Mercury in Dental Fillings Hazardous

June 2008

A visit to the dentist's office could put children and pregnant women in danger. The U.S. Federal Drug Administration (FDA) now admits that the mercury in silver dental fillings may be toxic to children and growing fetuses.

The FDA settled a lawsuit filed by consumer groups and people concerned about exposure to mercury by updating their web site to include warnings about silver fillings, once called amalgam fillings. The site now states that the mercury contained in silver fillings could have "neurotoxic effects on the nervous systems of developing children and fetuses."

Silver fillings are created from liquid mercury mixed with a powder of silver, tin, copper, zinc, and other metals. The fillings emit mercury vapor that is taken in by the body when people chew, and because mercury is toxic even at very low levels, the FDA is studying whether the small amount released when people chew is enough to lead to neurologic disorders in children. The agency says that people concerned about the possible health effects should talk with their doctors.