Mercury Amalgams & Toxic Load: What You Need to Know

How Mercury Dental Fillings Can Sabotage Detox, Health, and Hair Regrowth

For years, I’ve asked every new client on initial intake questionnaires whether they have dental mercury (amalgam) fillings. If they do, I recommend that they remove them before our work begins. But many do not want to, probably because they do not fully understand the detrimental impact, especially with certain foods, nutrients, supplements, and herbs, which may potentially increase the risks associated with dental mercury fillings, primarily by affecting mercury release, absorption, or overall toxicity. The main concerns include increased mercury absorption, interactions with mercury, and interference with detox or excretion mechanisms.¹ ² ³ ⁴ ⁹ ¹⁰

This blog article explores what to avoid, be cautious of, and key precautions, along with sources for proper removal. I hope this explains the dangers, even in my speciality of hair loss, which many have a hard time linking to the connections. The bottom line is that one major root-cause category for hair thinning is toxic overload, and mercury-containing fillings are a significant contributor to this issue that needs to be addressed.⁷ ⁹

(Illustration of mercury’s environmental and health impact - sources ¹-³, ⁷, ⁹, ¹⁰)

Foods and Ingredients to Avoid

Processed foods, refined sugars, white flour, and soft drinks can stress the body and worsen metabolic response to mercury exposure.¹ ²

• Cheese (especially hard varieties) and chocolate may impact how mercury is processed in the body.¹ ²
• Seafood, especially larger fish, is discouraged due to heightened risk of mercury contamination that can raise overall mercury burden.³ ⁴ ⁹ ¹⁰
• Excessive fruit juices (due to sugar and lack of fiber) can negatively affect gut health and detoxification.¹ ²
  

Nutrients and Minerals with Caution

High-dose mineral supplements, including calcium, magnesium, manganese, and zinc, may accumulate in tissues, especially when mercury interferes with mineral metabolism.² ⁴

• Selenium and zinc are necessary but are rendered less effective when mercury binds to them, so careful supplementation is advised (not excessive dosing).⁵ ⁷
• Sulfur-rich nutrients are generally helpful for mercury binding, but some individuals may be sensitive to excess sulfur (and it can redistribute mercury if not excreted properly).⁵ ⁷

Herbs and Supplements to Avoid

• Green tea was found in at least one study to increase mercury concentration in the blood, possibly due to chelation and redistribution rather than excretion.⁶ ²
• Herbs like Ginkgo biloba, St. John’s Wort, Echinacea, and others may influence bleeding, immune function, or medication metabolism, which could complicate dental management or detox.⁸ ²
• Excess use of garlic or onion supplements (sulfur-containing) may theoretically mobilize mercury from fillings, so should be part of a carefully managed detox rather than used ad lib.⁵ ⁷
• Bloodroot, often included in some natural dental remedies, poses risks of toxicity and adverse oral effects when overused.⁸
• Fish oil and omega-3 supplements from untested sources may contain mercury if not properly purified.² ⁹ ¹⁰

Binders and Chelators

Alpha-lipoic acid, NAC, and glutathione are known to bind mercury but may also mobilize mercury, risking redistribution rather than elimination if not managed with care and sometimes in the context of amalgam removal protocols.⁵ ⁹

Whenever considering supplementation or detox after or during dental amalgam removal, professional supervision is highly recommended to avoid unintentional mercury redistribution or worsening of symptoms.² ⁵ ⁹ ¹⁰

Elemental and methylmercury are toxic to the central and peripheral nervous systems. The inhalation of mercury vapor can produce harmful effects on the nervous, digestive and immune systems, lungs and kidneys, and may be fatal. The inorganic salts of mercury are corrosive to the skin, eyes and gastrointestinal tract, and may induce kidney toxicity if ingested. ⁷

Removal Resources

Safely remove mercury fillings from a certified bio-dentist from the following organizations.

