BMJ 1994;309:621-622 (10 September)

Editorials

Side effects of dental materials

The supposed dangers of dental amalgam have been much in the news recently - amalgam has been blamed for mercury poisoning and other systemic disease. Dental materials contain several toxic components, including carcinogenic and teratogenic components and allergens, and, although they are manufactured to be inert and biologically inactive, clearly they may release some elements into the mouth. Despite these potential problems decades of worldwide clinical experience and research show that side effects to dental material are rare.

Side effects are estimated to occur at a frequency of between 1 in 1000 to 1 in 10 000 treatments involving restorative materials.1 Most reactions are mild, but severe allergic reactions occur rarely. The typical allergic response to dental materials is a delayed contact hypersensitivity reaction (type IV), which can be initiated by minute amounts of the allergen in sensitised individuals. Toxic reactions, on the other hand, are dose dependent. Minute amounts . . . [Full text of this article]


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Relevant Article

Controlled trials of dental amalgam are needed
E A A Baldwin
BMJ 1994 309: 1161. [Extract] [Full Text]

This article has been cited by other articles:

  • Hamre, H. J (1995). Side effects of dental materials. BMJ 310: 58-58 [Full text]  
  • Baldwin, E A A (1994). Controlled trials of dental amalgam are needed. BMJ 309: 1161-1161 [Full text]  
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