Even one amalgam dental filling exposes pregnant women to potentially harmful mercury vapor levels compared with women with no fillings — and multiple fillings increase exposures and risks proportionally, according to a paper published Feb. 5 in Human & Experimental Toxicology.
All pregnant women with one or more fillings exceed at least one published “safe” exposure limit for mercury vapor.
Dental amalgam fillings are made from a mixture of mercury and other metals. Mercury — the silvery substance inside old-fashioned mercury thermometers — is the only metal that is liquid at room temperature.
Like all other liquids, mercury evaporates, turning from liquid to gas. Inhaling mercury vapor is a significant source of mercury exposure.
Other sources include fish and seafood, industrial processes and products, including mining, and mercury-containing products like thermometers.
Vaccines are another source of mercury exposure. Many seasonal influenza vaccines contain thimerosal, an organic mercury preservative that negatively affects several organs, particularly the nervous system.
Thimerosal was an ingredient in many childhood vaccines but was removed from those products in 2001. However, it is still present in flu vaccines administered to children and pregnant women.
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