Updated from the April 23, 2016 original post Surprisingly, there hasn’t been a ton of research on dental workers’ exposure to mercury – perhaps because the party line is that mercury amalgam is “safe.” Of course, the American Dental Association’s “Dental Mercury Hygiene Recommendations” belie this, urging caution at all points in the process of […]
silver fillings
Getting Rid of Dental Mercury: A Lot of Progress, a Long Way Yet to Go
It’s not a headline to be proud of, but it is a headline that should motivate more of us into action: Just how far behind are we? The 28-member European Union (EU), with an estimated population of over 510 million people, recently announced its decision to ban amalgam use in children under age 15, pregnant […]
A Christmas Present for the Children of Europe: No More Mercury
The children of Europe got an early Christmas this year: a ban on mercury amalgam fillings in youth under 16, as well as in pregnant and breastfeeding women. This landmark agreement was reached at a summit of the three E.U. institutions (Parliament, Commission, and Council) on December 6 and 7. Its other provisions include a […]
Lack of Informed Consent Is the Real Ripoff
We’ve all seen those articles that promise to tell you all about how your dentist might be “ripping you off.” Most of them include a more or less dire warning against dentists who recommend getting your mercury amalgam “silver” fillings replaced. It’s a standard topic point, courtesy of the ADA and dentists who aren’t yet […]
Dental Amalgam? No One Needs Mercury!
Here’s more evidence that mercury-free dentistry is winning: Just last week, the European Parliament’s Environment Committee voted overwhelmingly to completely phase out amalgam by the end of 2022! While this isn’t yet a totally done deal – according to Charlie Brown of Consumers for Dental Choice, there are still “at least two more stages to […]
Most Americans Agree: You Shouldn’t Call Them “Silver” Fillings
Talk about a “Golden Delicious apple,” and everyone understands that the name refers to the fruit’s color, not its composition. Talk about “ruby red grapefruit,” and the situation’s the same. Talk about “silver fillings,” though, and things get a little more complicated. After all, a metal like gold or a precious stone like a ruby […]
Towards an Amalgam-Free Future
Earlier this month, the global mercury treaty we’ve been talking about – formally known as the Minimata Convention on Mercury – was finally signed. Although the government shut-down meant no US officials took part, the event was largely ceremonial. Each of the 140 nations that vowed to join have up to a year to […]
Towards a Mercury-Free Future
“Do you know who is behind dental amalgam – the 50% mercury product that is leaching a neurotoxin and polluting our planet?” wrote Charlie Brown of Consumers for Dental Choice in a recent email. One of the chief mercury polluters is Dentsply, a major amalgam manufacturer based in picturesque York, Pennsylvania. So you never […]