Amalgams Pose No Risk To Human Health, EU Report Says

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Amalgams Pose No Risk To Human Health, EU Report Says

http://www.guardian.co.uk/feedarticle?id=7227575

By Stablum

LONDON, Jan 15 (Reuters) - Amalgam fillings for teeth, containing

mercury, pose no health risk to the human nervous system, an EU

scientific commmittee said on Tuesday.

The opinion supports arguments by some dentists and governments, who

have said the material is safer and more durable than alternatives.

But the results caused a stir among patients' organisations who argue

amalgam is dangerous, because of the known sideffects of mercury.

" The facts do not add up -- mercury is the third most toxic poison in

the world and we are still putting it in people's mouths, " said Becky

Dutton of patient organisation Mercury Madness.

The EU said it had investigated claims of a link between amalgams and

a variety of systemic conditions, particularly neurological and

psychological or psychiatric effects.

" It is concluded however, that no risks of adverse systemic effects

exist and the current use of dental amalgam does not pose a risk of

systemic disease, " it said.

Mercury, which accounts for 50 percent of an amalgam filling, persists

in soil, water and living organisms. While high doses can be fatal,

relatively low doses have been linked to adverse neuro-development

impacts.

Most countries advise against use of amalgam for children and pregnant

women due to its impact on brain development, but patient

organisations believe the rest of the population, carrying an average

of 2.5 grams in their mouths, is also at risk.

The list of effects from mercury poisoning goes from mild tremors due

to neurological damage and kidney problems to autism and even

Alzheimers, according to advocates for a European ban.

The EU report said no studies had shown that dental personnel

sufferclassical signs of mercury intoxication.

" All I can say is that if mercury/amalgams are so safe why have three

countries just banned them? " anti-mercury campaigner Dutton asked.

This month the Swedish government is expected to decide on a ban,

while Denmark and Norway are taking similar steps.

Another patient organisation in Spain said it rejected the provisional

report because it was partial and ignored the World Health

Organisation (WHO) and other scientists' recommendations.

" The main dentist organisation before the ADA (the American

Association of Dental Surgeons), already in the 1830s saw a clear

relation cause-effect with amalgam...and prohibited its members to

place amalgams in people's mouths, " the Spanish National Association

MERCURIADOS told Reuters in an email.

The opinion provides the EU with scientific advice needed when

preparing policy in relation to its wider mercury strategy, which has

for example banned the use of mercury in barometres.

The report was prepared by the Scientific Committee on Emerging and

Newly Identified Health Risks (SCENIHR) and is made up of external

experts.

A public consultation will run to February 22, after which the EU

could potentially revise the preliminary report.

Then it is up to the scientific committee to adopt the final opinion

and the timeline depends on the number and sort of comments received,

the European Commission told Reuters.