That is what the FDA is attempting to find out. Depending on the results of a study due to be completed in 2009, the FDA may warn against the use of silver dental fillings in women who plan to become pregnant, pregnant women, nursing mothers, and young children. The reason is that silver amalgam fillings contain half mercury and half a combination of other metals. Mercury has been shown to effect brain growth and result in cognitive and motor-skill development problems. However, the American Dental Association still feels the amalgam fillings, which have been used for over a hundred years, remain safe for patients based on many studies and scientific reviews conducted by both government and independent agencies. Full story.
June 10, 2008
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Dr. Steven Chang, the author of DailyDose, is a staff physician with Kosmix RightHealth. Dr. Chang practices Family Medicine at the University of California Davis Medical Center, where his medical interests include both pediatric and geriatric care, public health, gay and lesbian health, and sleep medicine. Dr. Chang trained at the Stanford University affiliated O'Connor Hospital, and was a research fellow at the National Institute of Health. He holds an M.D. from McGill University and a BA in Public Health from Johns Hopkins University.