Many consumers are not aware that all silver-colored fillings, or dental amalgams, contain mercury. In fact, amalgam fillings are comprised of approximately 50 percent mercury, according to the World Health Organization and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Although banned or restricted in many other countries, these fillings are still used in the U.S.

Amalgam fillings pose risks to human health, and dental mercury released into the environment can cause long-lasting damage to wildlife. Jack Kall, a Doctor of Dental Medicine and chairperson of the board of the International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology (IAOMT), a global network of dentists, health professionals and scientists that has been researching dental amalgam and other dental products since 1984, explains, “Mercury is continuously emitted from dental amalgam fillings, and it is absorbed and retained in the body, particularly in the brain, kidney, liver, lungs and gastrointestinal tract.”

Unsafe amalgam removal techniques also raise health concerns. Some patients require the removal of amalgam fillings due to physical deterioration, while others have it done for cosmetic purposes (white-colored fillings match the teeth better) or because they prefer to have dental fillings that don’t contain mercury.

However, removal of amalgam fillings without proper safety measures can potentially lead to patients, dentists, staff and the environment being exposed to unsafe levels of mercury. Safe Mercury Amalgam Removal Technique recommendations to mitigate dental mercury exposure are available at TheSmartChoice.com.

 

The IAOMT is based in ChampionsGate, FL. For more information, visit IAOMT.org, Tinyurl.com/IAOMT-Mercury-Facts or Tinyurl.com/IAOMTMercury-Report.