioactive decay of uranium, no wonder it&#8217;s so toxic. Medical researchers are still trying to understand the numerous processes by which various heavy metals (lead, mercury, cadmium, arsenic, chromium, etc.) contribute to carcinogenesis but everywhere in officialdom we find ridiculous doubts about their effects especially when it comes to mercury and its high state of toxicity. </p>
<p>It has been shown that mercury rapidly depletes the immune system. Mercury has also been shown to induce auto-immune diseases. Anything that depletes and disturbs the immune system will increase one&#8217;s chances of contracting cancer. Mercury binds with hemoglobin, which is responsible for oxygen transport to the tissues. This results in less oxygen reaching the tissues when the body is polluted with mercury. We don&#8217;t have to look far in understanding how a heavy metal like mercury can eventually lead one to cancer&#8217;s door. </p>
<p>“There is no safe level of mercury, and no one has actually shown that there is a safe level,” said Dr. Lars Friberg, Chief Adviser to the WHO on mercury safety. Survival Medicine for the 21st Century (2,200 page compendium) has a two hundred page section called The Rising Tide of Mercury because mercury toxicity needs to be factored into all notions of health and disease today. According to the observations made by the internationally recognized medical researcher, Yoshiaki Omura, MD, all cancer cells have mercury in them . </p>
<p>Dr. Hans Nolte wrote, “The wave spectrum of mercury contains more than thirteen wavelengths, whereas only one or two frequencies or wavelengths are usually observed for the other heavy or noble metals.” [1] It is Dr. Nolte&#8217;s belief that the many harmful effects of mercury could be explained to some degree on the basis of this great variety of wavelengths. Dr. Omura&#8217;s clinical observation concludes that one of the primary reasons cancer returns is because residual mercury reignites a pathological environment even after surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, and alternative therapies report a positive effect. </p>
<p>Heavy metals clog up receptor sites, break and bend sulfur bonds in<br />
important enzymes like insulin, damage the DNA and in general<br />
muck up everything and anything to do with healthy biological life. </p>
<p>There is a growing body of scientific research that suggests heavy metals contribute to carcinogenesis by inducing/increasing oxidative stress. [2] Oxidative stress damages DNA and can lead to mutations which promote cancer. [3] , [4] , [5] Heavy metals also disrupt the process of Apoptosis (programmed cell death). [6] Apoptosis is vital for safe removal of sick/unhealthy cells, including cells that may become cancerous.<br />
Heavy metals create contaminated environments both inside and outside the cells. These environments attract all kinds of pathogens – viruses, bacteria and fungi. Some say many cancers are caused by infections others say cancer is an infection and others will insist until they reach their graves that cancer is strictly human cells running amuck with their DNA gone crazy. That many doctors believe this it does not make it true.<br />
Our definition of cancer is a little more broad minded than blaming malfunctioning human DNA as the sole cause of cancer. Cancer is a prime example of how heavy metal toxicity, free radical damage, pathogen infection, mineral and vitamin deficiencies, inflammation, mitochondria dysfunction, immune system depression, genetic mutation, cell wall damage and oxidative stress all come together into an end stage life threatening condition. Cancer treatment can be approached in many ways but the best way would be to address all these problems simultaneously. </p>
<p>Cancer and Mercury Laden Dental Amalgam<br />
Most of our cancer patients have<br />
a lot of amalgam dental fillings.<br />
Professor W Kostler<br />
Mercury vapors in the mouth which spreads mercury to all points in the body, increased use of antibiotics, periodontal disease, inappropriate oral care, yeast and fungal overgrowth, and decreasing immune strength are all colliding and reinforcing each other in a downward spiral that leads to chronic diseases and cancer. Each year in the U.S. an estimated 40 tons of mercury are used to prepare mercury-amalgam dental restorations . Scientific studies have concluded that the amalgam is the source for more than two thirds of the mercury in our human population. On a daily basis each amalgam releases on the order of 10 micrograms of mercury into the body. This mercury either accumulates in the body or is excreted via urine and feces into our wastewater systems.<br />
Mercury from amalgam fillings has been shown to be neurotoxic,<br />
embryotoxic, mutagenic, teratogenic, immunotoxic and clastogenic.<br />
It is capable of causing immune dysfunction and auto-immune diseases.<br />
Dr. Robert Gammal<br />
Dentists and their parent dental associations are loath to inform patients that the mercury they place in the mouth is a deadly poison that negatively influences not only their oral environments but total body physiology as well. This is a shame that the majority of dentists will take to their grave. “Mercury is one of the most potent chemical inhibitors of thiol-sensitive enzymes and mercury vapour easily penetrates into the central nervous system,” writes Dr. Boyd Haley who goes on to say, “Amalgams leak mercury, this is a fact that any chemistry department can confirm. We have made amalgam fillings outside of the mouth, placed these fillings in sterile water for 15 minutes to several hours. We then tested this water for toxicity to tubulin and creatine kinase. The result was that the solutions in which amalgams were soaked (even for fifteen minutes) were extremely toxic. This work is supported by reports doing similar experiments at the University of Michigan Dental School where they described solutions in which amalgams were soaked as being ‘extremely cytotoxic.&#8217;<br />
