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FROM DENTAL AMALGAM MERCURY SYNDROME (DAMS)
PRESS RELEASE
JANUARY 26, 2004
"Finally, after more than 160 years, consumers may have the right to know
that 'silver' fillings, also known as dental amalgams, contain
approximately 50% mercury," so stated Anne Ferreira, Dental Amalgam Mercury
Syndrome (DAMS) spokesperson, when commenting about proposed Virginia
General Assembly Bill SB 187.
Introduced by Senator Yvonne B. Miller, D-Norfolk, SB-187 would provide
very important informed consent legislation that would require dentists to
disclose to their patients that they have a choice of durable and safe white
composites rather than "silver" fillings that contain mercury, a known
neurotoxin. Dentists will also not be able to implant a "silver" mercury
filling without providing the patient with information on the health risks
of this filling material and would require consent in writing before it is
implanted in the tooth.
While the American Dental Association (ADA) claims that the amount of
mercury emitted from mercury amalgam dental fillings is too small to cause
health harm, the ADA has conflicts of interest according to Ferreira. The
ADA was granted patents on two formulations of amalgam in the 1970's (now
expired) and they receive fees from amalgam manufacturers for granting the
ADA's Seal of Acceptance.
The EPA considers the "silver" amalgam filling material hazardous waste
before it is placed in a patient's teeth and hazardous waste after it has
been removed. The FDA has not approved the mercury in the dental amalgam or
"silver" fillings. Passage of this bill would give the right to all the
people in Virginia to have an informed consent on mercury-based dental
fillings. The Senate Health and Education Committee will hold a hearing on
this bill on Thursday, January 29th at 9 AM in Senate Room B of the General
Assembly Building.
The bill can be viewed at:
http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?041+ful+SB187
Other sites about mercury in dental fillings and the environment are:
www.testfoundation.org
www.amalgam.org
www.iaomt.org
www.mercurypolicy.org
www.altcorp.com
Contact Anne Ferreira at 757-581-3636, 757-220-6747 or
[email protected].
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