Battery in your mouth?
written by Dr. Jimmy Kilimitzoglou, DDS of e.s.i. Healthy Dentistry
Oral Galvanism is a phenomenon that is rarely discussed amongst dentists today, yet as early as the 1800’s it was a concern of the entire profession. What is oral galvanism and is it a real problem today?
The dental profession has been aware of the phenomenon of oral galvanism from its earliest days, when metallic restoration of teeth was the only option. Galvanism is the generation of a current. This occurs when two dissimilar metals or metal alloys are placed in an ion rich environment. What we just have described is the basic battery unit. This is exactly what can happen in people’s mouths when their teeth have been restored with different metals.
Common metallic dental restorations include amalgam dental fillings, metal posts and pins for teeth, gold or porcelain fused to metal crowns and bridges, titanium alloy posts, metal to acrylic removable partial dentures, preformed metal crowns and baby-teeth metal crowns, orthodontic braces, wires or retainers, and oral piercings. Oftentimes, people will bite on something and get a shock. Remember when you were a kid and you touched a 9 volt battery with the tip of your tongue and got a zing or a shock? That is similar to this galvanic effect. The electric currents and ionic flow between various dental alloys and saliva has been shown to cause problems with the nervous system. The brain generates measurable voltages in a variety of frequency ranges that control everything from our emotions to our motor skills. The galvanic effect of mixed metals in the mouth can cause voltages tens to hundreds of times greater than what the brain produces. It may cause currents and electromagnetism that interfere with the brain’s electrical impulses, which control the voluntary and involuntary actions of the body, as well as the mind. In addition, oral galvanism can block the flow of energy through major acupuncture meridians, which can, in turn lead to greater dysfunction throughout the body. The production of electrical current in your mouth is an unnatural phenomenon that can have the following oral symptoms: burning or tingling of the tongue sometimes referred as “burning mouth syndrome,” mouth pain of unknown origin, metallic, salty or sour taste in the mouth, and increased salivation.
Autoimmune diseases such as oral Lichen planus as well as ulcers, rashes, and unresolved inflammation or irritation of the gums have been associated with oral galvanism. Oral galvanism has been implicated in systemic conditions, which may include headaches, hearing loss, ringing in the ears, vertigo, eye problems, insomnia, chronic fatigue, memory loss, and irritability due to its effects to the central nervous system.
Another consequence of oral galvanism is metal corrosion. The transfer of electrons between dissimilar metals can corrode the metals in your mouth. These oxidation byproducts can be released into the body causing further disruption in our body. Fortunately, we live in a time when good alternatives to metal-based dental restorations exist. Today, there are metal-free versions of fillings, crowns, bridges, dentures and orthodontics available and we can make oral galvanism a thing of the past.
