By Greentech Lead
America: The International Academy for Oral Medicine and Toxicology
(IAOMT), a non-profit organization representing dental, medical, and scientific
professionals worldwide, will encourage the U.S. government to join worldwide
efforts against mercury/silver fillings, the predominant source of human
exposure to mercury, at an integral Department of State (DOS) mercury
stakeholders meeting.
The DOS meeting is being held in preparation for a United
Nations conference in June to negotiate a 2013 global treaty with the purpose
of phasing-down mercury use in a variety of industries, including dentistry.
U.S. agencies have thus far avoided taking a definitive
stance on dental amalgam, IAOMT challenges the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration for failing to protect the American public from a medical device
containing 50 percent mercury, a material known by FDA to damage the kidneys,
nervous system, and brain, particularly in unborn and young children.
IAOMT notes the FDA has not taken measures to warn consumers
of the potential harm from daily exposure to mercury in their mouths.
“We’ve repeatedly brought the hazards of mercury
fillings to FDA’s attention, as documented by our testimony at their Dental
Products Panel Hearing in 2010, our petition filed in 2009, and our 2002
publication of over 1,000 adverse reaction reports due to dental amalgam,”
James Love, legal counsel to IAOMT.
Norway, Sweden and Denmark have already banned mercury
fillings; a number of countries have placed limitations on their use for
pregnant women and children; and the Council of Europe has called for their
restriction and prohibition.
A major study used to claim safety of mercury fillings
in children was found to be erroneous after more careful analysis that showed
kidney damage.
IAOMT has established a mercury safety protocol for patients
and personnel, especially women who are pregnant or of child-bearing age
because fetuses are known to be extremely sensitive to mercury.
In the U.S. employee exposure to mercury has been strictly
regulated since 1970 by the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OSHA), but the
vast majority of dental workers have no idea this legislation applies to them,
and few dental offices are in complete compliance.