Author: Needleman HL.
Source: JAMA.
Year: 2006
Comment:
This editorial warns that much more testing is necessary to prove that dental amalgam mercury is safe. The letter was included in the same edition of the Journal of the American Medical Association that contained the original Children's Amalgam Trial studies, and Dr. Needleman warns in this editorial: "It is predictable that some outside interests will expand the modest conclusions of these studies to assert that use of mercury amalgam in dentistry is risk free. This conclusion would be unfortunate and unscientific. The conclusions that can be extrapolated from these 2 studies are constrained by several factors."
Abstract / Excerpt:
“Dental amalgam, which contains 50% mercury by weight, has been used for at least 150 years. Because mercury is an acknowledged neurotoxin, concerns about the health effects of exposure to this chemical are widespread.”
Citation:
Needleman HL. Mercury in dental amalgam—a neurotoxic risk? JAMA. 2006; 295(15):1835-1836.