It is estimated that an amalgam filling will release up to half of<br />
its mercury content over a ten year period (50% corrosion rate).<br />
Dr. Robert Gammal<br />
Dr. Hal A. Huggins stated that amalgam fillings can devastate human health. The most common form of exposure to mercury is by inhalation of vapor and there is widespread general agreement that this leads to a slowly developing and insidious poisoning, which at first yields psychic and other general effects that are vague and difficult to diagnose. Yet dentists have continued to expose children to the toxic effects of mercury.<br />
Periodontitis, Mercury and Candida<br />
According to an article recently published in the Archives of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery, chronic periodontitis is associated with an increased risk of developing cancer of the tongue among men. Researchers at the University at Buffalo and Roswell Park Cancer Institute have found the same thing. Another recent study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute linked periodontal disease to pancreatic cancer as well. “Our study provides the first strong evidence that periodontal disease may increase the risk of pancreatic cancer,” said Dr Dominique Michaud of the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston, who led the research. Men with a history of periodontal disease had a 64 per cent increased risk of pancreatic cancer than men with no such history.<br />
And increased severity of periodontitis, for example with recent tooth loss, had the greatest risk. People with periodontal disease have an increased level of inflammatory markers such as C reactive protein (CRP) in their blood. These markers are part of an early immune system response to persistent inflammation and have been linked to the development of pancreatic cancer. It is the high levels of carcinogenic compounds (especially mercury) that are present in the mouths of people with periodontal disease that increases risk of pancreatic cancer.<br />
Mercury is invisible in vapor form. The FDA says it&#8217;s everywhere. People with mercury fillings suffer VAPORS FROM HELL in their mouths, fumes from their mercury dental fillings that rise up from their teeth 24/7 with more powerful bursts when chewing or drinking hot fluids. Mercury vapors play havoc on the body through a host of means the least of which is to feed the bacteria, fungi and yeasts that thrive on mercury. Mercury will promote the growth of Candida, though as it adsorbs the mercury it thereby protects the system to a certain extent from its toxicity until they are saturated then they begin to re-release the mercury in organic form.<br />
The list of organisms that have the highest affinity for toxic metals<br />
reads like a “who&#8217;s who” of our typical human infectious diseases:<br />
fungi of the Candida species, streptococci, staphylococci, amoebas, etc.<br />
Dr. Dietrich Klinghardt<br />
Candida (yeast) overgrowth, which is very difficult to get rid of, is also associated with mercury in the mouth. Dr. Tullio Simoncini insists cancer is intimately linked to Candida overgrowth and that life threatening tumors are actually fungi colonies sucking up all available nutrients. The general line of thought though is the body produces yeast as a defense against excess metals. The yeast cell binds and absorbs its own weight in mercury and prevents it from entering the blood stream. Dr. J. Trowbridge has written in his book “The Yeast Syndrome,” that some doctors specializing in Candida treatment have reported to him that they have discovered clinically that 98% of their patients with chronic Candida also had mercury toxicity.<br />
When we look at the fungal and yeast infections that are an integral aspect of cancer we should begin to understand the desperate need to include chelation of mercury in each and every cancer treatment. Mercury fed Candida become more and more virulent and eventually penetrates and roots into the intestinal walls and invades the cells. These fungal microorganisms become quite at home in the cell, and can easily be considered a principle characteristic of cancer. Sodium bicarbonate, which is proving to be effective against cancer, is lethal to yeasts and fungi growths because it increases the flow of Oxygen to all cells including the cancer cells that thrive on Oxygen&#8217;s absence.<br />
Bone Cancer </p>
<p>Some 65% to 75% of advanced breast and prostate cancer patients eventually suffer bone metastases so there is an immense need for a medicinal that will reach into the bones. The resulting swelling and fractures can cause excruciating pain and may require radiation, chemotherapy, or amputation. To ease the agony and strengthen the bones, doctors prescribed $1.4 billion worth of a bone-boosting drug called Zometa, from Novartis in 2008. The only treatment that will reach down to the bones is sodium bicarbonate. Intravenous application is ineffective but one can throw oneself into bathtubs full of several pounds of baking soda and magnesium salts and take the bicarbonate also orally to radically change the pH in all the tissues including the bones. Sodium bicarbonate increases CO2 levels which also will have the effect of increasing Oxygen to the tissues.<br />
