The environmental and health impact of using mercury in dental fillings is examined by Todd Miller in the spring issue of the DePaul Journal of Health Care Law, published by the DePaul University College of Law's Health Law Institute. The article is entitled "Mercury Amalgam Fillings: Human and Environmental Issues Facing the Dental Profession."

Miller, who earned his master's from DePaul's College of Law in health law, writes that not only are there continuing questions about the safety of having mercury in amalgam fillings, but there are also environmental safety questions in the way that dentists dispose of waste from using these fillings.

"This type of law review article reflects the involvement of practicing lawyers in advanced law school programs that encourage innovative academic research," according to Donald Hermann, director of the Health Law Institute. "This article should spur the interest of environmentalist in a neglected area of investigation."

The first filings using mercury were used in 1812 by British chemist Joseph Bell as a silver paste, which was a combination of coins and mercury, said Miller. Mercury is still used today by dentists because when combined with other metals it forms a paste that hardens within minutes.

The American Dental Association (ADA) supports the use of mercury fillings to such a degree, said Miller in his article, that the ADA says it is unethical to removal serviceable fillings if the purpose is to "eliminate a toxic material from the human body."

Questions still remain about the safety to patients of using mercury amalgam fillings, Miller said.

"Over the past few years, several studies have reported that dental amalgam fillings continuously leak small amounts of mercury into the oral cavity," Miller writes in his article.

While proponents of using mercury disagree, Miller said, "It has been suggested that mercury exposure is responsible for a wide variety of systemic ill effects in some patients, including immune suppression, neurotoxicity, renal impairment, obstetric complications, multiple sclerosis and conditional symptoms such as headache, fatigue and depression."

Miller said there are two sources of environmental dental contamination.

One, according to Miller, occurs from the waste pumped by the vacuum system in a patient's mouth during a procedure. The other is when leftover waste is washed into the water system after mixing a filling.

Some states are already examining the mercury content of dental wastes, and Miller predicts the trend will grow.

"Studies examining the contamination of municipal sewage systems from dental waste water show that dental offices contribute to the pollution of our rivers, lakes and streams," Miller said. "Many local and state governments are encouraging the proper disposal of mercury to protect the environment from mercury overexposure through targeted legislation."

In his article Miller writes that further study of the use of mercury-based fillings and mercury disposal by dentists is necessary.

For more information contact Hermann at 312/362-8383.