Mercury Hazard- Occupational Risk for Dentists

Figure showing how Mercury gets passed on up and down the food chain.

Occupational Hazards for dentists – the amalgam / mercury danger

Full summary with abstracts and references for over 3000 peer-reviewed studies submitted by DAMS to the FDA amalgam review panel can be found at: www.flcv.com/fdarev.html

The studies document that amalgam is the largest source of mercury exposure for most people and the levels of exposure are significant and commonly higher than U.S. government health guidelines for mercury.

The studies also document the mechanisms by which mercury from amalgam causes over 30 chronic health conditions, and document over 50,000 clinical cases of recovery or significant improvement from all of those chronic conditions after amalgam replacement. For some conditions the majority show significant improvement or recovery after amalgam replacement.

The studies also document that amalgam is the largest source of mercury in sewers and sewer sludge, with the level in most sewers and sewer sludge being documented to be causing widespread damage and harm. Mercury in sewers goes into water bodies and thus into fish and wildlife, being documented to be a major source of such mercury. Over 33 % of all U.S. lakes have fish consumption warnings for mercury, 15% of all river miles, and over 90% of coastal miles on the Gulf and East coasts. Mercury in sewer sludge has been documented by Government agencies to be transfered into crops when landspread, and to be methylated to methyl mercury by soil bacteria andoutgased when the sun shines from landspread or landfill areas - being a factor in high levels of mercury in rain all over the U.S

Mercury levels in blood of dental professionals ranged from 0.6 to 57 ug/L, with study averages ranging from 1.34 to 9.8 ug/L (1 ,2,). A review of several studies of mercury level in hair or nails of dentists and dental workers found median levels were 50 to 300% more than those of controls (3,4). Dentists have been found to have elevated skeletal mercury levels, which has been found to be a factor in osteoporosis, as well as mercury retention and kidney effects that tend to cause lower measured levels of mercury in urine tests (5). A group of dental students taking a course involving work with amalgam had their urine tested before and after the course was over. The average urine level increased by 500% during the course (6). Allergy tests given to another group of dental students found 44% of them were allergic to mercury (6). Studies have found that the longer time exposed, the more likely to be allergic and the more effects (7)

1 ) I.Akesson et al, Dept. of Occupational Medicine, "Status of mercury and selenium in dental personel", Arch Environ Health, 46(2): 102-109, 1991 & S.B.Chang et al, Anal Toxicol , 1987, 11(4):149-53.

2) B.Moller-Madsen et al, "Mercury concentrations in blood of Danish dentists", Scand J Dent Res, 1988, 96(1): 56-9.

3) Ewan Macdonald et al , Evidence dentists have higher than normal levels of mercury exposure and adverse health effects, Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, May 2002; & Wesnes K., A pilot study of the effect of low level exposure to mercury on the health of dental surgeons. Occupational & Environmental Medicine. 52(12):813-7, 1995 Dec.

4) S.Ziff and M.Ziff, Infertility and Birth Defects: Is Mercury from Dental Fillings a Hidden Cause?, Bio-Probe, Inc. ISBN: 0-941011-03-8.1987

5) K.Iyer et al, "Mercury Poisoning in a dentist", Arch Neurol,1976, 33:788-790.

6) E.G.Miller et al, "Prevelence of Mercury Hypersensitivity among Dental Students", J Dent Res. 64:Abstract 1472, p338,1985; & D.Kawahara et al, "Epidemiologic Study of occupational Contact Dermatitis in the Dental Clinic", Contact Dermatitis, Vol 28, No.2, pp114-5,1993.

7) A.Jokstad, "Mercury excretion and ocuupational exposure of dental personnel",Community Dent Oral Epidemiology, 18(3):143-8,1990.