Developments in Brief : Amalgam Tooth Filling Tied to Fetus Damage

Swedish dental experts are warning pregnant women not to have their teeth filled with amalgam because the agent could cause damage to fetuses.

In a report to the government last week, a group of leading dentists said that mercury released from amalgam presented a minimal risk of poisoning to particularly sensitive subjects.

“We recommend the Social Ministry discourage extensive amalgam treatment during pregnancy. Mercury passes the placenta and there is risk of damage to the fetus,” the report said. Although fetal damage after amalgam treatment had not been clinically proved, it said, a ban would be a wise precaution while further research was conducted.

The report concluded that the Swedish dental profession should work as quickly as possible to find alternatives to amalgam, still the most widely used tooth-filling agent.