PerspectivesAre you interested in submitting a Perspective Article? Be sure to read The Science Advisory Board's Editorial Guides for Perspective Articles. Click here. Mercury Tooth Fillings - A Time Bomb in Your Head by Radhesh Rao According to a Health Canada report, as many as 15 percent of people with amalgam fillings show signs of sensitivity to mercury. Some American researchers claim that at least 20 percent of people with amalgam fillings are “mercury toxic.” What gives? Silver amalgam fillings have a very long history in dentistry. For years it has been the best filling material that dentists could offer their patients, and to some dentists it still is. Those were the time when the risk of using mercury was considered lower than the risk of losing the tooth to dental caries. This is the reason why newer materials were brought into light that were as strong as amalgam, but without mercury. New techniques and materials gave dentists much more options. These materials are strong enough to withstand the stress and also are tooth- colored. Why then is mercury still being used in dentistry? I agree that the amount of mercury used in dental fillings is very small and the side effects and risk it poses is also small, but then why take the risk? The mercury once used in the filling leaches out and continues to, posing health risks. And how do we dispose of the unused mercury? By essentially dumping it in the oceans! I have been in private practice for just four years and have already seen so many amalgam failures that I consistently advise my patients against these fillings. Large amalgam fillings are bound to fail due to marginal leakage and secondary cavities. The mercury slowly seeps out giving the entire tooth its hue and once the amalgam is removed, you realize the cavity has actually increased in size. Why do dentists continue to use amalgam fillings? Is it due to the cost factor, or the ease of use? Some dentists still argue that there is no substitute for silver amalgam fillings, without having used the latest that science has offered dentistry. The composite resins that can be used as a substitute for amalgam fillings are more costly and are technique-sensitive and time-consuming. But they do not contain mercury and pose very little health risks, if any. I have done more amalgam fillings in one month of dental college than I have done in my practice of four years. Which other health industry uses mercury? Why do we have to use it when we have a safe alternative? This concept has to change right from the dental colleges, where students are being trained. We, as dentists should advise our patients against amalgam fillings. Patients should understand the relative risk they are taking if they opt for amalgam fillings. It is not something to be taken lightly. ### << Previous Next >> [ View All Perspectives ] |
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