New science challenges old notion that mercury dental amalgam is safe

Mercury dental amalgam has a long history of ostensibly safe use despite its continuous release of mercury vapor. Two key studies known as the Children’s Amalgam Trials are widely cited as evidence of safety. However, four recent reanalyses of one of these trials now suggest harm, particularly to bo...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Biometals 2014-02, Vol.27 (1), p.19-24
Main Authors: Homme, Kristin G., Kern, Janet K., Haley, Boyd E., Geier, David A., King, Paul G., Sykes, Lisa K., Geier, Mark R.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Biochemistry
Biomedical and Life Sciences
Cell Biology
Child
Chronic Disease
Dental Amalgam - adverse effects
Dental Amalgam - analysis
Dental Amalgam - chemistry
Dental Amalgam - standards
Dental amalgams
Dental caries
Dental research
Epidemiology
Genes
Genetic variance
Genetics
Health Policy
Humans
Life Sciences
Medicine/Public Health
Mercury
Mercury - adverse effects
Mercury - analysis
Mercury - standards
Mercury - toxicity
Mercury Poisoning - diagnosis
Mercury Poisoning - etiology
Mercury vapor
Microbiology
Patient Safety
Pharmacology/Toxicology
Plant Physiology
Safety
Subpopulations
Toxicity
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Summary:Mercury dental amalgam has a long history of ostensibly safe use despite its continuous release of mercury vapor. Two key studies known as the Children’s Amalgam Trials are widely cited as evidence of safety. However, four recent reanalyses of one of these trials now suggest harm, particularly to boys with common genetic variants. These and other studies suggest that susceptibility to mercury toxicity differs among individuals based on multiple genes, not all of which have been identified. These studies further suggest that the levels of exposure to mercury vapor from dental amalgams may be unsafe for certain subpopulations. Moreover, a simple comparison of typical exposures versus regulatory safety standards suggests that many people receive unsafe exposures. Chronic mercury toxicity is especially insidious because symptoms are variable and nonspecific, diagnostic tests are often misunderstood, and treatments are speculative at best. Throughout the world, efforts are underway to phase down or eliminate the use of mercury dental amalgam.
ISSN:0966-0844
1572-8773
DOI:10.1007/s10534-013-9700-9