scholarly journals Perception of Patients with Amalgam Fillings about Toxicity of Mercury in Dental Amalgam

2012 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 289-293 ◽  
Author(s):  
CT Bamise ◽  
Adeleke O Oginni ◽  
Michael A Adedigba ◽  
OO Olagundoye
Keyword(s):  
Formal Education ◽  
Dental Amalgam ◽  
Mercury Content ◽  
Filling Material ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Dental Fillings ◽  
Dental Hospital ◽  
Dental Amalgams ◽  
Level Of Agreement ◽  
Amalgam Fillings

ABSTRACT Objective The objective of this study is to evaluate the awareness of patients with dental fillings about the toxicity of mercury in dental amalgam. Materials and methods Adult patients having at least one amalgam filling in their mouth were recruited in the Oral Diagnosis Department of OAUTHC, Ile-Ife Dental Hospital. Participants were recruited consecutively as they report in the clinic. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire developed based on standard questions from relevant publications. They were asked to indicate the type of filling material in their mouth, ingredients of the material, previous knowledge of mercury in dental amalgam and ailments due to mercury. They were to indicate their level of agreement with filling their cavities with dental amalgam despite prior information about its mercury content. Results There were about 446 respondents analyzed; male, 194 (43.5%); female 252 (56.5%). Six (1.4%) and 21 (4.7%) respondents were primary and secondary schools students respectively; 15(3.4%) had no formal education while about 410 (91.9%) were either undergraduate or graduate. All of them had at least one amalgam filling. 249 (55%) participants know the type of filling on their teeth; 156 (34.5%) had the knowledge of the presence of mercury in dental amalgam while 26.1% believed mercury can cause problems in human beings. About 90 (19.9%) participants claimed to have heard about adverse reactions to dental amalgams and 34 (7.5%) of them have heard about people recovering from an illness after removal of their filling. The level of agreement with filling their cavities with amalgam despite prior knowledge of its mercury content was 74% while 60% was observed for allowing just any material to be placed on their teeth. Conclusion Awareness of toxicity of mercury in dental amalgam was slightly low among the respondents studied. This may be suggested to be a reflection of nonexistent of global amalgam controversy in Nigeria. How to cite this article Bamise CT, Oginni AO, Adedigba MA, Olagundoye OO. Perception of Patients with Amalgam Fillings about Toxicity of Mercury in Dental Amalgam. J Contemp Dent Pract 2012;13(3):289-293.

scholarly journals The Hazardous Effects of Dental Amalgam Fillings in Human Body: A Systematic Review

2021 ◽  
pp. 45-54
Author(s):  
Laila Mohammed Alanazi ◽  
Zahra Helal Alqallaf ◽  
Waad Mohammad Alghamdi ◽  
Ahmed Mufadhi Alanazi ◽  
Salihah Muslih Alqarni ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Human Body ◽  
Lupus Erythematosus ◽  
High Strength ◽  
Dental Amalgam ◽  
Tooth Color ◽  
Dental Fillings ◽  
Dental Amalgams ◽  
Materials Used ◽  
Dental Amalgam Fillings ◽  
Amalgam Fillings

The Dental amalgam used in the dental fillings is basically an alloy of mercury (Hg). The amalgam is one of the most commonly used and versatile restorative material. Since more than 150 years this alloy of mercury, that is amalgam is used for it been economical, easy to use, durable, high strength and bacterio-static characteristics. Due to environmental pollution, detrimental health its use is decreasing in recent times. Also its not so appealing like the other materials used that resemble the tooth color. The tooth coloured restorative materials are recommended by both the doctor and the patient. Many researchers suggested that over the period of time the mercury from the filling might leach into the mouth. Thus in this study a detailed review of all the literature available online is done to understand the hazardous effects of dental amalgam fillings in the human body. The systematic literature search using Scopus, PubMed, EMBASE and Web of Science electronic databases was done using PRISMA. The experiments conducted in Sheep and monkey suggested the penetration of amalgam into the jaw bone of the patient with dental restorations. Constant exposure of mercury at lower levels can also lead to multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus. Most commonly reported renal dysfunction due to the dental amalgams are Tubular and Glomerular damage of the kidneys.

scholarly journals Mercury or Mercury Free Restorations in Oral Cavity

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 201
Author(s):  
Rakesh Kumar Yadav ◽  
Umesh Pratap Verma ◽  
Rini Tiwari ◽  
Akhilanand Chaurasia
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Alloy Powder ◽  
Room Temperature ◽  
Composite Resin ◽  
Dental Amalgam ◽  
Filling Material ◽  
Tooth Structure ◽  
Naturally Occurring ◽  
Gallium Alloys ◽  
Amalgam Fillings

