FDA issues precautionary note on silver fillings (AP) (Yahoo)
 

AP - Silver dental fillings contain mercury, and the government for the first time is warning that they may pose a safety concern for pregnant women and young children. The Food and Drug Administration posted the precaution on its Web site earlier this month, to settle a lawsuit — making the move a victory for anti-mercury activists.

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(From Yahoo)

Hi NewsBot,

Thanks for posting this article. To the average consumer this article tells alot. However to those of us in the profession, this article only tells a smidgeon of what the FDA has known for many, many years. The FDA has to be very careful how they "let this cat out of the bag" because they have the ADA and other big dental organizations breathing down their backs because of the pandemonium that could result from this information and the affect it could have on the dental profession.

The end of the article stated......
<<Several other countries limit amalgams, either as a precaution in pregnant women and small children or because of environmental concern.>>

We need to ask ourselves...... if mercury is so safe, then why not use it in a pregnant women or children?? If mercury is an environmental concern, which it is big time..... how then can it be safe in our mouths??

<< Dental workers make amalgam fillings by mixing liquid mercury with powdered ingredients, requiring special safety steps and filters to limit waste seeping back into the environment.>>

I am a dental chairside assistant for 30+ years..... we stopped hand mixing mercury fillings OVER 15 years ago because the ADA said it was <<safer>> to manufacture them already premade. The ADA also had plenty of stock in those companies that made the mercury fillings.......... hmmmmmmmm. And as a side note...... during the days of hand mixing the mercury, there was no personal protective gear like there is now, none, zero! And the mercury was disposed of down the drain. Once it became premade, any pieces of it are suppose to be kept in small containers labeled biohazard waste.


Interesting stuff....... thanks for posting it!

Bryanna