At the end of the two-day hearing to evaluate the safety of amalgam, the FDA’s own scientific panel – including neurologists, toxicologists, epidemiologists, and environmental health specialists – told the agency to stop amalgam use in children, pregnant women, and hypersensitive populations.

After reviewing the available scientific studies and the presentations of researchers, experts, dentists, and injured consumers, the scientists concluded that – contrary to the claims of the FDA’s in-house dentist Susan Runner – amalgam is not safe for everybody.

According to the panel, the FDA’s amalgam risk assessments were not adequate to protect hypersensitive adults, children, and unborn babies. Repeatedly, panel members expressed their concern about amalgam use in children. Pediatric neurologist Dr. Suresh Kotagal of the Mayo Clinic summed it up for the entire panel:

“There is really no place for mercury in children.”

Other panelists went on to explain that dental mercury is like lead. The panel urged the FDA to quickly contraindicate amalgam for these vulnerable populations and insisted that the FDA provide consumers with labeling containing clear warnings.

Sources:
Reuters.com December 15, 2010

Mercury pollution is growing across the globe.

Just answer this question: If mercury comes to the dentist in a package marked with a skull and crossbones (marking it poison), and if after taking the mercury out of your teeth… it must be label as a “hazardous waste material”… then why is it suddenly ok when it is drilled and packed into a tight space just two inches or so from your brain? Do you smell a rat?

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In the words of Charlie Brown, President of the World Alliance for Mercury-Free Dentistry, “Amalgam is a “primitive, polluting, 19th century product that began when physicians were sawing off legs. Medicine has since moved forward.”

Consider these disturbing facts:
Amalgam is the MOST EXPENSIVE dental material when you count environmental costs and clean-up costs. Amalgam is the number one cause of mercury exposure for consumers, according to the Canadian government and other sources. Mercury from dental offices is the largest source of mercury in wastewater. According to an article by Michael Bender (co-founder of the Mercury Policy Project), at least 40 percent of mercury flowing into municipal water treatment plants begins in dentist offices. And those plants are not set up to remove it, so it ends up in your fish.

Americans and Europeans have more mercury in their mouths than exists in all products combined—more than 1,000 tons. Amalgams of the dead post a risk to the living. Emissions from the combustion of mercury fillings during cremation are a significant contaminator of air, waterways, soil, wildlife and food. Seven to nine metric tons of mercury per year escapes into the atmosphere during cremations, and it is estimated that, left unchecked, crematoria will be the largest single cause of mercury pollution by 2020.

There are numerous zoning battles in the U. S. to keep crematoria away from schools, including one in South Carolina. In Sweden, it is mandatory that teeth be extracted prior to cremation.

Some dentists, who have easy access to mercury-containing dental materials, sell mercury at a premium to third world countries, which then use it in mining and industrial operations, contributing to the mercury pollution problem. Since the FDA does not regulate dentists, dentists remain free to offer you any kind of filing they want. According to a survey, 52 percent of all dentists nationwide report they are no longer placing amalgams in their patients’ mouths.However, specialists are far more likely to still be using mercury fillings — four out of five still place amalgams.
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