• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

An Inconvenient Truth: This Is a Woman

Don’t Get Angry, Get Active!

Hide Search

FDA Admits Dental Mercury Poses Health Risk To Pregnant Women And Children

H. Sandra Chevalier-Batik · June 5, 2008 ·

Following the settlement of a lawsuit earlier this week, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has updated its consumer advice on mercury amalgam to say that it poses health risks to pregnant women, children, and the unborn.

The updated consumer advice, which is in the FDA’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH) section of the website (web address given at the end of this article), now states that:

“Dental amalgams contain mercury, which may have neurotoxic effects on the nervous systems of developing children and fetus.”

he update follows a lawsuit brought against the FDA by a team of four non profit groups (including Moms against Mercury), two public officials, three dental experts, and two consumers describing themselves as “victims”. One of the plaintiffs, mercury expert Michael Bender, said in a statement issued via PR Newswire in Washington yesterday, 5th June, that:

“After 32 years of delay, the Food and Drug Administration has finally agreed to comply with the law and set a date to classify mercury amalgam as a substance that poses a health risk to pregnant women and unborn babies, and children.”

Click here to view updated FDA consumer advice on amalgams.

Click here for summary of the FDA advisory panel meeting on mercury and amalgam in September 2006.

Sources: FDA, PR Newswire, JAMA April 2006.

http://www.fda.gov/cdrh/meetings/090606-summary.html

Questions and Answers on Dental Amalgam

1. What is dental amalgam?

Dental amalgam is the silver-colored material used to fill (restore) teeth that have cavities. Dental amalgam is made of two nearly equal parts: liquid mercury and a powder containing silver, tin, copper, zinc and other metals. Mercury concentration in dental amalgams is generally about 50% by weight, while the silver concentration ranges from 20-35%.

2. What is FDA’s role in dental amalgam?

Dental amalgams are medical devices and are regulated by FDA’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH). CDRH is responsible for ensuring that medical devices are reasonably safe and effective and that the labeling has adequate directions for use and any appropriate warnings.

3. What are the safety concerns about dental amalgam?

Dental amalgams contain mercury, which may have neurotoxic effects on the nervous systems of developing children and fetuses. When amalgam fillings are placed in teeth or removed from teeth, they release mercury vapor. Mercury vapor is also released during chewing. FDA’s rulemaking (described in question 7) will examine evidence concerning whether release of mercury vapor can cause health problems, including neurological disorders, in children and fetuses.

Since the 1990s, FDA and other government agencies (CDC, NIH) have reviewed the scientific literature looking for links between dental amalgams and health problems. In September 2006, an advisory panel to the FDA reviewed FDA’s research and heard presentations from the public about the benefits and risks of mercury and amalgam.

You can read the summary of the panel meeting at: http://www.fda.gov/cdrh/meetings/090606-summary.html

In addition, a complete transcript is available at: http://www.fda.gov/ohrms/dockets/ac/cdrh06.html#dentalproductspanel

4. Are there other dental filling materials that can be used instead of amalgam?

Yes, there are several other types of dental fillings.

Resin composites are tooth-colored materials made from powdered glass and resin compounds. When composites were initially introduced, they were not very strong and were used primarily in the front teeth. Newer composites are stronger, although they still tend to wear more than metal-based materials and generally need earlier replacement.

Glass ionomer cement is also a tooth-colored material. It is not usually used for long-term fillings because it breaks easily.

Porcelain, gold, and other metals are also used as filling materials. Gold and porcelain are used for inlays, veneers, crowns, and bridges. These fillings are made outside the mouth and cemented into place after they are formed.

5. Should I have my amalgam fillings removed and replaced with these other materials? If I have a cavity, should I choose to get amalgam fillings?

FDA does not recommend that you have your amalgam fillings removed. FDA is engaged in a rulemaking that may lead to revised labeling. It is also reviewing evidence about safe use, particularly in sensitive subpopulations.

If you are concerned about the possible health effects of amalgam fillings, you should talk with your qualified health care practitioner.

Dental amalgam fillings are very strong and durable, they last longer than most other types of fillings, and they are relatively inexpensive. You may want to weigh these advantages against the possibility that dental amalgam could pose a health risk, until further information is conveyed through the rulemaking (see question 7) or otherwise.

6. Should pregnant women and young children use or avoid amalgam fillings?

The recent advisory panel believed that there was not enough information to answer this question.

Some other countries follow a “precautionary principle” and avoid the use of dental amalgam in pregnant women. Advice about dental amalgams from regulatory agencies in other countries is available below.

Canada: http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ahc-asc/media/nr-cp/1996/1996_63_e.html

France: http://afssaps.sante.fr/ang/pdf/amalgam.pdf

Sweden: http://www.kemi.se/templates/Page.aspx?id=5233

Pregnant women and persons who may have a health condition that makes them more sensitive to mercury exposure, including individuals with existing high levels of mercury bioburden, should not avoid seeking dental care, but should discuss options with their health practitioner.

7. What is the next step for FDA?

In 2002, FDA published a proposed rule to classify dental amalgam as a class II device with special controls. On April 28, 2008, FDA reopened the comment period for that proposed rule. The comment period will be open until July 28, 2008. After reviewing all comments, FDA intends to issue a final rule classifying dental amalgam.

