Resistance to Therapy; Think of Tooth Fillings
By H. RAUE, M.D.
SPECIAL PRINT: MEDICAL PRACTICE: VOL 32, NO: 72. Pages 2303 to 2309. DATE OF PUBLICATION: September 6,1990
The "mouth battery" is causing a wide variety of chronic pain syndromes, skin and intestinal disorders.
Slow electrolytic dispersion of amalgam tooth substances will cause sensitization. In addition, the "mouth battery" - electric currents between various metals in and on teeth and dental prosthesis - causes irritations in the nervous system. Many therapy resistant conditions are responsive to replacement of old tooth fillings. The diagnosis is rather simple in regards to detecting the toxic metal as well as to finding the appropriate filling material. Measurements of oral electric currents should become a routine procedure of medical and vital examinations in the future.
The chemical components of mercury and other metals are called amalgams. The mercury acts as a solvent for the other metals. The dental amalgams may contain silver, tin, zinc, or copper (see Table one). In correct proportions of the components, the danger of mercury loss is small, but should never be excluded. Should it happen, in spite of, then essential health disturbances may result. One can differentiate between: 1. Toxic allergic reactions due to dispersion of the metal ions. 2. Irritations of nervous system due to unphysiological electric potentials.
Corrosions of amalgam fillings are well known and reported, particularly on contact with other compounds (gold, silver), minute currents and herewith electrochemical processes (formation of galvanic elements) will be induced which will result in dissolution of amalgams (according to Spreng, Gasser Rost). Mercury is undoubtedly a severe poison. Ever in the most minute traces, it may provoke Pathological symptoms in the human body. But, many disturbances due to amalgam fillings are based on allergic reactions - among these are depressions, gastrointestinal, and other intestinal irregularities, dermatitis, urticaria, eczema, headaches and bronchial asthma. The removal of the amal- gam fillings alone result in permanent cure in these cases. Acupuncture proves sensitization.
Grand Pierre using electro-acupuncture according to Voll demonstrated sensitization to amalgam compounds in patients with the following complaints: Migraine headaches, dizziness, vegetative interferences associated with insomnia, eczema over temporal and frontal bones, pruritus, and rheumatic joint pain. Those symptoms which had been resistant to any other therapeutic attempts subsided after removal of the amalgams.
Henrici used the same diagnostic method of electro- acupuncture according to Voll and was able to alleviate the following disease manifestation by removal of amalgam tooth fillings: Gonarthrosis, digital eczema, migraine and claustrophobia. For physicians and dentists well trained in the use of electro-acupuncture, such cases are particularly gratifying since patients with these diseases usually consulted doctor after doctor whose diagnostic methods of orthodox medicine were unable to recognize the true causation of these patients symptoms.
Rost emphatically stated, "In my opinion, only electro- acupuncture according to Voll can help us in such cases." The tolerance to amalgams and other substances incorporated into the oral cavity (Plastic, etc.) can be tested on the allergy measurement point detected by Dr. Voll.
Local "high tension " produced by the mouth battery ".
Medical opinions on the importance of electric current formation in the mouth are diametrically diverse. No wonder, medical students at today's universities do hear very little or nothing about the possibilities or consequences of intra-oral current formations and the mouth battery is largely disregarded in the daily practice of medicine.
The amalgams contain metals which are positioned at different locations on the electric tension scale. In the presence of saliva, electrolytic dissolution is started on the surface of an amalgam filling comparable to the process in a flashlight battery. The electrical currents caused by the electrolysis can easily be detected with specific meters. (Schnitzer). Gold and amalgam placed side by side in the mouth may act as an electric element producing a voltage of 1000 millivolts or more. These voltage build-ups close to the base of skull and the hypophysis are certainly not with out consequences to the patient. The following factors according to Schinunel will lead to manifestations of galvanic currents in the mouth: 1. Incorrect preparations of amalgams and missing base fillings 2. Amalgam Fillings without proper polishing. 3. Insufficient oral hygiene. 4. Disturbances and diseases of the GI tract with consequential decrease of saliva ph under 7.0. Some people, in spite of strong oral current formation, may not manifest clinical symptoms, while others with low currents may present with them. Others, who at a young age may have been insensitive to current formation, may show sensitization with progressive age. Thus, the sensitivity to oral currents is varying widely.
