Health News
Are Silver Fillings Dangerous?
April 19, 2006
Two recent government-funded studies found no evidence that dental fillings containing mercury can cause brain damage or other neurological problems in children. Children with silver fillings were no more likely than other kids to suffer such problems according to researchers.
Some experts found the findings very reassuring. But the studies are unlikely to end the fierce debate over the long-term effects of what are known as amalgam fillings, and some advocates bitterly accused the researchers of conducting unethical experiments on children.
Amalgam fillings, also called silver fillings, are made of mercury and other metals and have been used by dentists for 150 years. But their use has dropped in recent years as more and more doctors switch to resin composite fillings, which are considered more appealing because they are white.
Some advocacy groups and dentists have long contended that the mercury in fillings can leach into the body and cause harmful neurological effects, including autism.