Amalgam: Impact on oral health and the environment must be supported by science

Author: Araujo MW, Lipman RD, Platt JA.

Source: The Journal of the American Dental Association.

Year: 2019

Comment:

Abstract / Excerpt:

The Minamata Convention on Mercury is an international environmental treaty. In 2013, the United States became one of the 128 governments to become signatories on the Minamata Convention. The Convention entered into force in August 2017. Among its many goals, the Convention articulates in Annex A the phasing down of the use of dental amalgam. The American Dental Association (ADA) supports the Minamata Convention and, with respect to amalgam use, advocates promoting strategies to prevent dental disease and investing in development of fully effective alternatives to dental amalgam. The third meeting of parties to the Minamata Convention is scheduled to take place at the end of November 2019. Among the potential items on the agenda is the review of Annex A and a consideration of whether the previously agreed-to phase down should instead be revised to a phase out of amalgam by 2024dthat is, a complete ban of amalgam across the world. If revised, this will lead to decisions that will affect dental treatment alternatives and waste management of mercury stemming from the removal of existing amalgam restorations. Although 2024 may be when dentists will stop placing amalgam, the impact on the environment will need to be managed for many more years to come, and most countries are not technically or financially prepared for that change in practice.

Citation: Araujo MW, Lipman RD, Platt JA. Amalgam: Impact on oral health and the environment must be supported by science. The Journal of the American Dental Association. 2019;150(10):813-5.