Who says Beethoven and heavy metal don’t mix?
Seriously, though, new research suggests that exposure to certain heavy metals may explain why the great composer suffered so many health issues during his lifetime.
Scientists tested some of his hair for traces of heavy metals, many of which are highly toxic, and published their findings last month in Clinical Chemistry. Their tests showed slightly elevated levels of mercury and arsenic – and lead levels anywhere from 64 to 95 times greater than you’d find in the hair of an average person living today.
“That substantial buildup of the toxic metal likely came from the goblets and glasses Beethoven drank out of, certain medical treatments of that age, and his consumption of wine,” NPR reported.
“We do know Beethoven loved his wine,” says [study author Paul J.] Jannetto. “And back then, it was not uncommon to actually add lead acetate to the less expensive wines because it binds the acids to add a sweeter flavor to the wine.”
Jannetto says that even for people of his time period, the lead levels in Beethoven’s hair would have been about 10 times higher than average. “What this showed is he had a chronic exposure to high concentrations of lead,” he says.
The lead wouldn’t have killed him, but it likely contributed to his health problems.
“A lot of those documented ailments that Beethoven had,” says Jannetto, “those are traditional signs and symptoms that a neurologist or clinician could see in a patient that was exposed to lead.” These include liver disease (which would have been aggravated by his genetic risk factor, regular drinking, and infection with hepatitis B), gastrointestinal challenges, and hearing loss.
While lots of folks know that metals such as lead, mercury, and arsenic are toxic, not as many realize just how common they remain in mainstream dentistry today.
Mercury, of course, is the most prominent one. It’s the main component of the amalgam used to make “silver” fillings. While many countries have banned mercury amalgam, it remains widely used in the US and elsewhere. Other heavy metals go into amalgam, as well: copper, tin, and zinc. The copper can add to the problem, as it’s been shown that modern high copper amalgams release more mercury. Roughly two dozen health conditions have been linked with mercury exposure from amalgam fillings.
Other toxic metals can also turn up in dental work. Nickel and chromium, for instance, are used in stainless steel crowns. Nickel is sometimes used in the titanium alloys used to make traditional dental implants – just one of a number of reasons why ceramic implants are the better option for replacing teeth.
Even lead can turn up in dental work occasionally, especially in restorations made cheaply overseas, which is why it’s crucial that your dentist has a trusted domestic lab to create crowns and other dental work for their patients.
And basic toxicity is just one problem. Another is oral galvanism, which occurs when different metals in dental work create electrical currents in the mouth. Saliva acts as an electrolyte, allowing the metals to interact and generate a small electric charge. Galvanism’s effects can range from mild discomfort to interference with the nervous system. It can create energetic disturbances through the meridian system and even accelerate the release of mercury from amalgam fillings.
It’s for reasons like these that our office is 100% metal-free. It’s the safest option for our patients. Instead of metals, we use BPA-free, fluoride-free composite resins and ceramics such as zirconia and porcelain. We also test for biocompatibility to make sure that any materials we use are a good match for the patient, unlikely to trigger an allergic response or other negative reaction.
Biocompatibility is crucial to biological dentistry.
