This past summer, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ruled on the safety of dental amalgam fillings, which are composed of mercury and other metals, such as silver and tin, and are used to fill cavities. In 2007, the FDA had updated its Web site to reflect that the mercury in amalgam fillings might pose a health risk for pregnant women and children. Now, after further investigation of the issue, the FDA has back-pedaled — and claimed that these fillings are safe for adults and children over six years old. However, for the first time, the FDA did classify amalgam fillings as a Class II (moderate-risk) medical device. They previously had been ranked as a Class I (low-risk) device.

My view: This new ruling exonerating mercury-containing fillings is terrible — and a great disappointment. A growing number of dentists and scientists now know that mercury vapors are released from amalgam into the body and are toxic to many organs, including the brain, liver and kidneys, and that they damage the immune system. It also is alarming that these amalgam fillings are again deemed safe for young children and pregnant women.

It is interesting to note that the FDA recommended that manufacturer labels warn dental professionals about the use of adequate ventilation when handling dental amalgam. Why? Because dentists might need to protect themselves from amalgam vapors. What about patients? In my opinion, the FDA is years behind other countries in protecting the public against amalgam fillings. Canada has advised that nonamalgam fillings be used for children and pregnant women since 1966. British dentists were advised in 1998 not to give pregnant women amalgam fillings, and the fillings have been banned altogether in Sweden and Norway. In fact, there is simply no need to use amalgam fillings, since white composite or porcelain fillings are readily available. While these newer filling materials may be slightly more expensive now, as technology improves and dentists become more proficient at administering them, costs will become comparable.