# Radio heard through teeth fillings, small update **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [June 8, 2002, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/radio-heard-through-teeth-fillings-small-update/112924 "2002-06-08T01:32:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2002, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/radio-heard-through-teeth-fillings-small-update/112924/1 "2002-06-08T01:32:05Z")
In [this 1991 column](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a3_057.html), “Is it possible to hear radio broadcasts through your teeth?”, the Master notes that while there is some evidence that radio broadcasts can on occasion be picked up by teeth fillings, “The whole business deserves more thorough investigation than it apparently got.” A possible appendage to the article relates [Lucille Ball’s reported WWII experiences with the phenomenon.](http://www.snopes2.com/radiotv/tv/fillings.htm) In the interests of advancing a more thorough investigation, I will note the skeptic James Randi’s take on the matter, from [today’s column.](http://www.randi.org/jr/060702.html) > [@](#): > > _From James Randi’s website_ > The town of Hooke, in Dorset, England, has moved well beyond talking coffee percolators. They have toasters (and other household appliances) talking — in Russian, yet. Chairman of the Hooke Parish Council, John Dalton, says of his toaster, “It’s unnerving! Normally it just makes toast!” The quite ordinary source of all this lingual flap has been traced to a high-powered BBC short-wave radio station antenna just a mile outside of the town. A station technician notes that > > Two different types of metal next to each other can pick up a radio signal. The two bits of metal act as a very basic diode and turn the signal into sound. > > **I’ll point out that this phenomenon has occasionally been noted by persons with their teeth filled just right, the amalgam of silver/mercury doing diode duty and producing music and news that can actually be heard by anyone who puts an ear to the mouth of the involuntary relay server.** Emphasis added. That a third party could listen to the erzatz radio was a new one to me. At the same time, it is not clear whether Mr. Randi is inadvertantly relating a UL or whether he has more direct experience with the phenomenon in question. ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2002, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/radio-heard-through-teeth-fillings-small-update/112924/2 "2002-06-08T04:49:21Z")
Since this is a comment on one of Cecil’s columns and not a Staff Report, I’ll move this to the appropriate forum. ---
**Author:** ![Wikkit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c0e974/32.png) [@Wikkit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wikkit)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2002, 6:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/radio-heard-through-teeth-fillings-small-update/112924/3 "2002-06-17T06:53:38Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by bibliophage \* > \*\*Since this is a comment on one of Cecil’s columns and not a Staff Report, I’ll move this to the appropriate forum. \*\* **ibliop** : slayer of threads. > [@](#): > > **lowbar** : > > > [@](#): > > > > **Jim Horny** :I’ll point out that this phenomenon has occasionally been noted by persons with their teeth filled just right, the amalgam of silver/mercury doing diode duty and producing music and news that can actually be heard by anyone who puts an ear to the mouth of the involuntary relay server. > > Emphasis added. That a third party could listen to the erzatz radio was a new one to me. At the same time, it is not clear whether Mr. Randi is inadvertantly relating a UL or whether he has more direct experience with the phenomenon in question. Emphasis removed. I’d think that it would have to be possible for a third party to listen to the ersatz radio for Randi to talk about it. If the dental radio isn’t creating sound that is being conducted to the wearer though the bones (and to the outside listener through the air), then it would imply that the dental work is somehow beaming the thought of sound into the wearers brain. That would rightly invoke his (and our) charachterstic skepticism. ---
**Author:** ![zimexlady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/d26b3c/32.png) [@zimexlady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zimexlady)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2002, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/radio-heard-through-teeth-fillings-small-update/112924/4 "2002-06-24T20:09:47Z")
…OK, I heard a cell phone ringing while hiking in an isolated part of Mexico. It has bothered me but, now I KNOW! It’s in the teeth. zimexlady