According to observations by Kramer, the following oral symptoms may be caused by local current formations: lingual burning sensation, aphtha, dryness in the mouth, hypertrophic gingivitis and metallic taste. Irritations of the nervous system and of the psyche may appear as side effects to oral current formation.
I noticed that some of my patients from time to time described symptoms which had been resistant to different therapeutic attempts by other clinics and physicians. For d-@s reason, I introduced oral current measurements into my practice in 1977 on a routine basis. I, particularly, measured patients who complained of headaches, dizziness, vertigo and nausea. I used the potentiometer of Pitterling Electronic. This apparatus is monitoring the current intensity in microampere as well as the tension of millivolts. On application of the Electrodes to the tooth fillings in question, the resulting scale value point will be read in microampere. Since a second electrode application will not reach the original maximal scale point, because the first application will partially discharge the mouth battery, the mouth apparatus is fitted with a data memory for previous read-outs. This is very advantageous since the maximal current formation can be demonstrated to the patient himself.
Scale values of 3 to 5 microampere may originally k neglected but later control measurements are indicated. Higher values associated with related symptoms suggest removal of suspicious amalgam fillings. Elevations of current values may be seen at adjacent fillings of amalgam to amalgam, amalgam to gold, amalgam to steel other metal odontoses, as well as with gold to steel. In some cases, previously unsuspicious fillings may react to higher scale values after some other fillings have been removed.
Suspicious. Weather and honnone dependent symptoms.
During the period from mid 1977 to mid February 1980, increased scale values of 6 Microampere or more were found in 978 patients of my practice. The subjects were complaining of headaches (57), dizziness (20), nausea and emesis (6), migraine (6) fainting spells (4), Ocular fibrillations (3), tinnitus (1), bitter taste in the mouth (1), soreness in the mandible (1). Some of these symptoms appear to be weather dependent or hormone dependent.
A 33 year old female complained of severe migraine for several years which was more pronounced between the 14th and 18th day of her menstrual cycle. This invalidated severely her work capacities and she frequently had to lay down. The usual medications for migraine did not essentially improve her condition. Her maximal scale value reached 25 microampere. 'Me removal of the suspected amalgam filling resulted in immediate improvement. She did not miss any work hours any more. On recheck examination she reported that she had no migraine attacks anymore and she felt markedly relieved.
A 44 year old male suffered for 8 months from vertigo associated with constant nausea and emesis and & frequent blackouts particularly at night. The clinical reports of ENT specialists stated, "Nystagmus with choking sensation on head extension. Both otic, labyrinths excitable. Location of origin probably in the cervical spine. It is indicated to rule out tumor formation." A consulting neurologist wrote "vertebra-genic basilar insuffi- ciency." 'The potentiometer scale values did read up to 20 microampere between adjacent gold and amalgam fillings. All symptoms subsided instantly after removal of the amalgam filling.
A 41 year old female had suffered from inexplicable headaches for 7 years. She required strong pain medication on 5 days per week. After oral current measurement of 30 microampere and removal of the culprit amalgam fillings, the headaches vanished completely.
A 40 year old female suffered from equilibrium disturbances (sailor's gait), dizziness even in supine position associated with emesis for 9 months. She could not think clearly anymore", had trouble with her memory, could not see clearly - lines appeared not straight. This was accompanied by pain in the nape of the neck. She was disabled from work because due to these symptoms she could not cope with her work duties. Her attending physicians could not find any clinical explanation and the patient was told it was all in her head. Finally a brain tumor was to be excluded. An ENT colleague of mine referred the lady to me. No ocular pathology was found. The measured scale values between a gold and amalgam filling showed a maximal reading of 215 microampere. One week post removal of the amalgam filling, the patient stated, "Doctor, all pain is gone." She then admitted that she had suicidal thoughts because of the excruciating pain she had had.
