The Case:  Emily is 45 dealing with fatigue, brain fog and digestive issues as well as dry mouth and bad breath. Her doctor’s diagnosed her with Crohn’s Disease and Hashimoto’s but that alone didn’t help her symptoms.   She tried changing her diet, took supplements and brushed her teeth after every meal.    The Investigation My investigation started by looking into Emily’s dry mouth and bad breath. Her oral health was quite poor despite frequent brushing and I noted that she’d had several root canals and many silver fillings. I know this was going to be a key piece in solving her health mystery because even though these may not seem related, everything in the body is connected.  “Silver fillings” or Amalgam fillings are actually about 54% elemental mercury and mercury can cause all kinds of health issues. On top of that, our oral health can seriously impact our overall health, even when we think we are practicing good oral hygiene. Dr. Kourosh Maddahi is a dentist to the stars, the author of 'Anti-Aging Dentistry' and the founder of the research-based Lumineux Oral Essentials. He joins me in this episode to shed some light on what might be going on with Emily.    Your Mouth is a Gateway to Your Body The mouth is the first entry point for the digestive system with regards to disease or infection. The mouth is the most vascular area which means that it is easy for bad bacteria and viruses to be transmitted through the mouth vascularly as well as by swallowing.  We know that chronic inflammation is a key component in many diseases and the mouth is also susceptible to inflammation. Gingivitis, for example, is chronic inflammation of the gums. This inflammation can increase the chances of transmitting disease because swollen gums are more likely to have tiny cuts (and bleed) which removes the barrier between bad bacteria or viruses and the bloodstream.    Signs of Inflammation in the Mouth  The first and most common sign of acute or chronic inflammation is bleeding during or after teeth-brushing. A second sign is if there is discomfort when eating, especially if there is pain when biting or chewing. Pain during eating can be a sign that there is an infection under the tooth, in the gums, or in the bone. Dentists can do X-rays and probe the gums to confirm chronic inflammation and/or a suspected infection.    Causes of Inflammation in the Mouth & How to Avoid It Inflammation can happen quickly. For example, Dr. Maddahi says that a build up of hardened plaque causes inflammation and plaque can harden on your teeth within 24 hours. That’s why brushing frequently is so important. He says the simplest way to avoid inflammation is to remove plaque before it can harden - in other words, floss and brush regularly and see your dentist to remove hardened plaque every 6-months.    Health Risks from Silver Fillings (Amalgam Fillings)  Silver fillings contain mercury which is known to cause health issues. Mercury exists in three forms: solid, liquid, and vapor. The vapor form is the greatest concern in the mouth because it can leach out when we are chewing or drinking hot liquids and enter various tissues and organs. Of particular concern is that mercury vapor can break the blood-brain barrier and the half-life of mercury in the brain is 20-years. As mercury accumulates in organs, it can reach toxic levels. Mercury toxicity can impact the nervous, digestive and immune systems. It can also negatively affect the development of children in utero and in early life.    Testing for Mercury Toxicity Common practice is to test your hair and urine to determine mercury levels in the body. However, Dr. Maddahi says this is not a true indication because the mercury could be absorbed in the tissues and organs. Instead, he suggests doing a challenge test.    Should You Remove Mercury Fillings? This is a controversial question for a lot of dentists and health experts. While it may seem like an obvious solution, given the leaching of mercury vapors into our