Dental Amalgam Toxicity
...te fillings cost at least 30% to 100% more and are still not as long lasting as amalgam. Other non-amalgam replacement restorations cost from 3 to 7 times as much as amalgam. Its physical properties in terms of strength and non-leakage still outweigh its disadvantages, making it a superior product to white filling materials. In spite of the long history of mercury amalgam as a dental restorative material, its use continues to be controversial. As it is poor aesthetics, more tooth must be drilled away and also have some controversy over health effects. A Mercury vapors are continuously released from dental amalgam and are ultimately absorbed into a variety of tissues. Experimental data have demonstrated that the uptake, tissue retention and excretion of mercury from dental amalgam are significant. There is increasing awareness that amalgam materials can cause hypersensitivity in patients and dental workers alike. Although uncommon, hypersensitivity presents itself as soreness or redness in the area directly surrounding the amalgam filling. This is called a lichenoid reaction. Rarer still, amalgam material can cause an allergic reaction in the lining of the mouth and skin of the face. There is very little evidence to support the fact the amalgam can cause a general toxicity risk to foetus but it is not recommended for use on pregnant women. But amalgam is still the most widely used material for filling cavities AMALGAM POISONING: SYMPTOMS AND MEDICAL PROBLEMS: The toxic effects of occupational mercury exposure have long been known, but it was not until about 1980 that serious consideration was given to the possibility that mercury vapor escaping from amalgam fillings might be affecting health, specifically producing subtle effects on the central nervous system. Low grade chronic mercury intoxication can give rise to symptoms as; anxiety, irritability, fatigue, outbursts of temper, stress intolerance, decreased simultaneous capacity, loss of self-confidence, indecision, headache, depression, metallic taste etc. Mercury from amalgam may damage the brain and nervous system, the Thyroid, pituitary and adrenal glands, the heart and lungs, as well as hormones and enzymes. Mercury is a very potent suppresser of the immune system and is known to damage the brain and nervous system of unborn babies. TREATMENT OF LOW-DOSE AMALGAM TOXICITY: An ideal course of therapy for low dose amalgam toxicity should include the following: 1. First, stopping the ongoing exposure that is to replace the amalgam fillings in teeth with white composite material. 2. Getting rid of the loosely bound body mercury. 3. Then, chelating the more tightly bound mercury including that in the brain. 4. Appropriate nutritional support designed to counteract mercury’s known effects and to make the patient more comfortable while mercury is being moved around. The use of antioxidants is recommended. 5. Appropriate monitoring tests (especially important in non-verbal children) to check on blood counts, kidney and liver function, and mineral levels, and to gauge how much mercury is being excreted. The course of treatment consists of: 1. 2,3-dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) — until provoked urine mercury is low. 2. DMSA plus lipoic acid — until no more mercury is excreted in urine or stool 3. Appropriate nutritional support as determined by testing with particular attention to antioxidants 4. Monitoring tests — CBC, liver function tests, serum copper, plasma zinc, intracellular trace minerals — most every 2 to 3 months. POSITION TAKEN ON DENTAL AMALGAM BY THE AMERICAN DENTAL ASSOCIATION, THE AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION, AND THE FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION: In 1985 the International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology (IAOMT) reviewed the transcript of the National Institute of Dental Research (NIDR) Workshop on the Biocompatibility of Metals in Dentistry and the then available scientific literature and concluded that there was reasonable doubt about the safety of dental amalgam. IAOMT says, “The use of mercury/silver fillings should be discontinued until such time as primary pathological evidence of amalgam safety is produced.” Since that time, there have been a series of published statements and articles from the American Dental Association (ADA) claiming that dental amalgam was safe for use as a filling material. According to ADA: “Dental amalgam (si...