Even dental prostheses may contribute to the formation pathological oral currents. This was demonstrated in the case of a 58 year old male. Whenever he inserted his newly made steel prosthesis, he instantly noticed severe dizziness which disappeared after removal of the new prosthesis and its replacement with his old plastic prosthesis. The scale values between the gold and amalgam fillings of this still existing teeth and the new steel prosthesis measured 10 microampere. After removal of the amalgam fillings, the scale reading between gold fillings and the steel plate dropped to 4 microampere, with marked decrease of the dizziness as compared to the original stage.
Resulting considerations for physicians and insurance carriers.
Those results reported above should not be disregarded by physicians and dentists. It has been ascertained that amalgam fillings in teeth may produce electric currents in the oral cavity, therefore may, present a pathological oral focus with far-reaching sequela. It thus should be demanded that, in the future, cases of a questionable focal disturbance be submitted to a mandatory oral current measurement test above all routine dental examinations.
In none of the influential medical papers and journals related to the causation of headaches, nausea, and emesis is attention directed to electrical current monitoring tests. In a press release of the Hamburg Dental Association in 1977, it still reads "Observations of electrolytic tension differentials in the oral cavity were made rarely in cases of simultaneous presence of gold and amalgam fillings and therefore, may be negligible". Based on my own examinations I can make two firm statements.
- 1. Increased oral current differentials are observed not only between amalgam and gold fillings, but may be found as well between adjacent amalgam to amalgam and amalgam to steel filings in almost 50 percent of such cases.
- 2. Transferring statistically my two-years observation of almost 100 cases of elevated oral measurement data of 5 to 10 microampere due to amalgam interference, to 2,000 othalmological practitioners in the Federal Republic of Germany. This would comprise the total of about 200,000 patient who may present symptoms as described due to amalgam filling toxifications. The true nature of these patient's symp- toms will not be diagnosed by those practitioners who are unaware of the total complexity which can be unraveled only by oral current measurements. Even if we consider only 10 percent of the above figure, that is 20,000 patients, may postulation for mandatory oral current monitoring by dentists to exclude focal pathology would be justified.
Less missed and convenience diagnoses!
The question, why my investigative data have not been generally recognized by physicians and dentists - although some dentists have published reports - may find its answer in the fact that the patients affected by these symptoms do not consult their dentists because their complaints and symptoms do not seem to be related with their teeth. General practitioners as well as specialists will treat those patients symptomatically when ignorant of the causative complex. Missed and convenience diagnoses are categorized under cervical spine syndrome, not yet diagnosed headaches, migraine, vegetative dystonia, masked depression and others. Many medications are prescribed. Some may mitigate the symptoms. Frequently the patients are disposed of as hypochondriacs and neurotics. This situation should be eliminated! The insurance carriers are therewith obligated to introduce or to set up fee regulation for examinations of oral current measurements. It has to be realized that amalgam fillings for teeth will be used in the foreseeable future. In individual cases however, pathogenic filling materials may be replaced by others, like composites, ceramics, cements or gold. Table one: Metal components of amalgams for tooth fillings according to Spreng) besides mercury they contain:
Silver up to 67 percent.
Tin up to 33 percent.
They may contain:
Copper up to 6 percent.
Zinc up to 2 percent.
Table Two: Health problems due to amalgams in the oral cavity. Primary symptoms:
Headaches
Facial neuralgias
Migraine Dizziness
Sleep disorders
Tinnitus
Nausea, emesis
Cardiovascular labilities
Intestinal disorders
Psychic disturbances
Vegetative disturbances
Dennal disorders
Rheumatic symptoms
Prevalent to toxic - allergenic origin (diagnosed with electo- acupuncture accordinig to Voll):
Gastroenteritis and other gastric disorders Intestinal Diseases
Dennatitis and eczema
Urticaria and Pruritus
Bronchial asthma
Depression
Prevalent to electric current formation ( diagnosed by local monitoring):
Headaches
Migraine
Dizziness
Vegetative disturbances
Lingual buming sensation
Dryness in the mouth
Gingivitis
Metallic taste in the mouth
Frequent miss-diagnoses
Cervical spine syndrome
Depression
Vegetative dystonia
Hypochondria