Dental Fillings Unlikely to Cause Mercury Poisoning

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Dental Fillings Unlikely to Cause Mercury Poisoning

Tue Aug 6,10:46 AM ET

By Pincock

LONDON (Reuters Health) - A range of ailments that some people attribute to

the mercury in " silver " dental fillings are more likely to be caused by

other factors, German researchers report.

Dr. Birgit Gottwald, from the University of Giessen, said that some patient

groups in Germany attribute hundreds of different physical complaints to

dental amalgam, including fatigue, dizziness, lack of concentration,

headache, burning sensations in the mouth and back pain.

" When you talk to groups of patients in Germany they link all sorts of

disease to amalgam. I heard of a group of patients who listed 1,000

disorders that can be linked to amalgam, " Gottwald told Reuters Health.

She and colleagues studied 40 patients with amalgam fillings and health

problems they attributed to amalgam, and 40 similar " controls " with the same

number of fillings but no complaints. Their findings are published in the

August issue of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics.

Participants were given a dental examination to measure the quantity,

surface area and quality of their amalgam fillings, then the researchers

measured the amount of mercury in their blood and urine and assessed their

allergy to amalgam.

They also gave the study participants a series of questionnaires to assess

coping strategies, interpersonal problems, self-consciousness, depression

and other problems.

Patients and controls had similar levels of mercury in their blood and

urine, Gottwald said. Only one patient tested positive for allergy to

amalgam, while 28% were found to be allergic to other things, such as house

dust, pollen or animal hair.

" These patients, some of them knew they had allergies not due to amalgam,

but they [heard] reports in the media that something like an amalgam allergy

might exist. We found that there were more likely explanations for their

allergy than amalgam. "

More of the patients than controls had " psychic disorders, " or " unfavorable

styles of coping with stress, " according to the report. The researchers

suggest that some of the physical symptoms may be physical manifestations or

" somatizations " of those illnesses.

" These patients are ill, but we don't think that they suffer from amalgam

poisoning, we think they suffer from psychic disorders and allergies, "

Gottwald said.

Mercury is poisonous in high enough concentrations, and the symptoms of

mercury poisoning can be the same as those reported by the patients in the

study, including an inability to concentrate, dizziness, mental symptoms and

depression, she said.

" But you must have a certain concentration [of mercury], and this

concentration cannot be reached by inorganic mercury from amalgam. "

Mercury has been used in dentistry for about 150 years but some believe the

fillings can give off harmful vapors that can be dangerous for dentists and

patients. But dental associations say it is safe when mixed with other

metals and there is no scientific evidence for a link between the material

and health problems.

SOURCE: Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics 2002;71:223-232.