# Tinfoil on fillings...eeeuuu

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tinfoil-on-fillings-eeeuuu/5152>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [December 7, 1999, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tinfoil-on-fillings-eeeuuu/5152 "1999-12-07T00:56:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![KissThis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/cab0a1/32.png) [@KissThis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KissThis)\
**Post date:** [December 7, 1999, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tinfoil-on-fillings-eeeuuu/5152/1 "1999-12-07T00:56:00Z")

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What causes that terribly unpleasant sensation in my mouth if I touch tinfoil (like a gumwrapper or a piece of foil that as gotton broken off in my baked potato) to my metal fillings? I assume it has to do with metal on metal but how does one’s brain interpret it?  
Note: people with perfect teeth need not reply.

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I’m the best there is Fats…even if you beat me, I’m still the best.  
Paul Newman in the Hustler

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**Author:** ![Andy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/aeb1de/32.png) [@Andy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy)\
**Post date:** [December 7, 1999, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tinfoil-on-fillings-eeeuuu/5152/2 "1999-12-07T01:07:00Z")

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it’s caused by a small electric current passing through to the nerve of the tooth. The two different metals have different electrode potentials, hence filling-on-filling produces no effect. The saliva in your mouth acts as an electrolyte.

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**Author:** ![Doug\_Bowe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/df788c/32.png) [@Doug\_Bowe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doug_Bowe)\
**Post date:** [December 7, 1999, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tinfoil-on-fillings-eeeuuu/5152/3 "1999-12-07T04:41:00Z")

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Better yet, read that answer (and manny, manny more) in “Know It All.”  
Edited by Ed Zotti.  
Check Cecil Adams House 'O Values.

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**Author:** ![psycat90](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@psycat90](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psycat90)\
**Post date:** [December 7, 1999, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tinfoil-on-fillings-eeeuuu/5152/4 "1999-12-07T04:49:00Z")

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not to encourge any youngster out there to try, but ocassionally after smoking a joint i get that metal taste in my mouth(around the teeth that happen to have metal fillings) what the hell is THAT about?

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so you found a girl who thinks really deep thoughts. what’s so amazing about really deep thoughts? Tori Amos