Amalgam Fillings

Due to some recent publicity about the use of mercury in dentistry, you
may be concerned about the amalgam or "grey" fillings you may have in
your mouth. In Britain, two adults out of three have six fillings or
more and they tend to be concentrated among people born in the '60's.
Only ten percent will have no fillings at all, and they are more often
in the 18 to 30 year old age group. This is due to the effect of
fluoride toothpaste.

What is amalgam?
Amalgam is made up of a minimum 65 percent silver and a maximum of 29
percent of tin, with approximately 3 percent copper and less than 1
percent zinc. These components are mixed in the surgery to form an
alloy, called "amalgam". Amalgam fillings are the most common filling
material used, because it has been used to fill teeth since the early
years of this century as a cheap alternative to gold and gold leaf; 30
million amalgam fillings are placed per annum in the UK (NHS) and 160
million per annum in the USA.

There are some advantages to the use of amalgam in dentistry. Amalgam is
relatively inexpensive, strong, durable and long lasting (up to 20 years
if placed well, although 50 percent of amalgams last less than five
years), easy for the dentist to place and was considered free of side
effects, according to the British Dental Association (BDA) and American
Dental Association (ADA) as well as other European dental associations,
until recently.

The Amalgam Scare

Very small amounts of mercury vapour are now known to be continuously
released from amalgam fillings. This is detectable and can be measured.
The vapour is absorbed by the lungs into the blood stream. Problems are
said to arise when people fail to excrete the mercury. It may then be
stored in the brain, kidneys and liver.

Tests on amalgam fillings that have been removed from the mouth show
that up to half the mercury has been lost.

About three percent of the population are estimated to suffer from
mercury sensitivity. The mercury content of urine, hair or fingernails
can be measured.

Mercury (not amalgam) has been implicated in Alzheimer's disease and
other neuromuscular disorders, as well as ME, migraine, asthmatic type
breathing problems, eczema and many more vague symptoms, such as
fatigue, confusion, depression, etc. (Professor Anthony Mann, an expert
in disease patterns, says the recent increase in Alzheimer's disease
amongst the elderly is due to the fact that people are living longer, as
there is no evidence to suggest that today's 70 year old is at any
greater risk of the disease than previous generations. So, with no real
increase in the rates of Alzheimer's disease, Michael Watson of the BDA
asks: "Where are the bodies?").

There are sources of Mercury which we come into contact with in daily
life, including dietary sources, such as *fish and shellfish, carrots
and lettuce. Non-dietary sources include: hair dye, some mascaras,
toilet paper made from recycled paper, calamine lotion and contact lens
solutions. (*source: "It's all in your head", Hal Huggins, DDS,
copyright 1989, Life Sciences Press).

On average a UK adult absorbs about 9 millionths of a gram a day from
all sources. About a sixth of this amount comes from amalgam fillings.

A recent American study seeks to show that dentists are affected by
mercury in their day to day contact with amalgam. It suggests that
dentists may suffer from loss of concentration and loss of fine dexterity.

Sweden has recently banned amalgam on environmental grounds. Germany has
asked dentists to be cautious in their use of amalgam fillings in -
patients with kidney problems, children under 18, women of child bearing
age.

The British and American Health Authorities Position

The position of the BDA on the amalgam issue is based on the findings of
the 1992 Swedish Medical Research Council conference examining the
potential biological consequences of mercury released from amalgam.

Mercury released from dental amalgam does not, according to the
available data, contribute to systemic disease or systemic toxicological
effects.

No significant effects on the immune system have been demonstrated with
the amount of mercury which may be released from dental amalgam fillings.

Allergic reactions to mercury from amalgam fillings have been
demonstrated, but are extremely rare.

In a very small number of individuals, local reactions may occur
adjacent to amalgam restorations.

Available data does not justify discontinuing the use of mercury
containing dental amalgam fillings or recommending their replacement.