By Dr. Mercola
Many people are not aware that, in the U.S., dental offices are the single largest source of mercury at sewage treatment plants.1
When dentists discharge mercury from amalgam fillings
(also known, misleadingly, as “silver” fillings) down the drains in
their offices, it accumulates in the environment, including in seafood
intended for human consumption.
As a neurotoxin, mercury in the environment is dangerous for
everyone, but poses a particularly grave risk for pregnant women, babies
and children, in whom it can seriously disrupt brain function and harm
the nervous system.
There was a ray of hope, however, when, in December 2016, the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalized a rule that would
restrict dentists' mercury discharges.
After more than a decade of debating the issue and an additional five
years of delays, the EPA finally finalized requirements for dentists
placing or removing amalgam to install amalgam separators to reduce
their mercury discharge.
Now, with the changes in administration, that rule has been rolled back,
and the EPA is facing a lawsuit because of it. According to the Natural
Resources Defense Council (NRDC), which filed the suit, this can’t
legally be done without public notice or a comment period. NRDC’s
litigation director, Aaron Colangelo, said in a statement:2
“The Trump White House ordered the EPA and other agencies to
violate the law … That puts Americans at greater risk of exposure to
this dangerous neurotoxin, which can do harm even in tiny amounts.
… EPA’s withdrawal of the mercury rule is not just illegal, but
senseless. The rule imposes minimal burden, drew widespread praise from
dental providers and benefits public health and the environment.”
Rule Would Reduce Mercury Discharges by 5.1 Tons a Year
There are 130,000 dental offices in the U.S., about 103,000 of which still use or remove amalgam fillings.3
Together, these dentists discharge about 5.1 tons of mercury each
year to publically owned water treatment plants and, according to the
EPA, “most of this mercury is subsequently released to the environment.”
They explained:4
“Mercury-containing amalgam wastes may find their way into the
environment when new fillings are placed or old mercury-containing
fillings are drilled out and waste amalgam materials that are flushed
into chair-side drains enter the wastewater stream.
Mercury entering POTWs [publically owned treatment works] frequently partitions into the sludge, the solid material that remains after wastewater is treated.
Mercury from waste amalgam therefore can make its way into the
environment from the POTW through the incineration, landfilling or land
application of sludge or through surface water discharge.”
While most dental offices use at least a basic filtration system to
help cut down on mercury waste entering the sewer system, the rule,
known as the Mercury Effluent Rule, would require dental offices to
install amalgam separators that capture the mercury (and other metals)
before they’re discharged into the sewer. The mercury can then be
recycled.
Under the rule, existing dental offices would have to install amalgam
separators within three years, which was expected to reduce mercury
discharge by 5.1 tons and discharge of other metals found in waste
dental amalgams by 5.3 tons, annually.5
Installing the equipment was estimated to cost only about $800 per office.6 In a rare show of agreement, all stakeholders were in favor of the rule, even the American Dental Association (ADA).7
NRDC States the EPA Illegally Rescinded the Rule
The EPA’s mercury rule was part of a number of public health and
environmental protection rules that the White House ordered to be
withdrawn early this year. The NRDC’s lawsuit against the EPA states
that the agency acted illegally by withdrawing the rule without public
notice or a public comment period.
According to NRDC, “EPA cannot withdraw the mercury protection rule
based on the Trump administration’s fiat because the rule is final.”8
The best solution would be to eliminate mercury from dentistry
altogether, but until this happens, separators would at least lessen the
environmental burden.
About 40 percent of U.S. dental offices have already installed the
devices, because 12 states have mandatory rules in place to stop mercury
from being discharged into wastewater treatment plants.9
The current nominee to head the EPA, Scott Pruitt, may not help
matters, however, considering he’s sued the agency in the past to block a
rule to limit how much mercury could be emitted into the air by coal
plants.10
It Will Take More Than Amalgam Separators to Stop Mercury Pollution
The installation of amalgam separators at every dental office using
amalgam should be a given, but even that will not go far enough to stop
the environmental destruction that results from the continued use of
this toxic metal in dentistry.
Dental mercury pollution enters the water via human waste disposal and
dental clinic releases. It enters the land via landfills, human burials
and fertilizer. And it enters the air from dental clinic emissions and
waste incineration.
Seven to 9 metric tons of mercury per year escape into the atmosphere
during cremations alone, and it is estimated that, left unchecked, crematoria will be the largest single cause of mercury pollution by 2020.
European Union Bans Amalgam Fillings for Children and Pregnant or Nursing Women
While the U.S. EPA has halted even a minimal step to curb mercury pollution from amalgam fillings, the European Union has declared that, starting July 1, 2018, amalgam use will be banned for children under 15 and pregnant or nursing women.
"The next generation of Europe's children are safe from toxic dental
mercury," Charlie Brown, president of Consumers for Dental Choice and
the umbrella organization World Alliance for Mercury-Free Dentistry,
said. He continued:
"This landmark achievement still has to be officially ratified, but
all three European Union institutions, the [European] commission, the
Council [of the European Union] and the European Parliament have reached
consensus.
