Researched by Rob Hunter
They’re in millions of mouths worldwide, but have been linked to heart disease and Alzheimer’s. Now a report concedes they may have a toxic effect on the body. Amalgam dental fillings – which contain the highly toxic metal mercury – pose a health risk, the world’s top medical regulatory agency has conceded. The FDA dropped much of its reassuring language on the fillings from its website, substituting: “Dental amalgams contain mercury, which may have neurotoxic effects on the nervous systems of developing children and fetuses.” It adds that when amalgam fillings are “placed in teeth or removed they release mercury vapor”, and that the same thing happens when chewing. Some research suggests that mercury from dental fillings may be linked to high blood pressure, infertility, fatigue, disorders of the central nervous system, multiple sclerosis and Alzheimer’s disease. The alternatives are more expensive and not as strong as amalgam, which leads the defenders of mercury to say that only mercury will do for molars, which carry most of the burden of chewing. But the alternatives are getting stronger, and the chemical is being used less in the newer products.
“US issues health warning over mercury fillings” Geoffrey Lean, Independent, 6/29/08