- To Your Health
- 49 Habits of ‘Naturally Thin’ People
- Reach for That Cup of Joe to Prevent Diabetes
- Are Mercury Dental Fillings Safe?
- The Flu Shot Is In
- Pharmacy Corner
- Take Advantage of the Price Assurance Program
- Remember to Verbally Request Your Lab Benefit
- Common Painkillers May Increase Risk of First Hospital Admission for Heart Failure
- The Alternative
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Are Mercury Fillings Safe?
Ever wonder whether those old dental fillings you have are really safe? Concerns about the safety of mercury in dental fillings have been around for years, but new questions about the safety of dental amalgam make many people nervous about their dental work.
A Food and Drug Administration panel recently rejected a report concluding mercury dental fillings are safe. Panel members complained the report excluded some important studies, making it impossible to reach a definitive conclusion about the safety of the fillings. The experts believed far more study is needed.
While dental amalgam fillings are used less frequently than they were 20 years ago because of their unsightly, metallic appearance, the American Dental Association (ADA) maintains that amalgam is a safe and effective cavity-filling material based on several recently published studies.
Dental amalgam contains elemental mercury, a known neurotoxin, combined with other metals such as silver, copper, tin and zinc to form a safe, stable alloy. It is easy to use, cheap and durable, and has been used for 150 years to fill teeth that might otherwise have been lost to decay.
How much mercury are we exposed to from dental fillings?
Most Americans have seven or eight fillings. The amount of mercury released daily is about five to six times less than the amount of mercury we consume from food and water sources each day, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.
Are there alternatives to mercury fillings?
Yes. Dentists now use resin composites — white fillings that are made of powdered glass and epoxy-like materials that look more like natural teeth.
Should I have my silver fillings removed?
Most experts say no, unless you are having a problem with a tooth or a rare allergic reaction to your mercury fillings. Not only would the procedure be costly and typically not covered by dental insurance, but questions remain about whether you might be exposed to more mercury when the filling is chipped away.
Copyright © 2006 Star Marketing and Administration, Inc. Information in this newsletter may not be reproduced in whole or in part without permission from Starmark. The articles contained within this newsletter are not a promise of coverage and are not meant to replace professional medical advice or service. Personal health issues should be discussed with your physician. Refer to your Certificate of Insurance for benefit information.