Mercury dental amalgam fillings are safe for most people

Getting a filling is a typical dental process that’s used to deal with cavities and defend enamel broken by tooth decay.

There are a number of forms of filling materials at present accessible to restore cavities, together with tooth-colored composite fillings and silver-colored amalgam fillings, which comprise liquid (elemental) mercury.

A VERIFY viewer just lately requested our group in a textual content message if the mercury present in dental amalgam fillings is dangerous for your well being. 

Are dental fillings that comprise mercury dangerous?

Dental amalgam fillings that comprise mercury are typically thought of safe for most adults and youngsters over the age of 6.

But sure people, together with people who are pregnant or planning to change into pregnant, nursing moms, youngsters below the age of 6, people with a identified allergy to mercury, and people with a neurological impairment or kidney dysfunction, ought to keep away from getting dental amalgam fillings if doable and applicable, in keeping with the FDA.

Dental amalgam fillings, which comprise elemental mercury, are typically safe for most people — however the means of getting them put in, eliminated or changed might result in potential mercury publicity, which may very well be dangerous for sure teams.

Dental amalgam is a combination of metals, consisting of elemental mercury and a powdered alloy composed of silver, tin and copper. Approximately 50% of dental amalgam is elemental mercury by weight, in keeping with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Elemental mercury is totally different from the type of mercury present in fish, often called methylmercury.

Dental amalgam is mostly provided as a lower-priced different to composites. The Cleveland Clinic stated in 2020 that there are tens of millions of amalgam dental fillings in use and so they proceed to be positioned in dental faculties, clinics and hospitals all around the world.

When a brand new dental amalgam filling is positioned or an outdated filling is eliminated, they’ll launch small quantities of mercury within the type of a vapor (fuel), relying on the quantity and age of current fillings, and whether or not the particular person did issues equivalent to tooth grinding and gum chewing, in keeping with the FDA. During this time, sufferers and healthcare suppliers might expertise a brief enhance in publicity to mercury vapor.

While there are no identified well being dangers related to swallowing small particles of dental amalgam, inhaling mercury vapors could also be dangerous in sure sufferers, in keeping with the FDA. Exposure to excessive ranges of mercury vapor, which can happen in some occupational settings, together with dental workplaces, has been related to opposed results on the mind and the kidney.

“Elemental mercury can be toxic if you inhale it. It has a very, very low vapor pressure, which means that it vaporizes in the air very easily at room temperature. So if you heat up an amount of mercury to place a filling, for example, or to remove a filling, you actually cause it to vaporize even more. And because it’s toxic through inhalation, if you breathe in those fumes, that’s what can be dangerous,” Kelly Johnson-Arbor, MD, co-medical director of the National Capital Poison Center, informed VERIFY.

But the FDA and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) each say the mercury in dental amalgam fillings is mostly thought of safe for most adults and youngsters over the age of 6. The American Dental Association (ADA) additionally says that dental amalgam has served as a “safe, durable and affordable material in restorative dentistry” for greater than 150 years.

The FDA recommends that sure high-risk people, equivalent to people who are pregnant or planning to change into pregnant, nursing moms, youngsters below the age of 6, people with a identified allergy to mercury, and people with a neurological impairment or kidney dysfunction, ought to keep away from getting dental amalgam fillings “if possible and appropriate.”

“Little information is known about the potential health effects of mercury vapor exposure from dental amalgam on these groups of people,” the FDA says on its web site. “Certain people may be more susceptible to the effects of exposure to mercury from dental amalgam and may be at greater risk for adverse health effects.”

But you probably have dental amalgam fillings and are involved concerning the quantity of mercury present in them, Michael Kostrov, DMD, a basic dentist at Comprehensive Dental Care in Washington, D.C., Johnson-Arbor, and the FDA don’t suggest having the fillings eliminated or changed.

“Removing intact amalgam fillings results in unnecessary loss of healthy tooth structure and exposes you to a temporary increase in mercury vapor released during the removal process,” the FDA says. “Intact amalgam fillings in any individual, including the sensitive groups, such as pregnant/nursing mothers and children, should not be removed for the purpose of preventing any disease or health condition, unless considered medically necessary by a health care professional.”