U.S. Regulators Still Haven’t Banned Harmful Mercury Fillings

It is simply undeniable that mercury poses a toxic threat to humans and our environment. Study after study has shown that excessive mercury exposure can lead to a wide range of health problems in children and adults; recent research has even drawn a causal connection between exposure to mercury and autism.
Dental amalgams, or silver fillings, contain approximately 50 percent elemental mercury. Over time, silver fillings emit vapors that can cause mood swings, tremors, headaches, insomnia, nervousness, irritability and weakness. Other more serious ailments associated with methylmercury poisoning include vision problems, cerebral palsy, hearing problems, growth problems, intellectual disability and microcephaly.
These dangers are well-known and well-established and are even more pronounced in children, whose still-growing bodies make them particularly vulnerable to mercury’s harmful effects. Nevertheless, dental amalgam continues to be used in over half of the fillings in the U.S. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which has the authority to ban such harmful products, has consistently failed to do so, even while its own research concludes that: “The developing neurological systems in fetuses and young children may be more sensitive to the neurotoxic effects of mercury vapor.” 
Contrast the FDA’s inaction with that of authorities in the European Union, who reached an agreement to partially ban the use of dental amalgam in member countries beginning on July 1, 2018. On that date, amalgam use will be prohibited in children under 15, pregnant women, and breast-feeding mothers.
Advocacy groups continue to put pressure on the FDA to ban mercury fillings. Assure a Smile is a proud member of the World Alliance for Mercury-Free Dentistry which, in affiliation with the Campaign for Mercury-Free Dentistry, has fought hard since 2010 for the phase-down and eventual ban on dental amalgam usage.
But just because U.S. regulators have dragged their heels on mercury fillings doesn’t mean that parents and other dental patients need to. There are numerous mercury-free alternatives to silver fillings which are just as effective and have no history of adverse health effects.
At Assure A Smile, we have been and remain at the forefront of holistic, mercury-free dentistry. We are committed to improving the overall health and wellness of our patients, including reducing their exposure to mercury. We use mercury-free, bio-compatible implants in children and adults, and we safely and carefully remove mercury-filled dental amalgam and replace them with non-toxic white composites that look more natural without the injurious side effects.
To schedule a consultation to discuss your concerns about mercury exposure or to schedule safe mercury removal in Miami,  click here to schedule an appointment online or you may contact us via phone at (305) 274-0047. We welcome the opportunity to help you.