Last week, an advisory panel to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) convened a professional panel review to again look at the safety issues associated with mercury amalgam in dentistry. A group of scientists and dental and medical professionals, lead by the International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology (IAOMT), had called for FDA to reconsider its July 2009 "no risk" classification of mercury fillings.
The FDA panel concluded that there are no huge scientific flaws in the agency’s 2009 finding that mercury-based dental fillings are safe for adults and children aged 6 years and older.
The panel, however, recommended that the FDA look at more data, including the latest data, on the possible health risks dental amalgam poses to pregnant women and their fetuses and to young children, particularly nursing infants whose mothers have these fillings. The panel also said the FDA should consider adding warnings for these groups to the material’s product instructions.?
The ADA commended the panel’s call for continued research while offering support for the FDA’s current amalgam regulation.
The panel’s call for more scientific data acknowledged concerns of dental amalgam opponents who link mercury exposure to dozens of diseases ranging from autism to Alzheimer’s disease.
Matthew Young DDS, President of the IAOMT, said, "The cumulative doseand health effects of mercury from all sources will eventually force aban on all optional use of this toxic metal. Mercury based fillings arethe greatest contributor to mercury exposure in humans according to thisrecent risk assessment and the World Health Organization’s MercuryPolicy Report." Young calls for a ban now instead of years from now,stating "the elimination of mercury fillings will be the greatest healthbenefit to humankind."
