Dr. Avnish Jolly,9 June:People with Golden and Silver teeth’s we often found. This is not trend or sign of prosperity but need of the people for cavities filling. Since dental amalgam or "silver" or ‘gold” fillings gained popularity, there has been widespread concern about the effects of mercury on peoples health.
US Food and Drug Administration has officially admitted that mercury in dental fillings may be harmful to the health of pregnant women, children and fetuses. It is one of the oldest affordable and durable materials used in dentistry for filling cavities in teeth. Since the last 150 years, dentists have been carrying out routine restorative work using amalgam. Although newer materials have broken ground, it is widely acknowledged that amalgam happens to be the best material for dental fillings. Chemically amalgam is composed of equal parts of elemental liquid mercury and an alloy powder that contains (in descending order) silver, tin, copper, and sometimes smaller amounts of zinc, palladium (or indium.)
Dental amalgams contain mercury, which may have neurotoxin effects on the nervous systems of developing children and fetuses, the agency said on its website. FDA’s rulemaking will examine evidence concerning whether release of mercury vapor can cause health problems, including neurological disorders, in children and fetuses. The problem center over the use of mercury is a known human neurotoxin. Mercury is known to cause of chronic illnesses, autoimmune disorders, neurodegenerative diseases, birth defects, and mental disorders. In fact mercury is implicated in the development of autism as well although no conclusive proof exists.
In 2002, the Food and Drug Administration said there was no valid scientific evidence to prove that amalgams cause harm to patients with dental restorations. However a 2004 review by the Life Sciences Research Office did not find any evidence to show that silver fillings caused any neurological issues. In 2005 a report from Freiburg University Institute for Environmental Medicine said there was evidence that removing dental fillings containing mercury resulted in the resolution of chronic complaints by a number of patients in clinical trials. It added that low-dose mercury exposure was linked to Alzheimer’s disease or multiple sclerosis, neurobehavioral changes, autoimmunity, oxidative stress and autism.
A lawsuit by consumer groups and individuals concerned about mercury exposure forced the FDA to review existing literature on the subject. The FDA believes that dental amalgam remains a safe, affordable and durable cavity filling choice for dental patients. For consumers, especially pregnant women and children, it may make sense to go for amalgam alternatives in discussion with their dentist.
The time has come and we need total revamping of our medical system.Any thing which is deterimental to our health and is likely to cause some serious damages should be discarded.We need more articles in support to the information provided……kishore.