Is dental amalgam safe?
The mercury in amalgam fillings has raised some safety concerns over the years. Amalgam can release very small amounts of mercury vapor when brushing. People can also be exposed to mercury through other means. Exposure can happen through certain foods (particularly fish), medications, the air we breathe, and other sources. At any time 4000 tons of Hg vapors are in the air around the world from volcanoes. Mercury toxicity from high-level industrial or work exposure has been demonstrated. Possible symptoms of mercury poisoning include irritability, memory loss, tremors, poor physical coordination, insomnia, kidney failure, and anorexia. Reports that suggest mercury from amalgam causes the above-mentioned symptoms, conditions and other diseases like Alzheimer’s or multiple sclerosis, are not backed up by current scientific evidence. The evidence also suggests that the removal of amalgam has no health benefits.
