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Do Fillings Cause Mercury Poisoning?

Most research finds no relationship between fillings and symptoms of mercury poisoning.

Dental caries (tooth decay) are pervasive. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that 41 percent of children had dental caries in their primary (baby) teeth and 90 percent of adults had caries in their permanent teeth.

Facts about Fillings:

Dental amalgam fillings contain powdered silver, tin, and copper combined with metallic mercury (liquid mercury, quicksilver). The components, mixed together in the dentist's office immediately before use, form a hard, stable material. These "silver" fillings have been used since the nineteenth century and are still used millions of times every year in the United States. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) estimated that more than one billion dental amalgam fillings were placed between 1988 and 2008.

Amalgam fillings are widely used because they are strong and so provide durable chewing surfaces. They can be inserted more quickly than some other types of fillings, making them useful when treating children. They are less expensive to place than other types of fillings and they usually last longer.

Facts about Metallic Mercury:

Mercury is a naturally occurring substance found in earth, water, and air. Most people have measurable but small amounts of mercury in their bodies. Eating fish and shellfish is associated with higher mercury levels, as is working with or handling mercury in an unprotected environment, for example, amateur smelting of gold ore. Another source of mercury in humans is vapor from the metallic mercury in dental amalgam fillings.

Metallic mercury, like other forms of mercury, occurs naturally. Also referred to as "silver mercury" and "quicksilver", metallic mercury has a long history of use in commercial and medical applications. Until recently, it was found in most fever thermometers used by consumers along with blood pressure monitors and other medical equipment.

Unlike other types of mercury, metallic mercury is essentially non-toxic if swallowed; it passes through a healthy gastrointestinal tract without being absorbed into the body or causing harm. Even swallowing metallic mercury from a broken thermometer, a dental amalgam preparation, or pieces of an amalgam filling would not cause mercury poisoning.

(11/23/2020)
by National Capital Poison Center

More Information: https://www.poison.org/articles/2010-dec/do-fillings-cause-mercury-poisoning

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