iaomtlibrary

“Results from recently published studies have shown an independent association between the mercury concentration in the human body and the risk of coronary heart disease. There are two major sources of exposure to mercury of the general population: fish consumption and dental amalgamats. Mercury may promote atheriosclerosis and hence it may increase the risk of acute coronary events in several ways. Mercury stimulates the production of free radicals, binds to sulfhydryl groups of enzymes and forms an insoluble complex with selenium. Thus mercury may induce lipid peroxydation and increase oxidized low-density lipoprotein concentration in blood.”

“BACKGROUND:
Thimerosal is an ethylmercury-containing compound (49.6% mercury by weight) used as at the preservative level in vaccines (0.005% to 0.01%).

METHODS:
Statistical modeling in a meta-analysis epidemiological assessment of the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) for neurodevelopment disorders (NDs) reported following Diphtheria-Tetanus-whole-cell-Pertussis (DTP) vaccines in comparison to Diphtheria-Tetanus-whole-cell-Pertussis-Haemophilus Influenzae Type b (DTPH) vaccines (administered: 1994-1997) and following Thimerosal-containing Diphtheria-Tetanus-acellular-Pertussis (DTaP), vaccines in comparison to Thimerosal-free DTaP vaccines (administered: 1997-2000), was undertaken.

RESULTS:
Significantly increased adjusted (sex, age, vaccine type, vaccine manufacturer) risks of autism, speech disorders, mental retardation, personality disorders, thinking abnormalities, ataxia, and NDs in general, with minimal systematic error or confounding, were associated with TCV exposure.

CONCLUSION:
It is clear from the results of the present epidemiological study and other recently published data associating mercury exposure with childhood NDs, additional ND research should be undertaken in the context of evaluating mercury-associated exposures, especially from Thimerosal-containing vaccines.”

“Thimerosal is an ethylmercury (49.55% mercury by weight) preservative historically added to some vaccines. Toxicokinetic studies showed children in the United States received doses of mercury from Thimerosal-containing vaccines (TCVs) in excess of safety guidelines. In the United States during the 1990s, diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (DTP) and Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) vaccines (maximally, 50 mug mercury per joint administration) and diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis-Haemophilus influenzae type b (DTPH) vaccines (25 mug mercury per administration) were given to children in the same childhood vaccination schedule at 2, 4, 6, and 15-18 mo, so that children receiving DTP and Hib vaccines may have maximally received an additional 100 mug more mercury exposure from TCVs than children administered DTPH vaccines. A case-control epidemiological study of neurodevelopmental disorders (NDs) reported to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) (online public access version; updated 31 August 2004) following administration of DTP vaccines in comparison DTPH vaccines manufactured by Lederle Laboratories (Pearl River, NY) from 1994 through 1998 was undertaken. Significantly increased odds ratios for autism, speech disorders, mental retardation, infantile spasms, and thinking abnormalities reported to VAERS were found following DTP vaccines in comparison to DTPH vaccines with minimal bias or systematic error. Additional ND research should be undertaken in the context of evaluating mercury-associated exposures, especially since in 2005 the Institute of Medicine issued a report calling into question handling of vaccine safety data by the National Immunization Program of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.”

“The current amalgam issue is not new. In the 1840s, there was even an ‘amalgam war’ between the dentists who advocated the use of gold as a restorative material and those who used silver amalgam as a filling material. There were complaints of the ill effects of mercury in the amalgam as a health problem. The split on this issue threatened to divide dentistry into two camps: those who used amalgam and those who condemned it. The first national dental society in the United States, the American Society of Dental Surgeons, had to disband because of the controversy. There was even a ‘New Departure’ movement in the 1880s to eliminate gold as a restorative material in badly broken down teeth, which could be more readily salvaged by the use of material that did not require the force of condensation needed to pack a gold foil, then considered the ultimate restorative material. However, amalgam has proven to be an excellent restorative material with few side effects–amalgam saves teeth.”

“The joint committee met on Wednesday, September 6, and Thursday, September 7, 2006, in Gaithersburg, MD, to discuss and make recommendations to FDA on its draft white paper regarding the potential adverse health risks associated with exposure to mercury in dental amalgam. The joint committee was comprised of 24 panelist including consultants.”

“Autism was recently associated with a urinary porphyrin pattern indicative of mercury toxicity in a large cohort of French children. The IRB of the Institute for Chronic Illnesses approved the present study. A total of 37 consecutive American patients (> or = 7 years-old) with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition-DSM IV), born from 1983-1998, that presented to the Genetic Centers of America for outpatient genetic evaluations were prospectively examined for urinary prophryin levels (LabCorp, Inc.) from June 2005-June 2006. Imaging and laboratory testing were conducted on each patient to rule-out other causal factors for their ASDs. As controls, age-, sex-, and race-matched neurotypical ASD siblings were examined. An apparent dose-response effect was observed between autism severity and increased urinary coproporphyrins. Patients with non-chelated autism (2.25-fold, 83% had levels > 2 SD above the control mean) and non-chelated ASDs (2-fold, 58% had levels > 2 SD above the control mean), but not patients with non-chelated pervasive developmental delay-not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS) or Asperger’s disorder (1.4-fold, 46% had levels > 2 SD above the control mean), had significantly increased median coproporphyrin levels versus controls. A significant increase (1.7-fold) in median coproporphyrin levels was observed among non-chelated ASD patients versus chelated ASD patients. Porphyrins should be routinely clinically measured in ASDs, and potential ASD treatments should consider monitoring porphyrin levels. Additional research should be conducted to evaluate the potential role for mercury exposure in some ASDs.”

“BACKGROUND:

Intraoral metal contact allergy may result in mucositis that mimics lichen planus and the pathogenesis of squamous cell carcinoma.

METHODS:

Clinical records of all patients examined in the departments of dermatology and otorhinolaryngology at a tertiary-care academic medical center between June 1994 and June 2000 who had a diagnosis of intraoral squamous cell carcinoma adjacent to a metal dental restoration and who were patch tested with our metal series were reviewed retrospectively. Eleven patients met the inclusion criteria.

RESULTS:

Ten patients (91%) had positive patch tests to metals. In eight (73%), the oral cancer was adjacent to a dental restoration containing a metal to which the patient was allergic. Prevalence of gold, mercury, silver, and copper allergy among these patients was substantially higher than that reported in the available worldwide patch-test clinic population.

CONCLUSION:

Contact allergy to metal dental restorations may be a risk factor for development of intraoral squamous cell carcinoma.”