Antibiotics as a Cause of Cancer?<br />
When we consider mercury as one of the basic causes of cancer we can begin to review our estimates on iatrogenic death and disease. Mercury weakens the immune system and leaves people vulnerable to acute infection. Mercury is often at the heart of periodontitis and many other diseases yet the vast majority of dentists, the American Dental Association and the FDA are still in denial. It is bad enough that they plant the mercury in the mouth but then they add insult and injury by prescribing, as they do, antibiotics that make the entire situation worse with the yeasts and fungus . Fungal overgrowth occurs because its natural competitors have been removed, which easily becomes the case with antibiotic usage.<br />
Iatrogenic dentistry is a new concept that has yet to be explored but already a great part of the civilized world understands the incredible stupidity and cruelty of fluoridated water, toothpaste and fluoride treatments at the dental clinic and the continued widespread use of mercury containing dental amalgam. Harvard University Medical Center is just one of many universities that recognize fluoride as a cause of cancer. If one wants to study the basic elements of terrorism one need look no further than the people and organizations that support the fluoridation of public water supplies and those who insist on putting mercury in peoples&#8217; and children&#8217;s mouths. It is very difficult to accept the devastating reality about what dentists have done to humanity.<br />
It&#8217;s impossible for the government to be honest about mercury pollution because they themselves sponsor injecting mercury directly into the blood stream with their flu vaccines and the government still supports its use in dentistry no matter how dangerous it is. Doctors and dentists have a hard time coming clean about their public betrayal. “I don&#8217;t feel comfortable using a substance designated by the Environmental Protection Agency to be a waste disposal hazard. I can&#8217;t throw it in the trash, bury it in the ground, or put it in a landfill, but they say it is OK to put it in people&#8217;s mouths. That doesn&#8217;t make sense.”—Richard. Fischer, D.D.S<br />
Mercury Rising<br />
A primary route for the toxicity of mercury, cadmium and nickel<br />
is depletion of glutathione and bonding to sulfhydryl groups<br />
of proteins. Arsenic (As) is thought to bind directly to critical thiols.<br />
It is through mercury&#8217;s attack on these sulfide bonds (SH) that mercury is able to transform the biological properties of proteins and change important physiological functions. Mercury is attracted to ‘active sites&#8217; on genetic code molecules called deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). The inter-relationships between cancer and mercury deserve much more attention as mercury is bioaccumulating in the environment becoming more prevalent globally.<br />
“Thiol poisons, especially mercury and its compounds, reacting with SH groups of proteins lead to the lowered activity of various enzymes containing sulfhydryl groups. This produces a series of disruptions in the functional activity of many organs and tissues of the organism,” writes Professor I.M. Trakhtenberg from Russia.<br />
“Mercury is like the 200 pound bully attacking a 7 pound baby; the small baby doesn&#8217;t have much of a chance. 200 and 7 are the molecular weights of mercury (the bully) and lithium (the baby) respectively,” says Dr. Thomas Nissen. Mercury is the most toxic non radioactive element but it does share toxic properties of uranium and thus lead.<br />
Every physician knows that radiation can lead to cancer. What they don&#8217;t know is how heavy metals and radiation share similar toxic pathways on a chemical level. For example, “Depleted (DU) uranium is highly toxic to humans, both chemically as a heavy metal and radiological as an alpha particle emitter, is very dangerous when taken internally,” writes Dr. Rosalie Bertell, Canadian Epidemiologist. [7] A new study, conducted by biochemist Dr. Diane Stearns at Northern Arizona University confirms that, separate from any radiation risks, cells exposed to uranium will bond with the metal chemically. [8] Uranium and phosphate have a strong chemical affinity for each other and the DNA and Mitochondria are loaded with phosphate so uranium is a DNA and Mitochondria deep penetration bomb. The uranium is attacking on fundamental cellular levels while mercury offers a knock out punch by attacking the sulfur bonds besides being highly toxic to nerve cells.<br />
Both mercury and uranium oxide are floating in the<br />
environment like invisible clouds that have spread out everywhere.<br />
They are raining down on us, damaging and damning our future.<br />
