As children, we are taught to trust certain types of professionals, law enforcement officials, teachers, and health care professionals especially, because they are highly trained professionals doing a complicated job. Unless you’ve had some flying lessons, you don’t check in at the airport knowing how the pilot is going to fly the plane, and most surgeries are performed with the patient only knowing the basics of the procedure, if that. This doesn’t mean you have to be completely ignorant regarding your health care. If you have an opportunity to educate yourself regarding any aspect of your health, you should always take advantage of it. Blindly trusting any professional puts you at their mercy, which is fine if they are staying abreast of current research and making your health their priority. The problem arises when these people are either not aware of new developments in their field, or when profit replaces your health as their top priority.
The good news is that finding a mercury free dentist is easier than you think. There are several organizations whose members have made a commitment not to use mercury in their dental practices and the organizations take steps to ensure that members follow through on that commitment. These organizations diligently monitor their members so that if you go to a dentist that is a member of one or more of these organizations, you can rest assured the dentist is confirmed to be mercury free. The International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology is one such organization with members all across the country.
With half of all dentists in the United States no longer using mercury, there is a good chance you already have a fantastic dentist. If you don’t know where your dentist stands on the issue of mercury, ask. You might be surprised.