• IAOMT.org – The International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology
   SMART-certification signifies that a dentist has completed the IAOMT’s educational program related to dental amalgam mercury removal. This program is based on up-to-date scientific research and includes rigorous recommendations for removing existing dental mercury amalgam fillings to assist in reducing the potential negative health outcomes of mercury exposure to patients, dental professionals, dental students, office staff, and others. The IAOMT’s recommendations are known as the Safe Mercury Amalgam Removal Technique (SMART).
   https://iaomt.org/for-patients/search/
   https://thesmartchoice.com/
  
• IABDM.org – International Academy of Biological Dentistry & Medicine (IABDM)
• healthysmilesforlife.com – Drs. Nunnally, Freeman & Owens. This is where I had work done, and they are my top referral, with no affiliate or monetary ties.
  

Key Precautions

Always consult with a biological or holistic dentist or a qualified healthcare provider before starting supplements or dietary changes if dental mercury fillings are present. Many supplements that promote mercury binding or detoxification should not be taken while mercury fillings are still in the mouth, as they can increase mercury mobilization and absorption rather than safe elimination.¹ ² ⁵ ⁹ ¹⁰

Save Your Money → Be SAFE first!!

Before you buy another supplement or start a new functional-medicine program, do one simple, yet powerful thing: confirm whether those mercury amalgam fillings are still in your mouth. If they are, remove them safely before investing in aggressive detox or megadose nutrients. As a functional-medicine nutritionist who specializes in hair loss, I’ve seen too many people waste time and money on treatments that can’t take hold while a heavy-metal burden remains.

The smart sequence is simple: safe amalgam removal with a qualified biological/SMART dentist → stabilize detox pathways and address nutrient gaps with lab guidance → then begin targeted hair-restoration work. That order protects your health, preserves your wallet, and actually lets the interventions you pay for produce results.

Suppose you’re ready to address hair thinning with a comprehensive plan, not a temporary solution. In that case, our consultations, hair loss programs, and protocols are designed to uncover the root causes through specialized functional lab work (we test, not guess) and create personalized solutions that work. You don’t have to navigate hair loss alone or resort to trendy programs or supplements without evidence. Let’s work together to restore your hair and health safely and naturally.

Check out our revised HealthyHairFix^® Roadmap! at no cost to you! This comprehensive 27-page guide addresses hair loss using evidence-based, holistic, and natural methods and solutions.

References:

¹ United States Environmental Protection Agency. (2025, September 24). Mercury Emissions: The Global Context. https://www.epa.gov/international-cooperation/mercury-emissions-global-context

² Rice, K. M., Walker, E. M., Wu, M., Gillette, C., & Blough, E. R. (2014). Environmental mercury and its toxic effects. Environmental Toxicology and Pharmacology, 38(2), 395–401. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3988285/

³ Selin, N. E. (2009). Global biogeochemical cycling of mercury: A review. Annual Review of Environment and Resources, 34, 43–63. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.environ.051308.084314

⁴ Clarkson, T. W., Magos, L., & Myers, G. J. (2003). The toxicology of mercury—current exposures and clinical manifestations. New England Journal of Medicine, 349(18), 1731–1737. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMra022471

⁵ Patrick, L. (2002). Mercury toxicity and antioxidants: Part I: Role of glutathione and alpha-lipoic acid in the treatment of mercury toxicity. Alternative Medicine Review, 7(6), 456–471. PMID: 12495372 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12495372/

⁶ Yeh, R. S., Hung, Y. C., Hsieh, Y. H., & Chen, T. Y. (2008). Green tea extract increases methylmercury concentration in blood: A possible new mechanism for bioaccumulation. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 56(11), 4102–4107. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4537724/

⁷ World Health Organization. (2023, October 23). Mercury and health. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/mercury-and-health

⁸ Taheri, J. B., Azimi, S., Rafieian, N., & Zanjani, H. A. (2020). Herbs in dentistry. International Dental Journal, 61(6), 287–296. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1875-595X.2011.00064.x

⁹ U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (2020, September 24). FDA issues recommendations for certain high-risk groups regarding mercury-containing dental amalgam [Press release]. https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-issues-recommendations-certain-high-risk-groups-regarding-mercury-containing-dental-amalgam

¹⁰ Cleveland Clinic. (n.d.). Mercury poisoning: Symptoms, causes & treatment. Retrieved November 10, 2025, from https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/23420-mercury-poisoning