<span>Amalgam is basically a concoction of metals that has been used as a potent filling material in dentistry for the last 150 years. Amalgam usually consists of silver, mercury, tin and copper. Dental amalgam is a material used to fill cavities of tooth. Over the years, amalgam has become a topic of concern because it contains mercury. Mercury is a naturally occurring metal in the environment. Mercury exists as a liquid in room temperature but when heated, it becomes a gas. Flexibility of amalgam as a filling material is due Mercury. An alloy powder, a compound that is soft in nature when mixed with mercury makes it enough to mix and condense into the tooth. It hardens quickly and offers strong resistance to the forces of biting and chewing. There are studies reported on the safety of amalgam fillings. In 2005, European Union launched a comprehensive mercury strategy to reduce use of mercury. In 2008, countries like Norway and Denmark restricted the use of dental amalgam containing mercury. In 2009, this research was evaluated by U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and found no rationale to limit the use of amalgam.  There are certain restorative materials that are available commercially that are mercury free in nature like Gold, Porcelain, Gallium alloys, Composite resin restoratives etc. They offer many advantages over amalgams containing mercury like: seals the dentin from future decay, reinforces remaining tooth structure, provides smooth and bonded margins, conservative and it blends naturally.</span>

scholarly journals An Overview of Evidence that Mercury from Dental Fillings may be an Etiological Factor in Many Health Disorders

2021 ◽  
pp. 472-485
Author(s):  
Siblerud R ◽  
Mutter J
Keyword(s):  
Health Effects ◽  
Scientific Evidence ◽  
Bipolar Disorders ◽  
Dental Amalgam ◽  
Etiological Factor ◽  
Dental Fillings ◽  
Hair Mercury ◽  
Dental Amalgams ◽  
Health Disorders ◽  
Lateral Sclerosis

Aim: The purpose of this paper is to summarize the research regarding the toxic health effects caused by mercury dental amalgams. Method: The study involved summarizing scientific articles in journals regarding health effects of dental amalgam mercury. Results: The science strongly suggests dental amalgam mercury may be an etiological factor in numerous health disorders. Mental health seems to be affected the most including such conditions as depression, anger, and irritability. Studies have also associated it with schizophrenia and bipolar disorders. The cardiovascular system also is affected including high blood pressure, heart rate, hemoglobin, hematocrit, and red blood cells. Subjects with amalgams have a decreased T lymphocyte percentage compared to a control, and the immunoglobins IgG, IgA, and IgE correlated with the number of amalgams. Myopia is reduced in amalgam bearing subjects but amalgam mercury is constricting the visual field. When comparing total health disorders of subjects with amalgams compared to those without, they suffered 45% more health disorders. Urine and hair mercury levels were significantly higher in subjects with amalgams compared to those without. The scientific evidence strongly suggests that amalgam mercury is associated with Alzheimer’s disease, multiple sclerosis, and amytrophic lateral sclerosis. Research has shown when amalgams are removed many health conditions improve. Conclusion: The evidence is overwhelming that mercury from dental amalgam is an etiological factor in many health disorders.

scholarly journals Rethinking the Dental Amalgam Dilemma: An Integrated Toxicological Approach

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (6) ◽  
pp. 1036 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hector Jirau-Colón ◽  
Leonardo González-Parrilla ◽  
Jorge Martinez-Jiménez ◽  
Waldemar Adam ◽  
Braulio Jiménez-Velez
Keyword(s):  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Epidemiological Data ◽  
Mercury Vapor ◽  
The United States ◽  
Dental Amalgam ◽  
Naturally Occurring ◽  
Toxic Pollutant ◽  
Dental Amalgams ◽  
Dental Amalgam Fillings ◽  
Amalgam Fillings

Mercury (Hg) has been identified as one of the most toxic nonradioactive materials known to man. Although mercury is a naturally occurring element, anthropogenic mercury is now a major worldwide concern and is an international priority toxic pollutant. It also comprises one of the primary constituents of dental amalgam fillings. Even though dental mercury amalgams have been used for almost two centuries, its safety has never been tested or proven in the United States by any regulatory agency. There has been an ongoing debate regarding the safety of its use since 1845, and many studies conclude that its use exposes patients to troublesome toxicity. In this review, we present in an objective way the danger of dental amalgam to human health based on current knowledge. This dilemma is addressed in terms of an integrated toxicological approach by focusing on four mayor issues to show how these interrelate to create the whole picture: (1) the irrefutable constant release of mercury vapor from dental amalgams which is responsible for individual chronic exposure, (2) the evidence of organic mercury formation from dental amalgam in the oral cavity, (3) the effect of mercury exposure on gene regulation in human cells which supports the intrinsic genetic susceptibility to toxicant and, finally, (4) the availability of recent epidemiological data supporting the link of dental amalgams to diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson.

