Contain mercury use No amalgam for pregnant women and children

Amalgam in children and pregnant women only in absolute exceptional cases

In recent decades, millions of people in Europe have had their teeth filled with the mercury-containing substance amalgam. However, a new EU regulation now provides that dentists should only use this material in children and pregnant women in absolutely exceptional circumstances.

Dental fillings with amalgam

For decades, holes in the teeth were filled with amalgam. But then there was evidence that this material could damage your health. Since then, patients have wondered what to do with their amalgam fillings. Sometimes it is advised - especially with a known amalgam allergy - to replace the filling. However, there are also professionals who think they can stay in the mouth, because it is scientifically not clearly proven whether, or how much this material burdened the health. However, the use of amalgam will be reduced in the future.

Dental fillings with amalgam are to be pushed back significantly because of the toxic mercury. In the future, dentists should use the material in children and pregnant women only in exceptional cases. (Image: sivivolk / fotolia.com)

Only in absolutely exceptional cases

According to a news agency dpa, an EU regulation provides that dentists should only use the mercury-containing filler amalgam in children and pregnant women from July 1 on in absolute exceptions.

As the Panel Dentistry Federal Association (KZBV) explained in advance, was the result that regularly insured under 15 years as well as pregnant and breastfeeding women, an alternative filling material must be selected.

"The insured must always be able to opt for a payment-free care," it says in the agency message.

According to the information, instead of amalgam in the area of ​​the posterior teeth, for example, a plastic filling may be used, as has hitherto been used, for example, in the case of amalgam allergy sufferers.

An existing special regulation for amalgam allergy sufferers was extended and a new billing number was created. In the future, the dentist will have to check on a case by case basis which material he can use.

According to experts, the use of amalgam in Germany has been declining for years, above all because patients prefer tooth-colored fillings instead of metallic amalgam fillings.

Contain mercury use

In a position paper from 2017, the Federal Dental Association wrote that the new EU regulations correspond to a large extent to the legal situation prevailing in Germany.

However, there is no data on how often amalgam is actually used. According to estimates by the KZBV, amalgam fillings account for about 30 percent of the total stock of all existing fillings.

According to dpa, the EU is pursuing the goal of curbing mercury use. Although amalgam fillings for patients would be considered safe, critics refer in particular to health risks associated with the processing, disposal and incineration of deceased persons in crematories.

Mercury can enter the food chain via the atmosphere and ultimately accumulate in the body.

Health hazards due to mercury

Among other things, poisoning with mercury can lead to kidney, liver and nerve damage in adults.

But there are more potential health threats posed by the heavy metal.

It is suspected to increase the risks of heart attack and Alzheimer's. An increased cancer risk from mercury is also assumed.

Mercury is one of the ten most dangerous environmental toxins listed in the poison report of the Swiss environmental organization Green Cross and the organization Pure Earth from New York.

"In October 2013, 140 states signed the Minamata Convention (Mercury Convention) to curb emissions of heavy metal mercury," it said in a statement. (Ad)