By July 28, 2008, FDA is requesting comments supported by empirical data and scientific evidence concerning this classification and special controls for dental amalgam. In addition, if class II (special controls) is the appropriate classification for these devices, FDA requests comment on whether the two types of special controls proposed by FDA in 2002 (materials and labeling) provide reasonable assurance of the safety and effectiveness of these devices and on whether the special controls FDA described in 2002 should be revised in light of the recommendations and with respect to the discussions by the 2006 joint committee.

Controls on the Materials. For example, should the material controls proposed by FDA address conformance to recognized consensus standards that make recommendations for testing, compressive strength, and identifying the mercury vapor released by the device?

Labeling Controls. For example, how should labeling controls, if any, address the disclosure of composition, including mercury content, and precautions regarding use of the device in sensitive subpopulations composed of individuals who respond biologically at lower levels of exposure to mercury than the general population? If so, which subpopulations should be included (e.g., children under age 6, pregnant and lactating women, hypersensitive or immunocompromised individuals)? Should the labeling controls require more specific patient labeling (e.g., informing patients of identified sensitive subpopulations of the mercury content, the alternatives to the device and their relative costs, and health risks associated with the failure to obtain dental care)?

For the agency’s future analysis of benefits and costs of the regulatory options for dental amalgams, FDA also requests comments, including available data, on the following questions:

(1) How many annual procedures use mercury amalgams? What are the trends?

(2) What are the differences in cost between amalgams and alternative materials (e.g., composite, other metals, ceramics, etc.)? Are there differences in replacement lives?

(3) What are reimbursement rates for dental amalgam and the alternative materials?

(4) How would labeling describing the risks of amalgam for certain subpopulations (e.g., children under age 6, pregnant and lactating women, hypersensitive or immunocompromised individuals) affect the demand for, and use of, mercury amalgam? How would the risks included in the labeling be communicated to those subpopulations?

(5) What is the current exposure to mercury for patients? For professionals? What would be the reduction in exposure associated with the use of alternative materials?

Share

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Children's Health, FDA Press Release, Health Advisory, Health Care, Questionable Medicine, Woman’s Health

Primary Sidebar

Categories

  • Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Medications
  • Big Pharma Watch
  • Biotech Industry
  • Birth Control
  • Breast Cancer
  • cáncer de cuello uterino
  • Cancer Research
  • Cervarix
  • Cervical Cancer
  • Clinical Trials
  • Diabetes
  • Domestic Violence
  • Drug Approvals
  • Emotional Health
  • FDA
  • FDA Black Box Warning
  • FDA Clinical Trials
  • FDA Failure To Protect
  • FDA Product Recall
  • Follow The Money
  • Gardasil
  • Gardasil®
  • Gender Bias
  • Gender Politics
  • genital warts
  • Guillain-Barre Syndrome
  • Hormone Cycle
  • HPV Infection
  • HPV Vaccine
  • HRT
  • HRT Side Effects
  • Influenza A Virus H1N1 Strain
  • Mammograms
  • Mandatory HPV Vaccination Policies
  • Medical Technology
  • Menopause
  • MERCK Watch
  • MMR vaccine
  • National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program
  • PAP Test
  • Prescription Drug Side Effects
  • Proactive Nutrition
  • Product Recall
  • Reproductive Health
  • Sexual Dysfunction
  • Sleep Loss
  • STD Infection
  • Stroke
  • Take Action!
  • Uncategorized
  • Unwanted Pregnancy
  • Vaccination Policy
  • VAERS
  • vaginal yeast infection
  • Virginity
  • Weight Gain
  • Women's Health
  • Women's Rights
  • Work Place Issues
  • World Health Organization
  • Yeast Infection
  • Your Body/Your Self

Archives

  • February 2010
  • October 2009
  • September 2009
  • August 2009
  • July 2009
  • June 2009
  • May 2009
  • April 2009
  • March 2009
  • February 2009
  • January 2009
  • December 2008
  • November 2008
  • October 2008
  • September 2008
  • August 2008
  • July 2008
  • June 2008
  • May 2008
  • April 2008
  • March 2008
  • February 2008
  • January 2008
  • December 2007
  • October 2007
  • September 2007
  • August 2007
  • July 2007
  • May 2007
  • April 2007
  • March 2007
  • February 2007
  • January 2007
  • December 2006
  • November 2006
  • October 2006
  • September 2006
  • August 2006
  • July 2006
  • June 2006
  • May 2006
  • March 2006
  • September 2005
  • June 2005
  • May 2005
  • December 2004
April 2025
S M T W T F S
 12345
6789101112
13141516171819
20212223242526
27282930  
« Feb    

Breast Cancer

  • Cancer Advocacy

Health Advocacy

  • Women’s Universal Health Initiative

Syndication

  • FDA MedWatch

Tags

Big Pharma Watch Birth Control Breast Cancer Cancer Cancer Research CDC Cervarix Cervical Cancer Children's Health Exploitive Behavior FDA FDA Approvals FDA Clinical Trials FDA Failure To Protect FDA Press Release Follow The Money Gardasil Gardasil Adverse Event Gardasil® GlaxoSmithKline GlaxoSmithKline Cervarix Gynecology H1N1 "swine flu" virus H1N1 pandemic influenza preparedness efforts Health Advisory HPV HPV-Associated Cervical Cancer HPV-Vaccination HPV Infection HPV Vaccine HRT Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Infection Merck PAP SMEAR PAP Test Proactive Nutrition Questionable Medicine STD Infection STD Vaccination swine flu vaccine Swine flu vaccine production Take Action! Uncategorized Woman’s Health Your Body/Your Self

Copyright © 2010-2025 Hands On WordPress · All Rights Reserved