Hold that iodine...

I have been thinking nonstop about the tragedy that has unfolded in Japan. The earthquake and then the tsunamis, and now an impending nuclear event. I can't even imagine what Japanese people might be going thru. Some lost their cars, some all their worldly possessions and some even lost loved ones.

As I'm reading the updates and keep thinking to myself I need to stop obsessing, I'm starting to see a trend. Various health related resources are starting to recommend iodine supplementation in order to prevent radiation sickness here in the United States. 

Not for me, thank you.

So why? Why should I not run to my corner health food store right now? What's the big deal? I mean, it's just iodine - it's in our salt, right? What harm can it do to start popping pills? Well, great question! 

First, when popping pills of any sort, I feel it's always a great idea to do a quick risk benefit analysis. Are the benefits of taking the pills (Tylenol, your multi, etc) greater than the risk. Let's do this with iodine:

- Iodine can prevent radiation sickness if there is to be a nuclear meltdown - which has not happened. Of course, we are also assuming that the radiation would be significant enough to affect us thousands of miles away. I'd say that's not unreasonable. Assuming the air currents would take them this way - which we are unsure of. And given that it would take days for the fallout to get here (assuming there would be an event), and we'd be able to measure radiation, I'd say we have ample time to pop this particular pill IF and WHEN it ever becomes necessary. Did you know that iodine supplementation is widely associated with the development of Hashimoto's thyroiditis in the scientific literature? I'm not making this up. Check PubMed. You don't even need a high amount. There is a reason iodized salt is banished from my household... And by the way, did you know that 10% of women in the United States have this autoimmune disease? So no mistake, it's not rare by any stretch. And by the way, if you have hypothyroidism, you have a 90% chance that you are in that group. Maybe I'll write more about that another time...

So how would you like to take these pills which can give you an autoimmune disease in order to prevent something that might not ever happen. 

And that's my two cents. If the benefits start outweighing the benefits, I'll be on board - don't worry...

I'm not scared of the dentist any more

Do you feel anxious when you think about going to the dentist? Do you dread your appointments? I always did. Though I'm not that typical patient who hated the screeching sound of the drill or the brain vibrations caused by polishing tools. I never thought those were a big deal - I mean after all, I am always numbed and can't feel a thing. Sure, it's not like going to a spa but it never bothered me.

I had other issues. I was always the difficult patient. The one that would argue the necessity of full mouth x-rays, of fluoride treatments and why that filling has to be amalgam. This is what kept me from going to the dentist for the past 2 years. I just didn't want to be that freak. I didn't want to argue. I didn't have to convince people of what I know and I didn't want to have to fight for my right to refuse a service.

Make no mistake. I do not judge people who are happy with conventional dental care. We all need to come to our own conclusions and we all need to pick and choose our battles. So if this is not one that concerns you, fine. But I'm writing this because I'm bothered by what's out there. 

I finally found a dentist I'm happy with thanks to my friend Amanda (who has a blog herself). He hasn't used mercury containing amalgam fillings in his practice since the early 80's, doesn't use fluoride routinely and only wants an x-ray if there is a question. So let's discuss why I care about these things:

Topical fluoride treatments - not the stuff added to your water but rather the fluoride applied to your teeth and contained in your tooth paste. The idea is that fluoride strengthens your enamel. But did you know that it will also make it more brittle? Dr. Stephen Koral in Boulder says "I do not use fluoride treatments in my office. Fluoride is a prescription drug and should not be used routinely. I have, however, on occasion prescribed it for specific cases." A prescription drug indeed - with those obligatory side effects. So why are we using it like it's baking soda?

Amalgams - contain mercury. Mercury is a toxic heavy metal unsafe at any level. And as far as I'm concerned, that's all I need to know. Why am I deemed crazy for not wanting someone to put that in my mouth on purpose and permanently? Especially if there is an alternative. So yes, my insurance only will cover amalgams on non-front teeth and it makes me mad but what are you going to do? And by the way, why is it that the insurance company covers white filling for aesthetic purposes but not for health? Here is a little science on the matter of dental amalgams:

  

Do not run to your corner dentist to get your amalgam fillings replaced, however. There can be a heavy toxic load associated with their removal. Please research the topic thoroughly and only go to a dentist that is aware of the risks and is willing to take precautions.

X-rays - Radiation exposure causes cancer - this is a fact. Radiation exposure is cumulative over a person's lifetime- another fact. So no matter how badly the dental assistant wants to convince me that it is a "tiny amount of radiation", it is not going to be good enough for me to routinely irradiate my head. And yes, I do realize that digital x-rays come with less radiation exposure than old school films. My favorite is when they start saying things like: "It's only a portion of the radiation you will get just living at a high altitude". Right. But I already live at a high altitude which already comes with extra radiation. Do I need to add to that even more, year over year, every time I get a dental exam? As I said: cumulative. Dr. Koral says: "A dental exam will give us a roughly 50% idea of what is going on. An x-ray will increase those chances to about 75% in my experience". As with everything, I evaluate risks to benefits. Is that 25% worth adding to the radiation burden which I will acquire during my lifetime?  

So there it is... I can scratch this one off my list. If you find a dentist you like who is more in line with natural living principles, please feel free to post their information here.