mercury dental fillings

June 18, 2001

US Dental Groups Sued Over Mercury in Fillings

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LOS ANGELES (Reuters Health) Jun 13 - A coalition of public interest groups sued

the American Dental Association (ADA) and the California Dental Association

(CDA) on Tuesday, claiming they have misled the public about the dangers of

mercury in tooth fillings.

The lawsuits, filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, are the latest salvo in a

growing battle over mercury fillings, which opponents say can poison the body

with leaking vapors possibly linked to Alzheimer's disease and other

neurological problems, especially in children and unborn babies.

The dental associations insist that mercury is safe when mixed with other metals

and implanted in teeth and that studies have failed to demonstrate that the low

level vapors are dangerous. The lawsuits allege violations of California's

business and professions code and charge that the ADA and the CDA have issued

rules preventing dentists from discussing the dangers of mercury with patients.

" The worst thing they are doing is hiding the presence of mercury in fillings -

which they call silver amalgam - and trying to keep dentists from saying the 'M'

word and keep consumers from hearing the 'M' word, " plaintiffs' attorney

Brown said. " These fillings are 50% mercury. "

" We consider it to be safe and the science certainly indicates that it is, " CDA

spokeswoman Seifert said, adding that her organization advocates that

dentists explain the risks of any procedure to patients. Fred , a

spokesman for the ADA, said he could not discuss the lawsuit but issued a

prepared statement which maintains that the fillings are safe.

The National Institutes of Health are conducting clinical trials to investigate

the effects of mercury fillings in children. Other studies of mercury in

fillings have been inconclusive. Similar lawsuits have been filed in federal

court in land by dentists and patients, while state legislatures in New York

and Maine are considering bills that would require dentists to disclose to

patients the makeup of their fillings.

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