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Some patients actually report being able to pick up radio stations on their fillings. Sounds like you have a similar problem. The situation stems from the fact that metals are conductive and saliva can act like a wire to connect the two metals or in your case the two or more fillings. This phenomenon is know as a "galvanic reaction" and is more pronounced in some people. It simply means that there is a "connection" between two metals. Since silver fillings contain several different metals, you only need one filling to create the connection. The "current" that flows is stronger when two very different metals are in contact, hence a spoon against a filling causes a strong sensation.
This information may be more than you wanted to know but the phenomena of galvanic reaction is not harmful to the patient but may accelerate the corrosion of your silver restorations. Foods that lower the pH of your saliva will "enhance" the galvanic reactions. You don't mention what occurred recently to make it more pronounced. Sometimes sealing over the silver fillings can help eliminate the occurrence for a while but the sealant doesn't last and so you would be back to square one. Hope this helps. And thanks you for your question.
Victoria Marker, PhD
Associate Professor
Biomaterials Science
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