At 05:22 PM 6/9/98 EDT, you wrote: >Does removing mercury fillings pose a risk to breastfeeding? A mom I am >working with is having her mercury fillings removed and replaced. She is >nursing a 7 month old. Her concern is for whether the mercury that may be >inhaled during removal may cause increased levels in her milk. Anyone? Diane, I am in the process of having my mercury fillings removed also and replaced with non-mercury fillings. My dentist is taking great precaution for himself, his assistant and myself. They both wear special masks that screen mercury vapors, and for me, he is inserting a rubber dam onto my mouth that keeps me from swallowing any mercury, or saliva that has any in it. I am also breathing oxygen during the procedure to prevent inhaling the mercury vapors. Even with that, he has recommeded oral detox and supplement treatment to help rid my body of any mercury that is taken in. If she is having all of her mercury fillings removed and other material used, then her dentist probably knows about the hazards of mercury and can advise her of precautions. If there is just one filling that needs to be replaced urgently, she could still take the precautions--the dam, etc--but the exposure would be much less. Personally, I would wait until I were no longer breastfeeding before undertaking such a major procedure. My dentist also has me taking herbs and supplements to detoxify my body for several months after a removal, the appointments for which are spaced 4-5 months apart. Most people don't appreciate the hazards of mercury in our mouths and in dental procedures, as I didn't for most of my life. Patricia Gima, IBCLC Milwaukee mailto:[log in to unmask]