Simultaneous exposure to mercury and uranium shows markedly increased damage to the kidneys than when exposure is to each metal singly. Insulin has three sulfur-containing cross-linkages and the insulin receptor has a tyrosine kinase- containing sulfur bond, which are the preferred targets for binding by both mercury and lead. Should mercury attach to one of these three sulfur bonds it will interfere with the normal biological function of the insulin molecule. Nephrotoxicity of the kidneys with necrosis of proximal tubules has been seen to increase significantly with dual exposure to both uranium and mercury. [9] In February, 2007 The Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) reported that the number of new cases of kidney failure jumped 114 per cent. Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a worldwide public health problem. [10]<br />
At Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico, researcher Don York has used baking soda to clean soil contaminated with uranium. Sodium bicarbonate binds with uranium, separating it from the dirt; so far, York has removed as much as 92 percent of the uranium from contaminated soil samples .<br />
Dr. Paul R. Epstein of Harvard Medical School released a report about the severe health impacts of coal on Kentuckians. Because of Kentucky&#8217;s 22 coal-burning power plants, every mile of Kentucky waterways flow with unsafe levels of mercury, the leading cause of birth defects in this country. The risk of death for people living within 30 miles of a power plant is three to four times greater than for those living further away . In Kentucky, 811,993 children live within that 30-mile radius. Of the chemicals known to be used while processing coal, 19 are cancer-causing and 24 are linked to lung and heart disease.<br />
[1] The Pathogenic Multi-potency of Mercury, by Hans Nolte, MD (Biological Therapy, Journal of Natural Medicine, Vol. VI, No. 3, June 1988).<br />
[2] Mitochondria as an important target in heavy metal toxicity in rat hepatoma AS-30D cells; Belyaeva EA , Dymkowska D , Wieckowski MR , Wojtczak L .j; Toxicol Appl Pharmacol. 2008 Aug 15;231(1):34-42. Epub 2008 Apr 7.  PubMed<br />
[3] Effect of mercury vapor exposure on metallothionein and glutathione s-transferase gene expression in the kidney of nonpregnant, pregnant, and neonatal rats;. Brambila E , Liu J , Morgan DL , Beliles RP , Waalkes MP ; J Toxicol Environ Health A. 2002 Sep 13;65(17):1273-88.  PubMed<br />
[4] Metal-mediated formation of free radicals causes various modifications to DNA bases, enhanced lipid peroxidation, and altered calcium and sulfhydryl homeostasis; PubMed<br />
[5] Free radicals, metals and antioxidants in oxidative stress-induced cancer. Valko M , Rhodes CJ , Moncol J , Izakovic M , Mazur M .; Chem Biol Interact. 2006 Mar 10;160(1):1-40. Epub 2006 Jan 23.; PubMed<br />
[6] Disorders of apoptosis may play a critical role in some of the most debilitating metal-induced afflictions including hepatotoxicity, renal toxicity, neurotoxicity, autoimmunity and carcinogenesis.  Metals and apoptosis: recent developments. Rana SV .  J Trace Elem Med Biol. 2008;22(4):262-84. Epub 2008 Oct 10; PubMed<br />
[7] http://cndyorks.gn.apc.org/news/articles/du/drrb.htm<br />
[8] A radioisotope of an element will bind best to the same substrates which a non-radioactive isotope of the same element will bind. Dr. Stearns has established that when cells are exposed to uranium, the uranium binds to DNA and the cells acquire mutations, triggering a whole slew of protein replication errors, some of which can lead to various cancers. Stearns&#8217; research, published in the journals Mutagenesis and Molecular Carcinogenesis, confirms what many have suspected for some time – that uranium can damage DNA as a heavy metal, independent of its radioactive properties. The biochemical reaction of heavy metals can cause genetic mutations, which in turn can curtail cell growth and cause cancer. Heavy metals that are also radioactive amplify this effect and can cause distortions in shape and thus function even of red blood cells.<br />
[9] Biol Trace Elem Res. 2001 Winter;84(1-3):139-54. </p>
<p>http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&#038;db=PubMed&#038;list_uids=11817685&#038;dopt=Abstract</p>
<p>[10] In February, 2007 The Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) reported that the number of new cases of kidney failure jumped 114 per cent, from just fewer than 1,100 in the first year to more than 2,100 cases in 2004, adding that the incidence of Type 2 diabetes jumped during the same period. In the United States (US), there is a rising incidence and prevalence of kidney failure. The number of patients enrolled in the end-stage renal disease (ESRD) Medicare-funded program has increased from approximately 10,000 beneficiaries in 1973 to 86,354 in 1983, and to 452,957 as of December 31, 2003. In 2003 alone 100,499 patients entered the US ESRD program. </p>
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		<title>Victory in Philadelphia!</title>
		<link>http://blog.cent4dent.com/2010/05/victory-in-philadelphia/</link>
		<comments>http://blog.cent4dent.com/2010/05/victory-in-philadelphia/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 19 May 2010 16:18:04 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Steve Markus</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Activism]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mercury Toxicity Information]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[consent]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[mercury filliings]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Philadelphia]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.cent4dent.com/?p=314</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Victory in Philadelphia!