scholarly journals Dental Amalgam Fillings and Multiple Sclerosis: A Nationwide Population-Based Case–Control Study in Taiwan

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (8) ◽  
pp. 2637
Author(s):  
Chien-Fang Tseng ◽  
Kun-Huang Chen ◽  
Hui-Chieh Yu ◽  
Fu-Mei Huang ◽  
Yu-Chao Chang
Keyword(s):  
Multiple Sclerosis ◽  
Case Control Study ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Dental Amalgam ◽  
Case Control ◽  
Mercury Content ◽  
Research Database ◽  
Dental Amalgam Fillings ◽  
Control Study ◽  
Amalgam Fillings

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an inflammatory neurological disease characterized by autoimmune-mediated demyelination of the central nervous system. Genetic and environmental factors may contribute to the development of MS. This has not been confirmed yet. Dental amalgam has long been controversial in MS due to its mercury content but the toxicological implications of mercury-containing amalgam fillings (AMF) for MS remain to be elucidated. We conducted a case–control study to investigate the association between AMF and the risk of MS from the Taiwanese National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD). Case (n = 612) and control (n = 612) groups were matched by sex, age, urbanization level, monthly income, and Charlson comorbidity index by propensity score matched with a 1:1 ratio from 2000 to 2013. Differences between cases and controls was not statistically significant (OR: 0.82, 95% CI = 0.65–1.05). In subjects stratified by gender, MS was also not associated with AMF for women (OR: 0.743, 95% CI = 0.552–1.000) and men (OR: 1.006, 95% CI = 0.670–1.509), respectively. In summary, this Taiwanese nationwide population-based case–control study did not find an association between MS and AMF.

Dental Amalgam and Antibiotic- and/or Mercury-resistant Bacteria

2008 ◽  
Vol 87 (5) ◽  
pp. 475-479 ◽  
Author(s):  
M.C. Roberts ◽  
B.G. Leroux ◽  
J. Sampson ◽  
H.S. Luis ◽  
M. Bernardo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Dental Treatment ◽  
Dental Amalgam ◽  
Resistant Bacteria ◽  
Posterior Teeth ◽  
Treatment Groups ◽  
Bacterial Diseases ◽  
Dental Amalgams ◽  
Mercury Resistant Bacteria ◽  
Amalgam Fillings

Mercury emitted from dental amalgam may select for increased numbers of antibiotic- or mercury-resistant commensal bacteria in patients and increase their risk for bacterial diseases that are resistant to common therapies. We hypothesized that the presence of dental amalgams would increase the level of mercury-, tetracycline-, ampicillin-, erythromycin-, or chloramphenicol-resistant oral and urinary bacteria as compared with levels in children receiving composite fillings. Samples were collected at baseline, 3–6 months after the initial dental treatment, and annually for 7 years of follow-up. There were no statistically significant differences between treatment groups in the numbers of bacteria growing on antibiotic- or mercury-supplemented plates. This study provided no evidence that amalgam fillings on posterior teeth influenced the level of antibiotic- or mercury-resistant oral or urinary bacteria as detected by culture.

The Science and Politics of Dental Amalgam

1998 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 123-134 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hellen Gelband
Keyword(s):  
Elemental Mercury ◽  
Mercury Vapor ◽  
The United States ◽  
Dental Amalgam ◽  
Mercury Exposure ◽  
Test Case ◽  
Filling Material ◽  
Science And Politics ◽  
Dental Amalgam Fillings ◽  
Amalgam Fillings

AbstractDental amalgam—a mixture of elemental mercury and a silver-dominated metal alloy—has been the most widely used dental filling material for well over a century. Alternative materials exist but are not well suited for some important applications, and all are more expensive than amalgam. 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. Such effects have been reported among dentists and other dental personnel, whose exposures are well below industrial levels but above those from fillings alone. No large studies have been completed that examine the effects of mercury exposure from dental amalgam fillings. In the face of inadequate evidence on the possible risks of dental amalgam, countries have reacted disparately. Sweden is phasing out amalgam entirely, possibly by the end of 1997. Germany has produced guidelines for limiting its use, other countries have signaled their intention to reduce it, and others—the United States and Canada—have studied the matter but taken no action. Policy differences within Europe have made dental amalgam a test case for the European Community's new medical device regulations. Relatively little epidemiologic research has been initiated to try to answer the question of dental amalgam's possible health effects. An international effort to define and carry out a research agenda to guide public policy is called for.

scholarly journals Should dental amalgams be used in dental training? The perspectives of dental academics at a university in South Africa

