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Mercury derived from dental amalgams and neuropsychologic function.
Pam Factor-Litvak1, Gunnar Hasselgren, Diane Jacobs
1Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, New York 10032, USA. prf1@columbia.edu
Environmental Health Perspectives
|May 3, 2003
Summary
Concerns about dental amalgam safety persist, but this study found no link between mercury exposure from amalgams and cognitive or motor deficits in healthy adults. Dental mercury exposure did not impair cognitive functioning.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Dental Public Health
- Environmental Health
Background:
- Widespread public concern exists regarding the safety of silver-mercury amalgam dental restorations.
- Limited scientific evidence currently supports or refutes harm or safety concerns associated with dental amalgams.
- Assessing mercury exposure from dental amalgams and its potential impact on cognitive function is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between mercury exposure from dental amalgams and cognitive functioning in healthy adults.
- To determine if mercury dental amalgams are adversely associated with cognitive performance.
- To evaluate mercury exposure markers against neuropsychological test outcomes.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional study of 550 healthy working adults (30-49 years old) without occupational mercury exposure.
- Assessment of mercury exposure through urinary mercury concentration (UHg), total amalgam surfaces, and occlusal amalgam surfaces.
- Neuropsychologic testing battery, structured questionnaire, dental examination, and biological sample collection (blood and urine).
Main Results:
- Relatively low mercury exposure levels were observed across all participants.
- No significant association was found between any mercury exposure marker (UHg, total amalgams, occlusal amalgams) and cognitive or fine motor test scores.
- Statistical analyses adjusted for potential confounding variables and sampling design.
Conclusions:
- Mercury exposure from dental amalgam restorations was not associated with detectable cognitive or fine motor deficits in this sample of healthy working adults.
- The findings suggest that dental amalgams, at the exposure levels studied, do not pose a significant risk to cognitive health.
- Further research may be warranted to explore potential long-term effects or effects in different populations.