After decades of claiming that there is no valid scientific evidence to show that dental amalgam can cause health problems ( mercury based filling also called silver fillings ) the American Food & Drug Administration ( FDA ) has slowly begun to change it's position following a lawsuit by consumer advocates in the USA. For a look at a list of somes studies linking the adverse effects of mercury on various human biological system CLICK HERE. Judge for yourself if you think they are valid or not....

The FDA first posted the following on it's website: " dental amalgams contain mercury, which may have neurotoxic effects on the nervous systems of developing children and fetuses. When amalgam fillings are placed in teeth or removed from teeth, they release mercury vapor. Mercury vapor is also released during chewing. "

Subsequently, after lenghty backroom maneuvering, the FDA removed that webpage and replaced it with another one where they state: " Dental amalgam contains elemental mercury. It releases low levels of mercury vapor that can be inhaled. High levels of mercury vapor exposure are associated with adverse effects in the brain and the kidneys. "

Of course the fact that dental amalgams release mercury has been known and proven a long time ago. The fact that mercury is a potent neurotoxin is also a proven fact. Mercury is a fat soluble heavy metal that can accumulate in body tissues especially when a person's ability to efficiently detoxify is impaired. The FDA does not mention the risks associated with chronic accumulation and retention when there is ongoing low level exposure to Hg vapour as is the case with amalgam fillings. There is also no mention of the conversion of elemental mercury into its organic form through methylation by bacteria in the body.

So why has it taken so long for the FDA to at least admit that mercury is released from amalgam and that it can cause health problems, at least in some population groups ? Regrettably that change has not come about willingly from the FDA. In fact the FDA had been dragging its feet for so long on mercury in dental fillings that even a judge, Ellen Segal Huvelle of U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, castigated the agency: “This is your classic failure to act,” she said.

It seems that the policy is to deny the problem unless they have no choice and then admit only what they have to. A few decades ago the position what that mercury was bound in amalgam so was safe. It took that long to finally admit that mercury is IN FACT not bound and is actually released from amalgam. For more information see the following links:

Article in Newsweek about the initial response of the FDA when they agreed to settle out of court:

http://blog.newsweek.com/blogs/labnotes/archive/2008/06/10

/mercury-tooth-fillings-fda-does-an-about-face.aspx

FDA website page:

http://www.fda.gov/cdrh/consumer/amalgams.html - this webpage has now been deleted and replaced with the one below:

http://www.fda.gov/MedicalDevices/ProductsandMedicalProcedures/DentalProducts/

DentalAmalgam/ucm171094.htm

Consumer for Dental Choice:

http://www.toxicteeth.org/

More importantly if you suspect that you have a problem related to your amalgam fillings, it is crucial that you do not rush to have them removed. Seek advice from well informed health practitioners as issues with dental material biocompatibility, individual variations in detoxification, potentiation from other toxicants and suitability of treatment protocols can have a significant impact on the outcome of treatment.

Our staff at Integrative Centre for Dental and Natural Health have decades of experience and expertise with amalgam related problems and, more importantly, with other health problems that can frequently be combined with mercury toxicity issues.

Last updated 22-05.2010