do i need to worry about mercury poisoning with massive crack in filling

[kizzie]

In the seventies our friendly village butcher dentist used to put us to sleep at the drop of hat and give us huge fillings on a frighteningly regular basis.

30 years on - said fillings are now falling to bits and one in particular has just cracked spectacularly. Its not painfulin the slightest but its very deep.

The dentist hasnt got any spare appointments before xmas.

In the meantime am i filling myself with mercury poisonin. Or is that all just a myth? x

hi dont know about it being a myth but i hope so to as i have a mouth full of them to !!! yikes ... can you not get to see your dentist as an emergency ? they usually hold some back daily for this ... i know you said you were pain free but wont hurt to stretch the truth a little at least them you will get seen befoer xmas [smile ]
or maybe see if your dentist can call you back and talk to him over the phone , he can put your mind at rest .

some people do seem to react to the mercury in fillings - are your gums discoloured?

gums look ok. its just all the scare stories in the papers about mercury 'bleeding' from them particularly if they are cracked / damaged. (lesson to self - DONT read the scare stories!!!)

There are emergency appointments left - but would feel bad using up one of those.

gums look ok. its just all the scare stories in the papers about mercury 'bleeding' from them particularly if they are cracked / damaged. (lesson to self - DONT read the scare stories!!!)

There are emergency appointments left - but would feel bad using up one of those.

oops sorry

I'd take an emergency appt, not because or mercury worry but because sods law if you don't go part of it will fall out on Christmas day. Get it fixed now.

agree get it fixed asap - it's not mercury that's the issue here, it's that if you leave it the crack will get filled with tiny bits of food and get really nasty. Could you ask for an urgent appointment, have you explained that the filling is cracked? or sign on with another dentist?

thanks both (and for reassurance about the mercury ).

Will call about one of the stand by appointments. Didnt think about all the hoo hah of it all going nasty over christmas x