Canada Issues Alert On Dental Amalgam
May 04, 2011
OTTAWA -- The Canadian health department recommended that dentists not use dental amalgam, which contains mercury, in young children, pregnant women, people with kidney disease and those who are severely sensitive to mercury. But the department, Health Canada, said a ban on the use of amalgam fillings isn't justified and neither is the removal of fillings in patients who haven't suffered adverse health effects from mercury exposure. The study was conducted in response to public concerns about the possible health effects of the mercury content in dental fillings. Some countries, including Sweden, have proposed banning amalgam; Germany has recommended restricting its use. A U.S. study on the use of dental amalgam conducted in 1993 concluded it was inappropriate to recommend any restrictions on its use. The Canadian health department found that dental amalgam contributes to detectable amounts of mercury in the body and is the single largest source of mercury exposure for most Canadians. ``However this exposure is not causing illness in the general population,'' the study concluded. But the study concluded that amalgam can contribute to the severe health effects suffered by a small percentage of the population that is allergic to mercury. The health department recommended that dentists advise these people to avoid amalgam and to have existing fillings replaced with other dental materials.
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