Are mercury tooth fillings safe?
Lisa Richwine The safety of widely used silver fillings made with mercury will get another look this week in light of persistent complaints that they may cause health problems. Dozens of studies have found no evidence that the fillings are dangerous, except for rare cases of allergic reactions, U.S. health officials say. The Food and Drug Administration will ask a panel of outside experts on Wednesday and Thursday if it agrees with that conclusion or sees reason to worry. Mercury is known to be toxic to the brain and kidneys, but health officials say the mercury vapors emitted from fillings during brushing and chewing are too small to cause harm. Also called dental amalgams, the silver fillings are about half mercury and half a combination of other metals. Makers include Dentsply and Danaher Corp. unit Kerr. The FDA analysed research since 1997, when the U.S. Public Health Service issued a report saying data did not support claims that silver fillings caused serious health problems in
