Dentists commit to stopping mercury use in dental fillings
Dentists across the country have agreed to stop using mercury, a highly toxic heavy metal, for dental filling, in a step towards ensuring mercury-free dentistry.
Nepal Dental Association (NDA)—the umbrella organisation of dental surgeons in the country—together with other professional associations and non-governmental organisations working for making the health sector and environment mercury-free, has made a declaration to pursue mercury-free dentistry to protect public from its harmful effects.
As per the declaration made on Saturday, the mercury dental amalgam should not be used for dental treatment of deciduous teeth of children under 15 years and of pregnant or breastfeeding women.
The dentists and other stakeholders have also agreed that for all other age groups, the mercury dental amalgam would not be taken as the first choice for dental restoration, except when deemed strictly necessary by the dental practitioners based on the specific needs of the patient, stated the declaration. Use of dental amalgam, which is described as a dental filling for plugging cavities caused by tooth decay, is a mixture of metals, consisting 50 percent mercury and a powdered alloy composed of silver, tin and copper.
Fillings made with amalgam also are known as ‘silver fillings’. Mercury has for long and widely been used in the country as dental filling. The toxic metal has been in use for as long as 150 years around the world. Many developed countries like Norway and Sweden have already phased out dental amalgam while others are in the process of discarding it.
Posted by admin
on Mar 27 2019. Filed under No Mercury.
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