Dentist in Farnham, Surrey

Mercury-Free Referral Practice

The official position of the British Dental Association (BDA) is that 'silver' fillings are safe and that amalgam (containing mercury) is a good material to restore decayed teeth. They also state that there is no proven connection with adverse health complaints. This seems to conflict with a statement by the Health and Safety Executive which states:

'Mercury forms a large number of organic and inorganic compounds. Mercury vapour and almost all of these compounds are highly toxic. Less hazardous substitutes should be used whenever possible'. Over 14,000 papers world-wide have been published which suggest that mercury is a toxic material, and should not be used in fillings.

However, more recently the BDA has released a statement saying that more research needs to be carried out to ensure safety.
The UK Department of Health advises all dentists not to remove or replace amalgam fillings in pregnant women.

We agree with the body of opinion that mercury can produce serious side effects in susceptible individuals. It has become increasingly apparent to us, having studied the plethora of research papers, that we are no longer happy placing amalgam fillings in patients' mouths, or subjecting our nursing staff or ourselves to further potential toxicity. This is our own opinion, and may not necessarily reflect the opinions of the other dental practitioners in the area. We recognise that the removal of mercury fillings will not necessarily guarantee a change in the health status of patients, and would strongly recommend that all medical complaints be thoroughly investigated by a relevant medical practitioner, with expertise in the appropriate field.

The British Dental Association has recently stated that 'about 3% of the population are estimated to suffer from mercury sensitivity'. From a population of 65 million, that's nearly 2 million, a large number indeed!