From: Carl Tuttle [carlt@br20-excha.conres.com] Sent: Wednesday, July 24, 2002 2:51 PM To: 'fdadockets@oc.fda.gov' Cc: 'bullelkman@aol.com'; 'diane.watson@mail.house.gov'; 'fourpawsca@aol.com'; 'jraulina@ora.fda.gov'; 'hal.lynde@leg.state.nh.us' Subject: Docket No. 01N-0067-Against FDA Rule Food and Drug Administration 5630 Fishers Lane, Room 1061 Rockville, MD 20057 Docket No. 01N-0067-Against FDA Rule Dear FDA, I am writing this letter to voice my opposition towards the FDA declaring that mercury amalgam fillings are safe. I have suffered from twenty years of poor health never associating the mercury in seventeen fillings to my symptoms. I was told by dentists that those fillings were "silver". A recent hair and provocative urine analysis detected large amounts of mercury in my system. Over time the mercury does leach out and I understand now that this is no longer disputed. I questioned the lab (Doctor's Data) about the reference ranges found on my test results. Here is their reply: "Thank you for your inquiry. We noticed that our mercury levels in the Fecal test varied a lot when we first introduced the test about 4 years ago. That prompted us to look at a population with amalgams to assess their average mercury levels and those without amalgams as well. We obviously found a significant difference in mercury values with vs. w/out amalgams therefore came up with two different reference ranges." Biocompatability to dental materials has been identified. Health Canada reports that 15% of people tested showed a positive sensitivity to mercury. Is this considered "acceptable risk"? We do not test anyone here in the United States before inserting mercury amalgam fillings. There are over 225 million people with mercury amalgam fillings here in the US alone and 15% of that number would mean that 33 million unsuspecting individuals have material inside their mouths that is causing health problems. The World Health Organization states that there are no safe levels of mercury. My blood sample was sent to laboratory services at Clifford Consulting and Research in Colorado where it was tested against 1400 dental materials. Mercury was one of many materials producing a contraindicating reaction which means that mercury does not belong in my mouth! I experienced bleeding gums for well over twenty years. Each visit to the dentist office for periodic cleaning would yield the same outcome....."you need to floss more frequently" is what I would hear. I had all the mercury fillings removed in June this year and the inflamed bleeding gums have somehow miraculously disappeared. I want to mention here that my blood tested positive to the Toluenes group. I understand that Butylated Hydroxytoluene (BHT) has been approved by the FDA as a synthetic antioxidant which extends the shelf life of processed foods. It is found in our children's cereals, Pop Tarts, snack foods, etc. How many other unsuspecting people have this sensitivity? And we are feeding this to our children? Why has this found its way into our food supply? From the BHT materials safety data sheet: Health Hazards Acute And Chronic: ACUTE: INHALATION: CAN CAUSE IRRITATION OF NASAL AND RESPIRATORY PASSAGES. EYES: CONTACT MAY CAUSE SEVERE IRRITATION OR BURNS. SKIN: PROLONGED CONTACT MAY CAUSE SKIN IRRITATION. INGESTION: IF LARGE QUANTITIES, MAY CAUSE DIARRHEA, RESPIRATORY DEPRESSION, TREMORS, CHRONIC PULMONARY EDEMA OR CONJECTION Ten to twelve mercury fillings were placed in my mouth while in the military. Within two years I was diagnosed with Crohn's disease and had eighteen inches of my small intestine resectioned. I was plagued with 20 years of digestive disorders from that point on. Six years ago I was bedridden with devastating fatigue (CFS), cognitive dysfunction, bacterial overgrowth of the small intestine, resistant to six different antibiotics and thyroid issues. (It has been suggested that mercury resistant gut bacteria are antibiotic resistant as well.) The thyroid issue was not related to the thyroid itself however. The thyroid manufactures T4 which is useless to the body until the liver converts T4 to T3. I understand that it is the liver and kidneys that are most affected by mercury toxicity. That toxic burden has disrupted the T4 to T3 conversion process and requires that I take T3 to supplement what I do not convert. I have detected mild proteinuria through regent testing strips indicating kidney involvement. In addition to the proteinuria, specific gravity is high (even when drinking a gallon of water per day) and pH is unusually acidic. The kidney eventually becomes one of the most important sites for the accumulation of mercury. (Copies of my lab reports are available upon request) My brothers and sisters all have mercury fillings and suffer health issues. My sister Karen has Multiple Sclerosis (eight large mercury fillings) Barry has multiple chemical sensitivities (a mouthful of mercury) Kathy has reproductive problems (six large mercury fillings). We all have the same blood type and more than likely if one sibling is sensitive to mercury there is a good chance we all are. In 1990 mercury was banned as a preservative/fungicide in latex paint but it is OK to put in our mouths? Thimerosal, a mercury-based preservative, was removed from vaccines just last year. Hearings are currently underway to uncover why mercury-based preservatives were not discontinued in children's vaccines prior to 2001. Congressman Dan Burton is calling for criminal penalties for any government agency that knew about the dangers of Thimerosal in vaccines, and did nothing to protect American children. When removed from the mouth dental amalgams are considered toxic waste by the Environmental Protection Agency and must be handled in a certain way to protect dental office personnel from mercury poisoning. This is the same material which was just in your mouth! Sweden has banned mercury amalgam dental fillings, effective January, 1997, after determining that at least 250,000 Swedes have immune and other health disorders directly related to the mercury in their teeth. Denmark banned amalgams in January 1999. In 1991, Germany's Health Ministry recommended to the German Dental Association that no further amalgam fillings be placed in children, pregnant women, or people with kidney disease, and in 1993 this was extended to include all women of child-bearing age, pregnant or not. Austria has also phased out mercury fillings. The FDA has to hold public hearings on mercury fillings and hear first hand from mercury free dentists and people like myself who have been affected by long term chronic exposure to mercury. A panel that wants to review 10 year old information regarding the dangers of mercury fillings must be replaced. Sincerely, Carl W. Tuttle Sr. Account Manager Continental Resources Inc. 175 Middlesex Tpk Bedford, MA 01730 Phone: (781) 533-0249 Fax: (781) 275-6563