[Amalgam. VII. Toxic effects of mercury from amalgam fillings]

Chronic exposure to mercury may lead to damage of the central nervous system and the kidneys. The first signs of neurotoxicity are difficult to recognize because the effects are very unspecific and show a high inter-individual variation. Patient and dentist are exposed to mercury from food, by amalgam restorations and by mercury vapor in the dental office. There is no general concensus about the amount of mercury released from amalgam. The estimations on the daily mercury uptake after release from amalgam vary between 2 en 10 micrograms. In comparison to the daily uptake of 10 micrograms from food, the contribution from amalgam is substantial, but based on a tolerable daily uptake of 30 micrograms mercury for the general population, there still seems to be no reason for a health concern. However, an interdisciplinary approach is required to determine the dose-response relationship more accurately. In addition, based on measurements of the internal exposure of the dental team, it can be concluded that mercury vapor seems to be no significant health risk for the personnel in most dental offices.