CA Dental Board Strengthens Policy on Mercury Toxicity

from Dr. Paul Rubin

On July 11, the Dental Board of California voted seven to one to direct all dentists to give patients a dental materials fact sheet that will advise dental patients that mercury fillings "can harm the developing brain of a child or fetus," and that such fillings "cause exposure to mercury, a chemical known to the State of California to cause birth defects and other reproductive harm."

According to comments by Board member Dr. Hundley, "We have established and we have conceded that there may be some harm in mercury.... We have chosen to accept the fact that there may be harm and we are placing that information out to the public.... We had scientific evidence that tended to show us there was no harm in silver fillings [which all contain mercury]. On the flip side of that, we have scientific evidence that there was harm. We have chosen to accept the fact that there may be harm and we are placing that information out to the public. Now we are fulfilling our obligation under Proposition 65 to state to the patients and have them accept that there may be some harm in mercury fillings." The new fact sheet was proposed by Dr. Chet Yokoyama, the board's mercury-free dentist, who chaired a committee appointed by board president Dr. Alan Kaye. The fact sheet finally implements a 1992 law which mandates information on the "risks and efficacies" of dental fillings. An amendment of the law in 2001 required that such a fact sheet be given to patients. Upon signing the law, Governor Davis said the "mercury risk fact sheet" would advise patients of the risks of mercury in some dental fillings in advance of their placement.

For more information, contact Consumers for Dental Choice, Freya Koss, 610-864-3923, or Charlie Brown, National Counsel, 202-246-7642.

WWW Washington Free Press