E. W. Kienholz

Psychometric evidence that mercury from silver dental fillings may be an etiological factor in depression, excessive anger, and anxiety

Scores on the Beck Depression Inventory were compared for 25 women who had silver dental fillings (amalgams) and for 23 women without amalgams. Women with amalgams had significantly higher scores and reported more symptoms of fatigue and insomnia. Anger scores from the State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory showed that the women with amalgams had statistically significantly higher mean scores on expressing anger without provocation and experiencing more intense angry feelings. The women without amalgams scored significantly higher on controlling anger, which suggested they invested more energy in monitoring and preventing the experience and expression of anger. Anxiety scores from the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory showed the women with amalgams scored significantly less pleasant, satisfied, happy, secure, and steady, and had a more difficult time making decisions. They had significantly higher Trait Anxiety scores. The women with amalgams also had significantly higher levels of mercury in the oral cavity before and after chewing gum. The study suggests that amalgam mercury may be an etiological factor in depression, excessive anger, and anxiety because mercury can produce such symptoms perhaps by affecting the neurotransmitters in the brain.

Evidence that mercury from silver dental fillings may be an etiological factor in smoking.

The smoking habits of 119 subjects without silver/mercury dental fillings were compared to 115 subjects with amalgams. The amalgam group had 2.5-times more smokers per group than the non-amalgam group, which was highly significant. Because mercury decreases dopamine, serotonin, norepinephrine, and acetylcholine in the brain, and nicotine has just the opposite effect on these neurotransmitters, this may help explain why persons with dental amalgams smoke more than persons without amalgams.