We foil dental association attempt to remove
neurological warnings from city fact sheet
In a ringing defeat for the American Dental Association, the Philadelphia Board of Health rejected the ADA’s strong-armed lobbying tactics and retained neurological warnings on the city’s fact sheet, at its meeting on May 13.  The victory was doubly-important because the [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Victory in Philadelphia!<br />
We foil dental association attempt to remove<br />
neurological warnings from city fact sheet</p>
<p>In a ringing defeat for the American Dental Association, the Philadelphia Board of Health rejected the ADA’s strong-armed lobbying tactics and retained neurological warnings on the city’s fact sheet, at its meeting on May 13.  The victory was doubly-important because the Food and Drug Administration asked the City to hold off weakening the fact sheet’s language.  Freya Koss organized a terrific local strategy and grassroots effort, while here in Washington we did the same at the national level. </p>
<p>The state and city fact sheet laws in America stand as a testament to the power of the fully informed consumer: disclosure of the mercury and its neurological risks to consumers can mark the beginning of the end of amalgam.  In Philadelphia, the fact sheet was working.  The pro-mercury dentists were complaining that the fact sheets were interrupting the operation of their “drill-fill-and-bill” dental factories.  The fact sheet made it necessary for these cut-rate dentists actually to talk to parents – and try to convince them that implanting a neurotoxin in their children’s bodies was a good thing.  Of course, many parents are outraged. </p>
<p>As the battle opened in America’s fourth-largest city in February, the stakes for both sides were enormous.   While we fought for consumers’ right to know that amalgam contains a risky neurotoxin, the pro-mercury dentists asked the City of Philadelphia to throw out the neurological warnings in order to keep parents uninformed – and to keep their socially irresponsible businesses running profitably.  Then in a power grab of both moral depravity and dubious legality, the Pennsylvania Dental Association endorsed cutting off all dental care to children with disabilities if their parents refused to consent to amalgam. </p>
<p>Board of Health members &#8212; perhaps intimidated, perhaps in the pocket of the state dental association &#8212; appeared poised to cave in and eviscerate the fact sheet.  Of course, such a move would have emboldened the ADA to wreck fact sheets coast-to-coast.  Seeking cover, the Board’s chair said he would contact his friend Principal Deputy Commissioner Joshua Sharfstein at FDA. </p>
<p>So we began a national campaign to deter FDA from wrecking state fact sheets – and we succeeded!  Our best argument: President Obama’s Executive Order directing federal agencies to respect state and local consumer protection laws. At that May 13 meeting, the Philadelphia health board chairman announced that FDA requested he remove no warnings from the fact sheet.  We won several other important victories. The Board promised it would make no clandestine attempts to change the fact sheet without public hearings.  The dentist member of the Board of Health &#8212; a pro-mercury dentist who appears to read from a script handed to her by the ADA &#8212; excused herself from the meeting altogether, appropriately recusing herself from future considerations of the issue.  Furthermore, the Board publicly condemned dentists who were misrepresenting the fact sheet as a consent form for amalgam and then denying treatment when parents refused to sign. </p>
<p>Thanks to our outstanding Philadelphia team, led by Freya Koss, we successfully defended our rights from the ADA attack!  Our advocates showed up in force for the Board of Health meetings.  We had more dentists on our side at the May 13 meeting than the ADA did.  Even mercury-free dentists who couldn’t come submitted letters of support.  We plastered the meeting room with our posters (which we held up during the meeting) and distributed flyers with the neurological warning.  Luke McConnell taped the February Board meeting.  Judy and Al Roberson broadened our coalition by alerting disability rights advocates; we were delighted when we gained help from Barb Dively of the Acquired Brain Injury Network of Pennsylvania, then from German Parodi of Disabled in Action of PA.  We appreciated everyone’s hard work on this project.      </p>
<p>We are not done with the Pennsylvania Dental Association &#8212; far from it. With manifest evidence of discrimination against the disabled, we are continuing to pursue justice for the children with disabilities who have been denied dental care under the PDA’s policy of strong-arming parents into consenting to amalgam.  </p>
<p>Charlie<br />
17 May 2010</p>
<p>Charles G. Brown, National Counsel<br />
Consumers for Dental Choice<br />
316 F St., N.E., Suite 210, Washington, DC 20002<br />
Ph. 202.544-6333; fax 202.544-6331</p>
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