<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>

Hi All--

I don't have a lot of information, but didn't want to
wait to send a summary since this seems to be a topic
that's interesting/vital to many people.

I called my state's dental association (Kansas) and
the woman I spoke with told me she would ask her
Director to call me. I had asked for information re:
any danger related to amalgam fillings, whether or not
a dental dam is necessary when removing amalgam
fillings, and what does the alternative composite
consist of? Four days later, I called again and was
told that I should be able to find all of the
information I needed on the American Dental
Association web site - in other words, the Director
was not going to talk to me after all.

I then called my dentist and asked one of his nurses
if she would find out what the alternative composite
filling material contained. She said that she would do
that and call me at work. So far, no word. I should
mention here that my dentist office offers amalgam and
the alternative composite plastic material. So....it
would appear that my dentist does not consider amalgam
a danger.

Finally, I went to a website offered by someone on the
list: www.bioprobe.com  and the American Dental
Association website: www.ada.org   There is definitely
opposing views/opinions/research data reported between
the two sites.

Having all of my fillings replaced is financially
prohibitive for me; however, in light of what I read
on BioProbe's website, I am more inclined to ask my
dentist to use the plastic composite (provided that
it's gf). One lovely person on the list sent me her
dentist's name and phone number to call for advice
and/or information re: dentists in my area who use
alternative filling material, so I will probably call
him and ask his opinion.

It would seem that the decision to use amalgam filling
material is an individual choice. Oh, yes, when I
visited the American Dental Association site, I could
not find any mention whatsoever as to the composition
of amalgam...which I found disturbing.

Considering the lack of responses I've received and
conflicting information re: amalgam, not to mention
the issue of caution when removing amalgam fillings, I
will have to think long and hard about continuing with
my current dentist and how I should proceed.

I hope this summary is helpful for those of you who
are facing dental treatments. I still don't know if

*any* of the materials used for impressions or
fillings contain gluten or if I have a choice of what
is used. If I get more information, I will post again.

Cheers,
Ayn