The ban on amalgam for children in Europe, we promise you, will
reverberate in favor of the children across the world — in America North
and South, in Africa and in Asia and the Pacific.
The game changer that will do in amalgam is the Minamata Convention
on Mercury, which requires every participating nation to act to reduce
amalgam use. The Convention is expected to become legally binding in the
middle of 2017."
Seeing the EU decision as a springboard, Consumers for Dental Choice and
the World Alliance for Mercury-Free Dentistry have launched a campaign
to ban mercury amalgam for every child everywhere.
"We target 2020 as victory year for the world's children," said Brown.
"This victory for Europe's children will lead us to for the children of
Asia, Africa and America North and South. Amalgam belongs only in
museums that feature failed medical strategies."
Amalgam Is Inferior to Today’s Modern Filling Alternatives
In a press release, British dentist Graeme Munro-Hall, chair of the
Transition and Training task force for the World Alliance for
Mercury-Free Dentistry, described amalgam as “a primitive polluting
device” that’s “technically inferior to today’s modern alternatives.”11
One of the most popular alternatives to amalgam is resin composite,
which is made of a type of plastic reinforced with powdered glass. It is
already common throughout the United States and the rest of the
developed world, offering notable improvements over amalgam as it,
according to Consumers for Dental Choice:12
• Is environmentally safe: Composite,
which contains no mercury, does not pollute the environment. This saves
taxpayers from paying the costs of cleaning up dental mercury pollution
in our water, air and land — and the costs of health problems associated
with mercury pollution. • Preserves healthy tooth structure
because, unlike amalgam, it does not require the removal of significant
amounts of healthy tooth matter. Over the long term, composite preserves
healthy tooth structure and actually strengthens teeth, leading to
better oral health and less extensive dental work over the long term. • Is long-lasting: While some claim that
amalgam fillings last longer than composite fillings, the science
reveals this claim to be baseless. The latest studies show that
composite not only lasts as long as amalgam, but actually has a higher
overall survival rate.
A lesser-known alternative is increasingly making mercury-free dentistry
possible even in the rural areas of developing countries.
Atraumatic restorative treatment (also called alternative restorative
treatment or ART) is a mercury-free restorative technique that has been
demonstrated a success in a diverse array of countries around the world,
including Tanzania, India, Brazil, Zimbabwe, Turkey, Peru and more.
ART relies on adhesive materials for the filling (instead of mercury)
and uses only hand instruments to place the filling, making it
particularly well-suited for rural areas of developing countries.
Important Information About Amalgam Removal
For those of you who have mercury fillings,
I recommend having them very carefully removed by a competent
biological dentist who follows professional protocols for amalgam
removal. It's very important to have it done correctly. When amalgams
are removed, a large amount of mercury is released, and if the proper
precautions aren't taken, your body can absorb a massive dose of mercury
that can lead to acute kidney problems.
I experienced this myself more than 20 years ago when I had my amalgams
removed by a non-biological dentist. Biological dentists, on the other
hand, are well aware of these dangers. Some of the steps that need to be
taken to keep you and your dentist safe during amalgam removal include:
Providing you with an alternative air source and instructing you not to breathe through your mouth
Putting a rubber dam in your mouth so you don't swallow or inhale
any toxins, and using a high-volume evacuator near the tooth at all
times to evacuate the mercury vapor
Using a cold-water spray to minimize mercury vapors
Washing your mouth out immediately after the fillings have been
removed (the dentist should also change gloves after the removal)
Immediately cleaning your protective wear and face once the fillings are removed
Using room air purifiers
If your dentist claims you need to get a new filling, talk to him
about the available alternatives to amalgam, and be aware that many
dental insurance companies still refuse to completely pay for composite
fillings. Some, for instance, will only cover composite fillings on your
front teeth while others refuse to pay at all. As a result, people who
have dental insurance are actually more likely to get amalgam than those
paying out-of-pocket.13
Demand Your Choice
Today, about 50 percent of American dentists offer mercury-free
dentistry, up from 3 percent 20 years ago. To accelerate change in the
U.S., Consumers for Dental Choice is urging all American consumers to
demand mercury-free dentistry — both from your dentist and from your
insurance company. If they refuse, switch dentists; switch insurance.
At present, many insurance companies, including Delta Dental, Aetna,
Equitable and Humana typically will pay only for amalgam in your molars,
even though composite, not amalgam, has become the standard and
mainstream filling material in North America.
And, since mercury-free dentists — again, about half of all dentists in
the U.S. — will not give you an amalgam filling anywhere in your mouth,
the insurance company profits handsomely since you then have to pay the
bill out-of-pocket even though you're insured. As previously noted by
Brown:
"They sell an artificially low-price policy to get you in. That's a
bait-and-switch. It's time to hold all of them accountable … Challenge yourinsurance
company, demand your claim be paid and work with your mercury-free
dentist to do that. We have the paperwork if you push the 'Demand Your
Choice' button … We can change this from the grassroots up. We're not
going to wait on the FDA … We're going to simply change the market."
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