2021 ◽  
Vol 76 (09) ◽  
pp. 524-531
Author(s):  
Sharmila Bissoon ◽  
Rajeshree Moodley
Keyword(s):  
Resin Composite ◽  
Academic Staff ◽  
Dental Materials ◽  
Dental Amalgam ◽  
Mercury Content ◽  
Restorative Dentistry ◽  
Posterior Teeth ◽  
Waste Products ◽  
Clinical Supervisors ◽  
Dental Amalgams

Dental amalgam has been used in dentistry for the last 150 years to restore posterior teeth. Concerns regarding the safety issues with amalgam due to its mercury content have lead to the introduction of composite dental material to restore posterior teeth. This has transformed the teaching and training trends of direct restorative materials for posterior teeth. This descriptive study aimed to gain insight into academic staff and clinical supervisors’ perceptions regarding the use of dental amalgams in the teaching of restorative dentistry. This study used a qualitative method of data collection. Two focus group discussions were conducted between March and May 2020. Seventeen participants were invited to participate. Fourteen responded and participated, yielding an 82% response rate. The data identified two major themes, viz. the challenges experienced with the teaching of dental amalgam and curriculum development recommendations. Clinical quota requirements, disposal of waste products, and occupational and environmental risks regarding mercury exposure were sub-themes. Some of the curriculum recommendations included the skills gained during cavity preparations, the training and quota requirements of dental materials, and teaching trends locally, nationally and internationally.This study revealed that dental amalgam is still an integral part of the restorative dentistry curriculum at the university. However, the teaching of resin composite now occupies more than fifty percent of the restorative dentistry curriculum. Academics and clinical supervisors show a greater affinity for the placement of composite restorations.

scholarly journals Mercury Exposure Assessment in Mother–Infant Pairs from Continental and Coastal Croatia

Biomolecules ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (6) ◽  
pp. 821 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ankica Sekovanić ◽  
Martina Piasek ◽  
Tatjana Orct ◽  
Antonija Sulimanec Grgec ◽  
Marijana Matek Sarić ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
General Population ◽  
Blood Serum ◽  
Fish Consumption ◽  
Dental Amalgam ◽  
Maternal Serum ◽  
Postpartum Women ◽  
Cord Blood Serum ◽  
Dental Amalgams ◽  
Dental Amalgam Fillings ◽  
Amalgam Fillings

The main source of mercury (Hg) exposure in the general population is fish. Another possible source is dental amalgam. Here, we compare the levels of Hg and selenium (Se) in samples of maternal and fetal origin collected shortly after childbirth of healthy postpartum women in the coastal (n = 96) and continental (n = 185) areas of Croatia related to maternal seafood/fish consumption. We also evaluated Hg concentrations and maternal serum metallothionein (MT2) concentrations in relation to the number of dental amalgam fillings, and MT2A-5A/G (rs28366003) polymorphism. The levels of Hg and Se in maternal hair and blood/serum, placenta and cord blood/serum increased in relation to increasing fish consumption with the highest values in subjects from the coast. The concentrations of each element and between elements correlated across the matrices. Increasing amalgam number correlated linearly with increased Hg levels in maternal and cord serum and was not associated with serum MT2. No association of MT2A-5A/G polymorphism and Hg or Se levels were found. The results confirmed higher fish consumption in coastal vs. continental Croatia and increases of both Hg and Se related to fish consumption in all analyzed samples. Increased blood Hg reflected the predominant MeHg share from seafood, while increased serum Hg matched exposure from dental amalgams.

A Comparison of Mental Health of Multiple Sclerosis Patients with Silver/Mercury Dental Fillings and Those with Fillings Removed

1992 ◽  
Vol 70 (3_suppl) ◽  
pp. 1139-1151 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert L. Siblerud
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Multiple Sclerosis ◽  
Health Status ◽  
Anger Expression ◽  
Dental Amalgam ◽  
Mental Health Status ◽  
Dental Fillings ◽  
Dental Amalgam Fillings ◽  
Multiple Sclerosis Patients ◽  
Amalgam Fillings

In this study was compared the mental health status of 47 multiple sclerosis patients with silver/mercury tooth fillings (amalgams) to that of 50 patients with their fillings removed. On the Beck Depression Inventory the multiple sclerosis subjects with amalgams suffered significantly more depression while their scores on the State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory indicated the former group also exhibited significantly more anger. On the SCL-90 Revised, subjects with amalgam fillings had significantly more symptoms of depression, hostility, psychotism, and were more obsessive-compulsive than the patients with such fillings removed. On a questionnaire containing 18 mental health symptoms multiple sclerosis subjects with amalgam fillings reported a history of 43% more symptoms than those without amalgam fillings over the past 12 months. These data suggested that the poorer mental health status exhibited by multiple sclerosis subjects with dental amalgam fillings may be associated with mercury toxicity from the amalgam.

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