Dentists in France have decided to stop using Mercury as the basis for fillings. What’s more, the European Commission is rumoured to be banning it across the whole of Europe. Dentists in 4 other nations already have stopped using the hazardous substance: Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Germany. France is the latest.
The use of mercury amalgam has been controversial for a number of years now. Leaving aside the potential environmental risks, many dentists believe that the substance can be hazardous to health. However the evidence for this is very low if there is any at all. Much of it is speculation.
However, dentists in France and many in the UK are obviously concerned enough to stop using it. One Parisian dentist Dr Michèle Panetier told a Guardian reporter: “As a matter of precaution I would rather not use them for my patients.” She hasn’t for 15 years.
The European Commission said they intend making a decision in the near future after it publishes its findings from a review it carried out last year. Pre-empting this, a member of the Bio Intelligence Service, neurologist Bernard Aranda, has recommended the phasing out of mercury amalgam. He told the Guardian: “Having heavy metals in your mouth is a source of toxic substances, which for some genetically predisposed patients may increase the risk of diseases such as disseminated sclerosis.”
Another expert – life science teacher and scientific advisor, Marie Grosman said: “The first measure should be to ban [mercury] amalgams.”
She added: “Mercury passes through the placenta because dental mercury is found in the umbilical cord and in the developing child’s organs.”
Meanwhile a member of an environmental organisation said: “We should pay attention to the materials dentists are using in our mouths. Toxicity tests are needed to guarantee that they are innocuous and compatible with our bodies. That would rule out mercury immediately, which has several proven toxic effects. Yet it is covered by the Social Security!”
As for the French dentists, over the last few years fewer and fewer have been using mercury amalgam for fillings, so banning it completely is no big deal.
The question now is: will the EU ban mercury use for the rest of Europe including the UK?