Influence of submerged electrical welding/cutting on dental amalgam in Swedish divers

Professional commercial divers working with electrical cutting and welding sometimes experience a metallic taste phenomenon. An enquéte study among divers showed no influence of different equipment on the occurrence of such metallic taste, but it seems to occur less frequently in low salinity water. It has been suggested that this metallic taste phenomenon is due to increased corrosion rate of dental restorations, especially of amalgam. Experimental results recording the potential of amalgam specimens placed in the oral cavity of divers during welding, showed influence on the potential, and thus probably on the corrosion rate, during welding only when the diver came into direct contact with the water, e.g. through leakage in the suit.